[Focus man. Focus.]

On my way home tonight, stuck in crazy traffic on the 401. my regular 45 minute drive took 2.5hrs. I was passing Yorkdale at a snails pace I looked down at the guage and it was almost maxxed out. I didn't over heat (no steam from under the hood) but I did need to drive with the heat all the way up and the windows all the way down for the reat of the drive home to keep the guage in its usual mid point.

So my question is: Does a Zetec have a rad fan switch in the rad/t-stat housing? Or shoul I run some jumpers to the rad fan motor to check if that works? I am going up north of Huntsville this weekend and I would hate to have a failure of some sort. Any input that can be provided would be greatly apprecated?

[fatphocus]

hows the coolant level?

[ZTWsquared]

Focus man, Focus.,Dec 16 2009, 10:42 PM Wrote:On my way home tonight, stuck in crazy traffic on the 401.  my regular 45 minute drive took 2.5hrs.  I was passing Yorkdale at a snails pace I looked down at the guage and it was almost maxxed out.  I didn't over heat (no steam from under the hood) but I did need to drive with the heat all the way up and the windows all the way down for the reat of the drive home to keep the guage in its usual mid point. 

So my question is:  Does a Zetec have a rad fan switch in the rad/t-stat housing?  Or shoul I run some jumpers to the rad fan motor to check if that works?  I am going up north of Huntsville this weekend and I would hate to have a failure of some sort.  Any input that can be provided would be greatly apprecated?
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You should be able to check the fan's operation just by listening for it to cycle on and off while driving - especially if the gauge is reading high ... you might also have a problem with the thermostat itself or the coolant level - I'm assuming you didn't experience the smell of coolant.

[Focus man. Focus.]

Coolant level is at normal level. No smell, no steam. I was just outside and I let it warm up no fan. I turned the AC on max and the seconday fan didn't kick on either???? I checked the fuses in the box under the hood and they are all fine aswell. I am stumped. Suggestions?

[2DXTRM]

Same thing happened to me with my Focus earlier this summer.

What should happen is when the temp gauge goes into the red zone the high speed fans should automatically turn on, its supposed to be a built in safety feature.

Its the cooling fan "resistor". It sits in the fan shroud between the two fans. Chances are it also took out the harness pigtail with it.

FYI, I got hoofed at the Ford dealer on Eglinton there (in Scarborough) for both items, LIST price...with tax it came out to $150!

Im sure if you ask them to hook you up on a jobber discount, you will be good to go, as Ive gone back there other times for other things and told them to give me a jobber price since I work on my own cars. Usually I normally deal with the Ford dealer on Dufferin/Lawrence, since I used to deal with them before at my old workplace.

[konafocuswrc]

happened to me as well..
for some reason, fan relay was sticking..
or going bad..

pulled it off and put regular spdt relay in and solved problem..

it could be relay or resistor on fan shroud..

[Scorcher000]

Yes the risitors are sitting out in the open. And when I had my front end apart the car was only a year old and the resistors looked pretty coroded at the point. Not too sure if you can rig one up your self but good luck.

[Focus man. Focus.]

Went out for a smoke here at work a few minutes ago and popped the resistor out. It and the harness is cooked. About $80 + tax from 06GTPony aka Mark at Evans Ford. Resistor in stock, Plug on order and in this afternoon. I should have the fans back up and running after work tonight.

[oldeguy]

Focus man, Focus.,Dec 17 2009, 12:06 PM Wrote:Went out for a smoke here at work a few minutes ago and popped the resistor out.  It and the harness is cooked.  About $80 + tax from 06GTPony aka Mark at Evans Ford.  Resistor in stock, Plug on order and in this afternoon.  I should have the fans back up and running after work tonight.
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Until it arrives, keep the A/C on....................

[Focus man. Focus.]

oldeguy,Dec 17 2009, 11:57 AM Wrote:

Focus man, Focus.,Dec 17 2009, 12:06 PM Wrote:Went out for a smoke here at work a few minutes ago and popped the resistor out.  It and the harness is cooked.  About $80 + tax from 06GTPony aka Mark at Evans Ford.  Resistor in stock, Plug on order and in this afternoon.  I should have the fans back up and running after work tonight.
[right][snapback]298597[/snapback][/right]

Until it arrives, keep the A/C on....................
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Unfortunatly when that resistor goes so do both fans. I tried that last night. :(

[j3rt]

My Zetec was overheating, I did a lot of commuting in that car. Guelph-Toronto daily. After replacing a couple parts the true culprit was found. There was a 'T' hose that failed. The coil inside, and the hose were colapsing under the draw of the coolant, so when it started to heat up, and I threw the AC on, it actual caused a greater vaccum and starved the engine more.
Anyways, found it, sourced it, and the car ran happily every after. It was an '02 with 260K. Figured I'd add my experiance, because finding it took a couple months. I'd tell my mechanic, he couldn't find anything, the car had to have been really really warm up, the hose had to be hot etc.