Replacing coolant in a Ford Focus 2: Replacing antifreeze

When to change antifreeze?

The coolant is replaced according to the manufacturer's standards, based on the results of a technical inspection, and during vehicle repairs. But often it is advisable to fill a new composition with the following signs:

the antifreeze has become cloudy and a sediment has appeared;
foam appears or increases in volume;
the liquid became thick and gelatinous;
the composition has turned yellow, that is, the coolant has neutralized corrosion and lost its properties;
the antifreeze level has noticeably decreased;
if you had to add refrigerant manufactured to other standards.

When choosing a composition to replace antifreeze in Ford Focus 2, you need to take into account the type of car, the condition of the internal combustion engine, and driving style.

Important! Refrigerants lose their effectiveness during operation. Their acidity increases and their anti-corrosion protective properties decrease. On average, the fluid lifespan is three years or 60,000 kilometers. But the refrigerant must maintain a density above 1075 kg/cm³. Carboxylate compounds are commercially available. Its resource varies from 5 to 10 years. But the coolant expiration date takes precedence over the manufacturer's recommendations.

If the engine begins to overheat, the coolant loses its properties. This can be determined in 3 ways:

test strip, coolant is applied to the side with the reagent, and the indicator sets the replacement period;
inspection: appearance of foam, transformation of structure, change in color, formation of suspensions;
boiling, take the antifreeze into a large spoon and bring to a boil; if suspensions or the smell of ammonia appear, the coolant must be replaced.

If symptoms are detected, the coolant must be replaced as soon as possible. By trying to turn back the clock or save money, you increase the risk of engine failure and repairs costing up to 40% of the car's value.

Stages of replacing coolant Ford Focus 2

Before you start replacing the coolant, it is advisable to follow a couple of tips. It is best to change the coolant when the engine is cool, not when the engine is hot. Before draining the coolant, remove the coolant reservoir cap for a couple of seconds, then tighten it again. This is necessary to relieve pressure in the engine cooling system.

How to drain

First you need to pay attention to the fact that the car is standing on a level surface.
Unscrew the cap of the expansion tank.
Place a container of about ten liters under the drain hole.
Unscrew the drain plug.

We unscrew the drain plug; there is no need to remove it from the hole. Drain the coolant. Attention! Coolant is extremely dangerous, so wear gloves.

Drain the used antifreeze into a prepared container.

If the expansion tank is dirty, it must be washed.
We tighten the drain hole and pour water into the cooling system.
We start the engine and let it run until the fan turns on.
We turn off the engine, the water must be drained.
Repeat this procedure until the drained water becomes clear.
We tighten the drain plug.

How to fill

Unscrew the coolant reservoir cap.
Filling the cooler.
We start the engine and wait until the fan turns on, then turn it off and look at the temperature sensor.
Checking the fluid level.
If there is a shortage, recharge to the maximum level.

If the engine begins to overheat, then most likely an air lock has appeared; this can be determined as follows:

We turn on the heating.
If hot air comes out, the fan may not work properly.
We repair or replace the fan.

If it's cold, you can safely say that there is not enough coolant or an airbag. It is removed as follows:

Turn off the ignition.
We wait until the engine cools down.
Unscrew the cap of the expansion tank.
We start the car.
Let it run for five minutes, turn off the ignition.

After replacing the cooler, we measure the cooler level in a couple of days, and you also need to check its color.
Good coolant may darken slightly over time, but the underlying color should remain the same.
If the liquid turns brown or colorless after a few days, you most likely bought a counterfeit product. Buy original antifreeze, flush the system and replace the coolant.

How is fluid changed in a car?

First you need to prepare all the required materials. In particular, this is 6 liters of antifreeze, at least the same amount of distilled water for rinsing, rags, basins for draining used and rinsing fluid. Carefully inspect the system pipes, tank and radiator for leaks. The antifreeze replacement period is a good reason to change all the parts that have been asking for repair or replacement for a long time.

Remember that all procedures must be performed with the machine completely cooled. Otherwise, you may get burns, and nothing good will happen to the engine. So, let's look at the procedure for changing the coolant for Ford Focus 2:

Place the car on a level surface to minimize possible residues of old fluid in the system. At the bottom of the radiator, unscrew the drain plug, first placing a wide basin under it. Open the cap on the tank slightly so that the liquid flows into the container in a small stream.
When the liquid has drained, screw the drain plug back into place. Pour clean water into the system through the filler hole of the expansion tank (it is best to use distilled water), and tighten the filler plug. Start the engine and let it warm up to operating temperature.
Carry out the draining procedure again. Repeat the flushing procedure 2-3 times so that clean water flows out of the system. Often one time is enough if you have used a high-quality liquid before.
Close the drain hole tightly and fill in new antifreeze. Usually 5.5 liters are poured, about half a liter of liquid remains in the system, and it is impossible to drain this volume. But good antifreeze combined with distilled water will not harm your car's engine.
Add fluid to approximately the maximum level in the tank (one centimeter below the maximum mark). Screw on the filler cap, start and warm up the engine. After this, check the coolant level and add if necessary.

The filler cap must be original. It is specially created so that even with strong twisting it still maintains a small air exchange with the environment. If you close the tank with a regular lid that is suitable in size, the cooling system will work several times less efficiently.

Also note that the drain plug is not completely pulled out of its seat so that the machine owner does not lose it when changing the fluid. It is enough to unscrew it a little to allow the antifreeze to flow into the hole formed.

You do not need to unscrew any other drain plugs in the machine for this procedure.

What antifreeze to fill in Ford Focus 2

To decide which antifreeze to fill Ford Focus 2 for replacement or topping up, you need to remember not only the appearance of the canister and the color of the liquid.

As a rule, the color of antifreeze in no way indicates its composition, and liquid manufacturers can write whatever they want on the packaging.

It is important to fill in exactly the antifreeze composition that does not contradict factory recommendations and does not lead to corrosion of the cylinder block, rapid wear of the pump or coking of the radiator.

What is poured from the factory into Focus 2 radiators?

It is originally colored orange, and the abbreviation on the label stands for Extended Life Anti-Freeze Coolant.

This is a Belgian liquid produced by Arteco, a joint venture between the American Chevron and the French Total.

There are such liquids under the Chevron brand, but they can be produced both in Russia and in Finland, China, Spain and India.

Antifreeze warning on the back of the original packaging.

The fluid sold by official Ford SUPER PLUS Premium dealers is Havoline XLC antifreeze.

According to Ford catalogs, it goes under the number WSS-M97B44-D (this number is also a Ford specification.

The antifreeze distributed by officials is purple, but in composition and characteristics these liquids are absolutely identical. This means that Ford Super Plus can be safely added and diluted with Havoline Transporter Antifreeze in any ratio.

How to replace the expensive Ford SUPER PLUS Premium

Expensive original antifreeze for Focus 2.

A liter of concentrate from Ford costs about 350 rubles.

It is diluted in a 50/50 ratio with demineralized (distilled) water, and until 2011, only Belgian components were imported to the plant in Vsevolozhsk, they were only diluted on the conveyor belt.

Antifreeze remained fluid down to -37 degrees and boiled at a temperature of +110 degrees. Several years ago, Klimovsk launched the production of domestic antifreeze from Arteco components and called it CoolStream Premium.

Analogs

Non-original antifreeze replacement kit (concentrated and distilled water)

At the same time, antifreeze turned out to be almost half the price of Ford antifreeze and is always on sale. They sell both CoolStream Premium C concentrate and CoolStream Premium 40 and CoolStream Premium 65 antifreezes, ready to use, depending on the ratio of water to concentrate. These three brands of antifreeze have exactly the same composition; the only difference can be in color.

What color should antifreeze be for Focus 2?

During replacement, the antifreeze was drained.

Any coolant is colorless by nature. The dye is added only after the completion of the material preparation process in an amount of several grams per thousand liters. Therefore, the color of different manufacturers can be anything from light green to bright blue. Why such difficulties with color? Manufacturers explain it this way:

By color you can roughly calculate the brand of antifreeze;
the car manufacturer requires a certain color, for example, Ford wants orange, Volvo yellow, and Volkswagen only purple, although the liquids can be completely identical in composition and properties;
if the antifreeze is colored, then it is easier to look at the level in the expansion tank, and also calculate the location of the leak;
you can check whether the antifreeze was replaced during operation.

A few tricks

A few words about how Focus 2 car owners with a Ti-VCT engine save on an electronic thermostat.

READ How to Turn on Fog Lights on Ford Focus 2

Everything is simple here; instead of a not very practical electric valve, they install a conventional thermal element in an electronic thermostat. And for this you can go in two ways.

The first of them is to purchase a regular thermostat and a housing for it from the 1.4 or 1.6-liter version (100 hp).

The fact is that the mounting points for the housings of the electronic and conventional thermostats are the same; in fact, they are interchangeable. Therefore, instead of an electronic element, a regular one is installed along with the housing and that’s it.

The second way is to pull out all the stuffing from the electronic thermostat housing and modify it a little.

The modifications boil down to blocking the hole for the heating element with a self-tapping screw and then filling its location with heat-resistant sealant.

Then the protruding edges where the housing meets the cylinder block are ground off. This surface must be flat.

From the outside we fill everything with heat-resistant sealant.

After this, a conventional thermal thermostat is installed and closed with a modified housing.

But as a result of switching to a regular thermostat, the wiring coming from the ECU becomes unclaimed, and as a result the unit will generate an error. It does not affect the operation of the power plant in any way, so you can leave everything as it is, but the wiring should be insulated.

But you can also bypass the ECU so that it does not generate any errors. To do this, it is enough to connect a 430 Ohm resistor (0.25 W power) to the wires.

#FordFocus2 #Ford replacement of antifreeze in Ford Focus 2

We break the block and get to the wiring.

We solder the resistor, isolate it and check everything with a multimeter.

This rheostat will create the same resistance as the filling of the electronic thermostat, so the ECU “will not notice the substitution” and will not generate errors.

How much antifreeze do you need to fill?

The amount of antifreeze that needs to be replaced depends on several factors. For example, if the fluid level has dropped but has not lost its quality, all you have to do is top it up. But, if the volume of coolant has decreased due to a leak, you will have to do a complete drain, eliminate the cause, and then fill in the old and new composition (necessarily of the same standard).

The amount of coolant for filling Ford Focus 2 is usually indicated in the car's operating instructions. This is from 5.2 to 8.5 liters. Below is a table of model modifications.

Engine volume Antifreeze volume l.

1.4 petrol	from 5.2 to 5.5
1.6 petrol	from 5.6 to 6
1.8 petrol	6,5
gasoline 2.0	6.3
2.5 petrol	9,5
1.6 diesel	7,5
1.8 diesel	8.1
2.0 diesel	8,5

How is fluid changed in a car?

Place the car on a level surface to minimize possible residues of old fluid in the system. At the bottom of the radiator, unscrew the drain plug, first placing a wide basin under it. Open the cap on the tank slightly so that the liquid flows into the container in a small stream.
When the liquid has drained, screw the drain plug back into place. Pour clean water into the system through the filler hole of the expansion tank (it is best to use distilled water), and tighten the filler plug. Start the engine and let it warm up to operating temperature.
Carry out the draining procedure again. Repeat the flushing procedure 2-3 times so that clean water flows out of the system. Often one time is enough if you have used a high-quality liquid before.
Close the drain hole tightly and fill in new antifreeze. Usually 5.5 liters are poured, about half a liter of liquid remains in the system, and it is impossible to drain this volume. But good antifreeze combined with distilled water will not harm your car's engine.
Add fluid to approximately the maximum level in the tank (one centimeter below the maximum mark). Screw on the filler cap, start and warm up the engine. After this, check the coolant level and add if necessary.

You do not need to unscrew any other drain plugs in the machine for this procedure.

Which refrigerant should I choose for the internal combustion engine cooling system on the Ford Focus 2?

Note! It is necessary to immediately warn the owners of Ford Focus 2: the use of an unsuitable composition threatens the following problems: engine overheating, cavitation and subsequent boiling of the coolant, the appearance of sludge, the formation of corrosion, as a harbinger of the impeller release pump, radiator contactor, thermostat and other elements.

What antifreeze should I fill Ford Focus 2 with? Of course, only compositions recommended by the manufacturer:

Concentrate 1.5 l (purple) G13 VAG. The composition is characterized by good miscibility with G12plus and G12plus products. According to user reviews, this brand of coolant allows you to maintain the cooling system in working condition and at optimal temperatures in it.

Transgenic concentrate (red) 1 l. FORD. The composition must be diluted with distilled water. This is a liquid carboxylate obtained by the organic acid method. Advantages: excellent corrosion protection, long service life.

Green coolant 1kg Miles. The composition belongs to the best antifreeze on the market. Produced using silicate-free technology based on salts of carboxylic acids. This allows it to be used in engines with copper and aluminum radiators.

1 kg of refrigerant. (green) Pattern. PROFESSIONALLY. This is a product of a new line from the manufacturer. It is defined by the G11 and G12+ specifications. The composition is made from premium quality monoethylene glycol. The coolant uses a high-quality additive package.

Coolant 5 liters. (green) Pattern. PROFESSIONALLY. Same as above. Large capacity.

Pattern G12 red 1kg. 3M. Same as above.

Pattern G12 red 5kg. Same as above.

FORD concentrate (red) 1l. Genuine Ford coolant, filled at the factory. Before pouring, dilution with distilled water is necessary.

To flush the cooling system, you can buy distilled water - “Kristallex” 1.5 l or 5 l.

In a note! To ensure that the coolant lasts a long time, experts and experienced drivers do not recommend heating the internal combustion engine to more than 90 degrees Celsius. This is the critical operating temperature of the coolant. In addition, there are risks of reduced engine performance and increased fuel consumption.

Antifreeze goes into the engine

These were flowers. But when the fluid reaches the engine, it's no joke. If you don’t catch it in time, you can at least do a major overhaul. There are several symptoms that you need to act upon immediately to prevent the engine from stalling.

Checking the quality of the oil with a napkin

White smoke from the exhaust pipe

If the engine overheats and smoke continues to flow, there are two options. Either the oil scraper rings have become coked (but then the smoke will be bluish), or antifreeze has begun to enter the combustion chamber of one or more cylinders. Secondary symptoms include engine tripping and poor starting, but in this case a thousand other reasons can be found. White Smoke is a minimal head gasket replacement. This is the case if the cylinder head does not move, if shells have not formed in the plane of the cylinder block through which antifreeze enters the combustion chamber.

Another alarming symptom is that the antifreeze is boiling in the expansion tank, and if you open the cap, the tank will smell of exhaust gases. One hundred percent we are dealing with a burnt cylinder head gasket. This is done by replacing the gasket, checking the drawings of the cylinder head and block, and correctly tightening the cylinder head bolts exclusively according to the diagram and with a torque wrench.

Oil level rises, antifreeze runs out

The situation is similar to the previous one, but in this case the antifreeze already enters the lubrication system. Most likely also through the cylinder head gasket. This situation often confuses the public, as antifreeze comes out at an alarming rate, but does not leak. But first the oil level rises. Over time, the oil, mixed in the crankcase with antifreeze, turns into a brown emulsion and does not look like oil at all.

Emulsion on the oil filler cap

First, the emulsion will settle on the oil filler cap, but you can see before it’s too late. And if we miss this moment, we have an excellent opportunity to install a new crankshaft, oil pump, rings, pistons, camshaft - everything that is lubricated with this emulsion becomes unusable. In addition, mechanical cleaning of all oil passages in the block, head, shafts and connecting rods will be required.

On a Ford Focus 2, antifreeze can often escape through the thermostat gasket, but this is insignificant compared to a breakthrough in the engine, which is not worth talking about. Watch for the first signs of low antifreeze levels, take quick and decisive action, and only fill with high-quality antifreeze. Good luck to everyone on the roads and stable engine temperature!

Sources

https://avtoarh.ru/ford/smena-okhlazhdayushchei-zhidkosti-v-avtomobile-ford-focus-2.html
https://GrandFart.ru/turbonadduv/zamena-antifreeza-ff2.html
https://auto-nix.ru/drugoe/sliv-i-zamena-ohlazhdayushhej-zhidkosti-ford-focus-2.html
https://skolkogramm.ru/info/zamena-antifriza-ford-fokus-2-foto-instrukcziya-kak-pomenyat-ohlazhdayushhuyu-zhidkost-v-bachke
https://linhai-russia.ru/uhod-za-avto/skolko-antifriza-v-ford-fokus-2.html
https://MySummerCar.ru/uhod-za-avto/antifriz-ff2.html
https://FokSevmash.ru/dvigatel/antifriz-ford-fokus-2.html

Filling with coolant

CAUTION: When draining engine coolant or replacing any cooling system components, be sure to replace the drained amount of coolant using coolant of the same specification. Failure to follow this instruction may result in damage to the cooling system and engine.

1. Disconnect the heater supply hose from the engine.

2. Using a funnel, pour coolant into the cooling system through the supply hose until coolant begins to flow out of the engine.

3. Reconnect the heater supply hose.

4. NOTE: Make sure the heater temperature control on the instrument panel is in the HOT position and the heater fan switch is in the OFF position. Make sure the air conditioning system is turned off.

Fill the expansion tank with coolant until about 0 (with the engine off).

5. Install the expansion tank cap.

6. Warm up the engine at a crankshaft speed of 2750 rpm.

7. Do this over two fan cycles. Let the engine cool and then recheck the coolant level.

Replacing antifreeze Ford Focus 2 1.6