Focus 2004 TDCi Coolant loss
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From: Alt Beer on 17 Jun 2010 10:15 Focus 2004 TDCi. Every few weeks the water level in the expansion tank drops to way under the minimum level and needs topping up, this has gone on over the last 2 or 3 months. I have replaced the expansion tank filler cap but no difference. There in no sign of a water leak in the engine bay or under the car when left parked. There is no trace of water coming from the exhaust pipe. There is no sign of water in the engine oil. Other than the water loss the car runs well. Does it sound like a hose may have a slow leak? The hose clips are non adjustable. Thanks
From: Chris Whelan on 17 Jun 2010 10:59 On Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:15:39 +0100, Alt Beer wrote: > Focus 2004 TDCi. > > Every few weeks the water level in the expansion tank drops to way under > the minimum level and needs topping up, this has gone on over the last 2 > or 3 months. > > I have replaced the expansion tank filler cap but no difference. There > in no sign of a water leak in the engine bay or under the car when left > parked. There is no trace of water coming from the exhaust pipe. There > is no sign of water in the engine oil. > > Other than the water loss the car runs well. Does it sound like a hose > may have a slow leak? The hose clips are non adjustable. > > Thanks Can you hire or borrow a pressure tester? It's the only way I found a similar problem recently. It's part of the standard kit of an AA patrol, on the off-chance you know one... Chris -- Remove prejudice to reply.
From: Alt Beer on 17 Jun 2010 11:11 "Chris Whelan" <cawhelan(a)prejudicentlworld.com> wrote in message news:7LqSn.33687$US6.5278(a)hurricane... > On Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:15:39 +0100, Alt Beer wrote: > >> Focus 2004 TDCi. >> >> Every few weeks the water level in the expansion tank drops to way under >> the minimum level and needs topping up, this has gone on over the last 2 >> or 3 months. >> >> I have replaced the expansion tank filler cap but no difference. There >> in no sign of a water leak in the engine bay or under the car when left >> parked. There is no trace of water coming from the exhaust pipe. There >> is no sign of water in the engine oil. >> >> Other than the water loss the car runs well. Does it sound like a hose >> may have a slow leak? The hose clips are non adjustable. >> >> Thanks > > Can you hire or borrow a pressure tester? It's the only way I found a > similar problem recently. > > It's part of the standard kit of an AA patrol, on the off-chance you know > one... I don't know anyone with a pressure tester. I just went out to top it up again. When I released the cap there was quite a pressure release and the water level recovered by about an inch though still below the minimum level. The pressure even though the car had not been used for 3 hours. But today is quite warm and I am not sure how much the engine would have cooled in 3 hours. What was your similar problem? did you fix it? Thanks
From: Chris Whelan on 17 Jun 2010 11:31 On Thu, 17 Jun 2010 16:11:55 +0100, Alt Beer wrote: > "Chris Whelan" <cawhelan(a)prejudicentlworld.com> wrote in message > news:7LqSn.33687$US6.5278(a)hurricane... >> On Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:15:39 +0100, Alt Beer wrote: >> >>> Focus 2004 TDCi. >>> >>> Every few weeks the water level in the expansion tank drops to way >>> under the minimum level and needs topping up, this has gone on over >>> the last 2 or 3 months. >>> >>> I have replaced the expansion tank filler cap but no difference. >>> There in no sign of a water leak in the engine bay or under the car >>> when left parked. There is no trace of water coming from the exhaust >>> pipe. There is no sign of water in the engine oil. >>> >>> Other than the water loss the car runs well. Does it sound like a >>> hose may have a slow leak? The hose clips are non adjustable. >>> >>> Thanks >> >> Can you hire or borrow a pressure tester? It's the only way I found a >> similar problem recently. >> >> It's part of the standard kit of an AA patrol, on the off-chance you >> know one... > > I don't know anyone with a pressure tester. I just went out to top it > up again. When I released the cap there was quite a pressure release and > the water level recovered by about an inch though still below the > minimum level. The pressure even though the car had not been used for > 3 hours. But today is quite warm and I am not sure how much the engine > would have cooled in 3 hours. > > What was your similar problem? did you fix it? > > Thanks I had a very small loss of coolant that was visually undetectable. (It was with a 1.8 Focus, so the cooling layout is not the same as yours.) There was no visible tell-tale antifreeze stain anywhere. I borrowed a pressure tester; the principle is that you pressurise the system to double normal, then either the leak is visible, or its internal. The pressure should hold for a minimum of 15 minutes. Once I'd pumped it up to pressure and pulled hoses about, the source of the leak became evident. There is a plastic tube clipped to the slam panel that a single hose one end, and two the other end. The part with two hoses was glued in to the tube; the leak was from that glued joint. It was very small, and I wouldn't have found it without the tester. I imagine that if I'd left it, one day the two parts would have separated and I'd have lost a lot of coolant very quickly! Perhaps you could ask a local garage how much they would charge just to test it for you? Chris -- Remove prejudice to reply.
From: Chris Whelan on 17 Jun 2010 11:32
On Thu, 17 Jun 2010 16:11:55 +0100, Alt Beer wrote: > "Chris Whelan" <cawhelan(a)prejudicentlworld.com> wrote in message > news:7LqSn.33687$US6.5278(a)hurricane... >> On Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:15:39 +0100, Alt Beer wrote: >> >>> Focus 2004 TDCi. >>> >>> Every few weeks the water level in the expansion tank drops to way >>> under the minimum level and needs topping up, this has gone on over >>> the last 2 or 3 months. >>> >>> I have replaced the expansion tank filler cap but no difference. >>> There in no sign of a water leak in the engine bay or under the car >>> when left parked. There is no trace of water coming from the exhaust >>> pipe. There is no sign of water in the engine oil. >>> >>> Other than the water loss the car runs well. Does it sound like a >>> hose may have a slow leak? The hose clips are non adjustable. >>> >>> Thanks >> >> Can you hire or borrow a pressure tester? It's the only way I found a >> similar problem recently. >> >> It's part of the standard kit of an AA patrol, on the off-chance you >> know one... > > I don't know anyone with a pressure tester. I just went out to top it > up again. When I released the cap there was quite a pressure release and > the water level recovered by about an inch though still below the > minimum level. The pressure even though the car had not been used for > 3 hours. But today is quite warm and I am not sure how much the engine > would have cooled in 3 hours. > > What was your similar problem? did you fix it? > > Thanks I had a very small loss of coolant that was visually undetectable. (It was with a 1.8 Focus, so the cooling layout is not the same as yours.) There was no visible tell-tale antifreeze stain anywhere. I borrowed a pressure tester; the principle is that you pressurise the system to double normal, then either the leak is visible, or its internal. The pressure should hold for a minimum of 15 minutes. Once I'd pumped it up to pressure and pulled hoses about, the source of the leak became evident. There is a plastic tube clipped to the slam panel that a single hose one end, and two the other end. The part with two hoses was glued in to the tube; the leak was from that glued joint. It was very small, and I wouldn't have found it without the tester. I imagine that if I'd left it, one day the two parts would have separated and I'd have lost a lot of coolant very quickly! Perhaps you could ask a local garage how much they would charge just to test it for you? Chris -- Remove prejudice to reply. |