Looking for some advice before I go ahead and wreck my enngine coolant system.

I have a 2003 Ford Focus CL TDDI 1.8L Estate there's what looks to me like a manifold which coolant goes through just under the turbo cooler.

It's held on with 3 bolts two of which you can see in the center of the picture.

Around the seal at the bottom it's leaking , a slow constant drip usually when the engine is on.

I have 2 thoughts:-

1: Take it off and fit it with a new gasketslowly re-tightening each bolt gradually in rotation to try and ensure a sealed fit.

2: Add something like Radweld to see if that plugs it (I just don't see it working myself)

3: Liove with it, top it up with coolant once a month and hope that it doesn't eventually screw the starter motor that it sits over.

I did think about trying to tighten it but I think over tightening can do more harm than good sometimes.

But as you can guess I'm no mechanic, so hoping someones solved a similar problem.

Thanks in advance for any advice

Not familiar with the TDDi but it looks to be the thermostat housing. Its a common problem on the zetec engine. First step is to replace the seal. Take a look at the housing. If its made of hard plastic like the zetec ones, it might be cracked. I wouldn't advise just tightening the bolts unless one feels loose to the touch. Don't use radweld.

Its near the top of the system so you shouldn't loose to much coolant but given the age of the car, it might be worth changing the coolant and the thermostat while its apart unless you know they have been done before

Not familiar with the TDDi but it looks to be the thermostat housing. Its a common problem on the zetec engine. First step is to replace the seal. Take a look at the housing. If its made of hard plastic like the zetec ones, it might be cracked. I wouldn't advise just tightening the bolts unless one feels loose to the touch. Don't use radweld.

Its near the top of the system so you shouldn't loose to much coolant but given the age of the car, it might be worth changing the coolant and the thermostat while its apart unless you know they have been done before

Thanks

It's hard plastic hence why I don't want to over tighten it, I can't see any split, I think it is just the seal as it comes out at the bottom on the seam.

Looks like it's been like this for a while. I got it second hand a few weeks ago but noticed the leak only yesterday, lots of gunk on the pipes underneath it.

Not taken it apart so I'm assuming the seal is a rubber wring that's probably not the sort you can pick up anywhere.

I'll see if I can get a complete unit off ebay and bang that on.

It may be the O-ring but it may also be the plastic housing that's warped slightly.

Well took the front off and the first two bolts were stiff, but the last was a little loose and puting it back on it didn't tighten so that looks to be the culprit.

Now that I know what it is I should be able to get a new one.

Looking around I've seen a couple on ebay for £20 so will try there first or a breakers yard.

Thanks again everyone

Get a new one wasting your money on a second hand one as its a common problem only take ten mins to replace as well think I pound around thirty for mine from a local motor factor (the quality factor) all over the North west so should be one in your area