Hi guys

This focus now getting a pain in the bleep. 

I had upper rad hose go on me so replaced it,  then the coolant tank  had a leak and I replaced that yesterday. 

Now the coolant won't stay in there.

I've run the car with cap off waiting for it to go past 98c for the thermostats to open. 

I've squeezed the upper rad hose for air locks

But the car keeps chucking out fluid with cap off, yesterday after I replaced the tank I could hear air coming out the return pipe to tank it was hissing and weeping.

Why is the car constantly overflowing coolant and it's going from low to high keeps going up and down.

Thanks guys

Head Gasket failure ?

Use a Hydro Carbon test kit to check for exhaust gases in the coolant.

Example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/286282302034

Sounds like a lot of air in the system. Maybe it needs to be vacuum-filled.

Head gasket has failed !

Yeah that's what few mechanics have said head gasket, water pump or thermostat. Just had clutch replaced and mechanic said head gasket was ok before he took it. 

I topped it up to min line drove it 3 miles and as soon thermostat opened it overflow with the expansion cap on and now it's hissing from the return pipe. 

It's a 20 year old engine. The head gasket can go at anytime, just like a light bulb.

Get the hydro carbon gas test done and it will confirm one way or the other.

Someone going test it on wed for a tenner but that's for liquid for testing kit.

A mechanic said he can on sat do expansion tank test and a compression test on plug ports for 40 quid. 

12 hours ago, madman said:

Someone going test it on wed for a tenner but that's for liquid for testing kit.

A mechanic said he can on sat do expansion tank test and a compression test on plug ports for 40 quid. 

Seriously ? just do the hydrocarbon sniff test, thats all that required to tell you if gasket is gone. Dont waste your money on anything else !

It's someone I know on weds he's using a head gasket testing kit. Yeah I won't waste to much on it but saying that just spent 400 on clutch. 

Could this be a water pump problem and are they easy to do on tivct, as it's new thermostat, Most garages do go head gasket first, thermostat, water pump, or blockage. 

Cheers guys

 

 

The tester fluid is re-useable.  Seems a bit of a liberty charging you for it.  You could buy your own kit including fluid for around £10 on Ebay or Amazon.

Waterpump is not easy to change on these.  The timing belt tensioner is bolted to it, so the belt needs to be removed first.  (Ridiculous design when the pump itself is driven the aux belt!). 

If they're removing the belts to do the headgasket then they should do the waterpump at the same time.

Update.

He came round with head gasket liquid tester and results was blue with engine cold and engine hot. 

He had massive diagnosis screen and said the fan output is only showing 9 percent power when engine at 105f causing the coolant to boil and overflow.   Said the fan should be at full pelt.  He tested the fan from the kit at different levels and fan went to 100 by using the screen overide. 

But when Fan was running and he revved it at 4000rpm the engine went to 105C and fan only 9 percent. 

He said a fan speed controller?.

 

 

 

 

Not convinced tbh.  The Ti-VCTs do run hot for maximum efficiency.  I'm not sure what temp would push fan to 100% though.

Good to have ruled out the headgasket anyway.

Fan controller is right behind the fan on these.  Not sold separately by Ford.  But they are available on eBay, just have to check the number of pins matches yours, and ideally the part number as well.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/365142955132?

44 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Not convinced tbh. 

That makes two of us 🤔

I suspect the fan speed thing is a red herring, it certainly isn't magically blowing air in to the coolant which was the original problem.

Yeah im not sure. Fan it's a cheap fix 25 quid part. 

How can you tell if focus MK2 is overheating if the temp gauge never goes past halfway always fraction under, unless a light comes on or something u wouldn't know.

On his big tablet from garage it said temp coolant range 20-110. 

 

2 minutes ago, madman said:

if the temp gauge never goes past halfway always fraction under,

Then very simply that means it's not overheating.

I think you know about the 'secret' dash test temp?  You could watch that one to see how hot it's getting.  Though as above, the gauge should go over half if it actually overheating.

Also just noticed you said f yesterday, but I assume that was a typo and meant to be c for Celsius?

I'm getting little black bits in the expansion tank bottle, is that anything to be concerned about. 

Any ideas?

The smudge is where I put my finger in.

Looks like oil 🙁

Oh no. 

I've have been told by two mechanics that the hose from tank to thermostat/oil cooler is very soft and spongy and it's showing a ribbed pattern along it from tank to thermostat. 

Not replaced this hose yet due confirmation of head gasket.

Tbf that does look very dark for petrol oil.  Could easily be rubber fragments instead.