Coolant Leaking From Odd Location

[Doomageta]

Hi Guys,

Newbie here so, please be kind (actually i've been on here before but never posted).

I've been reading on here for a couple of hours and have found many useful solutions to problems (some of which i had experienced myself) but, i need to ask for help with my current problem.

Focus 2 1.6tdci 110PS (55 plate)

Had the car for 4 years now and it started loosing coolant/water about 6 months ago. It is a rather slow pace as, it takes over a week for the expansion tank level to drop to half empty. After much checking of hoses etc i eventually found the location of where the liquid escapes from. When facing the bonnet it is located behind the plane of the radiator, sort of over the location of the oil sump. You actually have to be under the car to see anything though.

Does anybody know if/how to fix this? Does it have to go to the pros or should an average Joe manage with clear instructions?

I am attaching pictures as i have no idea what that part is called (picture is taken with phone sitting on oil sump and facing towards the front of the car).

The water drips from the joint between the metallic body and the "black connector thing" (not a very technical term I know ^_^) that the hose plugs into.

Hope this makes sense somehow (it is late so a little doubtful...)

Thanks

Dooma

[simcor]

Looks to me like it might be the thermostat but I don't know where it is or what it looks like on your car.

[MONDEO TXS 2.2]

There looks like an aberration in the mating of the metal surfaces where the water droplets are coming from - on the black piece of casting

[iantt]

its the coolant bypass tube that attaches to the back of the waterpump housing, theres a rubber o ring seal that can leak on the end of the tube that goes in to the waterpump housing, or could be the platic tube cracked.

[Doomageta]

Thanks for all the replies so far. I am about to get the timing belt and water pump changed by a garage. Does the pump change include the aforementioned O-ring as well? If so it should hopefully fix the problem if luck is on my side...cars are wonderful so who knows what might happen.

I couldn't really feel for any crack or else given the cramped space so that's helpful info i can take to the mechanics who are to do the belt.

I will post if that fixes the issue.

^_^

[iantt]

Nope, the o ring is behind the waterpump, but its not a difficult job to do at a garage on a ramp

[Doomageta]

OK i'll add that to the list of jobs for the garage then hoping that it resolves the issue. The car is reaching that time of its life where things are "maturing" but, it feels like if we can power through it will be great for many more years. I am also having the dreaded instrument cluster issue but in my case i think it is simply a bad contact from one of the cable inside the connector at the back.

Trying to learn about things little by little. I did my first service and managed to successfully change the CHRA and alternator last winter (i impressed myself a little although i still don't know much and got support wherever i could).

Anyway thanks again for the pointers and hopefully the result will be positive.

[FatHead1979]

The are loads of knowledgeble & friendly guys on here mate so don't be afraid to shout up.

[Doomageta]

Hi there, a quick follow-up on the leak. I showed it to the mechanic who was doing the timing belt & water pump change and he said that because the location is actually on the engine block it would be very expensive to fix. It is as correctly assessed further up in the thread, the engine block side mounting unit for the water pump. The mechanic advised me that because it is slow-leaking i should use some kind of sealant such as Radweld. Now, i have read good and bad things about these compounds in the past but, given the fast approaching winter i think i'll give it a go. Does that sound reasonable to the community (i am expecting riots from this by the way YES vs NO who shall prevail???).

Thanks again for the help and advice so far.

[iantt]

The water pump housing is part of the block its self, I still think its the o ring leaking.

[james1089]

Really can't recommend radweld, if your keeping the car and spending on WP and TB tells me you are? I spent a year and a half flushing out after the abuse of that crap. Ok someone put about 5 sachets in all for a small leak on the thermostat housing.

[Doomageta]

Yes, hoping to keep the car although it is old and not worth much (on paper). I don't particularly like the idea of radweld but since the WP and TB work is done already and he didn't do it at the same time I am afraid it will be another big outlay and i cannot really afford that just now. My rationale was that he would be able to properly fix it while he was already working in the area but of course that didn't happen. Anybody has any idea how much it would cost to change the O-ring. I am actually waiting to see if it still actually leaks to be honest. I'll be on a long drive to the airport tomorrow so i should know by Sunday if the WP change (excluding O-ring) actually did the job...wishful thinking i think but one never knows...will update you for sure.

[iantt]

the o ring is a 30 min job on a ramp,

the only coolant in that area will either be water pump or o ring, the block casting is just that, no coolant from the block in it, its purely to locate the waterpump to the plastic coolant bypass hose, and to seal the 2 together is an o ring.

the only other way for it to leak is if the casting is porous which ive never known on that engine

[Doomageta]

OK i have sinned...I put some radweld+ in the cooling system. The leak stopped. It was a slow leak so i had to wait a few days to make sure. I flushed the system twice yesterday (radweld had been in for a week) as it finally stopped raining. It had been coming down non-stop for 5days. Hopefully the leak will stay sealed and no damage will occur anywhere else because of the additive used. Maybe get it looked at again in the summer if i feel brave.

Just received a couple of Dunlop winter tyres and today's cold weather and snow up here in Dundee made me smile hoping it will be a good investment. I never took the plunge before so, hopefully it'll be worth it.

Thanks again for all the help and advice.

By the way is the cooling fan likely to come on at idle when it's 1 degree C outside? The car was running for a good 30mins with heating full on (no AC) inside the car. I even had it revving at 2000rpm for 5min to no avail. Hopefully it's not the radwell+ curse. The engine temp dial never moved either and stayed on 60 deg C the whole time.

Unfortunately, i cannot actually say that i have ever noticed it coming on before so, no reference to go by. I'll have to keep an eye on that too...why do i bother? ;-)

EDIT: OK i've actually started looking for this potential fan problem thing (since posting yesterday) and it seems there are many post referring to it online so i'll try those. My fan actually comes on when the AC is on so it shouldn't be a faulty fan itself.

Thanks