Coolant tanks keep failing?

WALLY AB

MEMBER
2016 FORD FOCUS
3 CYL
TURBO
2WD
AUTOMATIC
130,000 MILES

Bought the car in May and this is the 3rd new tank I've had an issue with. It lasted the longest, over three months.

Coolant would boil over at times, I had two shops check for coolant loss and they couldn't find anything. The tank leaks after a while.

I just replaced the turbo and had to get the car hot to burn off all the oil in the exhaust. After that it started boiling over, I believe it was due to air. I checked the temperature with my scanner and at the coolant temperature sensor it didn't get hot enough to boil over

What is the best way to deal with this issue? Is there a better way to bleed the system?

5 Replies

KEN L

MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
48,382 POSTS

If coolant is getting pushed out of the cooling system without the engine overheating, I would check for a blown head gasket. Also, if the radiator cap is bad, it will not allow pressure to flow and will blow the radiator tanks out. Here is a guide to help you check for the blown head gasket and you can get a new radiator cap from Amazon.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/head-gasket-blown-test

Check out the images (below). Please let us know what happens.

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Friday, September 27th, 2024 AT 12:28 PM

WALLY AB

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97 POSTS

I replaced the cap with an aftermarket Motorrad one, and it was fine for a few months and then started leaking again.

After I installed the turbo again, the was so much oil plugging up the exhaust, it smoked like crazy and then went away. I had to run it hard for a bit. After it started boiling over. I had two shops check for leaks when the tank was fine, and none could find any.

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Friday, September 27th, 2024 AT 2:33 PM

KEN L

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Did they test the head gasket?

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Saturday, September 28th, 2024 AT 10:40 AM

WALLY AB

MEMBER
97 POSTS

They checked for leaks and loss of pressure. First place did a fairly thorough diagnosis. I haven't seen water mixed with oil or coolant. I even pulled the plugs out and replaced them.

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Saturday, September 28th, 2024 AT 11:08 AM

KEN L

MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
48,382 POSTS

So if the coolant sensor says it is not overheating can I ask if the cooling fan is running when the engine is hot? If not this will be the problem. If the sensor says the engine is not hot the fans will not come on, here is the location of the coolant sensor so you can change it out. Please go over this guide as well:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-overheating-or-running-hot

Make sure the engine is cold before you change the sensor out. Check out the images (below). Please let us know what happens. You may still have a blown head gasket because coolant is not in the oil 100% of the time FYI when this happens.

Images (Click to make bigger)