Power

I would say that ingesting water definately DID NOT cause this. But maybe it did!

Yep, stands as well. Used them before and neigbour has them, and old just retired mechanic with the best of everything all in his garage that I can't get too until........tommorrow. Won't even consider going under with the boot jack. I think the fire with extinguisher at home was good luck - maybe that is a good lesson not just for me but for everyone. It will be going in now as ugly as it may be! After that I'm not going to risk it with a normal jack or as you correctly point out just the trolley either!

From the top and with half an hour of searching I can't see a thing, keeping in mind you can't see 3/4 of the block anyway e.g. turbo heat sheild and so on. NOT going under until I get my neighbours trolley jack tommorrow. If those are bits of sump as some have helpfully noted, then under it will be...

Driving home Friday afternoon in Sydney's incredible storm, and carefuly negotiated a round-a-bout and as I exited all the 'fun' started. Unusual mechanical noises. Nearly instant loss of power and of course power steering. Engine oil light comes on. Manage to park it...slowly...with what momentum was there. Smoke pouring from under-bonnet. Jump out and lift bonnet to see flames from turbo area. Damned car extinguisher I'd bought had just sat at home, now I needed it so it seemed, but it went out very rapidly, luckily. That's a lesson..... Notice huge rainbow running down the road, or what was now almost more like a creek with the weather, and it was obvious I'd dumped ALL the oil. TRYING to walk through the weather and see, I managed to find some 'bits' as I walked back toward the round-a-bout. It was pretty hard to see let alone walk outside on Friday as those from Sydney or surrounds would remember, but my collection which is no doubt just a percentage of what was on the road makes a stunning photo as attached. I've got a very bad feeling about this. Any gurus out there who can suggest where I might look for the damage? Fire on RHS (turbo), but found one piece of metal on LHS of engine bay, but can't see any external damage, but no tools or trolley jack, or advice, as my mechanic neighbour is away for the long weekend, so I can't get a proper look yet. Maybe the photos give some hint as to where I can look tommorrow (when neighbour home) before I begin a no doubt LONG road to recovery? It would be 'nice' to see/know before I get to a mechanic.

Funny, I've got a PM from another member stating the same Coy and things you say. No, I was not aware of this choice. This is GREAT news. Thanks for tkaing the time to reply, I'll be in touch with them tommorrow! Cheers.

A hell of a lot less than $4,100-$4,200 in my case, in fact the price you mention is in the range guesstimated for just a recon box, as I said $2,600 - $2,700. Interesting to say the least. Thanks.

Hi, HISTORY: Well, I've had around 279rwkw, followed by 303rwkw in February (doesn't sound a lot more, but a torque monster, and also wide sticky rubber at the same time). It now looks like my car, or should I say the driver, might have trashed the 4sp Auto. Although the car was first modded 30/06/2005 to full APS Phase II 279.9rwkw + valve springs + 'shift kit', and had a significant amount of work in the 303rwkw subtle beast upgrade, it has only travelled 30,500km since new, and probably had Phase II at a few thousand K's after new. So, the history is long, but the km are very low, perhaps just over 25,000 with 'big' power/torque. The car HAS been thrashed, whenever/wherever possible. That is it's purpose. Never had a trans cooler put it in, strangely that was about to happen just for the hell of it, but as the car is not raced, not stalled up ridiculously, and probaly 20 times ever (for me that might be stalling to 1,750rpm for a few seconds), it didn't seem critical - and it appears the clutches are holding up well. THE PRESENT: Sunday 1/04/2007: Suddenly, for no apparent reason in some heavy traffic I noticed a whinning noise for the first time about 2km from home, arrive home. Time for a long drive of 250km with the wife and kids....worried, but lets go. Leave home, about 5km down the road stop for gas, as I pull in and slow down a definate 'clunking noise was heard). THIS NOISE HAS NEVER REOCCURED - HOPING IT WASN'T THE SOUND OF A GEAR TOOTH WORKING ITS MERRY WAY TO SOMEWHERE IN THE BOX. Cut a long story short. In full auto-mode your would not be able to discern any issue, in perf out mode again, no issues. Change to 'manual' mode and the problem is isolated. In 4, slow to 3, slow to 2, slow to 1 and WHINEEEEEEE noise (as my 9 y.o. son said, it sounds like a Porcshe Boxster). The issue is backing off in 1st, in manual mode. For the record a fellow in some Expensive Daewoo thing with 285 on the side gave me a run from a set of lights, and (silly dad with 3 kids and mum on board) absoltely destroys, no problem. Everything FEELS solid. With the shiftkit, the changes from 1-2 (often unavoidable chirps), 2-3 & even 3-4 are still uncomfortable I.e. seems all is well here. Monday 2/04/2007: Took it to my tuner who drove around the block. They don't do Autos but it was suggested it sounded like the PLANETARY GEARS were out of alignment. Go and see.... Wednesday 4/04/2007: Recommended Auto Specialist goes for a drive. Says there is no such thing as the planetaries being out of alignment. Asked about hard shifts being an issue with planetary gears, he disagrees as he says this is FIRST gear. Do I use manual mode much, answer is YES in traffic almost all the time, he feels constant downshifting even in this box with all else stock will eventually do this. What is the exact problem, impossible to day says he, without removing and inspecting. Suggests most likely a tooth gone from a gear and new planetaries required.....assuming metal hasn't gone through the pump, and this, and that..... He says the 4sp auto is a bunch of s**t in these cars, nothing I have not read in these forums! Now, we have not got to formal prices, only verbal estimates - but these prices seem scary compared to others I've heard of: 1) Full recon box $2,000 + $600-$700 for planetary gearset = $2,600-$2,700 (takes me to where I am - stock as a rock 4sp with a shiftkit) 2) Fully reconditioned/strengthed auto throughout INCLUDING chryogenic (heat?) work on major components INCLUDING planetary gears = $3,500 + $600-$700 for planetary gears = $4,100-$4,200 3) Add high stall converter $1,500 to either 1 or 2 4) Add cooler $650 to either 1 or 2 Does this sound reasonable? I'm even wondering what my Ford dealer would charge for a new stock as a rock box? Any other members in Sydney have suggested alternative speicialists. This is what I'm most interested in. I can almost imagine doing a Melbounre trip for this job, but can't see how I would ever have the time. I've heard someone down there Yarra(?) does changeover boxes and can freight? I'm open to all suggestions, but after 43 years on this earth I worry about a cheap and even better fix so far from home...if anything goes wrong, the cost in time and stress to get it back destroys the benefits. Prices though I guess are the main thing I'm interested in. What have you paid for work similar to the above? Thanks all

Scares the s**t out of me. I've never had to use the jack (4/05 purchase), and actually got the thing out for the first time before I drove Sydney-QLD return and couldn't open it. - lol. Threw in a small toolbox just in case I needed to get it out. Maybe its better just throwing it in the bin. On the road in an emergency I would probably stick my head under to have a look....not after reading this. One of my neighbours has the best trolley jack I've ever seen, retired-mechanic, from the 1970's and it is superb. BUT I still use stands as well just in case e.g. one of my kids walks in and decides to say "Dad what happens if I turn this".

Yup, added those to my picture collection. Look great, but I'm sure they will go better than they look on a strip. I just dumped my 17's in the garage for new wheels tyres for the street, with 9.5" wide rims running Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 at 265/35ZR18 (Y rated I.e. made in Germany) - traction that s***s on my previous Dunlop & Yoko Advan Sports....mind you a bit wider. Sam, I know or should say I assume these are really only going to see the strip, but have you actually taken them for a bit of a run around the streets for a bit of fun? I guess at a tiny 1.32% gearing difference to stock wheels & tyres you wouldn't even notice that, my interest is in HOW THEY HANDLE as a street tyre (in dry goes without saying) I.e. as a 275 they are no doubt best on a 17 x 9" to 17 x 10.5", so do you notice the tyre going out of shape on the narrow stock rims under hard cornering? I'm sorely tempted to get a set of these on the 17's sitting in the garage as they are not an expensive tyre.

Yep, on a cold night start it throws out that stuff doesn't it! I agree more than the normal 'little' cars. Nothing unusual!

Not sure what you mean by aftermarket? Can't you just get them from Ford? I got a couple of rear badges which consist of the XR6 + turbo on a single stick-on assembly when I bought mine for nothing - so I could simply use scissors to seperate the turbo part. I also found them reasonable with an early service when the letter 't' had fallen off, or maybe been carefuly pulled off the rear (no scratches) - they just gave me a new sticker assembly complete and cut off 't' and fixed in a second. Not sure what they cost, just ring Ford spares.

Robin - you are welcome to try out my car with the V103's on it... ← gogo, what do you think of the V103 in drag application? Have you tried this? I just had a set of V103 put on and the handling and other factors are....wow.....just not so sure about straight line acceleration (dry), superb in wet. Mind you, these are stock rims and V103 in 235/45/17.

Cheers, Thanks for the info.

← Hmmm, that would be handy. Thanks for the info.

If it was pinging it definately seems to sound as if it is coming from low in the middle of the dash......

I've done a bit of a search, but maybe I'm looking the wrong way. Looking at an Edit by Spiro at Autotech, and therefore thinking of a few things to add to the 'tune'. Currently the limiter seems (according to tacho anyway) hit at ~5,800 in manual mode. On the other hand in sports auto mode it definately shifts lower ~5,500rpm. Can edit control this so that the auto will shift at a higher rpm? Better still, could it be left 'stock' in normal auto, and only rev harder in sports mode?

Creaking a few kilometres from new April 2005. Ford had three goes, the third with great excitment as a new technical bulletin that WOULD fix it! A Bit of machining work, some more grease, tighten this n that....didn't last long. Then I had Autotech take a crack at it, well to their credit they did the best fix so far, it was good for a long while, but back it is. My car is with Autotech for some tuning and I mentioned this to Spiro, I have the feeling he WILL fix it, or die trying (those who know him will understand), and still won't charge me again as "we should've fixed it right the first time". MORAL OF THE STORY IS: Ford have a lovely warranty, but you DO pay. You pay everytime you come back and waste time. You pay with the stress too. Go find a class act Mechanical Shop and stick with them. It will probably save you!

Good luck whatever way you go. I got 15,000 out of the SP3000a rears. I'm going the Yokohama V102 as they have a good reputation, maybe not the absolute top shelf but good, and I can no doubt get them at a good price. When you are buying you have to remember who you are dealing with. If Yokohama, their closest retail outlets are called Tyres & More. If Michelin, then Tyre Plus. If Pirelli it is tougher as their Tyres are wholesaled in many ways but their are retailers with a Pirelli Preffered status. So you can imagine wherever you go recommendations will naturally be biased to some degree, and ability to do the right price will also vary a bit.

Correct. Only LPG powered BF cars would have the same rods as the FPV jobs.

Its actually not really that different, I mean to describe it as simply as I can, you give it about half throttle and the car is revving hard under boost, it seems like the gearbox is slipping until you look at the speedo! Driving off the line isnt really a worry, the way its set up at the moment, the shifts get firmer the harder you stick your foot in it. I thought it would be a pain when they first suggested it, but knowing what its like to drive now im glad I spent the extra. It took 11.5 ltrs of oil to refill it since the converter and tranny cooler had to be filled, and at $260 for 20ltrs for tranzmax Z not a cheap exersize, but like I have promised muself from day one, if im gunna stuff around and mod this thing it will be the best quality available. What is it like performance wise, if you just hit WOT without stalling up - not so good? Also, how does it run in peak hour traffic, slow driving?

Hmmm, Maybe it does exist. I have access to a number of price lists and sitting amongst the current Yokohama list is in fact a V100, but only in a single type I.e. 235/45ZR17 93Y. Mystery tyre.

It is certainly not in the current printed Australian Yokohama catalogue, or on the Australian website: http://www.yokohama.com.au/home.html Not found in the US Website either: http://www.yokohamatire.com/ If you google around there was a cached link to a Yokohama V100 showing at least one size - 235/45R17 Only reason I went looking was in case I missed something as I've been considering a few Yokohama tyres and probably will throw on a set of V102's shortly. No doubt some old tyre model. If you really need to know I guess a call to Yokohama's head office is cheap (02) 8748 2600

Sorry but the C&V car was running a built motor forgie pistons and billet rods and con has told me himself he would have gone alot quicker with that pwr with an Edit as Geea has proved Of course with edit it would be much better, as they do edit only (having lost APS). But edit is better in every way, we know that from the edit stooges! And I just love it! Question: Did you get this info on the 'fib' about the C&V motor after 'no more APS'? hmmmm.

I'm sure that someone will post that info up as it can be done. In any case, this file will be saved in your 'temporary internet files' as a 10MB .wmv file, so you can just copy it somewhere else for safe-keeping. Love it!

Handbrake again eh? Handbrake 1 breaks: around time of the 1st FORD courtesy service (3,000kM??) my handbrake had came adrift I.e. toward the drivers seat. Still functional, but ugly, with a tendancy to bind on other plastics. Of course the brake has to be pulled up at close to 90 degrees also. Handbrake 2: The new Fairmont leather handbrake assembly went in its place. But the brake lever still has to pulled up like a manual water pump handle or whatever. Handbrake 2 breaks: Around 15,000km, this handbrake assembly also came adrift toward drivers seat and was impeded by center console plastics. After a week it came good I.e. not binding anymore, but ugly with the large gap. Handbrake 2 FORD repair info with my added comments : I took it to FORD who said they would require the car all day as it was a long job (bla bla) requiring drivers seat removal, yet another brake assembly and.....the mandatory provision of a new fault in-lieu e.g. front seat electrics fail? front seat squeaks? Front seat installed facing wrong direction!? Handbrake 2 fixed: Took it to my regular tuner for a 15,000kM logbook service, didn't even ask them to fix it (the handbrake), but they did. No removal of seat as per Ford, No new assembly required as per Ford, and now you just pull it up a few inches and it is set. More than that it now looks better, and movement feels smoother than before.