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Zetec Coolant System
Plunky - 17/5/17 at 12:29 PM

Hi,
Whilst I currently have the engine out, I wanted to tidy up the engine bay.
I'm looking at the coolant system, and it seems that it could be simplified.
There are currently 2 19mm hoses (1 from the tank and 1 from the thermostat), that run the length of the bay, and connect into two separate take offs on the larger pipe that connects the bottom of the rad to the water pump.
Is there any reason why I cannot merge these two hoses into one, as they are essentially connected to the same place?
Thanks,
Liam


Quinten - 17/5/17 at 12:33 PM

In my opinion, so not sure how valid, but the one from the thermostat will have a constant flow of coolant going through it, whereas the one from the expansion bottle should be in theory just be overflow. So if you are merging the two closer to each other, the thermostat one will draw coolant out of the expansion bottle, into the overflow, and make it a "running" system too.


cliftyhanger - 17/5/17 at 01:57 PM

Yes, I think that is the potential issue.
It looks an obvious thing to do, but probably best avoided.


paulf - 17/5/17 at 06:52 PM

My car has been set up that way for the last 10 years with no problems, I have a 19mm hose running from the bottom hose connection to a tee next to the thermostat housing and then to the header tank .


Paul Turner - 18/5/17 at 08:32 AM

Mine has been plumbed like this since 2002.




My only change was the addition of the bleed to the expansion bottle from the top of the radiator. The previous x-flow did not have one and worked OK since the filling/bleed point was higher than the rad but in the Zetec air could theoretically get trapped. Never had an issue but why risk it, Ford fit a bleed in the radiator and they know a thing or two.


Plunky - 18/5/17 at 03:18 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Paul Turner
Mine has been plumbed like this since 2002.




My only change was the addition of the bleed to the expansion bottle from the top of the radiator. The previous x-flow did not have one and worked OK since the filling/bleed point was higher than the rad but in the Zetec air could theoretically get trapped. Never had an issue but why risk it, Ford fit a bleed in the radiator and they know a thing or two.


That's how mine is plumbed, however my coolant tank is located at the other end of the engine