fladavid Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Hi. (55 plate 2.0 petrol Ghia) I've noticed over the past few days a very slight coolant leak. It seems to be just the odd drip from underneath the expansion tank dripping directly onto engine mounting. Are these tanks prone to splitting? How easy is it to change? It looks like it just locates on two flat tags welded to the wheel arch and obviously the hoses also need to be released. Am I correct? Also when I was running the engine I noticed a faint drumming sound. It's the engine cover in one corner not seating properly and vibrating slightly. I can't seem to see how the cover is held in place. Any ideas as to how I can secure it? Thanks. David. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dee_82 Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 put your finger in that liquid and see if its thick or thin water. the reason ask is that both @tomfocus and i recently changed our right side engine mount because they had leaked, they effectively collapsed with no fluid inside. Its can look like the coolant is leaking and in fact it can look like someone sacrificed a small animal on it, i think tom had a great picture showing such a thing. Not ruling out a damaged hose or coolant tank but its worth thinking about. It might also explain the slight rattle, with the engine no longer insulated you will notice quite a fair bit more noise and vibration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tdci-Peter Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 2 hours ago, fladavid said: very slight coolant leak. It seems to be just the odd drip from underneath the expansion tank dripping directly Put a bit of cardboard under the tank. See if it gets wet & smells of antifreeze. Mine developed a leak about 2 years ago. I managed to find a new one for about £22. But I had to hunt quite hard. Loads of 2nd hand ones about, but it is an item that ages (heat + pressure + plastic + time = cracks). It should be dead easy to remove, just as you say. But mine was very tight on the tabs, that may have contributed to the failure. So I modified the new one (also tight) by cutting through the side of one of the slots, so it fitted nicely. There are quite a few engine jobs that need that tank lifted, like getting at the top engine mount. And that is now leaking oil on my car, like Tom's & Darren's, I just noticed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomsFocus Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 The colour of the fluid on the mount looks like coolant tbh. And these Ford expansion tanks do fail fairly often! Focus ones not quite as often as the Fiesta's though! Easy job and shouldn't cost too much, might be an idea to change the expansion cap at the same time, it might be holding a bit too much pressure in there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fladavid Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 It's definitely coolant as I can see the drip forming under the tank then dripping onto the mount. It's also orange like the antifreeze. Does the tank just lift off the two tabs with no other means of holding it then, apart from the hoses that is? I'd rather buy new if I can find one as I might be getting one just about to go itself. No ideas about the engine cover then and how it's secured? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomsFocus Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Got a pic of the engine cover? I think it just pushes on rubber mounts on the 2.0 petrol but not 100% sure. Those mounts are screwed in so can come loose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dee_82 Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 tank has two metal tabs that hold it in place, a bit of muscle work and itll pop off, try getting the rear one done first, then if needbe use a leaver to help with the front one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fladavid Posted August 2, 2016 Author Share Posted August 2, 2016 Oh thanks that's good to know that is only the tabs holding it in place. Have attached photo of engine cover. It definitely isn't screwed down from above so the rubber grommet idea sounds like it could be correct. I just don't want to tug on it to remove it and break something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Hi, please forgive my stupidity if this is obvious. You know the bottom jubilee clip on the expansion tank has been moved away from tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fladavid Posted August 2, 2016 Author Share Posted August 2, 2016 No its not stupid at all. It has but it isn't leaking from there. I need to move it back up to where it should be. Well spotted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjt Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 The engine cover is mounted on three ball joints with rubber grommets in the cover. To remove you have to pull straight up. These can become very stiff because the rubber tends to stick to the ball. I put a smear of silicone grease on mine which makes it much easier to remove and less likely to damage the rubber.. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fladavid Posted August 2, 2016 Author Share Posted August 2, 2016 That's brilliant. Thank you. I will need to take the cover off to see why the back edge, near the oil filler cap,isn't holding down properly. I assume you can buy the fixings if one happens to be damaged? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomsFocus Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 The balls have a screw thread on them, they screw in, one of yours has probably just worked loose over time and just needs !Removed! back in. Edit - the removed word is screw-ing...I can only assume the swear filter was written by a 12 year old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fladavid Posted August 2, 2016 Author Share Posted August 2, 2016 Well screw-ing has been removed from my life too so I can understand. Lol. Oh thanks for that I'll take a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fladavid Posted August 9, 2016 Author Share Posted August 9, 2016 Just removed the engine cover and found the offending clip next to the oil filler cap doesn't have the rubber grommet that the other two have and the holder looks as if it's broken. In photo one you can see how it should look, a plastic shelf half way up that holds the grommet in place. In photo two there is no grommet or shelf half way up and someone has stuck tape there for some reason. Unless I'm wrong and that one had a different type of grommet that is missing. Can I buy the rubber grommets do you think and any ideas as to how I might secure it in place in the broken one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjt Posted August 9, 2016 Share Posted August 9, 2016 Knowing Ford (and the general throw-away philosophy of modern commerce) you'll probably find they'll only sell you a new cover, in which case maybe a scrappy is the best answer. That grommet holder doesn't look broken to me. It looks from your photo as if it's just a shorter one. If you do manage to get one and it's not a snug fit you could try glueing it in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tdci-Peter Posted August 9, 2016 Share Posted August 9, 2016 41 minutes ago, fladavid said: Can I buy the rubber grommets do you think and any ideas as to how I might secure it in place in the broken one? Have you had the engine bottom cover off yet? (if your car has one). It looks like the grommet was held in by the tape, but that failed. It just might be still in there somewhere. Worth a look? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fladavid Posted August 10, 2016 Author Share Posted August 10, 2016 Yes I thought if I can buy the grommet, I assume it will have to be from a Ford Dealer, I could cut a piece of timber into the correct shape and height and silicone it in place. Then the grommet can go in on top. Hopefully I can just buy the grommet. If I can't I'll have to think of another way. I don't suppose anyone knows how to find out the part number for this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artscot79 Posted August 10, 2016 Share Posted August 10, 2016 the expansion cap should be replaced every 3 years so for less tgan £20 IDE replace it anyway always over looked and can save a fortune in false diagnoses later on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stef123 Posted August 10, 2016 Share Posted August 10, 2016 1 hour ago, artscot79 said: the expansion cap should be replaced every 3 years so for less tgan £20 IDE replace it anyway always over looked and can save a fortune in false diagnoses later on So in which case i would have spent £80 for nothing in the last 9 years of owning a second hand ford 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artscot79 Posted August 10, 2016 Share Posted August 10, 2016 its the recommended replacement timescale for the part every 3 years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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