Loss Of Coolant

[Guest Tryagainbiggles]

I have a 2000 facelift 2.3, which has lost all its coolant via a faulty radiator hose.

 

The replacement hoses are on order - Ford only part.

 

Does anyone have any tips as top the best way to replace these hoses (RHS when viewed from bonnet - same side as battery) and best way to drain and refill the system.

 

Thanks

[Ivor_E_Tower]

Start at the bottom and work up. I hope that the clips undo - I had a Rover 820 and had to change the radiator on that some years ago now. One of the stainless steel jubilee clips had rusted solid and I had to cut it off! Fortuantely there was sufficient slack in the hose to enable me to re-use it.

Do you have suitable access to lift the Gal to take the undertray off, because I suspect that this will have to be done if you need to replace the lower hose?

 

Bleeding the air can be a nightmare - not sure if there is a bleed valve anywhere. If not, try driving for a while (eg 15 miles) with coolant topped up and no rad cap. Then replace rad cap, continue driving, go home and allow system to cool completely. Release rad cap and replace.

Ensure that you keep checking the coolant level every day for a week after changing the hoses.

Good luck.

[Guest nimrod]

Top hose or bottom hose? bottom hose is an under tray off job by the looks of it! top hose is easy enough :unsure: its just a case of undoing the clips holding them in place! i use a pair of water pump pliers! but you can get the correct tool that undoes the clips, thats if you still have the original sping clips in place!

to refill just top it up through the coolant expansion bottle till the level is on the correct mark, try pumping the coolant round the system by squeezing the hoses off the radiator as the level in the bottle drops top it up again

with the heater turned onto full heat run the engine till it gets warm enough to open the thermostat and keep an eye on the coolant level! with the engine on a fast tick over the coolant being pump round at speed should flush out any air still in the system! top as required and see how you go

[Guest nimrod]

The replacement hoses are on order - Ford only part.

 

oh! the joy's of owning the oddity that is the Ford 2.3 :unsure:

[italiastar]

What has happened to the car industry - hoses on order????

My neighbour had to wait 4 yes FOUR months for a wiper linkage for his Alhambra. Looking at the amount of "dealers excess stock" on eBay there is some thing very wrong!

[Guest nimrod]

FOUR months for a wiper linkage for his Alhambra............... I think it would take me long to find a seat dealer :unsure:

All the parts i've ever ordered through the spares counter at the local Ford garage have been next day delivery :lol: i even popped in once on the way to a job at just gone 9 o'clock and the parts guy had to go through the boxes to find my order!