
cylinder head cover; unscrew it to add oil (see
illustration). When topping-up, use only the
correct grade and type of oil, as given in the
Specifications Section of this Chapter; use a
funnel if necessary to prevent spills. It takes
approximately 0.5 to 1.0 litre of oil to raise the
level from the dipstick’s minimum level notch
to its maximum level notch. After adding the
oil, refit the filler cap hand-tight. Start the
engine, and allow it to idle while the oil is
redistributed around the engine - while you
are waiting, look carefully for any oil leaks,
particularly around the oil filter or drain plug.
Stop the engine; check the oil level again,
after the oil has had enough time to drain from
the upper block and cylinder head galleries.
7Checking the oil level is an important
preventive maintenance step. A continually-
dropping oil level indicates oil leakage through
damaged seals and from loose connections,
or oil consumption past worn piston rings or
valve guides. If the oil looks milky in colour, or
has water droplets in it, the cylinder head
gasket may be blown - the engine’s
compression pressure should be checked
immediately (see Chapter 2A). The condition
of the oil should also be checked. Each time
you check the oil level, slide your thumb and
index finger up the dipstick before wiping off
the oil. If you see small dirt or metal particles
clinging to the dipstick, the oil should be
changed (Section 15).
Coolant
Warning: Do not allow antifreeze
to come in contact with your skin
or painted surfaces of the
vehicle. Flush contaminated areas
immediately with plenty of water. Don’t
store new coolant, or leave old coolant
lying around, where it’s accessible to
children or pets - they’re attracted by its
sweet smell. Ingestion of even a small
amount of coolant can be fatal! Wipe up
garage-floor and drip-pan spills
immediately. Keep antifreeze containers
covered, and repair cooling system leaks
as soon as they’re noticed.8All vehicles covered by this manual are
equipped with a sealed, pressurised cooling
system. A translucent plastic expansion tank,
located on the right-hand side of the engine
compartment, is connected by a hose to the
thermostat housing. As the coolant heats up
during engine operation, surplus coolant
passes through the connecting hose into the
expansion tank; a connection to the radiator
bottom hose union allows coolant to circulate
through the tank and back to the water pump,
thus purging any air from the system. As the
engine cools, the coolant is automatically
drawn back into the cooling system’s main
components, to maintain the correct level.
9While the coolant level must be checked
regularly, remember therefore that it will vary
with the temperature of the engine. When the
engine is cold, the coolant level should be
between the “MAX” and “MIN” level lines on
the tank, but once the engine has warmed up,
the level may rise to above the “MAX” level
line.
10For an accurate check of the coolant
level, the engine must be cold. The level must
be between the “MAX” and “MIN” level lines
on the tank (see illustration). If it is below the
“MIN” level line, the coolant must be topped-
up as follows.
11First prepare a sufficient quantity of
coolant mixture, using clean, soft water and
antifreeze of the recommended type, in the
specified mixture ratio. If you are using
antifreeze to Ford’s specification or equivalent
(see the note at the beginning of Section 2 of
this Chapter), mix equal quantities of water
and antifreeze to produce the 50/50 mixture
ratio specified when topping-up; if using any
other type of antifreeze, follow its
manufacturer’s instructions to achieve the
correct ratio. If only a small amount of coolant
is required to bring the system up to the
proper level, plain water can be used, but
repeatedly doing this will dilute the
antifreeze/water solution in the system,
reducing the protection it should provide
against freezing and corrosion. To maintainthe specified antifreeze/water ratio, it is
essential to top-up the coolant level with the
correct mixture, as described here. Use only
ethylene/glycol type antifreeze, and do not
use supplementary inhibitors or additives.
Warning: Never remove the
expansion tank filler cap when
the engine is running, or has just
been switched off, as the cooling system
will be hot, and the consequent escaping
steam and scalding coolant could cause
serious injury.
12If topping-up is necessary, wait until the
system has cooled completely (or at least 10
minutes after switching off the engine, if lack
of time means it is absolutely necessary to
top-up while the engine may still be warm).
Wrap a thick cloth around the expansion tank
filler cap, and unscrew it one full turn. If any
hissing is heard as steam escapes, wait until
the hissing ceases, indicating that pressure is
released, then slowly unscrew the filler cap
until it can be removed. If more hissing
sounds are heard, wait until they have
stopped before unscrewing the filler cap
completely. At all times, keep your face,
hands and other exposed skin well away from
the filler opening.
13When the filler cap has been removed,
add coolant to bring the level up to the “MAX”
level line (see illustration). Refit the cap,
tightening it securely.
14With this type of cooling system, the
addition of coolant should only be necessary at
very infrequent intervals. If topping-up is
regularly required, or if the coolant level drops
within a short time after replenishment, there
may be a leak in the system. Inspect the
radiator, hoses, expansion tank filler cap,
radiator drain plug and water pump. If no leak is
evident, have the filler cap and the entire
system pressure-tested by your dealer or
suitably-equipped garage; this will usually show
up a small leak not otherwise visible. If
significant leakage is found at any time, use an
antifreeze hydrometer to check the con-
centration of antifreeze remaining in the coolant.
1•7
13.13 Remove the cap to add coolant only
when the engine is cold - top-up to the
“MAX” level line using the specified
coolant mixture3.6 The yellow/black oil filler cap is
screwed into the cylinder head cover.
Always make sure the area around the
opening is clean before unscrewing the
cap, to prevent dirt from contaminating the
engine3.10 The cooling system expansion tank is
located on the right-hand side of the
engine compartment. The coolant level
must be between the tank “MAX” and
“MIN” level lines (arrowed) when the
engine is cold
Weekly checks
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Torque wrench settingsNm lbf ft
Radiator mounting bracket-to-subframe bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 17
Fluid cooler pipe unions - automatic transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 17
Thermostat housing-to-cylinder head bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 15
Water outlet-to-thermostat housing bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 to 11 6 to 8
Coolant temperature sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 17
Coolant temperature gauge sender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 6
Water pump bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 13
Water pump pulley bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . See Chapter 2A
Air conditioning compressor mounting bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 18
3•2 Cooling, heating and air conditioning systems
Engine cooling system
All vehicles covered by this manual employ
a pressurised engine cooling system with
thermostatically-controlled coolant circu-
lation. A water pump mounted on the drivebelt
end of the cylinder block/crankcase pumps
coolant through the engine. The coolant flows
around each cylinder and toward the
transmission end of the engine. Cast-in
coolant passages direct coolant around the
inlet and exhaust ports, near the spark
plug areas and close to the exhaust valve
guides.
A wax pellet type thermostat is located in a
housing at the transmission end of the engine.
During warm-up, the closed thermostat
prevents coolant from circulating through the
radiator. Instead, it returns through the
coolant metal pipe running across the front of
the engine to the radiator bottom hose and
the water pump. The supply to the heater is
made from the rear of the thermostat housing.
As the engine nears normal operating
temperature, the thermostat opens and allows
hot coolant to travel through the radiator,
where it is cooled before returning to the
engine.
The cooling system is sealed by a pressure-
type filler cap in the expansion tank. The
pressure in the system raises the boiling point
of the coolant, and increases the cooling
efficiency of the radiator. When the engine is
at normal operating temperature, the coolant
expands, and the surplus is displaced into the
expansion tank. When the system cools, the
surplus coolant is automatically drawn back
from the tank into the radiator.
Warning: DO NOT attempt to
remove the expansion tank filler
cap, or to disturb any part of the
cooling system, while it or the
engine is hot, as there is a very great risk
of scalding. If the expansion tank filler cap
must be removed before the engine and
radiator have fully cooled down (even
though this is not recommended) the
pressure in the cooling system must first
be released. Cover the cap with a thick
layer of cloth, to avoid scalding, and slowly
unscrew the filler cap until a hissing sound
can be heard. When the hissing hasstopped, showing that pressure is
released, slowly unscrew the filler cap
further until it can be removed; if more
hissing sounds are heard, wait until they
have stopped before unscrewing the cap
completely. At all times, keep well away
from the filler opening.
Warning: Do not allow antifreeze
to come in contact with your
skin, or with the painted surfaces
of the vehicle. Rinse off spills
immediately with plenty of water. Never
leave antifreeze lying around in an open
container, or in a puddle in the driveway or
on the garage floor. Children and pets are
attracted by its sweet smell, but antifreeze
is fatal if ingested.
Warning: If the engine is hot, the
electric cooling fan may start
rotating even if the engine is not
running, so be careful to keep
hands, hair and loose clothing well clear
when working in the engine compartment.
Heating system
The heating system consists of a blower fan
and heater matrix (radiator) located in the
heater unit, with hoses connecting the heater
matrix to the engine cooling system. Hot
engine coolant is circulated through the
heater matrix. When the heater temperature
control on the facia is operated, a flap door
opens to expose the heater box to the
passenger compartment. When the blower
control is operated, the blower fan forces air
through the unit according to the setting
selected.
Air conditioning system
See Section 11.
Warning: Do not allow antifreeze to come in
contact with your skin, or with the painted
surfaces of the vehicle. Rinse off spills
immediately with plenty of water. Antifreeze is
highly toxic if ingested. Never leave antifreeze
lying around in an open container, or in
puddles on the floor; children and pets are
attracted by its sweet smell, and may drink it.
Check with local authorities about disposing
of used antifreeze - many have collection
centres which will see that antifreeze is
disposed of safely.The cooling system should be filled with a
water/ethylene glycol-based antifreeze
solution, of a strength which will prevent
freezing down to at least -25°C, or lower if the
local climate requires it. Antifreeze also
provides protection against corrosion, and
increases the coolant boiling point.
The cooling system should be maintained
according to the schedule described in
Chapter 1. If antifreeze is used that is not to
Ford’s specification, old or contaminated
coolant mixtures are likely to cause damage,
and encourage the formation of corrosion and
scale in the system. Use distilled water with
the antifreeze, if available - if not, be sure to
use only soft water. Clean rainwater is
suitable.
Before adding antifreeze, check all hoses
and hose connections, because antifreeze
tends to leak through very small openings.
Engines don’t normally consume coolant, so if
the level goes down, find the cause and
correct it.
The exact mixture of antifreeze-to-water
which you should use depends on the
relative weather conditions. The mixture
should contain at least 40% antifreeze, but
not more than 70%. Consult the mixture
ratio chart on the antifreeze container
before adding coolant. Hydrometers are
available at most automotive accessory
shops to test the coolant. Use antifreeze
which meets the vehicle manufacturer’s
specifications.
Note:Refer to the warnings given in Section 1
of this Chapter before starting work.
1If the checks described in Chapter 1 reveal
a faulty hose, it must be renewed as follows
(see illustration).
2First drain the cooling system (see Chap-
ter 1); if the antifreeze is not due for renewal,
the drained coolant may be re-used, if it is
collected in a clean container.
3To disconnect any hose, use a pair of pliers
to release the spring clamps (or a screwdriver
to slacken screw-type clamps), then move
them along the hose clear of the union.
Carefully work the hose off its stubs. The
hoses can be removed with relative ease
when new - on an older car, they may have
stuck.
3 Cooling system hoses -
disconnection and renewal
2 Antifreeze - general information
1 General information
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