Coolant Recall - Can I get the parts and do it myself?

[shankster]

H/Street rules allow for raising the rev limiter, but nothing else as far as tuning goes??

Or are you claiming that the pre '16 rev limiters were set higher right from the factory?

HS rules do not allow for raising the rev limit. You can't tune the car in any way unless it's something Ford wants done (like in a recall or TSB). For some reason it appears the early cars had a higher rev limit - I don't know what date they lowered it but I believe it was part way through the 2014 model year. There is a good discussion on here somewhere about it

 

[shankster]

Here are all sides of the recall's expansion tank that I removed from my car. If you look at the tank in your car, shankster, you'll notice that you have 3 ports to connect to hoses while the recall tank only has 2. To perform the recall, you have to source both hoses for the new tank in addition to the tank assembly. The black plastic tube is the coolant level sensor the recall adds to our cars. There is no plug for this sensor, so the loom is modified to add a plug and then the car is reflashed to throw a CEL when the sensor detect a low coolant level. You will not get a CEL for low coolant without reflashing your car.
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This seam in the middle is what I was told will weep coolant. The reason I was warned is because the tank doesn't visibly crack or leak coolant, it only weeps, and will weep enough to overheat your car on a summer track day in Texas. The way to catch these leaks is to run your finger along the seam and see if you finger comes away wet. So you'll still need to be checking your coolant level with the new tank if you don't have your car flashed to utilize the sensor.
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I will admit that I did not have any issues with coolant loss while this tank was installed on the car, but I also reinstalled my tune as soon as Cobb updated the Accessport for recalled Fiestas. That AP update eliminated the CEL this sensor would throw so I still checked the tank and coolant levels at least once a day when I was at the track. Now I have an aluminum reservoir tank (I needed the metal tank to attach a mount for a shock reservoir) and I don't check as often.

Thanks, that's interesting. I guess that tank probably wouldn't be the thing that prevents me doing the recall. My original tank was a piece of junk anyway - none of the seams failed but the plastic they made it from apparently wasn't compatible with antifreeze and it developed little cracks that leaked. So I don't imagine the new tank would be any worse. I guess the aluminum tank might be the only safe solution so not a bad upgrade.

 

[shankster]

Do the original factory tanks also eventually 'weep' at that equivalent seam, or do they just crack at the hose nipples, and very visibly leak coolant?

Mine didn't leak at the seam or at the hose nipples - it developed little cracks in random places.

 

[shankster]

For recalls you have to have the Ford dealer do it. Not to mention since its a recall you don't have to pay anything.

I figured, and after reading through the procedure, a dealer is the only place that could do it anyway. Just hoped there was a trick out there to get them to send the parts to me which I now see is impossible.

 

[shankster]

...not accounting for what they may screw-up....

True dat. I have a very local dealer here in town who sells like 5 or 6 different brands, including Fords, but they're not an actual Ford dealer even though they do warranty / recall work- I've had bad experiences with them in the past so would not trust them. The Ford dealer 50 miles away is better but they seem to sell trucks and SUVs and not much else. I wonder if my ST is the only one they've ever worked on? Talking to the tech's, they don't give me a whole lot of confidence. Anyway, hearing some of the stories here I think I'll take my chances and not do the recall and just replace the tank (and maybe the t-stat) myself.

 

[TDavis]

The dealer I work at we cover the cost of things that break since it's a cost related to the recall

 

[Vardar ST]

Hello guys

I would like your opinion..I have a 2013 Fiesta ST and it is for the coolant recall (17S09). Because I don't trust workshops in my country for this work, I ended up doing it myself with some spare parts..

I've taken
Silicone Ancillary & Breather Hose Kit from roose both top header tank hoses.
Ford thermostat 82 celsious (whoosh 180F)
and I'm thinking of getting the airtec or pro alloy expansion tank and a radiator (airtec or mountune)

Also via obd I already check the water temperature with an alarm at 105 celsius (221F)

Do you think with this option I will face any problem in the future? So far I have not faced any overheating problem but I am definitely worried about a recall

I have read on the forum that the recall in essence does not solve the problem and as a precaution they change the pipes and the expansion tank with the position sensor for an alarm in case of coolant loss

I am also attaching the pipes that I already have in case someone more experienced than me knows if they cover the cooling system

Sorry for my English.

 

[Jabbit]

I recognize a few of those hoses but I don't know what the giant one is. If you perform all those updates/modifications you'd have a better-than-factory system. Do that stuff, monitor temps, and you'll be in good shape.

 

[M-Sport fan]

It does get HOT in Greece though!

Since you must remove the bumper cover anyway to access some of those hoses, I would seriously consider swapping out the radiator for one of the bigger capacity aftermarket deals.

 

[Vardar ST]

Thank you for your replies...

Yes, of course I'm thinking of getting a bigger radiator (mountune, proalloy) or the airtec, where I can't find much information about it together with an aluminum expansion tank

I was just wondering if with all this material everything will be fine.

**I already got Silicone Ancillary & Breather Hose Kit from roose both top header tank hoses.
Ford thermostat 82 celsius (whoosh 180F)
obd (ultragauge) to monitor temperatures with alarm

 

[Intuit]

True dat. I have a very local dealer here in town who sells like 5 or 6 different brands, including Fords, but they're not an actual Ford dealer even though they do warranty / recall work- I've had bad experiences with them in the past so would not trust them. The Ford dealer 50 miles away is better but they seem to sell trucks and SUVs and not much else. I wonder if my ST is the only one they've ever worked on? Talking to the tech's, they don't give me a whole lot of confidence. Anyway, hearing some of the stories here I think I'll take my chances and not do the recall and just replace the tank (and maybe the t-stat) myself.

Like with everything, depends on the individual. Unless they're a real enthusiast that's open to "all" cars, they kind of poopoo on the "cheap" smaller vehicles... and they treat them as such when working on them. Just slap it back together and get an early lunch. He don't know nothing about body lines, finished moldings, torque values and wheel alignment...