LT Focus missing part?

[rand0mn00b]

Hi All,

First of all apologies for the shocking condition of my car (just returned from a round trip from Sydney to Adelaide) and took the photo with my phone.

As I prepared to wash my car, I couldn't remember if there is meant to be a cover of some sort in front of the radiator parallel to the road that would normally prevent me from easily poking my hand through as pictured. While stopped in Melbourne I recall being annoyed that I would probably have to resort to using high pressure cleaner to get through

I know that further back there's the usual cover that must be removed to access the sump and filter - that's still there - but in front of this, in front of the radiator is what I'm hoping other LT focus owners could verify for me as I don't recall hearing anything fall off while driving the past week.

Thanks!

[Russ]

Looking at a pic of another LT Focus it doesn't look as though there's anything missing

[rand0mn00b]

thanks, it's kind of hard to see in that picture whether or not the ground is visible through that front mesh

if you had a photograph of the underside of the focus, now that would answer my question! ;)

or as I'm hoping some other LT focus owners will soon do - poking their heads under the front and having a look/feel to confirm for me

I just had another look at my car, and while there aren't obvious mounting brackets for what I thought existed, there are a few bits of broken plastic (due to scraping steep driveways and the like) that looked like they are meant to be attached to something

In other words, it almost looks like it was deliberately uninstalled (but not by me!) or somehow managed to come clean off while I was driving without me noticing)

[marg99]

My LT TDCI has a plastic shirt that attaches to the front bumper underside and runs back to about the radiator support panel and then a big sump panel that covers the entire bottom of the motor> You have to remove the latter to change the oil. I cannot put a hand from the bottom as you demonstrated. May be they repaired yours and left a bit out.

[rand0mn00b]

Originally Posted by marg99

My LT TDCI has a plastic shirt that attaches to the front bumper underside and runs back to about the radiator support panel and then a big sump panel that covers the entire bottom of the motor> You have to remove the latter to change the oil. I cannot put a hand from the bottom as you demonstrated. May be they repaired yours and left a bit out.

thanks, this is exactly what I thought used to be there

i have been underneath the car many times but have only ever needed to remove the much larger cover to change my oil

never really needed to remove or fiddle with the cover in the front blocking access to the radiator so i thought my mind was playing tricks on me

i guess it came off sometime after driving from sydney > melbourne when I originally wanted to clean my radiator. i am most annoyed that i did not notice it coming off!

cannot think of any major problems resulting from it being missing but if i ever go to a wrecker i think i will make the effort to pick it up as it will annoy me knowing that in the back of my mind

[leakey]

Glad you got it sorted! Yes, I concur there is supposed to be a panel there. My pov' pack even has it, so they weren't trying to save money! LOL



Oh, when you're at the wreckers, can you grab me a cover for my rear wiper? I'll fix you up later....

[rand0mn00b]

thanks for the picture! speaks a thousand words for sure

no wonder i didn't see any screws etc. it looks like the front part of it slides into place and is just held in place by gravity and that white plastic edge fringe - most of which look damaged on my car =\

in fact I don't recall seeing that much white plastic underneath my car. seems like it was just a matter of time before it fell off... (bloody steep driveways!)

this has been a bloody expensive trip. first a chipped windscreen (driving to the Royal Mail @ Dunkeld), the meal at The Royal Mail, then potentially a case of cooked wine (driving for 2 days in 43 degree heat + wine in the boot = really expensive vinegar) and now this. never doing that again!

[leakey]

Bugger! - but you'll laugh at it in years to come. Keep the vinegar, and give it to people you dont like or who **** you off by taking the wine they bring over and dont drink.

Your baby is same as mine? Silver. CL or higher spec car?

[rand0mn00b]

haha yeah, it was an experience worth doing - especially the food @ Royal Mail (degustation menu + matching wines a must!)

The drive there from Melbourne is beautiful (except for the 110KM/H 1 lane per direction road where a semi came at me at equivalent speed and flung a rock at my windscreeen) The little town of Dunkeld is very nicely situated at the foot of Mt Sturgeon of the Grampians. A leasurely 3.5-4 hour drive from Melbourne.

however all the other costs (namely petrol for ~3,800KMs) and the fast food while on the road really add up. I also have a mad driving tan

My baby is the rare Zetec Sedan, and yes, also in Pure Silver

[leakey]

I have a couple of sedan spares in Pure silver I think? The bumper inserts, plus the lower skirt. Let me know if you ever need to replace them.