Fiesta TD DI Engine Coolant

It'll be needing a new oil cooler (combined into the oil filter head). Change the oil cooler, then you'll have to flush the cooling system. Ford's recommended flush is some liquid laundry detergent (far better + quicker at breaking down the oil than normal coolant flush). You put about

70ml off detergent in with each flush, run engine until fully warmed up, drain out, flush through with some clean water, then repeat. Usually takes a good few flushes (ford recommend 3-5 flushes).

Something to watch out for though, is if the coolers been burst for a while, the coolant system may be pretty well gunged up, which would show through overheating. If it's that bad, you've got to flush out as much off the gunge as you can by disconnecting various hoses before putting any detergent in.

The new coolant is a dark purply colour and I could conceive of it looking like oil in quantity, especially if someone has put it in neat. It doesn't feel very oily though. If this is in addition to the coolant though which from 2001 model years should be pink if it's factory fill then you have a problem. Either the oil cooler has gone or there is a head gasket or cracked head/block. I'd place money on the oil cooler having gone - it's not uncommon.

If so then a regular to this ng has a fix involving Bold washing up liquid and a new oil cooler - he'll be along shortly or you could try searing google groups for the answer.

Paging AstraVanMan...

Douglas

Is an oil cooler easy to fit ? any idea roughly how much a Fiesta cooler might cost ?

Thanks

I refer the OP to previously archived posts of mine on the matter on google groups. I've probably said the same thing about the subject several times over the course of the last couple of years, so it shouldn't be hard to find!

If the coolant is black and oily, and not thick sludge, then congratulations - it hasn't yet got to the stage of completely bunging up the whole cooling system with gunge. Don't run the engine a minute longer. Confirm that it's not bunged up by disconnecting one of the rad hoses and having a look (careful though - safety first!). Hopefully it won't have got to a bad stage. Then fill it with the recommended Ford coolant (bright orange glow-in-the-dark stuff). In fact, scrub that, fill the system with water, get it up to temp, give it a good flushing out. In fact, before you do that, replace the oil cooler (if it's at fault). Then fill and flush. Then refill with the proper Ford orange glow-in-the-dark coolant, and buy a few bottles as spares, as you don't want to be topping up with any other type of coolant as they don't mix well at all.

Then run the thing into the ground. They're not bad engines - mine (W plate Fiesta van) felt *immensely* more refined at 135k, and just drove better generally, than a slightly earlier (S reg) Mk4 that I drove more or less back to back with it, did at around 50k. I'm confident it'd still be going now, probably at around 200-250k, if that hadn't gone wrong. In fact, the guy who bought it off me got it running again no probs (sold with cylinder head in the boot), so it probably will work its way to that sort of mileage.......

Don't know - I think access is a bit tight down there - can't imagine it's too bad though.

Yep, around £120-130 ish.

Thanks for the help.

Alt Beer

Access isn't too bad. Hardest part is getting the two coolant pipes off. From memory, I think you can just about get the pipes from above. If not, you've got to unbolt the cooler, and pull it down to get into the clips (there those nice spring loaded clips). To make it easier, I have seen mechanics disconnect the concerned hoses at the opposite ends from the cooler, and remove the whole lot. The cooler is held onto the block with 3 10mm headed bolts.

Sounds about right. Make sure you also get the gasket for it.

Also bear in mind that the rubber water pipes could have been softened by the oil, and may all need replacing.

Just to second AstraVanMan, I'm going through the same ordeal, ATM - the oil cooler's being replaced (Vx Omega, in my case), and I'll be checking and flushing the coolant system for the next few weeks and months to ensure the leak's been solved.

Hint, before draining your coolant, grab the missus' chicken baster (yup, she did catch me) and syphon as much of the crap out of the expansion tank.

Mike

Not only to ensure the leak's been solved, but to gradually get rid of all the goo that'll remain in the cooling system, as it'll probably be near impossible to get it all out (from coolant passages around the block etc), though replacing (or properly flushing) all pipes, and rad/heater matrix would be a good start.

ok on the baster. Yesterday, I bought a meter length of clear plastic flexible piping (as used for home brewing) I plan to siphon all the gunge from the expansion tank and flush the whole system out. I looked through the previous owners service notes and noticed that they were advised of oil in the expansion tank. There is a bill for removing the head and checking for cracks and warping. Replacing the head gasket and bolts. So, maybe the oil in my expansion tank is oil that is still circulating in the system and not freshly leaked. I hope so.