Morning all,

Being a complete mechanical novice, please consider this when reading the following questions: -

- My engine overheated last night just as I got home after a 20mile round journey. It's never happened before, but after a minute or two it went back to normal. I switched the ignition off and went in my house. Just got up this morning and left for work and tried heating my car up as it was freezing, yet even though I had it on full it was only blowing cold air and also still managing to steam up my front windscreen. I'd been driving for 10minutes on normal roads but as soon as got on the motorway and got up to 70 then engine overheating warning light came on again. Just parked it up now in work's carpark and lifted the bonnet and there's no smoke or anything like that but it sounded like the fan was trying to cool it down. I rang a local mechanic who couldn't get out to see me but said I might just need to top the engine water up. Now I've never actually done that before (I bought this car 6 months ago and it's only done 55k) so I was wondering where under the bonnet of a Mk II Focus I can find this water compartment (obviously not the water for my windscreen) and how much water will I need to replenish it with?

I know, I know - a complete novice-like question.

Thanks

possible water pump leak

the coolant tank is on the left, right next to the windscreen washer bottle. fill it up intil it reads max (which is about half full in the tank.)

then start the car and drive it until it warms up. once warm shut the car off, wait 10 mins for the car to cool down and re-fill to max.

Would the water pump repair be an expensive one?

Can I fill the coolant tank up with water initially or do I have to put just coolant in straight away?

fill it up with water for now to see if it leaks again, it could be a worn radiator cap or a split/loosened coolant hose somewhere but you wont know until someone has had a look.

Right, just popped to my car and filled it up with some water as it was just below the min. Filled it to the max, took it on the motorway with the intention of coming off at the next junction (no more than a 5 min drive) and just as I got in the exit lane the temp warning came on again. I pulled up down the road, popped the bonnet and the water/coolant mix was at the max line but you could see it boiling/bubbling right where one of the pipes go into it. Gave it 10 mins and the level went down to what you see below:

I then checked under the car and there were a few drops on the floor: -

I then drove back to work via normal roads (another 5 minute journey) and the warning sign didn't come on. Parked up, popped the bonnet again, and it was on the min line so I waited for it to cool a little and filled it back up to the max. There were only a couple of drips under the bonnet this time on the floor but wasnt sure whether that was just because I may have spilt a tiny bit when topping it up.

I've left some more water in my car for when I finish work at 5 just incase it does have a leak and I need to top it up again so I can get home.

Any further thoughts? Should I avoid the motorway for now?

This car has caused me nothing but !Removed! since I bought the thing 4 months ago!

follow that lower pipe down, theres a T-junction type of pipe right at the bottom. that was leaking on mine, does it leak?

follow that lower pipe down, theres a T-junction type of pipe right at the bottom. that was leaking on mine, does it leak?

I'll have to check in an hour or so as our company has a mobile mechanic as it turns out so he's coming to have a look.

I presume you mean the left of the two rubber ones? I'll raise that to him when he gets here.

How expensive a resolution is this if this is indeed the issue?

cant tell how much it costs without knowing the extent of the issue yet. if i were you i would not drive the car at all until its looked at. driving around with an overheating engine will likely cook the head gasket

He reckons the water pump is knackered as the water/coolant isn't lowering when he revs the engine and heats it up but the air coming out of the radiator and interior vents is stone cold.

He's quoted me £160, which is apparently a new water pump, £80 labour and, (this is the strange one) a replacement cambelt. Now I was always under the impression cambelt were mega money to replace, but he's saying it's logical to get it replaced (for what seems to be a small amount here) because they have to take that out to get to the water pump to replace it before putting the existing belt back on, and his reasoning is instead of putting the existing one on (that's done 55k miles) you may aswell have a new one for £30 or so (inclusive in the £160).

My old man, not a mechanic though, is baffled by this and said normally when you need a cambelt replacing he's heard them suggest you may as well get a new water pump whilst he's at it, but never the other way around.

Thoughts?

160 that's a good price cam belts got to come off to do the pump so kill two birds with one stone as to speak also check that your thermstat housing has not sprung a leak as well that's another common prob not that expensive and takes about half hour to change over .when my pump went the lower hose that james mentioned had gone as well

I've recently had my cambelt done and it was recommended to have the water pump done. Guess it would be the same the other way round.

Cost be £180 in all so £160 is even better!

Cheers guys!

Update:

Wasn't the issue originally diagnosed at all - they just put some chemical thing (Rad....?) into the tank and it apparently seals the hole itself. Something along those lines away. They only charged me £20 put it that way. However, until he's made a phonecall to someone at Ford, he cannot find out why the interior fans aren't blowing hot air and instead just blow cold whether on blue or red. He suggested worst case is they have to take the whole dash out which i imagine to be expensive. He took the radio out to look but to no avail.

Any ideas?

Anybody?

That'll be K-seal or something similar. Not a gan personally.

Not hot air blowing would suggest no coolant flow through the heater matrix.

This could be air in the system or the sealant has worked a little too well.