Ford Falcon dedicated LPG? Thoughts?

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 6:25 pm

Anyone have an experience with these?

Looking to buy a sales rep spec wagon, circa 2002-3.

Any experience would be appreciated.

Sven

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 10:17 pm

That is about the change from AU3 to BA ? Go the BA, have a look for evidence of backfire damaged air boxes etc. New converters are about $800 fitted from memory and do crap out from time to time, and like any BA fly by wire the accy pedal can get confused sometimes and give nothing but splutter. Switch off, back on and on your merry way again. The dedicated gas don't can't run active control systems like stability or traction control unless they are injected gas (after market or the brand new one out now) nor do they have ability to cut cylinders if you get it too hot like the petrol version can. Tough as boots engines.Wagons 118 litr capacity from memory, might be water capacity not gas(in the handbook may be misprint

), so use 95litres maybe and you are pushng it. Coolant leaks drivers side rear nar firewall can build up stalecmights, can also leak from converter hoses, dribble onto gas lock solenoid and stick you up in some hole if not observant.

mud_king91 · Post by **mud_king91** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 10:29 pm

steptoes good hahaha nah only complaint i have with the ba,s is the radiator if they crack in the wrong place it destroys the gearbox... last time i replaced one it cost the customer 2200

GOD · Post by **GOD** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 11:44 pm

mud_king91 wrote:steptoes good hahaha nah only complaint i have with the ba,s is the radiator if they crack in the wrong place it destroys the gearbox... last time i replaced one it cost the customer 2200

That's true of all auto radiators.

Like Steptoe said, BA>AU3. I had BA V8 sedan, and never had a problem with it. Only complaint is the extra weight of the BAs over earlier Falcs makes them thirsty - probably not such an issue with LPG though.

Dane.

d_generate · Post by **d_generate** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 2:19 am

I've had a couple of Falcon Taxi's on gas, last one was an EB and we did over a million Kl with very little trouble, last 700,000K's on gas only as the fuel pump died, great reliable cars for a family hack, just look at all the LPG taxi's out there today.

Keep an eye on Pickles Fixed Price ........... I.E.
http://www.pickles.com.au/cars/item/-/d ... /852082132

.

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 6:27 am

Thanks gents for the info - muchly appreciated.

Yes, looking at the BA over the AU3.

Will keep you posted.

Sven

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 7:09 am

Handling in the wet is also an issue with the lard arse longer station wagon wheelbase in sales rep form. XR6 packages handled better

mud_king91 · Post by **mud_king91** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 10:06 am

XR6,s are a taxi with a spoiler -_-

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 10:58 am

It's a ford... Pfft.

What happened to the subaru??

*stirs the pot*

Cheers

Bennie

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 5:39 pm

I accept that.

Is for my wife's business - she needs to carry more gear than a forester or lib can hold, then throw in kids with friends, school bags, sports gear. Don't think she'll see limits of the handling either.

The RS is a bit pricey to run about town 150 km a day in traffic. And the DT, well, is just too awesome for her to ride.

Wagonman · Post by **Wagonman** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 11:04 pm

Kudos on the BA over AU3.. If you can try get a BF.. Be careful though.. they seem to have alot of trouble with rear diff period noise at 80-90kph which basically means a new rear diff/axle. So make sure you listen for it before you buy one as well as looking at alot of the normal 4.0ltr falcon problems, power steering pump and high pressure hose leaks, timing cover leaks, the milkshakes (autotrans/coolant mix up), brake shudder etc..

If it was fleet company owned and high kms, id replace all the fluids just to make sure cos they tend skip doing it for ages.

Overall though.. they are generally very reliable

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 1:45 pm

Thought about a territory then? My aunty has one as a company car and it seems to do well. You can find them in AWD too.

Other than that I don't know alot about fords...

Cheers

Bennie

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 6:24 pm

We did briefly.

They are not particularly economical, and cargo wise the wagons (incl the commodore) are larger. Both have a bigger 'mouth' than the Territory, which is needed for the 'yard trimmings'.

Thanks WM re: the BF advice - we are looking at a couple tomorrow.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 6:28 pm

AWD Terror will give an average return of about 16 litre / hundred over a long period

Wagonman · Post by **Wagonman** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 10:33 pm

I would avoid the Terrortory unless its within warranty.. You can get better for the price and the awd version can get very expensive to fix when the diff bushes front and rear start going which they will. There are a basically exactly like falcon but with a bigger body.

Good luck with your search Sven.

NachaLuva · Post by **NachaLuva** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 11:12 pm

Why did you want dedicated LPG?

Dual fuel gives you awesome range - 70L gas tank plus 60L petrol tank!

Also I always drive till out of gas then fill up. If you run out of gas in a dedicated car you cant get roadside assistance to put in 10L to make it to servo...you have to be towed. To me thats a deal breaker!

Have you driven gas cars before? You dont get as good fuel economy. I get 420-450kms from 70L gas or 550kms from 60L petrol. Its just that gas is less than half the price of petrol that makes it so worthwhile.

Having said that a friend has a 2009 G6 dedicated gas & she gets 14l/100km.

But its a much better system. Now Ford even have gas injection...the ultimate!

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Thu Oct 06, 2011 6:29 am

I owned a Kingswood years back on both - was probably 1st generation LPG technology though.

Decreased power, increased consumption, but importantly, cheaper by the lt. In fact once i paid 8.5cents/lt!

Does not seem to be a lot of the duel fuel wagons about.

Also, I had read the dedicated cars had changes to the head, valves and seats? Correct me if I'm wrong.

As for range, this car will be lucky to see an 80 zone - very metro based

mud_king91 · Post by **mud_king91** » Thu Oct 06, 2011 8:14 am

any cvar running gas should have all those bits changed your asking for trouble if dont... on the talk of 1st i had a mate an 80series landcruiser on lpg reckons it was a pig with the gen 2 system but he fitted the gen 1 control unit ? and reckons that with the gen2 system gave him better economy and power something to do with the gen 2 being electronic and the gen1 is spring operated

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Thu Oct 06, 2011 6:02 pm

Every Falcon that came with the BA series and beyond got a gas designed engine, one more in the comp ratio like 11:1 , from head or pistons , forgotten. Cam profile and engine management all dedicated to LPG not a compromise or conversion. Be sneaky way to hot up a petrol by using the LPG motor with higher comp !

mud_king91 · Post by **mud_king91** » Thu Oct 06, 2011 7:20 pm

hahaha you can pick up lpg motor from wreckers for nothing... might buy an ex gov sedan and try that ha!