roKWiz

My Feb 93 XF van wiring is bog stock and I only have one relay at the brake booster and 2 down at the battery.

btw that red circled plug doesn't want to come apart at freeway speeds like mine did, fortunate to avoid a large backfire saving the dizzy gear and rear muffler.

On 8/10/2021 at 1:40 PM, gerg said:

We do have alpine regions and decent mountain ranges, but nothing like the Rockies or Switzerland.

Our skiing experience involves a lot of gum trees

The Great Dividing Range runs up the east coast and probably averages around 500m (1600ft) in height, with peaks in the Blue Mountains up around 1400m (5000ft) and 1600 in Barrington tops.

Dean I thought Mt Hotham was higher (around 1800m or 6000ft), or is that just a resort (not a town)?

Australia is old and worn down. There are no active fault lines or volcanoes within our continent so no new mountains have been made since forever.

I would love to see the Rockies and the Oregon Coast one day.

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There's some bloody big mountains around here, just ask my poor old trucks.

A little bit like my Louisville. I think there are a couple of Ford bits still left on it.

English magazine I used to buy was "Classic Yacht" where this subject continually haunts their letters pages.

As Mr Polsons above stated...........A well known turn of the last century racing yacht "Rona" had all its planking replaced, ribs and stringers recut, the copper sheathing was all new, the decks had to be replaced and the doghouse was reconstructed out of remaining pieces from the original. The masts, rigging and sails were all new but the keel and mast step were totally saved with all its serial numbers etched into the casting of the lead ballast. 

So it was classified as an original 1899 yacht with Lloyds of London backing its authenticity.

How things have changed, back in the 70s and 80's we were all trying to update and modernize our cars now we're going the opposite way in looks.

The XF was getting really hard to get the worn down key to work in the ignition so took the key to one of those generic locksmith blokes who did a lot of head scratching and couldn't be bothered to work out the codes giving up.

 Tried another country guy  (sell guns and ammo, safes etc and do locks), took one look and said yes thats a ???  Turned around cut me a new one, walked out the door, stuck it in the ignition and turned straight away.

Might need to find a decent locksmith who is willing to put the effort in to duplicating the key.

Using Russian made Bosch.

Now I know why XF headlights are crap, being made by the "Prince of Darkness" himself.

Not knowing your system, Is the 3rd battery the same as the 2nd one ?  Always good to match batteries of the same amps etc (and age). If the 2nd one has been in operation for a while it could bring the newly added one down in charge to that level.

 I would only add another battery into a bank if I could determine that the original aux battery was holding its charge to the capacity of the new one. Sometimes its better to add 2 new ones together in parrallel. You might need to change the cabling size to match the capacity and can the alternator keep up demand.

A high amp alternator doesn't alway allow a charge to another battery until it senses a fully float charge, 1st the starting one, then to the 1st aux then the 2nd aux might get some charge. Thats a lot of driving necessary to charge all 3 up.

I'm assuming this but do not know how you system has been set up.

On 9/23/2020 at 7:55 AM, gerg said:

Factory chassis and engine numbers were often hand-stamped, so look dodgy even though they're legit. They only have to be legible when new, they don't care about 40 years down the track.

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Yep, my Louisville chassis number looks similar only they are on the LHS rails top flange. Kenworth's are the same from that era.

9 hours ago, SPArKy_Dave said:

 

idle up, timing advance, fuel enrichment.

 

some or all of those, depending on coolant temp.

No wonder mine runs like crap warming up in the dead of winter. Summers fine.

and thanks Mr Polson

Just out of curiosity what does this PVS actually do, or is it just part of the choke setup.

On 9/23/2020 at 5:55 PM, deankdx said:

it's in the engine bay, close to the firewall under the inlet manifold, easy to reach.  

are you sure it had/has enough coolant in the radiator?  usually the taps just rust, i think the default is ON and vacuum closes it. 

 

Yes just bought a replacement tap for mine as its showing signs of decay with the occasional drip.

Come on BGDAV lets see a picture of em.

Won't be rear hanger bushes as they are relatively new, both spring packs are in good nick.

Would say more likely tyre quality as there doesn't seem to be much choice these days for 14in wheels. 

I would like to grab some 14 X 7in S pac wheels for the rear if I can get them made or find some.

Just a little oversteer.  (NO REAR SWAY BAR FITTED)

A rear bar would be a nice add-on IMO.

I've owner/driven Holden panel vans for years in a previous life as a courier driver. Always thought they were better handlers, maybe due to double wishbone front suspension, big sway bars front and back and a full chassis underneath which stiffened them up somewhat.

I think what its doing is allowing the weight of the load to push its arse around the curves more. It handles fine for most part but the local roads here are fast, off cambered and potholed.

Its not really a big problem, just more of a niggle I have with the Ford PV. 

Handle nicely most of the time but sometimes when I have the van loaded up I reckon it could do with a little rear sway correction.

I remember I had 2 Holden panel vans with rear sway bars fitted. Both made by Lovells 25mm 1 inch from memory. They also had tramp rods, mind. They handled like slot cars.

Most of my driving is two lane blacktop, twisty country roads at 100km/h and freeway.

Been thinking I don't ever recall seeing a rear sway bar for the above model panel vans. Did they make them ? Guess they would be the same as a similar year leaf sprung wagons ?

Anyone know.

Don't know about cheap parts but lately I have had a bad run of expensive USA made tools breaking.

Love the big comfy bench seat. The only thing I don't like much is having a slushbox but you don't see many 3 speed column shifts around anymore.

Great read this. Nice work you are doing.

Yep, the Supercheap auto's one I pulled out had, supplied by Century on the side of it. I did notice in their PDF catalogue that some of the later AGM and red top ones are made elsewhere.

16 hours ago, SPArKy_Dave said:

 

Looks fancy!

Century batteries are the only car batteries still made in Australia.

 

It's the wrong one for an XF though - that's why the negative lead is/was tight.

That looks like a 57MF Commodore battery.

 

XK-XF Falcon, have the terminals on the opposite side (mirror image).

The Century catalogue listings seem to be incorrect for x-series - they list a 57EF MF (EF/EL battery) for the entire x-series range.

 

The closest I can find, would be a 58MF (EA Falcon battery) - which has the correct ledge for the battery clamp, plus correct terminal orientation,

but not the XF style - bolt through terminals.

 

 

 

 

Yep it is a 57 MF and knew It would have the posts on the wrong side but it was the only Century that size with 560 CCA available at the time. 

The old battery had a really short tight negative lead anyway which I wanted to replace so decided to do it this way.  I was more concerned about the inside of the bonnet hitting the Neg battery post but bought some rubber post covers as well. (not shown)

I like the Aussie made Century's

Yep battery was stuffed. Got the train into Albury on Sunday where Autobarn had a sale on Aussie Century stuff so score $50 off, lunch at the station and train-ed (15kg)  it back.

 Fortunately the alternator is fine and charging within spec. Some wiring terminals replaced as well. Replaced the battery to Alt. earth cable as it was a bit tight.

re. the speedo needle, I've learnt something new.

Thanks everyone.

Thanks so much everyone with your information.

I'll check around those yellow wires from the alternator, (they were a bit frayed looking) before I grab the battery and report back.

 I'm in one of those towns where the local mechanic / battery seller / Feed lot store is only open Monday to Friday. 

Battery looked pretty old and might have suffered from overcharging as the water levels were below the plates. My fault for not checking early.

Yeah thanks deankdx, I did have a check of the wiring around the starter and battery terminals, under the dash, relays and fuses but can not place the charge wire your referring to.

Alternator to battery wire ?