Ford Focus-Add anti-freeze straight in?

Bushboy

I've got an 03 Focus that has been great to me so far ( kiss of death ) Starts first-time.
It had a full service at 40k in Sept 07 and since then I've added 8k to the mileage, mainly A roads, 40-50 mph so it gets a good run-in most days.

I usually check the oil and coolant every couple of weeks, recently the coolant level is dropping a little bit I presume due to the weather and I'm wondering whether it needs a new round of antifreeze added to it.

Will I need to just add the antifreeze straight in or will I need to flush out the old stuff and add new? This is something I have not attempted before.

Cheers

ArsenalFC

The cold weather means we use the heater in the car so the coolant level drops a little. Anti freeze straight in is fine, if you have the time then can do the flushing if you want.

espresso

ArsenalFC wrote: »

The cold weather means we use the heater in the car so the coolant level drops a little.

:rotfl:

Using the heater does not cause the coolant level to drop!

Anti freeze straight in is fine, if you have the time then can do the flushing if you want.

Coolant is not simply anti-freeze and it should be added at the advised strength to prevent corrosion taking place.

...............

kevin0410

At a guess your focus has pink coolant, right? If so you will need to use the correct type of antifreeze. Best bet is to go to ford and buy a 1 litre bottle of antifreeze and mix it with the specified proportion of water, then use this mixture to top up the coolant in your car.

goldspanners

additionally to kev above. the focus did come from factory with the pink longlife coolant but it is ok to use normal blue coolant in it aswell,but dont mix them together,if it has blue stuff then add blue stuff, if its pink then pink it is.

i would top it up and keep an eye on the level of your coolant,if it looses any then you probably have a leak and when you get round to fixing the leak the coolant would probably be best (or in some cases unavoidably)changed then.

Bushboy

Thanks.
It did have pink coolant before it went in for it's full service.
Afterwards the new stuff was different, light brown in colour, I assumed this is what was the norm??

I don't think there's a leak, I often check the ground as I pull out of spaces, am paranoid like that!

goldspanners

Bushboy wrote: »

Thanks.
It did have pink coolant before it went in for it's full service.
Afterwards the new stuff was different, light brown in colour, I assumed this is what was the norm??

I don't think there's a leak, I often check the ground as I pull out of spaces, am paranoid like that!

its a good practise to check for leaks regulary.

with the coolant being brown it sounds like it may have been topped up with blue stuff. or just rusty water.
personally i would think about changing it soonish.

Bushboy

goldspanners wrote: »

with the coolant being brown it sounds like it may have been topped up with blue stuff. or just rusty water.

Don't say that as that's exactly what I thought at the time!
I wondered why the pink stuff hadn't been replaced but when you leave things in the hands of "professionals" you think that they'll do things correctly, especially when the service cost 450 quid :mad:

I definately need a Haynes manaul as I would love to do these sorts of "basic"jobs myself, oil change, filter, coolant etc.
In fact that'll be my new year resolution.

goldspanners

Bushboy wrote: »

Don't say that as that's exactly what I thought at the time!
I wondered why the pink stuff hadn't been replaced but when you leave things in the hands of "professionals" you think that they'll do things correctly, especially when the service cost 450 quid :mad:

I definately need a Haynes manaul as I would love to do these sorts of "basic"jobs myself, oil change, filter, coolant etc.
In fact that'll be my new year resolution.

ive got a 1.6 ford focus,the oil and filter changes are very simple to do.
thats the best thing to do,get a haynes manual and have a read up on servicing.
£450 is a lot of money for a service,what else did they do?

Bushboy

HT leads replaced, brake pads, and the usual other stuff, nothing really major as the car was in good nick anyway. AND I was given a discount as well!! Cheeky *********
I have the 1.6 Zetec as well. Are there other common problems which I should look out for? Definately now in the prevention rather than cure camp.

goldspanners

Bushboy wrote: »

HT leads replaced, brake pads, and the usual other stuff, nothing really major as the car was in good nick anyway. AND I was given a discount as well!! Cheeky *********
I have the 1.6 Zetec as well. Are there other common problems which I should look out for? Definately now in the prevention rather than cure camp.

only things ive had go wrong so far is my fuel filter leaking,strong smell of petrol in car when stationary,its best to get it high up to change this filter as its tiucked in neatly at the front of the fuel tank.
and the bearing the supports the output shaft from the gearbox to the right hand side drive shaft was causing a rumbling noise for ages until i found out this was the problem, the part cost £20 from ford and got a trusted independant to fit for £40 (1 hours labour).
other than servicing and brakes which i do myself ,and tyres nothing else has failed (yet,i say with fingers crossed).
it is about due an exhaust,front hangers are quite rusty,and possibly a new battery soon as its 5 years old in march with 57,000 miles on it just now.