Hello,
I am new to this forum. I had a 2000 Focus Sony Edition that I drove for 145,000+ miles. I took it on a road trip through the Midwest. I did not realize that it was over heating. No idiot light or any signs of overheating. Just the CD getting overly hot. I had already had the thermostat, hoses replaced. I also had other work replaced that was not related. Well, on the way to Denver, the car started burping (it's the best way for me to describe it). The car or I never been a mile over sea level; I live in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The car was over heating because of the catalytic converter. The part got so hot that it took over 30 minutes to cool down. I drove my car too long in that state, that the engine got damage.
The other error I did was not knowing about cleaning the fuel system. Dumb me!
I miss my car! I now have a 2007 Focus. | 
