FORD ECOBOOST ENGINES COOLANT LOSS, IS IT COMMON
Discussion
I owned a Focus 1.6 182 over a period of 3.5 years until I sold it last December. Even though I was only covering around 4500 per annum I was having to top up the coolant every other month, usually from the halfway mark to the full mark.
The engine was pressure tested around 6 times during that period and no problems were found. Yet the coolant still disappeared. My old diesel C-Max for instance needed topping up once in a blue moon and that used to cover 18,000 miles a year.
Now I have just received a recall notice for the old car which I don't own, that it now requires a coolant level sensor system installation, that they have a propensity to overheat and crack the cylinder head if there is insufficient coolant and burst into flames.
This recall was active in the USA at least a year ago.
My wife has a 1.0 125 Focus, 3 years old and 14,000 miles and the coolant on that 3 pot also seems susceptible to disappearing.
Anyone out there who has an Ecoboost powered Ford with the same issues?
Sounds to me that Ford are aware these engines do lose coolant quicker than normal and quicker than what the average driver is used to and are now having to retro fit a sensor.
The engine was pressure tested around 6 times during that period and no problems were found. Yet the coolant still disappeared. My old diesel C-Max for instance needed topping up once in a blue moon and that used to cover 18,000 miles a year.
Now I have just received a recall notice for the old car which I don't own, that it now requires a coolant level sensor system installation, that they have a propensity to overheat and crack the cylinder head if there is insufficient coolant and burst into flames.
This recall was active in the USA at least a year ago.
My wife has a 1.0 125 Focus, 3 years old and 14,000 miles and the coolant on that 3 pot also seems susceptible to disappearing.
Anyone out there who has an Ecoboost powered Ford with the same issues?
Sounds to me that Ford are aware these engines do lose coolant quicker than normal and quicker than what the average driver is used to and are now having to retro fit a sensor.
Apparently in the US there is a class action against Ford for faults with the Focus ST.
Early Ecoboost engines had a floating sleeve on the cylinders, which has now been rectified by a new style cylinder head that gives reinforcement to the sleeves to stop any movement.
Apparently the sleeve could move and cause a break or fracture of the cylinder head gasket allowing coolant to enter the cylinder. Sometimes the cylinder head gasket was not installed perfectly and this made the problem worse. This would be seen by white smoke coming out of the exhaust but would not show in the oil as gunge.
Some Focus ST's suffered complete engine failure when the cylinders compressed leaking coolant.
The 1.6 is a similar engine. Check to see if you get white smoke.
Early Ecoboost engines had a floating sleeve on the cylinders, which has now been rectified by a new style cylinder head that gives reinforcement to the sleeves to stop any movement.
Apparently the sleeve could move and cause a break or fracture of the cylinder head gasket allowing coolant to enter the cylinder. Sometimes the cylinder head gasket was not installed perfectly and this made the problem worse. This would be seen by white smoke coming out of the exhaust but would not show in the oil as gunge.
Some Focus ST's suffered complete engine failure when the cylinders compressed leaking coolant.
The 1.6 is a similar engine. Check to see if you get white smoke.
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