MK1 Focus dark brown coolant - run away?

[funkyrobot]

I guess brown coolant means run a mile?

I looked at a MK1 early 2005 Focus 1.6 petrol last night. I couldn't take the expansion tank lid off (because the car had been driven), but I noticed the tank seemed to be full of quite dark, reddish/orangey brown coolant.

Initially, I just thought this was something that could mean a coolant flush. However, after getting home and reading more about it I'm a bit concerned.

It runs fine and on the 25 minute test drive it didn't get hot and drove really well. The oil filler cap also looked clear of any gunk. There was no noticeable smoke or stuff coming out of the exhaust.

I've left a deposit, which I'm now regretting a bit after reading this thread. I'm due to see the car again in the daylight tomorrow. It is worth double checking the coolant by opening the expansion tank and taking a look? Or is it just a good idea to back out now because of the colour of the tank? I'm not bothered about losing my deposit if needs be.

Thanks all.

[Krikkit]

If the tank's not been changed since it was built it could just be stained, I wouldn't worry about it.

Worst case, budget for getting the coolant changed, easy enough job, maybe an hour at a garage.

[TheLuke]

At first I thought the post headline meant diesel runway, but you actually mean running away.

[funkyrobot]

Thanks.

I'm only paying £700 for the car. Seller seems genuine as they have owned the car for 14 years and it recently had work done on it for the brakes and a bearing. Said they didn't want to sell a car making a knocking noise.

I'll most probably attempt the flush myself. I've bought the car to try and learn spannering on (as well as being a runabout). Could be a good first job.

[funkyrobot]

TheLuke said:

At first I thought the post headline meant diesel runway, but you actually mean running away.

[Krikkit]

funkyrobot said:

Thanks.

I'm only paying £700 for the car. Seller seems genuine as they have owned the car for 14 years and it recently had work done on it for the brakes and a bearing. Said they didn't want to sell a car making a knocking noise.

I'll most probably attempt the flush myself. I've bought the car to try and learn spannering on (as well as being a runabout). Could be a good first job.

£700! In which case get it bought and stop fretting

The Haynes manual is decent, I remember doing it on the 1.8 and it was a doddle, YMMV with the 1.6 if it has a weird bleeding procedure, but I doubt it does.

The Mk.1 Focus is a joy to work on, the only job I would recommend taking it to a garage for is the rear springs if/when they snap.

[Arnold Cunningham]

I actually saw a proper diesel runaway a couple of years back - was pretty dramatic.

TBH, I wasn't going near it, it sounded like pistons at high velocity might exit imminently, but I got the driver to get in, put it in 5th and dump the clutch, which stopped it well enough.

[funkyrobot]

Krikkit said:

£700! In which case get it bought and stop fretting

The Haynes manual is decent, I remember doing it on the 1.8 and it was a doddle, YMMV with the 1.6 if it has a weird bleeding procedure, but I doubt it does.

The Mk.1 Focus is a joy to work on, the only job I would recommend taking it to a garage for is the rear springs if/when they snap.

Thanks.

I have read that the 1.6 can be a pain to bleed properly. Oh well.

[ExPat2B]

All that brown colour indicates is that there is corrosion in the radiator.

The rust inhibitors in the coolant have broken down and the steel radiator is corroding inside.

The correct fix is a flush and new radiator. Just doing a flush won't stop the corrosion now its started.

HOWEVER on a £700 focus, there is frankly far more potential for problems caused in the process of the flush and replacement and bleeding than there is likely benefit. I would be very minded to completely ignore it and just keep a very close eye on it.

[Scootersp]

ExPat2B said:

HOWEVER on a £700 focus, there is frankly far more potential for problems caused in the process of the flush and replacement and bleeding than there is likely benefit. I would be very minded to completely ignore it and just keep a very close eye on it.

or a half way house, buy the correct coolant, suck out/drain the expansion tank (often the fluid doesn't look quite so bad/dirty out of it) and refill with new, do this a few times over the next few weeks. Gives the fluid a partial refresh with no bleeding issues to concern yourself with, you are just wasting some new coolant from the second change on.

[witko999]

ExPat2B said:

All that brown colour indicates is that there is corrosion in the radiator.

The rust inhibitors in the coolant have broken down and the steel radiator is corroding inside.

The correct fix is a flush and new radiator. Just doing a flush won't stop the corrosion now its started.

HOWEVER on a £700 focus, there is frankly far more potential for problems caused in the process of the flush and replacement and bleeding than there is likely benefit. I would be very minded to completely ignore it and just keep a very close eye on it.

Since when are car radiators made out of steel? Aluminium core and plastic end tanks. The rust is likely from inside the (presumably) iron engine block.

[LarsG]

Ford generally use a red coolant, it can turn a brownish colour over the years. If there is no other gunge, oil or white creamy deposits around the oil filler it might just need a coolant change.

Also, some people have added the green coolant to a red coolant and this changes it's colour too, to brown.

Edited by LarsG on Wednesday 27th March 15:23

[Krikkit]

I think a drain, flush through both the rad and engine block, then a refill with fresh coolant with the right additive would suffice.

[Dog Star]

LarsG said:

Ford generally use a red coolant, it can turn a brownish colour over the years. If there is no other gunge, oil or white creamy deposits orotund the oil filler it might just need a coolant change.

Also, some people have added the green coolant to a red coolant and this changes it's colour too, to brown.

My thoughts exactly when I first saw the thread. Almost certainly just the natural colour of the coolant on a car that age.

[steveo3002]

not many are crystal clear red anymore at that age ...could be neglect or could be some kind of rad weld /head gasket jollop

if it checks out 100% otherwise and looks like a gem id not be mega worried about it

[Dogwatch]

LarsG said:

Ford generally use a red coolant, it can turn a brownish colour over the years. If there is no other gunge, oil or white creamy deposits around the oil filler it might just need a coolant change.

Also, some people have added the green coolant to a red coolant and this changes it's colour too, to brown.

Edited by LarsG on Wednesday 27th March 15:23

My daughter's '04Focus had a leaking expansion tank so got through a litre of ready-mix antifreeze a week. Seems it comes in almost all the colours of the rainbow!

The garage quoted £100 to fix it. I did it in three-quarters of an hour for the cost of a new one from a motor factor and decent hose-clips.

[funkyrobot]

Thanks all.

I drove it for a good 20 minutes last night and the chap selling it drove it for a bit. It didn't overheat and seemed absolutely fine. There was a little squeaky noise on tickover, but that could be a belt.

I checked the coolant level when we finished the drive and it was right in the middle of min and max. It just looked dark in the tank.

Cambelt hasn't been done for 5 1/2 years, but on a £700 car I'm no worrying about that.

Exhaust blew clean when fired up and when I checked the oil filler cap it looked just like old oil around it. No gunk or rubbish. It needs a service so that is to be expected.

Hopefully it'll be a good runabout. I intend to learn with it. Hell, if it's that bad I'll keep it as a parts car as it has really good bodywork for its age and the alloy wheels are quite nice.

Oh yes, it has MOT until Jan 2020 with no advisories. It's a nice slate grey colour too. Not seen one like it before. Can't see any rust on it either apart from a tiny bit of bubbling at the front of the bonnet.

[funkyrobot]

Oh yes, one more thing. I guess from the replies above its using red coolant? Do I just need to shop for red Ford coolant to replace it?

To be honest, I think I'll try the method of sucking it out of the expansion tank and refilling as a replacement. Probably better than draining the whole thing.

[MajorMantra]

funkyrobot said:

Cambelt hasn't been done for 5 1/2 years, but on a £700 car I'm no worrying about that.

IIRC the interval on these is 8 or 10 years / 100,000 miles, so it's probably not due anyway.

Sounds like a decent buy. I have fond memories of my Mk1 estate, although it was actually somewhat unreliable. I'd have another as a shed, but definitely a petrol and not the agricultural 1.8 TDCi.

[steveo3002]

funkyrobot said:

Oh yes, one more thing. I guess from the replies above its using red coolant? Do I just need to shop for red Ford coolant to replace it?

To be honest, I think I'll try the method of sucking it out of the expansion tank and refilling as a replacement. Probably better than draining the whole thing.

drain it from a bottom hose and flush with clean water if youre going to bother ...sucking a bit out the tank isnt enough