Can I Fix This (Melted Pipe)

SquirrelMadness · 29 Aug 2019 at 17:48

Didn't top up engine coolant (wasn't expecting it to get used up prematurely as I replaced it 8 months ago)...

...car started smoking today. Parked it looked at engine and found this:

Pipe attachment melted and smoke was coming from it.

Is there any way this is fixable? Do you think there would more more damage than this?

Car = 2001 Focus.

Thanks.

Hawk Tuah · 29 Aug 2019 at 18:37

Can you fix it? Do you know what it is / what it's for and how to replace it?

Can a mechanic fix it? Does it still turn over - if so, the engine it probably savable. However I'd be concerned why it's loosing coolant. Is there a hose leak, or it loosing it elsewhere?

By overheating the engine, other damage may have been done - but nothing that isn't recoverable. It's more whether it's economically worth it, as opposed to buying another car. Considering a 2001 focus is worth about £500.

SquirrelMadness · 29 Aug 2019 at 19:04

Bug One said:
Can you fix it? Do you know what it is / what it's for and how to replace it?

I have AA cover which I haven't used yet, do you think they will fix it? I went to see the car and just realised the metal block the hose was attached to is removable via 4 screws. I need to know what this block is called so I can replace it and re-attach the hose.

Do you think this is a result of a coolant leak and not me forgetting to top it up? There's also the possibility of the coolant draining after the hose broke.

Any idea what the metal block thing is called? I'm gonna try get the car back to my house later tonight as it's an hour away by driving slow and keeping a look at the temp gauge.

rodenal · 29 Aug 2019 at 19:16

You have no chance of driving an hour's distance with no coolant in the car and no way to keep it circulating - a minute away, yeah probably.....ten minutes, maybe if you stopped every minute or so for a while....an hour - no

I'm assuming (big assumption mind) that the smoke you seen was actually steam from the coolant being boiled as the hose broke free - if so the car should be easily fixable, if you mean it has actually overheated and cooked itself it's for the bin at that age

ron3003 · 29 Aug 2019 at 19:18

Get the AA to recover it home. Do not attempt to drive that anywhere, all the coolant is lost and you'll seize the engine.

SquirrelMadness · 29 Aug 2019 at 19:20

rodenal said:
You have no chance of driving an hour's distance with no coolant in the car and no way to keep it circulating

Whoops I meant to say 1 mile away. I walked home from it.

I think I found the part:

Coolant flange.

And the smoke was coming from the broken pipe.

agw_01 · 29 Aug 2019 at 19:55

SquirrelMadness said:
keeping a look at the temp gauge.

The temperature gauge shows the temperature of the coolant, of which there will be none in the engine. If you attempt to drive it with no coolant, the engine will probably seize solid before the gauge even thinks about beginning to move.

I wouldn't risk driving the car at all. Get it towed/recovered or get a few strong mates to push it.

Temujin · 30 Aug 2019 at 08:04

Don't drive the car with no coolant in it... I don't really see why you're more willing to risk damaging the engine than calling out the AA cover that you pay for to cover you for car break downs!

Dogbreath · 30 Aug 2019 at 16:29

If the engine really got hot enough to melt the coolant flange, then the engine is already scrap. It's vastly more likely that the plastic flange got brittle with age and snapped off. Coolant doesn't smoke, you probably just saw some water vapour.

SquirrelMadness · 31 Aug 2019 at 13:03

I got the part and fixed it but haven't topped up the coolant or oil yet. Will do it today and see how it goes. Hoping there is no extra damage. It's a very strong engine and car is probably worth like £300 now. Driving work van at the mo.

Hawk Tuah · 1 Sep 2019 at 15:46

You shouldn't have to regularly top up coolant. Not unless there's a leak. Fingers crossed, the leak was this coolant flange which has now fully snapped and the 'smoke' was steam.

Greboth · 1 Sep 2019 at 16:35

That coolant flange is attached to the thermostat housing so if it was due to heat you may have a problem with your thermostat so maybe worth checking while your changing the part.

Also worth checking if that is the original thermostat housing is the shale of the moulding against the block. Ford changed the design at some point as the seal between the thermostat housing and block would move and then leak. The updated design has plastic moulded both sides of the seal to hold it in place properly.