[samishii23]

Hey, Im new around here, and I have a 01' ZX3 DOHC. Im sorry I started up here on such crappy terms. =\
Last night whilest I was 93 miles away from home. I floored it in 1st and slamed 2nd, then after about 3 minutes I smelled coolant. Got to a resteraunt, then saw it leaking coolant. Joy.

Ate came back out went to the gas station about 30 ft away and got some water filled the system back up, look under the car to see a stream on water... Joy. We finally found where it was coming from, are where the thermo-housing is and the house. Seems to leak the most when under pressure or the cap is off to the reservoir.

So we have to get it home. We drive, make 7 stops about 10-20 miles apart from each other filled up the system. But each time we stopped I had to put less water in it... But again, the leaking seemed to slow down the longer we drove... Weird.

Dare I even want to know just how much of a ßitc* it is to replace, and is timing ran on chain?

 

[SVTF410]

Most likely you just cracked that thermostat housing, it is a pretty common area for failure. i would pull it off and inspect it, i think it is only 3 bolts and a few hoses. I have never seen a blown head gasket leak externally. Usualy you get combustion in the cooling system or coolant in the crank case.

 

[Opihi59]

It has a timing belt. They are a bit of a nuisance to replace, but I've done it a few times on the same engine in several Mazdas. There are threads on that job in the How To section, and a variety of pretty current discussions if you scroll thru the first few pages of threads.

What makes you think the head gasket is blown? What is your Focus doing now? Do you have water in your oil, does the dipstick look like it has been dipped in choc. milk? Is there evidence of oil in your coolant or are you blowing water out your tailpipe? You may be able to replace the broken water outlet/thermostat/thermostat housing, fill it back up with coolant and run it.

I've got some photos of the water outlet and thermostat housing in this thread: http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=261023
If you have to replace the water outlet assembly, just get the "whole unit." That is the water outlet complete with the thermostat housing, O ring, and thermostat. Piece of cake to replace that, and cheaper to get the whole element than separate parts.

 

[COSVT03]

That sounds a lot like the thermostat housing. Take the battery and holder out and its a piece of cake.

 

[samishii23]

Theres a chunk of that center ring missing, and based on the Link you gave for all the images, its not supposed to be there.
Other then that thing, I am having a real hard time seeing anything else wrong with the housing due to all the gunk build up on it.

Also checked the oil and it doesn't look cloudy or smell like anything other oil. The coolant that now decorates the cement does have a slight rainbow effect going on, but its not highly obvious, and its mostly water anyways... Hmm.

 

[Opihi59]

Sounds like you're going to be okay. Mine was leaking from a seam across the bottom, that had split open just a tiny bit, it was where the top assembly was glued/fused to the bottom half of the assembly where the heater hoses go. Replace that whole plastic assembly, fill 'er up and you should be good to go. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[samishii23]

Yea I took out the battery box (which was surprisingly easy, lol) got in a new hose ( someone before me decided to make an egr tube that litterally touches the top of the hose... sigh ), got the housing on, and all put back together and some new clamps ( the old spring clamps were immediately thrown into the neighboring brush ) and started up the car.

No leaks, thus far. Weeeee. And the head was being a little ... "Noisy", and Im hoping its ok.

Thanks guys for the help, I was so scared it was going to be a head gasket. [pray]

 

[Diesel]

I have never seen a blown head gasket leak externally. Usualy you get combustion in the cooling system or coolant in the crank case.

I've seen external leaks, compression chamber leaks, oil passage leaks, overheating, misfires, and the list goes on and on.

Head gaskets can be tricky they are like the only thing that you can't say if it does _______ then it's the head gasket.