Andy H Dibley

Hi all, I'm a Focus owner so feel a bit lost in this sub-forum, so be kind! Anyway, my mum is looking for a new car and has found a potential one she likes, now I'm just doing the good son bit of finding out if there are any bad bits she should know about. The car she is looking at is a MY2013 C-Max Titanium X, believed to have all the bells and whistles and is an ex-Ford Managers car. This being the 1.6T Ecoboost engine, seems to be packing a fairly pokey 182PS engine. Basically what I'm after are anythings she should know about ownership, little niggles or thing to look out for, or what to expect? Thanks in advance, will keep you all posted if she gets it.

Personally, don't go for the HID kit option if you're keeping your regular headlights. It's a terrible compromise and illegal. It won't make your car uninsured but most definitely liable to getting a tug and a lot of flashes to remind you of how much you're blinding other people! The Xenon head lamps are projector lenses that reject upward light into on coming cars. Because a halogen bulb isn't anywhere near as bright a bog standard reflector head light doesn't cause too much grief to on coming cars. Stick a HID kit in and you'll soon be blinding lots of people. I've been there, done it, had the tug, not worth the agro! Get the proper lenses, at that price I would bite their hands off for them!

I was watching it mate ;)

Could be a fuel filter needing a change. I would look at that and the leads before much further. After that I'd start looking at interrogating it with a computer.

The clicking you're describing is the clutch on the air con compressor coming it. It makes a click as it engages, it'll then disengage after a while once the system realises there is no gas in it to compress. On my 2000 Mondeo, the system wouldn't come on at all as there was a low pressure switch that stopped it functioning below a certain pressure. You've got a couple of options, get it re gassed, this will mean the compressor is doing something and should stop it coming in and out. Alternatively, and this is going on old knowledge, remove the A/C fuse and forget about it. My Mondeo had a fuse dedicated to the A/C and once I pulled it I had no grief. Just some things to think of though before you shell out for a regas. If the system hasn't been used for a while then you could find the O-Ring seals have perished on the pipes. These will leak once the new gas has been installed. The other possibility is the condenser that sits in front of the radiator has perished as well.

Is that James Rosier? I think last year I aimed to at least be in the queue by 8, but it's manic getting it. Just make sure you read the bit of paper that came with your tickets and you're in the right lane. I was going to arrange a convoy but I don't think anyone is coming my way (up the M40)

I'm there, and on the stand. Have we got a list of who is on the stand?

Firstly, great work! Nothing better than doing a job yourself and getting it sorted! As posted, black is worrying! I would do some more searching for suggestions, I'm sure that I read somewhere that said running the steering without fluid is bad. I'd hate to find out in an attempt at draining it you've actually caused damage. I've used before one of those suction pumps and sucked as much as I can out from the reservoir, then replaced.

If its rarely been used the seals degrade and no longer seal. The gas has a lot of oil in it which should be cycled through the pipe work to help maintain all the seals. Depending on how good an A/C engineer, he maybe able to service it, bit a lot of people these days just replace large parts, which is a shame as it'll probably be something silly like a 10p o-ring!

Wahey! Result and thanks for posting the results. Funnily enough I drove to the pub the other day and someone walked in and said 'does anyone own the blue ford outside?' (De-badge for the win) went outside and he was concerned I was dropping fluid all down the road. Had a quick look turns out it was the A/C condenser draining off. I imagine that can cause quite a few concerns for people!

Well you need three things for combustion, fuel, air and spark. If you're quite happy the fuel is there at pressure (leaving only the injectors unchecked) then now would be time to double check things like air filter, HT leads, plugs and coils.

Definitely don't increase the fuse size! Blowing a 20amp fuse is bad enough and as posted by others, it suggests you have a fault somewhere. Have a look in your cigarette lighter and make sure there isn't anything shorting out the socket. Also check that your charger or whatever device you're using isn't inadvertently shorting out the socket either.

Hekos have clips for both front and back as well as double sided tape. I didn't use the clips in my either the front or back. The tape then failed on the rears when a friend put down the window. Since then I've removed the rears and just have the fronts fitted. The fronts won't fall out as they are held in by their size. I have the clips for both front and rear somewhere if anyone wants them.

Mine is known as Vision Blue, can't remember the Ford paint code, but the Halfords prepared tins are a good enough match for me.