F.A.O Adam re: coolant leak

Hi Adam,

I was following you thread on your coolant leak. But have lost it in my
wonderful reader.

I spotted the housing assembly on the eurocarparts website for £90.something
they have a 25% discount code on the front of there page I think so works
out to around £67.  Non genuine but state oe quality so should fit fine, my
experience of eurocarparts parts is all fits and works as should. F|or the
difference in price I would try it. Although ford engines are quite fussy in
general but this is just a plastic housing so should be fine. Sparks coils
etc should use genuine.

Only thing is it doesn't list plastic part/cover for the thermostat bit its
just the main housing. I would have thought if it should all go together the
thermostat cover on this housing ok.

Having done this job myself its easily done. I would drain the coolant first
from the lower passenger side of the rad is a screw to undo and drain off.
Flush it a few times while you at it.

Then undo the 3 bolts on the thermostat housing, clean up the block surface
and reaplce. Make sure the thermostat goes the right way round and the air
bleed valvue is at the 12 oclock position.

Although as you are not 100% this is where the leak is. I would investigate
this more before shelling out on all that incase its in vain.

If you cant pressure test around £30, I would do this as the dye test could
fail. What we used to do was get a uv dye pop it in the coolant expansion
tank, run it to temp. Then using a uv light we would look and 8/10 times
spot the leak. Very effective and cheap. The light and uv dye comes in at
under £10 and is safe to leak in the tank after but we usually flush and
refil with new coolant. Be sure to remove cambelt cover to check that water
pump area. The seal on that is known to go, also the thermo housing, heater
maxtrix pipes and all the usual spots.

Hope this helps.