sparky Paul

Are we talking about a coolant leak or refrigerant leak?

This thread might help... http://www.fordgalaxy.org.uk/ford/index.php?showtopic=7546 :)

This thread http://www.fordgalaxy.org.uk/ford/index.php?showtopic=13221 shows the most common failure on the mk.II aircon system. Hope it helps!

First port of call would be to give them a good visual inspection, there is often some evidence of failure.

After checking the roll restrictor, don't overlook the other engine/gearbox mounts.

It might not be as obvious now due to loss of grease. I would consider having a look at cleaning, re-greasing and fitting a new boot if necessary, it's a lot cheaper than a new driveshaft in the long run. Surprisingly, inboard joint gaiters are not testable items, only the outer as they are classed as a steering component... so my tester says.

195/65R15 tyres that are 95 rated are reinforced/extra load, so they are fine - they will be marked RF or XL. Make sure any replacement tyres are also 95 rated, or specify reinforced. Standard (non-reinforced) tyres of that size have a 91 load index, reinforced are 95. Hope this helps. :)

The front suspension on the Galaxy is pretty robust, so you could be right thinking that the damage could have been pre-existing. I doubt the clutch work could have caused any problems, they shouldn't need to drop the front crossmember, and in any case special alignment tools for refitting are not required, like on the Mondeo front subframe for example. It's probably worth a second opinion, just to make sure that the castor figures tally. The good news is that if the suspension has been damaged, the most likely is probably a bent bottom control arm or split bush, and complete replacement bottom arms are available relatively cheaply. If it gets really serious and the front crossmember is also damaged, it should be possible to find a good replacement from a breaker. Hope this helps. :lol:

The Sportracs are a very good tyre, I would be very surprised if they are the problem. The only way to isolate the tyres is to change them, swap them with the back wheels to see if the noise moves to the back.

Any sort of metal to metal grindy noise from the wheel hubs is likely to be brakes, but the noise should change under braking. Play in a badly worn or collapsing wheel bearing can make some nasty noises too, from either the brakes or the bearings - but you can check for this by jacking up, grabbing the wheel at 12 and 6 o'clock and rocking, checking for the any play. Tyres get noisier as they wear. The reason I mention tyres is because I fitted a couple of new tyres some time ago, and immediately noticed that they were a bit noisy. This noise got progressively worse over the next year or so, to the point that I had convinced myself that there must be something wrong, probably a wheel bearing. I could find no defects, the bearings, driveshafts, etc. seemed fine, and I was starting to worry about the gearbox diff bearings... it was the tyres, and the noise disappeared after changing them. The noise I had sounded just like a rumbling wheel bearing, sort of a low 'rrrrrrr' sound which increased in note with road speed. It tended to be most noticable around 30-50mph, then became much quieter 70mph+. Some of the budget Chinese tyres that are being imported are noisy, and the Galaxy does seem prone to tyre noise from certain types of tread pattern. Out of interest, what sort of tyre was fitted?

:) Brakes rarely make bearing-type noises. Does the noise sound like a wheel bearing? How does it change with road speed? Does it change when cornering? Had any different tyres fitted recently?

The circular thing will be the bearing retaining clip, and the bolt will be the driveshaft end bolt. If the hub carrier hasn't been disturbed for 10 years, I would have a small bet that the pinch bolt will need replacing, only a couple of quid from the Ford dealer and should be a stock item. The pinch bolt is prone to corrosion and is usually well siezed in - it's not hard to shear it without plenty of heat, and that's a whole bag of trouble.

Replacing the front hub carrier assembly complete would cost a fortune... unless you intend to fit a secondhand unit, which is a false economy IMHO. In any case, it won't take someone with garage facilities long to replace a front bearing. Also, make sure you budget for a new pinch bolt, which will be corroded, and a new driveshaft bolt, which must be replaced. As for rear bearings, they are not straightforward. You can't replace the hub carrier seperately, it is an integral part of the trailing arm. The bearing is pressed directly into the trailing arm, and to replace it you need a good slide hammer and some heat, or to take the whole suspension arm off.

Cheapest option for the 2.3 Ford bits is a USB EOBD/OBD2 cable interface with ScanTool software. I bought mine from a fleabay seller in HK for about

Very true. 'Reconditioned' can mean absolutely anything, whilst the ones which come from the manufacturers are usually 're-manufactured', that is all wearing parts are replaced, and the unit is basically as new. In my experience, they as often indistinguishable from new.

The dampers are the same, but spring rates vary with engine & gearbox combinations.

075 recommended. Expect to pay

Great stuff. Might seem straightforward, but it's useful to post any resolution or outcome to a problem for future reference. :rolleyes:

I agree, likely to be a bent trailing arm, or possibly split bush/es, either as a result of a heavy kerbing at some point.

Indeed! Mine came with a plain key, and a remote key which didn't work. Supplying dealer obtained a new remote, and this didn't work either... yes, the car had no remote locking, and to add to the confusion had at some point been fitted up with a remote key to replace the original. ;) Mine is a 1999 Zetec, and remote locking was a

Here's a quick tip. If there's a bit of stud exposed, tie a small piece of rag around it and douse it with penetrating oil. Leave overnight, the oil soaked rag keeps it damp and helps the oil soak down the thread before it has chance to dry out. If the stud doesn't then come out easily, wiggle it backwards and forwards, adding more spray. If it doesn't feel like it's going to move, you might need some heat. Remember that the constant heating - cooling of the exhaust manifold softens the bolts, and they shear off quite readily.

Yes, for engine functions you need a EOBD/OBD2 cable.

If you want the cheapest option, a generic EOBD - USB cable off fleabay will cover the engine functions... VAG-COM cable for most of the other body electrics.

I don't think it's unusual for the O/S drivehaft to have a little more play in it, due to the extra half shaft. Your mechanic should have an idea if this feels excessive or not. From what you have said, it sounds like he has some concerns, it might warrant further investigation. The splines are known to go on the Galaxy driveshafts, and when they do, it results in a total loss of drive leaving you completely stuck.