1 hour ago, 1979Damian said:

I'm not averse to attempting a big job, I've had the entire dashboard out before even though a few local garages gave it a swerve as it was too much like hard work!  But removing the gearbox just using ramps on the street is not my idea of a fun weekend.

1st owner had the "big" service done every year and I've always made sure it had done what it needed when it needed it so it's never wanted for anything.  I even renewed the pads, discs AND calipers last year with the intention of another 4 years of service (knowing the engine runs spot on it seemed sensible to do it seeing as I have a motorway commute these days) but once rust is no longer surface rust it's a body shop job to cut it out and it's just not worth it in the case of my car.  I even had the sodding rear trailing arm bushes (it was still on the originals) done which transformed the rear end handling.  Rather than part-ex it I might just strip it for parts  seeing as there's plenty of parts that are either less than 2 years old or still work spot on!  I'm kidding, I don't have anywhere to store it, plus I'd be gutted to see it torn to bits.  

To be honest, if the replacement gearbox had been 100% spot on I might have still considered dropping the £££s on it but I've got visions of dropping all the money and then having to pay 4-5 hours labour for another gearbox replacement.

Understandable.   My intention with the focus is to run it until it dies then strip it down and sell the parts so it's spirit can live on.....and i can pocket some dosh 😄 But also for me it'd be a learning exersize and worthwhile doing.  I'd also like to dismantle the engine and see just how much carbon is in there and see the condition of the valve stem seals and piston rings.  Whether it works out or not will depend on if I have enough time and somewhere suitable to keep it. Street isn't an option.  If I do strip the engine down I'll post some photos if anyone's interested.  

6 hours ago, 1979Damian said:

I hope to see yours pass 200K miles

If the rust does not get me first!

2 hours ago, Albert27 said:

It's 10.5 years old but haven't noticed any rust yet

It is a bit odd about the rust problem, I have queried it with a few other Focus owners, and they mostly say its fine. I am beginning to suspect the earlier Mk2s are more prone to this, and the later ones & the Mk2.5s suffer less.

It is along the sills, especially the passenger side one, and in the suspension parts at the back of the car. Most of the body is fine.

I have taken to removing the plastic sill protectors each year, to clean out and rust proof under them. It is a bit of an uphill battle, I am hoping I have caught most of it early enough, but rust is like an insidious disease. Once it gets going, it is the devil of a job to get rid of it. If anything is going to shorten the life of my car, then rust is the prime candidate.

13 minutes ago, Tdci-Peter said:

If the rust does not get me first!

It is a bit odd about the rust problem, I have queried it with a few other Focus owners, and they mostly say its fine. I am beginning to suspect the earlier Mk2s are more prone to this, and the later ones & the Mk2.5s suffer less.

It is along the sills, especially the passenger side one, and in the suspension parts at the back of the car. Most of the body is fine.

I have taken to removing the plastic sill protectors each year, to clean out and rust proof under them. It is a bit of an uphill battle, I am hoping I have caught most of it early enough, but rust is like an insidious disease. Once it gets going, it is the devil of a job to get rid of it. If anything is going to shorten the life of my car, then rust is the prime candidate.

The early MK2s (like mine) didn't have the protective black plastic "strip" fitted to the sills to help protect against stone chips so the sills on mine have had an even tougher life than on the later builds.  Ford also still insist on designing their rear wheel arches in a way that encourages mud to stick and rot through the metal, I really don't know why they don't take the Volvo route where the arch liner is flush to the wheel arch so they're nowhere for any wet crap to get.

20 minutes ago, Tdci-Peter said:

If the rust does not get me first!

It is a bit odd about the rust problem, I have queried it with a few other Focus owners, and they mostly say its fine. I am beginning to suspect the earlier Mk2s are more prone to this, and the later ones & the Mk2.5s suffer less.

It is along the sills, especially the passenger side one, and in the suspension parts at the back of the car. Most of the body is fine.

I have taken to removing the plastic sill protectors each year, to clean out and rust proof under them. It is a bit of an uphill battle, I am hoping I have caught most of it early enough, but rust is like an insidious disease. Once it gets going, it is the devil of a job to get rid of it. If anything is going to shorten the life of my car, then rust is the prime candidate.

You may well be right there Peter.  Seriously, although I rarely wash the car, I've not seen anything noticeable or had any comments on MOT.  

In other news I just went out to the car to change the sidelight bulb and thought I'd have a quick look at the intercooler metal pipe.  Took the air breather hose off and sure enough I could see a hairline crack that started above the top bracket and went south out of sight into the bracket.  With oil dripping down the pipe, oil deposit all over the bracket and under the air breather, not to mention the oil filter housing and turbo, this has to be the culprit.  Whether or not I'm looking at the main part of the crack i don't know as it was only small, but judging by what you've said Peter, it doesn't take much on these pipes to get a good spray!  I'll have a look on ford zap to see if I can get a part no but if anyone has one please send it my way!  I'm guessing this will be a ford only part.

One thing I don't quite get, why is there that much oil in what is a pressurised air pipe?

Thanks for all the input guys!

Ok if I've got the right part it's called an Air Duct Pipe, 1672189.  Is that right?  I hope not because it's £150 for a replacement genuine one!

23 minutes ago, Albert27 said:

Ok if I've got the right part it's called an Air Duct Pipe, 1672189.  Is that right?  I hope not because it's £150 for a replacement genuine one!

Yeah that looks like the right one.  There are a few used ones on eBay at a third of that price, just try and get a warrantied one from a proper breaker if possible.

The oil mostly comes from the oil breather pipe.  Without a breather the engine would build up so much pressure in the crank case that it would explode.  It's illegal to vent crank gasses to atmosphere though as it'll contain oil vapour along with a bit of diesel and carbon.  So they just blow that into the intake which covers everything in oil over time.  Not ideal, but it costs too much to fit oil catch tanks to production cars.

In your case there is likely to also be some oil seepage past the seals in the turbo given that mileage.

30 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Yeah that looks like the right one.  There are a few used ones on eBay at a third of that price, just try and get a warrantied one from a proper breaker if possible.

The oil mostly comes from the oil breather pipe.  Without a breather the engine would build up so much pressure in the crank case that it would explode.  It's illegal to vent crank gasses to atmosphere though as it'll contain oil vapour along with a bit of diesel and carbon.  So they just blow that into the intake which covers everything in oil over time.  Not ideal, but it costs too much to fit oil catch tanks to production cars.

In your case there is likely to also be some oil seepage past the seals in the turbo given that mileage.

Thanks Tom.  I've had a look on ebay at a couple but they're advertising them as New but they're clearly not.  Not sure what the story with those is....

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-C-Max-Focus-1-6D-Air-Duct-Pipe-1672189/173837458019?epid=1809757200&hash=item2879851a63:g:2IYAAOSwHphcUWcL&frcectupt=true

1 hour ago, Albert27 said:

Thanks Tom.  I've had a look on ebay at a couple but they're advertising them as New but they're clearly not.  Not sure what the story with those is....

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-C-Max-Focus-1-6D-Air-Duct-Pipe-1672189/173837458019?epid=1809757200&hash=item2879851a63:g:2IYAAOSwHphcUWcL&frcectupt=true

Hmm, that's an odd one...  The packing label says 2015 so it's not original...but doesn't look clean enough to be brand new either.  Maybe send them a message and ask if it's been test fitted or something.

@Albert27 I've used https://www.partsgateway.co.uk/ a number of times without issue.

2 hours ago, 1979Damian said:

@Albert27 I've used https://www.partsgateway.co.uk/ a number of times without issue.

Cheers mate , I'll take a look at that