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Home >> Ford >> 2000 >> Contour SE, 2.5 L, Standard >> Repair and Diagnosis >> External Pages >> Different car >> Section 2672 (Engine Cooling System (Except Hybrid)) >> Diagnosis And Testing >> Engine Cooling >> Inspection and Verification

Inspection and Verification

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2011 Mercury Milan, 2011 Lincoln MKZ, and 2011 Ford Fusion. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
WARNING: Always allow the engine to cool before opening the cooling system. Do not unscrew the coolant pressure relief cap when the engine is operating or the cooling system is hot. The cooling system is under pressure; steam and hot liquid can come out forcefully when the cap is loosened slightly. Failure to follow these instructions may result in serious personal injury.
NOTE: Always fill the cooling system with the manufacturer's specified coolant. Chemically flush the cooling system if a non-specified coolant has been used. Refer to COOLING SYSTEM FLUSHING  in this service information. Failure to follow these instructions may damage the engine or cooling system.
NOTE: The engine cooling system is filled with Motorcraft® Specialty Green Engine Coolant. Do not mix coolant types. Mixing coolant types degrades the corrosion protection of the coolant. Failure to follow these instructions may damage the engine or cooling system.
NOTE: Motorcraft® Specialty Green Engine Coolant is very sensitive to light. Do NOT allow this product to be exposed to ANY LIGHT for more than a day or two. Extended light exposure causes this product to degrade.
NOTE: Vehicles have the pressure relief cap on the degas bottle and no radiator cap.
  1. Verify the customer concern.
  2. Visually check the engine coolant level at the degas bottle when the system is cold.
  3. Make sure the pressure relief cap is installed correctly.
  4. Record any cooling system DTCs retrieved. Refer to the PCM DTC CHART  in this service information for DTC descriptions.
    5. NOTE: Take note of any coolant odor or steam coming from cooling system components.
  5. If the system coolant is filled correctly and no DTCs associated with fail-safe cooling are retrieved, verify the customer's concern by operating the engine to duplicate the condition.
    6. NOTE: For the coolant flow diagrams, refer to ENGINE COOLING  in the Description and Operation portion of this service information.
  6. Visually inspect for obvious signs of any mechanical or electrical concerns damage.

    Visual Inspection Chart 

    Mechanical Electrical
    • Leaks or weeps at:
      • Hoses
      • Tubes
      • Clamp joints
      • Gaskets
      • O-rings
      • Thermostat housing
      • Radiator
      • Pressure relief cap
      • Coolant pump weep hole (LH side of block, 3.5L only)
      • Heater core (wet floor or coolant odor in vehicle)
      • Degas bottle
      • Coolant pump housing
      • Cylinder block core plugs
      • Cylinder head core plugs
      • Block heater (if equipped)
    • Cracked or damaged:
      • Hoses
      • Tubes
      • Hose clamps
      • Thermostat housing
      • Radiator
      • Pressure relief cap
      • Cooling fan
      • Coolant pump
      • Degas bottle
      • Coolant pump housing
      • Cylinder block core plugs
      • Cylinder head core plugs
      • Block heater (if equipped)
    • Restricted airflow through the A/C condenser/radiator
    • Excessive white or light gray exhaust smoke (may have burnt coolant odor)
    • Coolant in engine oil
    • Engine oil in coolant
    • Coolant in automatic transmission fluid (if equipped)
    • Automatic transmission fluid (if equipped) in coolant
    • Engine vent hose check valve installed correctly (3.5L only)
    • Inoperative or damaged:
      • Electric cooling fan
      • Wiring, connectors, relays or modules
      • Cylinder Head Temperature (CHT) sensor
      • Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS)
  7. If the inspection reveals an obvious concern that can be readily identified, repair it as necessary. Test the system for normal operation.
    8. NOTE: The engine cooling system is filled with Motorcraft® Specialty Green Engine Coolant. Do not mix coolant types. Mixing coolant types degrades the corrosion protection of the coolant. Failure to follow these instructions may damage the engine or cooling system.
    NOTE: Motorcraft® Specialty Green Engine Coolant is very sensitive to light. Do NOT allow this product to be exposed to ANY LIGHT for more than a day or two. Extended light exposure causes this product to degrade.
  8. Inspect the coolant condition in the following sequence:
  1. Inspect the coolant color.
    • If the coolant has a clear or pale green color, this indicates higher water content than required. Test the engine coolant freezing point range with the Coolant/Battery Refractometer. The freezing point should be in the range -50°C to -26°C (-58°F to -15°F). If the vehicle is driven in cold climates less than -37°C (-34°F), it may be necessary to increase the coolant concentration to get adequate freeze protection. Recommended coolant concentration is 50/50 engine coolant to distilled water.
    • Reddish brown particles indicate that rust may be present in the cooling system. Flush the system and refill with the correct mixture of distilled water and the correct engine coolant.
    • An iridescent sheen on top of the coolant could indicate a trace of oil is entering the system. For information on engine diagnosis, refer to ENGINE SYSTEM - GENERAL INFORMATION article.
    • A milky color may indicate that engine oil is entering the cooling system. Pressure test the cooling system. Refer to COMPONENT TESTS  in this service information. If engine oil is suspected, the cause of the leak may be internal to the engine. Refer to ENGINE SYSTEM - GENERAL INFORMATION article.
    • A red, orange or light-green colored sheen on top of the coolant may indicate that transmission fluid is entering the cooling system. The cause may be a leaky radiator. Pressure test the cooling system. Refer to the COMPONENT TESTS  in this service information.
  2. If the engine coolant appearance is acceptable, test the engine coolant freezing point range with the Coolant/Battery Refractometer. The freezing point should be in the range -50°C to -26°C (-50°F to -15°F). If the vehicle is driven in cold climates less than -37°C (-34°F), it may be necessary to increase the coolant concentration to get adequate freeze protection. Recommended coolant concentration is 50/50 engine coolant to distilled water.
    • Maximum coolant concentration is 60/40 for cold weather areas.
    • Minimum coolant concentration is 40/60 for warm weather areas.
  3. Adjust coolant range and level if necessary:
    • If coolant is low, add specified coolant mixture only.
    • If the engine coolant tests too weak, remove some of the engine coolant and add undiluted engine coolant until the readings are within acceptable levels.
    • If the engine coolant tests strong, remove some of the engine coolant and add distilled water until the readings are within acceptable levels.
  4. If an obvious cause for an observed or reported concern is found, correct the cause and test the system for normal operation before proceeding to the next step.
    5. NOTE: Make sure to use the latest scan tool software release.
  5. If the cause is not visually evident, connect the scan tool to the Data Link Connector (DLC).
    6. NOTE: The Vehicle Communication Module (VCM) LED prove out confirms power and ground from the DLC are provided to the VCM.
  6. If the scan tool does not communicate with the VCM:
  7. If the scan tool does not communicate with the vehicle:
  8. Carry out the network test.
  9. Clear the continuous DTCs and carry out the self-test diagnostics PCM.
  10. If the DTCs recovered are related to the concern, go to the PCM DTC CHART . For all other PCM DTCs, refer to ELECTRONIC ENGINE CONTROLS - 2.5L -- FUSION & MILAN (EXCEPT HYBRID) article for 2.5L engines, ELECTRONIC ENGINE CONTROLS - 3.0L (4V) -- FUSION & MILAN article for 3.0L (4V) engines, or ELECTRONIC ENGINE CONTROLS - 3.5L -- FUSION & MKZ for 3.5L engines.
  11. If no DTCs related to the concern are retrieved, GO to SYMPTOM CHART .
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