What coolant? steering?-petrol ford focus 1999

ampersand

Many sorts of 'gone wrong' have done so this week-and ongoing just now.
C'est la vie:)

Suddenly, it's car, an hour ago - mature model, as befits driver:p.

Steering was heavy, stiff as I pulled out. This increased with 2 turns right leaving rural village.

Power loss apparent, not sluggish, simply rather slow and oomphless. Turned back asap, by which time ignition warning light was full on, temp gauge in red zone:eek: and in quick succession, amber engine warning light and multi-function warning light. All stayed on.

Stopped in field corner and read owner's guide and Haynes.

From that to Fail Safe Cooling System - p. 126 of owner's guide exactly describes what's happening, so tmrw must buy/apply transmission liquid and coolant.

To clarify, please:
1. Is my car Manual Transmission type A[use oil SAE75W90 or equiv.WSD-M2C 200-C] or B[Ford Transmission Oil or equiv.ESD-M2C- 186A] ? for purposes of id'ing/buying correct liquid.

2. Coolant has to be colour-identical, but I don't know what this is.
Have looked on Ford website, but the earliest ref. there is year 2000, yellowish-green coolant. Will this be alright?

I never buy specific Ford bits for basic maintenance; may I safely use alternatives this time or are prices much of a muchness?

I'll use village bus tomorrow to buy whatever's necessary. Daren't drive car any more atm.

Many thanks in advance for any help.

facade

First have a look at the fan belt to see

1) if it is still there
2) if it is going round with the engine,

Sounds like the belt has broken or something is seized, alternator or water pump.

bigjl

Sorry.

But your post doesn't real make any sense.

If you have a Haynes manual you will have all the info you need to top up fluids.

I suggest you get it towed to a garage.

ampersand

bigjl wrote: »

Sorry.

But your post doesn't real make any sense.

If you have a Haynes manual you will have all the info you need to top up fluids.

I suggest you get it towed to a garage.

#
And there was I thinking I'd written carefully, noting everything that might be needed.

bigjl - I won't be getting it towed anywhere. Rural here. I drove it back.
The Haynes Manual is NOT model/year specific. That's why I asked.
The owner's guide is better, but still leaves 2 points to clarify.

facade -thankyou. I'll check that out in the morning - too dark now.

arcon5

Post seems confusing to me.
you saying the car overheated? It so it could be many things. This would usually send it in to limp mode.

if you lost PS then ccheck aux belt. Wouldn't really affect cooling system though.

ampersand

Thanks arcon - I don't see how it could overheat within 50m of starting. Stiff steering was immediate. That's what directed my trouble-shooting reading. I genuinely thought I'd written everything fully.
Ah well, I'm not bloke-ish, or bloke.

molerat

arcon5 wrote: »

Post seems confusing to me.
you saying the car overheated? It so it could be many things. This would usually send it in to limp mode.

if you lost PS then ccheck aux belt. Wouldn't really affect cooling system though.

Water pump not going round would affect the cooling - water pump is on aux belt on the majority of focus models.

Bollotom

If you have Orange anti freeze, don't dilute it and don't mix it with the Blue. You could add plain water for a short while but then will have to drain and fill with your normal Blue stuff. From Fords 10 year life, called OAT, allegedly, well it is Ford, but that's if diluted with de-ionised water. Tap water will do it but then the life is halved and you can sometimes get it from Halfords, again lower shelf life. As far as the transmission oil you may be better off getting it done unless you know how.
Just in case. When all these things happened at once, you hadn't simply stalled the engine? Don't mean to be insulting but sometimes........ :cool:

ampersand

'you hadn't simply stalled the engine? Don't mean to be insulting but sometimes........ :cool:'
#
Tsk tsk bollotom - you baited, I bit.

I realised you were speaking from personal experience so I let you get away with it:D

No, is the answer to your ? I was heading to town w8r0s, but didn't dare risk it within a mile.

We get licences at 15 on my side of the world - AB country.

Just came across this:
http://www.motor.com/article.asp?article_ID=816

I was alert to this biz of colours from the Ford site, hence my post.

Bollotom

Aye, you caught me out, though I have stalled the engine many times. I believe Ford ask for that certain colour as some others can affrect gaskets and seals and other engine components. I topped mine up using tap water but it was only about a pint or so. Couple of weeks back I had some lights on and into limp mode. It was the turbo intercooler pipe with the split that Ford knopw about but won't do a recall. Cost £160 to fix, but I went with a local garage. Main dealers are now too expensive. Anyway, the car was picked up and is as good as new. May be worth having someone look for a vacuum leak. Also I'm putting a link below. Eric the car guy. Lots of good info and he's such a personable chap I watched him changing an engine. Obviously hours but the videos are so good and Eric such a nice bloke. Hope you get yours sorted :cool:

http://www.ericthecarguy.com/

arcon5

molerat wrote: »

Water pump not going round would affect the cooling - water pump is on aux belt on the majority of focus models.

Hmm, not so sure about that. I've had two models of Focus (petrol) in the past which runs of timing belt. Very rare to run of auxiliary belt - except on certain Mondeos where is runs on a separate auxiliary belt on the n/s