2001 Focus 2.0 leaking coolant.

[Ricky_M]

Bought a Focus 2.0 Zetec on the weekend, came out to it Tuesday morning to find it had wet itself.

Traced it to the thermostat housing. (quite a common fault according to the results on google)

Just priced up a new one, £105!!!! For a plastic housing! What is it that actually gives on these? Does the housing split or is it just and o-ring/gasket that gives up? I'm a Plumber, so have plenty of o-rings and the like handy.

One result on google suggests that the rocker cover gasket leaks (which it is) and the oil deteriorates the o-ring sealing it to the block.

I don't want to take it apart on Sunday and the bloody thing snap in half rendering it completely useless!

Also, will topping it up with just water harm as a temporary measure until I repair it?

Any help would be fab, thanks.

[Kitchski]

It'll be the inner lip which retains the o-ring. It's made of stty brittle plastic, no proper way to repair sadly. £105 should include the stat and flange too, you could refit originals to save £25odd but I'm not sure it's worth it.

[ed_crouch]

+1. new stat housing is the thing to do. Seen it happen before on a 2.0focus. New housing.

[Simon says]

Kitchski said:

It'll be the inner lip which retains the o-ring. It's made of stty brittle plastic, no proper way to repair sadly. £105 should include the stat and flange too, you could refit originals to save £25odd but I'm not sure it's worth it.

Not done one for a while now but did quite a few in quick succession and could salvage none of the housings for the reasons said long gone is Ford parts being cheap

[Ricky_M]

Bugger, so no point removing it unless I have a replacement?

Thanks for the help, saved me some time and frustration!

[Ricky_M]

Managed to get one for £10 from a scrappy today complete with what looks like a new thermostat, even if it only last a few months I'll be happy with that price!

Going to fit it tomorrow, where are the bleed points on this engine as I need to drain it and re-fill with anti freeze as I've diluted it so much!

[mk2 24v]

all the focuses (or is that foci? ) are self bleeding on the cooling system. i usually run them up for a bit with the cap off to help get the air out the system and then go from there

also, they are meant to use super OAT coolant which is a rather lovely pink colour

[Ricky_M]

Kitchski said:

It'll be the inner lip which retains the o-ring. It's made of stty brittle plastic, no proper way to repair sadly. £105 should include the stat and flange too, you could refit originals to save £25odd but I'm not sure it's worth it.

Spot on. There was only a 1/4 of the retaining lip left, suprised it didn't leak faster than it did.

Thanks everyone for your help.