SPArKy_Dave

I really hope that's a joke, LOL! If not, then you've just created a whole lot more work for yourself... You need to Plastigauge the bearing clearances, as a bare minimum.

Did you PlastiGauge the bearing clearance on the mains and big end bearings?

LPG loves boost apparently... just needed a Turbo.

Doesnt look too bad, tbh.... although those bearings look a little on the worn side. Do you have some plastigauge, so you can see what the clearances are? They might be ok.... for crossflow tolerances anyway.

Looks like the factory original head gasket... it's probably never been apart before.

Speed is just a question of money.... how fast do you want to go?

$100 per wheel for brand new steelies, seems pretty cheap!

I call Minilites, or original steelies with hubcaps!

There are add-on's, to fix the photobucket image blocking.

might need to update your browser addon?

THREAD UPDATED - pic's on page one! @Mr Polson, what upper ball joints does Repco sell in Tassy?

I'm gonna go with 'accidently leave the drain plug out' fresh...

I have turnplates at Bayswater.

Often those AeroPro plug and play harnesses, have the pins in the wrong location in the plugs. They may suit the base model Falcons, but not the Fairlane/LTD's. Get a wiring diagram from the AFF Forums for the NC lanes, identify which colour wires are constant power, ign power etc, Then match that up, to the plug and play harness you've bought. Using a jeweller's screwdriver, you can usually release the pins from the plug, and move them to the correct location. Got some pics of the connections you can show us?

Also consider a sticking injector. In my experience, a spark miss in an OHC falcon, usually gives a decent kick as it comes and goes, whereas a fuel miss can be subtle. Note the manner in which it starts, after a run. If it starts too easy/too quickly, that usually points to leaking/stuck open injectors.

So what you're saying is.... that for the moment... oil is well.

What ended up being the problem?

Sounds awesome so far! What distributor did you get? To set the timing correctly, you need to have the ECU in diagnostic mode. (Aussie EEC EFI vehicles, did NOT come with a SPOUT connector, like the American Fords did) If you're pulling codes, you must have some sort of code reader already I assume? If not, get one of Murray's code readers. They are truely awesome. Code 12 - is usually a stuck IAC/ISC valve, and/or a burnt out IAC valve circuit in the ECU (IAC = idle air control valve/Idle speed control valve - the solenoid looking thing, on top of the throttle body) edit - a dodgy MAP sensor can affect idle speed - solve MAP code first. Code 22 - an issue with the MAP sensor - which will definitely affect how it runs. (MAP sensor is the jigger on the corner of the header tank bracket, up near the firewall) Code 52 - ignore that, as an XG ute will never have Speed Sensitive Power Steering. (in fact, I wonder why that code is even there. Is it the original XG ECU?) edit - Code 11 - means everything is good Code 10, is just a separator code, denoting a pause, between displaying intermittent codes and hard codes.

Yeah, it's so hard to get decent quality parts these days - so much cheap rubbish out there. Whether they be tierod ends, ball joints, suspension bushes, gaskets, or head bolts... I'd definitely be interested to see the yield specs on the Mace bolts, and how they compare with stock, and ARP studs. I read an article where someone did a yield test comparison on a bunch of different LS1 headbolts/Studs etc. It was a very interesting read.

I'd always use ARP head studs... IMO, it's the best $350 you can spend on an OHC. Even for standard engines. And you only have to buy them once. With Nasons, you need to know your part numbers - they have cheap quality stuff, and also expensive stuff too. Unless a person knows to ask, you'll get the cheap stuff by default. http://nason.com.au/suppliers/ Nasons also used to have a sister company, which does engine rebuild equipment and parts - https://www.premiermachinery.com.au/about-us

So what brand of fuel pump was the ebay one, and what brand is in there now? Only use NTK Oxy sensors on these things - NTK is what was fitted from factory. A dud O2 sensor shouldn't cause bad missing. Is it a rhythmic miss, or a random irregular fish-bite miss? I would head towards a hall effect sensor in the dizzy, and/or injectors which are clogged. Another thing that can cause random missing at idle, is a burnt out idle control circuit, in the ECU.

You shouldn't pay more than $170 for a brand new OEM one outright. See if anyone has any - PAT use to keep stock I think, but not sure on their part number. However it says $320 outright - which is a bit outrageous IMO. If I really really needed one, I'd probably pay that though...

I'd like to see the figures, with a standard manifold and weber carby on it.

You can still get 99% of the parts for rebuilding your original distributor, and to keep it date code correct. Contact Performance Ignition in Victoria. They were contracted by Bosch, to assemble the last batches of the Australian Made OEM Bosch dizzy's. If you search around, you should easily find stock of them still, unless you prefer to rebuild your original one. Performance Ignition, have all the small parts (bronze bushes, screws, o-rings and soforth), and can still supply everything genuine/oem Bosch, apart from new dizzy gears, and new chopper wheels. And as per above, stay right away from the chinese copy dizzys. Apart from their unreliable hall effect sensors and TFI modules, their dizzy gear's on the bottom were often incorrectly made, and didn't mesh correctly with the Auxillary shaft inside the motor. Over time, that gear mis-alignment strips the Aux, shaft - usually resulting in engine failure. Either new genuine bosch or rebuild your original, is the only way. I'd start with the fuel pump first though.

Pinch off the fuel return line, before you stop the engine, then see if the pressure still bleeds off. If it still bleeds off, and you've confirmed no injectors are sticking open, (I'd double check for sticking injectors, after the engine is warmed up a bit) then the fuel pump is faulty. I'd fix the pump first, then go after the next issue.