Need to change the coolant on the Foci, noticed there is a drain plug but from what I can see of the O-Ring it's very perished and afriad it will leak when I start messing about.

Does anyone know what size they are? Or if you can get replacements from ford etc?

Also heared these engine can be a mare of air locks. Would I be better off just emptying the expansion tank, filling it up with neat coolant and doing this a few times?

MK1 Focus 1.6.

Bailes.

 

Just take the bottom hose of the radiator?

Never had a problem with air locks, and I had the coolant in and of mine a fair few times. Just refill, set heater inside to hot, run it up to operating temperature, give all the hoses a good squeeze with your hand. let it cool then refill coolant to correct level.

 

I assume I leave the cap off the expansion tank when I do this?

 

Never had a problem, the drain plug is plastic, just remove this and refill with the correct mixture of coolant. You don't want to empty the expansion tank and refill as you merely will be refilling that by itself!

I may well do mine again soon as it was a couple of years ago since the last change!

With the rad it will drain everything (Bar whats left in the head/heater matrix)

Martin

 

Would it be a good idea to fill it up with distilled water to wash everything out before filling it up with anti freeze then?

 

Is it worth replacing it with genuine ford stuff aswell?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Fo...-/170710097218

 

I actually use the Halfords stuff, imo providing the cooling system hasen't been neglected then I see no reason to flush, I do however flush the radiator through, i.e. leave the plug out and flush through, until clean water appears, with mine it wasen't dirty to start with!

Martin