Need help in identifying this leak.

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ia0196

New member
Joined
Dec 18, 2017
Messages
22
Hi there! I'd like some help in identifying what sort of leak this is and how serious. I've got an attached image of the leak below.

Any help in identifying and giving advice is much appreciated!!

:eek:k:
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20180102-020552-1080x1920.png
    Screenshot_20180102-020552-1080x1920.png
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I can confirm the type of leak is......: Fluid! :-D

It looks like coolant but without actually seeing it I can't confirm. :eek:k:

Coolant is, as long as it's got luminous pink antifreeze in it, greasy/oily and smells... sweet. See if it is the same as what is in the expansion bottle (top left of the engine bay) then you can confirm what it is.

I'm pretty sure power steering fluid is darker than what I can see in that picture.

Check/monitor coolant level to see if it drops. Usual causes of coolant leaks on the engine are:
Thermostat housing - located under the alternator. The rubber seal on it can perish or the housing breaks - can cause a near total coolant loos if it fails!
Large joint underneath the coil pack - I've not heard of this failing completely but signs of seepage is pink crust around the pipe/fitting and could leave a puddle of coolant on the gearbox.

If it is a coolant leak I would carefully check the thermostat housing first on an 'urgent' basis!


EDIT: On closer inspection of that picture, to me it looks like you've got fluid running down the engine from both sides of the oil filter......




Edited a million times coz today I'm stupid...
 
Ahh okay, cheers! Will check it out after I'm back from work, kinda though it'd be cooling lol because the fluid seemed hot when it touched the wet road surface, wasn't entirely sure because as I drove to work today, the temperature needle was at the middle and seemed fine.

Thanks a lot! Will update after even further inspection!!
:eek:k:
 
The needle will still indicate coolant temp even with a leak, unless it's so bad that almost all of the coolant gets dumped out and the needle would probably drop quite rapidly!
 
That is the oil filter in the picture. Almost 150% positive it is the thermostate housing split as it is to be expected, especailly if it was never replaced.
Look for this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-FOCUS-THERMOSTAT-HOUSING/160881055754?fits=Car+Make%3AFord&epid=1809752532&hash=item257542180a:m:muQucOBeoRA1pQ3RfwoUnFg
There will be two hoses coming out of it; the bigger directly to the radiator in front, the smaller all around the engine to the HCV on the bulkhead for heating up the cabin.
 
There is another possible source of the leak. There is a hose that runs in front of the engine and above the fan motor. This should have a bracket supporting it coming off the gearbox but some cars don't have the bracket fitted. If the bracket isn't fitted the hose rubs against the fan housing and will eventually wear through causing a leak.
Barry
 
After even further inspection, I believe that the problem as you all have pointed out seems to be the thermostat housing.

Here's an even better image of the leaking region below.
Screenshot_20180105-182545~01-600x1033.png
 
I'll try and replace the thermostat housing myself, after doing some research, it seems to be a straightforward job of removing the headlight, alternator and then detaching and replacing the housing below. Oh and of course draining the coolant and refilling with new coolant.

Any further advice on this job is much appreciated. :)
 
You can take out the drivers side headlight and change it through the headlight hole. Mind you you need to be a gynecologist to do it :lol:
 
UPDATE!!
Everyone thanks a lot for all the help and support, I've changed the thermostat housing. The car runs fine, no leaks. Only small concern is that when driving at really low speeds or idling parked after a 12 mile typical drive from work, the temperature needle creeps slightly beyond the centre point of the temperature gauge but then the radiator fan turns on and the needle creeps back to the centre point.

This didn't happen this often previously but has been happening ever since I changed the thermostat housing and refilling the car with new coolant. Nothing too serious since the cooling system always maintains the temp around the centre point of the temperature guage.

Any thoughts or am I just being a little paranoid :lol:

Thanks everyone!
 
Make sure there are no air pockets in your system, squeeze the pipes etc...?
Let the car idle and get up to temperature, with the cap unscrewed, but not all the way (allowing the air bubles to escape).
But be aware of steam and very hot water!!

Keep an eye on the water levels as this is going on! Hopefully it wil drop, then top it up and repeat if necessary. (If it was air pockets casuing the problems).

Otherwise I have heard the HCV can show symptoms like this...
 
As above...

The Puma engines are little buggers for stubborn air locks.

Other than that, glad you're basically sorted!
 
UPDATE: :-(

Ever since the housing has been replaced, day by day, the car's temp gauge started behaving more and more erratically.

For example: Today I was on my daily commute to uni, the car's temp gauge started increasing like crazy and was really close to the red region as I was on the A2 exiting the blackwall tunnel, I had to pull over to the hard shoulder to cool it down, and had to go back home. During the drive home,the temp gauge started fluctuating like crazy whilst I was on the A13, the radiator fan could be heard on full blast and the temp needle sporadically started increasing and then decreasing at random intervals.

When I was home, I took the reservoir cap off and started squeezing the radiator pipes to take air off the system, because that's what I was suspecting initially as everyone else pointed out on the forum. I then took it for a drive down the M11, and was cruising at 75. The temp gauge looked normal but as soon as I exited the motorway, and stopped at a set of traffic lights on a roundabout, the temp needle started acting crazy in the same manner from when I was driving around the A13 needle ending up extremely near the red region and then after a couple of seconds jumping in small steps back to the centre point.

My neighbour is a mechanic, I've had a chat with him on the phone about this, he says that it's probs the thermostat, but he'll check it out tomorrow after work. Any ideas ? I'm worried of driving the car to work or uni now in case it overheats during my daily commute.

Any help/advice is much appreciated Thanks!! :eek:k:
 
ia0196 said:
[post]367205[/post] UPDATE: :-(

Ever since the housing has been replaced, day by day, the car's temp gauge started behaving more and more erratically.
More specifically, ever since the coolant escaped during the job and was later refilled. ;)

I've read this entire thread and your problem is still down to airlocks. Carry water, turn the heater to full hot and turn the air conditioning on (the full fans come on as soon as the A/C is turned on) Don't forget to have fan speed of at least 1 or the A/C will not come on.

I'm not in any way way making light of this, I know exactly that rising panic feeling as you watch the needle creep up.

However, all that would happen with your neighbour is that he'll remove the thermostat housing, take the thermostat out and put it into hot water with a thermometer, confirm that it is indeed opening when it should and put it back (with the usual risk of cracking the housing or wrinkling the gasket) and you'll be back to square one.

This is what the guys above are talking about with air-locks. Air-locks are not mere trivia or some minor inconvenience of the heater not getting hot for an hour or two. They are exactly as you describe above and are a damn pain.
 
Maybe as a side note to everything mentioned above...

Have you checked the radiator to see if it is actually getting hot all over and the pipes each side are getting hot?
DON'T go sticking your hand in through the fan unless you want to lose a few fingers!

Maybe not overly relevant to you but I used to have overheating issues on my old Puma. It would overheat when stationary/in slow moving traffic but be OK while driving at speed. I found out the radiator was blocked!
 
UPDATE: Can confirm it's an air lock issue :eek:k: . Squeezed the radiator hose whist loosening the expansion cap. When squeezing the hose, I could feel bubbles and could see the bubbles and coolant rising and falling in the expansion tank.
 
UPDATE: I'm getting tired of dealing with the airlocks by squeezing the radiator hose since it seems to go away and then randomly come back so I'm wondering if there is any quick process on taking air off the system?
 

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