SPArKy_Dave

It's happening again..........

(assuming it's not blown) Just remove and refit your Auto TX fuse a few times, while the ignition is on. See if everything comes back. It's the BCM power fuse.

I'd recommend one that shorts the coil to ground, intermittently. Gives the impression that the car is faulty, but is actually the anti-theft device working.

An EF alternator is the highest capacity of the three options. A sec/hand unit is always a gamble.... $90, and you might only get 3-6mths from it. Unless a sec/hand unit is known to have been rebuilt recently, the brushes in most of them will be at least 1/2 to 3/4 worn by now. IN my experience, the brushes have a lifespan of about 300-350,000km. Voltage regs and rectifier packs can fail earlier, if the charging system has been run hard many times - flat/old batteries, frequent night driving, big stereo, etc. Why not do what I would do..... and rebuild your original alternator? As long as you have access to basic tools and a soldering iron, it's an easy job to accomplish. Determine if it's brushes/reg assembly or rectifier pack. Buy replacement parts from ebay. Check bearing condition while alternator is apart. Solder in replacement parts, replace or re-grease bearings, reassemble, and your done!....... An alternator ready to last another 2-300,000km. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Ford-EF-EL-AU2-Mazda-Alternator-Mitsubishi-rectifier-/360260104095?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item53e12cef9f http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/EF-EL-Ford-Falcon-Alternator-Rectifire-3Year-warranty-/271452653899?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f33d6c94b http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/EF-EL-Ford-Falcon-Alternator-Regulator-3Year-warranty-Genuine-mitsubishi-/271452632499?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f33d675b3 http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Mitsubishi-Slip-Ring-for-FORD-Falcon-EF-EL-AU-BA-BF-FG-Alternator-/280624322094?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item415683562e http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/PFI-ALTERNATOR-MITSUBISHI-BEARINGS-FORD-EB-EF-EL-8x23x14mm-B-NEW-4-/400736422636?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5d4dc08aec http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/PFI-ALTERNATOR-BEARINGS-USA-17x62x18mm-MITSUBISHI-FORD-EF-EL-71a-/150972080254?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2326a3207e

EA is unique - being an 85A Bosch unit with a 3 rib pulley EB/ED/XG run a 85A Mitsubishi alternator with a 3 rib pulley EF 6cyl run a 110A Mitsubishi Alternator with a Serpentine belt pulley (they have 4 diode packs making up the rectifier) EL/XH run a 100A Mitsubishi Alternator with the Serpentine Pulley and a 3 diode pack rectifier. EF/EL/XH V8's run a 100A Mitsubishi Alternator again, with Serpentine Pulley and 3 diode rectifier pack. They are essentially the same as the EL/XH 6cyl alternators, except the alloy casing has the mounting tabs in a different location. EA-ED/XG alternators have the voltage reg/brush assembly plug, in the back of the alternator casing. EF-EL/XH alternators have the plug in the SIDE of the casing. You can also retrofit the two wire AU/BA alternators to the E-series as ford have a conversion plug available, to suit the earlier looms. The BF-FG/Territory alternators with the 3 wire regulator, will not work. (but they will physically bolt up) All the Ford badged Mitsubishi alternators, have a date code on the ID sticker, so you can identify the age of the unit. In the linked example, the date code says 5209 - meaning 52nd week of 2009. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Genuine-Ford-Falcon-AU-BA-6-Cyl-110Amp-Alternator-NEW-/260753586980?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cb61ffb24

Post up some pics/specs too, as per the first post in this thread.

There's another big word for the day.........

The Panno's are known for cracking at the A-pillars. I reckon 1 in 2, have cracking there at some level or another. XH's don't seem to do it anything like the XG's do. Most commonly seems to be the L/H A pillar.

If it needed regassing, the refrigerant obviously leaked out somewhere.

Yeah, I know a NOS one of those. It goes up and across the plenum, then into the TX valve yeah? Where is it leaking from? http://www.ozetrading.com.au/images/466n.jpg I can also get you a new one, from my Aircon wholesalers, for about $130.00.

Show me the pipe and where it's leaking from. I might know of a NOS one for you. I've re-furbished and gassed up the airconditioning systems in a few of my falcons. Done correctly, and with the right refrigerant, they work amazingly well IMO.

You might need to get a hold of a an Air/fuel ratio gauge, and see what the mixture is like. http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/products/MTXL.php There is some 'mixture' adjustment, at the air flow meter near the air box. Two things first though - 1. verify that TDC on the balancer, is the engine's true TDC. - so you know your timing marks are accurate. 2. try disconnecting and plugging off, the brake vacuum booster hose, and see if that makes any difference.

Partially seized piston could cause a hard pedal.

No, they did something much MUCH worse.................... 390mm metric sized rims on the FD LTD's.

Hate to break it to you Steve............. but that's an EL 'Falcon' badge you've got there - denoted by the square script/font. The EF 'Falcon' badges, were made with a slanted 'italic's' type font.

Ahhh, EL brakes...... one of the great mysteries of man kind. I have many E-series in the family. The EL's with ABS, seem to have a somewhat unresponsive brake pedal. By the same token, the EF wagon project has extremely touchy brakes, so I know the e-series have a fundamental capability, to have good brakes. I've tried playing with around with my EL wagon, installing stupidly expensive front rotors, and NOS front calipers, etc. Those things did improve the brakes, but not dramatically. The EF still has a far more responsive pedal. I still want to try replacing the booster on my EL wagon, re-build the back brake calipers and fit expensive rotors there too. It's a learning experience, but I've heard the ABS units can hold air in the system, and need to be operated/pulsed, to force out the air. This can be achieved by an ABS diagnostic tool, or by test driving the car and standing on the brakes hard, to make the ABS work - then re-bleeding the system. I personally haven't tested this theory. EF's and EL's also have different ABS units.

I would like to actually test the quality of the casting metal, used in the manufacture of all the different (currently available) x-series ball joints and tierod ends. I guess we'd have to establish a baseline, by analysing the metal quality, of an 'Original genuine Ford' set of TRW steering components - from the 80's. I haven't a clue, how you'd go about getting such testing done though.

I vote, pixorban......

Here's an ED which I did not too long ago.

Get a vacuum pump and gauge set off ebay. A flushing tool/gun might be more difficult to get. Never tried to buy one from ebay. The flushing fluid is exxy too - $120+ for 5ltrs. To get a reliable AC system, you'll really need to disassemble everything, flush the lines out - each section individually. Including the evap and condenser cores. If you can, make up adaptors to pressurise the cores with air - as high as you can go - 100PSI or more. (The system - pipes, cores etc, will see 100psi+ at rest, and 40-50psi low side / 150-200psi high side - in operation.) Dunk the pressurised cores in a vessel of water, to see if they leak anywhere. - I'm talking microscopic leaks - porous solder joints and such. Be patient with this step, and go over the entire cores. Remove the compressor and drain all the old oil from it. Replace with the Synthetic Oil. Also check the compressor clutch bearings and general overall condition - for evidence of oil staining from leaking seals/gaskets etc. Repair as necessary. Refit everything. Don't be afraid to re-use old o-rings, if they feel nice and pliable and look in good condition. (let them sit in a shallow bath of compressor oil for a few mins beforehand though.) Once re-assembled, draw a vacuum on the system in several stages, and let it sit for a few hrs, to see if it holds the vacuum. If so, then introduce the correct charge of refrigerant monitor the pressures and temperatures, tweak the refrigerant charge as necessary and enjoy! Don't expect to see much change from $1k, to get your first AC system up and going again. (that's DIY too, mind you)

This thread is for 'Special' people like me and Dan, who want/like/aspire to have 'working Aircon' in our x-series. Cause owning an x-series with working aircon, makes you feel just that little bit special. Bring forth with the questions!

Ok no worries, start a new topic on x-series Aircon refurbishing if you like, and I'll share what I know.

Yeah, those fittings are R134a - but it doesn't mean the system has been properly converted. To properly convert a system to R134a, you need to flush all the lines and replace the compressor oil from Mineral, to PAG oil. Not doing it properly, only ends in failure. With Hychill, they have their own recommended Synthetic Oil. If an AC system has been at atmospheric conditions for an extended length of time, (ie, out of gas) you will need to start from scratch and flush the lines/replace the oil. Especially if there's a possibility of PAG oil in the system. PAG oil turns acidic, with any moisture from exposure to atmospheric conditions.

It could also be a FUSIBLE resistor, designed to protect the gauge itself. If it's gone open circuit, without any obvious signs of destruction, I would assume that it IS a fusible resistor.