Hi all

Am looking for some advice please. Recently finished rebuilding the engine after replacing the head gasket due to coolant getting n the oil. Installed new water pump and thermostat.

The temperature goes up to normal level on tick over with all pipe getting hot. However when the car is driven the temperature fluctuates from normal to red. When I stop the car and feel the Cooling pipes the rad top pipe is red hot but the rad bottom left pipe has gone really cold. And no pressure in the expansion tank ad water is cold/Luke warm.

The car only overheats when driven hard like up an hill or when doing 60 to 70mph

Any thoughts please

Hi and Welcome to the Forums

Have you checked themostat and that you don't have an air lock?

Replace the expansion tank cap. It may not be holding the pressure which would cause your symptoms. Also did any oil get in the water as this could block the rad?

Hi

Thanks all, I'd put a new thermostat in the car before filling it so am now beginning to think it is an air lock. Chap at the ford garage said the focus was notoriously hard to bleed when filling the coolant. He said to start the filling process using the small hose at the back of the engine that goes to the heater matrix.

Before refilling I'll give it another flush, just in case there any in there.

Hi

Update on the focus. Tested thermostat which is working. Flushed the engine and refilled with coolant using the ord method. The car is not over heating but now there seems to be an odd problem. The car can be driven without overheating but occasionally the radiator fan comes on. When I checked the rad, the top hose was hot and the bottom left hose was tepid and the expansion tank was tepid too. If l leave the car on tick over all the pipes and the expansion reach the correct temperatures. But when driven l get the it and cold pipes situation.

Any thoughts

Thanks

Dave

Expansion cap