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paolo · 12-09-2006, 01:15 AM

I took the car in this past saturday to check why my coolant was dipping so low. Ford mentioned its normal for a little coolant to evaporate at the age of my car. But I had it checked/topped off last month and ive been checking it every week and it goes down and down untill I started noticing a puddle on my drive way. Ford diagnosed it and performed a pressure test, and replaced a bunch of crap such as the t-fittings, hoses and run lines. They also found my head gasket leaking and repl'd it under warr. Now,. got the car back saturday and only drive it monday and noticed there was still a puddle on my drive way, checked coolant, its at the min level, so topped it off to the max level, drove again, the exclamation (!) light with the sun arround it came on and noticed my engine temp getting hotter, so I was right infront of my house when it happened, parked the car checked under the engine, found coolant empty again, and no heat coming from Air vents, even after 10 mins of driving, somethings up..so I called ford yesterday and now its in the dealor today to be re-diagnosed.

paolo · 12-09-2006, 01:22 AM

This also has to do with the last time I made comments about smelling a burning smell from the airvents when ever the car was driven for a while, smelled kinda like a burnt popkorn smell.. well that WAS actually the smell of coolant probaly leaking from the hoses and valves and t-fittings and what not, and then evaporating from the heat of the engine, causing the smell to be produced. The smell is back and stronger, I'll see what ford says, they should be calling me later on this afternooon.

NefCanuck · (This post was last modified: 12-09-2006, 01:25 AM by NefCanuck.)

You say there was a new puddle when you noticed the drop in coolant after Ford did the repair right? :huh:

Sounds like they may have fixed only part of the problem (Or made the original problem worse without fixing anything)

Edit for new info in your 2nd post:

I would say based on your description that it could be an internal leak, but are you or did you notice excess smoke coming out the tailpipe (esp. in this weather)

NefCanuck

***darkpuppet*** · 12-09-2006, 01:41 AM

sounds like a bit of a leak.. whereabouts is the puddle forming? I wonder if there could also be a blockage that's causing coolant to back up and flow out elsewhere.... maybe in your heater core?

**Flofocus** · 12-09-2006, 01:46 AM

check your tstat housing to...mine leaked like crazy. Easy DIY fix to!

paolo · 12-09-2006, 01:52 AM

Yeah before i took the car in, i checked underneath, it was right at the front of the car, as if you were looking in the engine bay right behind the radiator, it was dripping down from there, well more than just dripping kinda looked like pissing at one point, so yeah they probaly only fixed part of the problem, the good thing is I am at 77k but have untill 100k before my extended war0anty runs out.

The temp level getting higher is definately a sign that the cooling system is malfunctioning, and its a good thing I checked that and was infront of my house when it happened and shut down the car.

Frost__2001 · 12-09-2006, 05:26 AM

have they checked the drain plug ? I had that issued when my plug cracked in my Tempo twice, was a really simple fix. And I was going thru the same issues your talking about with the focus.

mo_focus · 12-09-2006, 05:32 AM

Frost__2001,Dec 8 2006, 07:26 PM Wrote:have they checked the drain plug ? I had that issued when my plug cracked in my Tempo twice, was a really simple fix. And I was going thru the same issues your talking about with the focus.
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My brother has the same plug problem in his Golf. Finally got it fixed.

meford4u · 12-09-2006, 05:35 AM

My guess? Heater core. And be thankful your under warranty if it is.

Ask them what this would have cost you.

paolo · 12-09-2006, 06:20 AM

They just called me, it was a coolant return line that had a hole in it. They claim that when they replaced the head gasket, the oil got on the hose and that is enough to make the microscopic hole in the hose that will cause a pressure influxuation. I have no idea, I dunno. They said this repair today is easily over $390 but again, Warranty covered it, no deductiable this time because its a continuation from the last work order.

***darkpuppet*** · 12-09-2006, 06:31 AM

paolo,Dec 8 2006, 04:20 PM Wrote:They just called me, it was a coolant return line that had a hole in it. They claim that when they replaced the head gasket, the oil got on the hose and that is enough to make the microscopic hole in the hose that will cause a pressure influxuation.  I have no idea, I dunno.    They said this repair today is easily over $390 but again, Warranty covered it, no deductiable this time because its a continuation from the last work order.
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that sounds like BS.

if oil getting on a hose is going to cause a microscopic hole, the car is just screwed.

Scorpion · 12-09-2006, 10:14 AM

paolo,Dec 8 2006, 11:52 AM Wrote:The temp level getting higher is definately a sign that the cooling system is malfunctioning, and its a good thing I checked that and was infront of my house when it happened and shut down the car.
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Glad you got it fixed dude, tho it does sound like BS what they told you.

And as for your quote above....has anyone ever tested the cooling function of the engine when it has a catastrophic coolant loss? You're supposed to be able to drive at 30kph, and the engine/computer will automatically use the cylinders to cool the block etc, sucking in air every stoke, once on each cylinder every rev or something....it will sound rough, like a misfire ('cause it is doing that), but is supposed to get you home or to somewhere safe.....

Anyone had it happen?

Scorp.

paolo · 12-09-2006, 10:29 AM

Scorpion,Dec 8 2006, 08:14 PM Wrote:Glad you got it fixed dude, tho it does sound like BS what they told you.

And as for your quote above....has anyone ever tested the cooling function of the engine when it has a catastrophic coolant loss? You're supposed to be able to drive at 30kph, and the engine/computer will automatically use the cylinders to cool the block etc, sucking in air every stoke, once on each cylinder every rev or something....it will sound rough, like a misfire ('cause it is doing that), but is supposed to get you home or to somewhere safe.....

Anyone had it happen?

Scorp.
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It never got to that point but probaly came close if I didnt pay attention to the Temp gage. The weird thing is, they never printed me out a Work Order this time. I will go back and request it on my next visit to the service centre. It does seem like a weird story, THAT or they are covering up the fact that an inexperienced mechanic must have not fixed it 100% the last time.

Focus man. Focus. · 12-09-2006, 10:31 PM

If you can't get oil on the hoses in your engine compartment there should be a lot of cars with no coolant on the side of the road. That is total BS coming from the service department. Sounds like they did a half ass job checking their work when they finished the job. Glad they fixed it for you and they didn't leave you stranded.

kc focus · 12-12-2006, 02:06 PM

I think that Mechanic mest up so the made something BS up. Oil in will not make a hole in a rubber hose. I know I'm a mechanic.....

NOS2Go4Me · 12-12-2006, 02:17 PM

I'm not even a mechanic and I know that's pure BS. If you have it in writing, send a copy to Ford of Canada and let them know that you're more than happy to let the rest of the world know about their incompetent technicians.

I've never had to suffer that level of BS yet. I really hope I don't have to.

Switch dealers.

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