Eyerseys Autotrader adventure

[Peanut Gallery]

May I enquire as to how heavy the boot is with the new struts? - worthwhile, or should I get new struts and a gym membership?

Tin worm is getting to mine, a section on the front right wing panel decided to remove itself over the weekend. - 13 000 since my last service, I feel slightly ashamed!

[Eyersey1234]

Peanut Gallery said:

May I enquire as to how heavy the boot is with the new struts? - worthwhile, or should I get new struts and a gym membership?

Tin worm is getting to mine, a section on the front right wing panel decided to remove itself over the weekend. - 13 000 since my last service, I feel slightly ashamed!

It's really easy to open the boot with the new struts, a lot smoother and doesn't creak as much. They are really easy to change.

[Eyersey1234]

Bugger. New header tank not cured cars thirst.

[Eyersey1234]

Since it has been parked up some coolant has drained back into the header tank. I'm wondering if it was just an airlock. Will see how it goes tomorrow.

[Peanut Gallery]

Fingers crossed, airlocks seem too common!

[Bobberoo99]

Engine on, heater to max and directed into cabin through dash vents, squeeze all the pipes in the engine bay you can see and regularly release the header tank cap, it'll take a while for the airlocks to come up to the header tank.
When I replaced the tank to block hose it took a week for it to settle!!!

[Bennyjames28]

Amazed at you getting this for 500 notes. Just bought a 2009 petrol for 3k, but it is low mileage.

Your car must be worth a grand easily. Prices of these cars can really vary.

[Eyersey1234]

Thanks. It seems to still be using a bit but nowhere near as much as it was. The old header tank was manky as hell and it was impossible to see how much was in without taking the cap off. It's taking about half an hour at the moment for coolant to drain back into the tank after being run, is this normal for Foci?

[Eyersey1234]

Bennyjames28 said:

Amazed at you getting this for 500 notes. Just bought a 2009 petrol for 3k, but it is low mileage.

Your car must be worth a grand easily. Prices of these cars can really vary.

Which engine and trim level is yours Bennyjames?

[Bobberoo99]

Eyersey1234 said:

Thanks. It seems to still be using a bit but nowhere near as much as it was. The old header tank was manky as hell and it was impossible to see how much was in without taking the cap off. It's taking about half an hour at the moment for coolant to drain back into the tank after being run, is this normal for Foci?

Not really, when running there should be a steady stream coming into the tank through the return pipe, top right corner of the tank, if it's draining back slowly you have an airlock, it needs to be left running with the heater on max for about 1/2 an hour and regularly release the cap on the header tank.

[Peanut Gallery]

Eyersey1234 said:

Thanks. It seems to still be using a bit but nowhere near as much as it was. The old header tank was manky as hell and it was impossible to see how much was in without taking the cap off. It's taking about half an hour at the moment for coolant to drain back into the tank after being run, is this normal for Foci?

Have you got a Haynes? - If not I can scan the necessary pages for you about bleeding?

[Eyersey1234]

Thanks, yes I've got a Haynes manual I'll have a look later.

[bungz]

Check the thermostat housing. It mounts to the block and the seal fails, if the front of the block is a bit damp it is weeping.

Cant see it being a airlock unless the cooling system is vastly different than on a mondeo, never suffered from it anyway and emptied the system a few times.

[Eyersey1234]

Thanks bungz I'll have a look tomorrow when it's lighter.

[Eyersey1234]

How does having the heater on full blow the air out of the cooling system?

[Bobberoo99]

Eyersey1234 said:

How does having the heater on full blow the air out of the cooling system?

Heater matrix contains coolant from the cooling system, heater to max means that the cooling system is running fully open circuit, so any air trapped in the heater matrix is purged out into the rest of the system and eventually to the header tank. It's a pressurised system so whilst the engine is running and up to temperature, releasing the cap on the header tank will allow the pressurised air to escape.

[Eyersey1234]

Bobberoo99 said:

Heater matrix contains coolant from the cooling system, heater to max means that the cooling system is running fully open circuit, so any air trapped in the heater matrix is purged out into the rest of the system and eventually to the header tank. It's a pressurised system so whilst the engine is running and up to temperature, releasing the cap on the header tank will allow the pressurised air to escape.

Thanks Bobberoo

[Eyersey1234]

Bugger. Not an airlock. Been given some radweld to put in it to hopefully block the leak. Also needs new rear brakes.

[Bobberoo99]

Eyersey1234 said:

Bugger. Not an airlock. Been given some radweld to put in it to hopefully block the leak. Also needs new rear brakes.

Where's it leaking from? And what's up with the brakes?

[Eyersey1234]

It's leaking from somewhere in the back of the engine. The brake pads are worn out down to the metal, I had known they were low but they were clearly more worn than I thought.