deankxf

'Engineered' aftermarket suspension arm failure - for an F-truck chassis in QLD -
https://www.facebook.com/SouthernChassisWorks/posts/934191238502847
 
@deankxf -
 

 

 

the auto console can fit a manual fairly easy, the manual hole is too wide i think for the T bar display panel to be fitted. 
You'll need the hump fitted to the floor, XE and prior just unscrew and were available new from GT shops etc (XA to XE would be same or close enough) or drill the spotwelds off a Tbar etc one from a donor car XF 

if you just want the cluster swapped (easy) just get the fairlane cluster and the oil sender from the fairlane engine and it just plugs in and works.

if you want to fit the whole fairlane dash with the trip computer etc. well, it can fit, i don't know it if plugs up to the existing engine loom without any mods(possibly would just plug and play)
 

depending how noisy you like 
I'm old, i'd go with a factory spec muffler., 
but back in the day a baffled glass pack sounded nice, the straight through ones will be similar but louder. 
 
you can delete the center resonator (often cracks anyway) for almost no difference (if anything a slightly nicer sound) 

personally i didn't rate the 2.5" exhaust on stock engines. mine went better with 2" even than the 2.25 one,(be different if jetting etc was being done on the carby on a dyno i suspect)

unless you like noise, the 2.5" makes a lot more noise, (i still reckon they sound better with a sports muffler on the stock exhaust size )
 
that's on a stock engine that only makes power to 4000rpm at best though (due to cam/valve springs) 
 

I got the rest of the exhaust undone and she's sweet. How "unfortunate" that the stock exhaust is blocked. I guess I'm now forced to make a 2.5" exhaust system for it. In all seriousness thank you all for the help. Without the help I got here I would still be ripping my hair out hunting this problem. All I got to do now is fix that ignition lock and she's back on the road!

that's a win, it may be a blocked cat, or the guts of it blocking something further down the line if it fell out (one of My utes and a sedan did this, it came loose/turned sideways and was blocking the flow in the cat pipe..
i made a bolt fit tight in a piece of garden hose and smashed it up  while still fitted to the car (both times) due to i don't like udoing rusty exhaust bolts where possible.
could be a rats nest in the muffler if it's been parked for yonks also i guess
 

yes, but if you fit it, unplug the ECU in the kick panel  of the XF (this could also be the current issue also, they have been known to go bad even 20yrs ago)
 
I had an XF ute, fitted the XD alloy head/XE dissy (leaded XF is same but with the later cap, has a specific rotor button for it, you'd need to order if keeping it)
 
it worked for ages but at some point the ECU in the kick panel(wasn't needed) had an issue and caused ignition breakdown. i simply unplugged it and it was fine with the XD dissy again. 
 
to fit it, all you need to do is put the wires onto the coil  (2 wires) and it will work  (unplug the ECU in the left kick panel)
 
the ECU is specific to the carby models, EST sticker shoud/will be on it.  might pay to check that before you go further,  and if you can locate another to try it could be worth a shot.  (unleaded aka 1986 XF utes/vans upto 1992 should have one as they were all carby.  otherwise only sedan/wagon/fairlane etc from 1986/1987 with a carby would have them (rare now)

anything to do with testing for Me was swap in another one. (swap tronics)

@SPArKy_Dave may have some info links,
 

 
 
 

that's a win, it may be a blocked cat, or the guts of it blocking something further down the line if it fell out (one of My utes and a sedan did this, it came loose/turned sideways and was blocking the flow in the cat pipe..
i made a bolt fit tight in a piece of garden hose and smashed it up  while still fitted to the car (both times) due to i don't like udoing rusty exhaust bolts where possible.
could be a rats nest in the muffler if it's been parked for yonks also i guess
 

@SPArKy_DaveI pulled the EGR and she fkin ran! I'll disconnect the rest of the system and let you know how it goes
 

Don't have any way to get a cheap known good est box at the moment. I'll try what sparky Dave suggested and if none of that fixes it I'll temporarily fit the dizzy out of the f100. Any way to check the est system before swapping parts? I heard they have a self test function but I don't know for sure and it would be preferable to narrow it to the est.

Dean would no that one 100% my bet is yes 1st of the alloy heads

I haven't got time tonight but should be able to give you some more things to check tomorrow. 
 
but off the top of My head, you should check your fuel cut solenoid on the carby is getting power/(or vacuum if that's it's style)
 
cars this old with low kms often have stuffed hoses and there's a chance it's sucking air from the fuel line joins(one under the floor of passengers left foot area is a common issue)

try running fuel from a jerry can/bottle instead of the fuel tank first up to rule out that side of things

i may think of more overnight or @SPArKy_Dave may have a clue to look into 
 
the ignition lock caused @CHESTNUTXE some grief in the same way, i hadn't had many issues removing them in the past but they can be annoying (low kms = less worn to jiggle pick, but a locksmith could get it out easily if you removed it (sometimes easier to remove the steering column if you can't access the bolts easy.. *tamper proof you'll need to cut a slot in them or chisel them undone)
 

Hey mate thanks for the response. I know the electronic shutoff is working but it has a vacuum plunger that I haven't tested yet. I am running from a bottle as I have the fuel tank for rust repair s under the tank. I haven't checked those line joiners yet as I have been getting fuel to the carby but I'll give them a look just incase it's starving out. 

Worked like a charm. This mount is way better because it goes into the circular space underneath the gearbox, which the rectangular mount doesn’t really do, so understand now
why it would be stronger. Thanks @deankxf
 
Motor and Gearbox is pretty much in. I just need a nut for that mount which I am going to get now.  Just need to finish off some wiring / mount the dash back up, plumb the power steering, extractors and then I’m getting very close to first start.

i can't remember, 
i have a feeling it fits into the mounting bolt as is (maybe the mount has a square at the end of the threads even to locate it)
 
the EB cross member mounts have a square hole also, so i'd say ford must have been considering this mount option at some point

i haven't got any photos handy at the moment, but this thread has a lot of info in it if you have time to check it out
 
 

See that hole in between the xf cross member holes, you can use the e series gearbox mount with this hole fine in XF.
 
I think they are stronger than the 2 bolt one.
 
Exhaust bracket was a very strong pain in the arms trying to work around , most went in the bin. 
Probably very good at stopping the Exhaust manifold from cracking but not used with extractors 
 
 

this works often, especially if you can get access to clean the threads up with a wire brush then lube it
 
but sometimes with these bolts is you can jam something in to stop is spinning and then TIGHTEN the bolt until it breaks the bolt.. then you have access with the guard removed to cut the rusted stuff out with a grinder. 
 
i have centerpunched and drilled the bolt head off also, it's tough going, but can be done if needed. (one accessed by opening the door and above the top hinge caused me this pain once)

Going back a bit, these are a couple of photos rolling into Small Ford Sunday. taken no more than 30 seconds apart, on two different cameras, but makes the colour look completely different. this colour still amazes, but also annoys me with how both good and bad it can look depending on the light its in 🤣 the joys of metallic paint i guess. 
 
*the second pic is more true to the actual colour** 
 

 

 
I finally got the front bumpers back, and they came up fantastic. worth the wait. 
 

 
Now onto some mechanical gremlins. I had been having an issue with the cooling system. not over heating, but in fact running too cold. not getting warm enough to actually open the thermostat, which was a standard 89 degree thermostat. I figured it was because the alloy radiator was so efficient at cooling that yeah meant that I couldn't get her up to temp, and had no heater. 
 
This whole time I had been running just water in the cooling system, not coolant, to try flush the system out as best I can. I figured with this lack of heating issue, id pull the thermostat out and then put some coolant in. 
 

 
This is what came out. its a piece of gasket goo stuck in the thermostat. notice also the colour. that thermostat was brand new with this engine. so it has gone a very rusty brown colour thanks to the water. Pushing on the diaphragm by hand, the thermostat felt a little sticky. didnt want to move smoothly to open or close. 
 
So I ended replacing it with an 82 degree thermostat. not to make it run cooler, but so the thermostat would open earlier and start circulating coolant earlier. with that, and coolant in the system, it has made a difference. it gets up to the correct 88 degrees running temp now, rather than running too cold. 
 
Good Friday, the RSOCV had their annual Good Friday cruise. 
Over 30 cars got involved, and we went out to Warburton, up Mt Donna Buang (some of us more spiritedly than others) then back down and to Yarra Glen Hotel for lunch. 
Having driven the Escort up there previously with the 1300, flat out, and now with the 1660, also flat out, it was a much faster drive up there. I had a mate of mine in his Mini come along, who was behind me on the way up. Although I am not too concerned, he did tell me that it was blowing a bit of blue smoke between gear changes. granted I was pushing it, its the hardest it had been driven, and it was mighty cold up there. but it did it well. I adjusted the suspension up a bit to be stiffer, and boy does it turn well. 
 
On the way home, my buddy in the mini, and me couldnt resist but to see how they compared. its the first time the mini and escort had been out together. the Mini is a 1999 Rover, with a single point injected 1275cc, from Japan. Its since had a Cooper performance kit fitted, which includes a ported head with roller rockers, headers, exhaust, bigger injector, and a few other go fast parts. The Mini weighs 100kg less than the Escort, at 740kg, and with the Cooper engine package produces about 65kw. 
The Escort, a stock 1600 produces 60-65kw. Mine is a 1660, with a cam, weber, etc etc. 
It was a good comparison, the Mini nudged in front basically because i was slow getting into 2nd gear, otherwise equally matched. 
So for such a small engine in the Mini, it goes really well. its pretty quick little thing. 
 
I had to do a weekend run over to work HQ in Footscray, so jumped in the Escort to save the diesel in my daily. it really is such a great improvement over what it used to be in pretty much every aspect. able to sit on the highway comfortably, plenty of grunt to pull away, it just gets very warm in the cabin very easily, which was always the case. 
 

that motorad looks like just a brand name?
that part goes into the head where the hot water touches the spring part to let it open. 

so opposite to how you are holding it in the first pic
like below (only pic i could find on google)

Guys, thanks heaps, this had me sweating at 11pm haha.
 
I looked at the wording and was like ???? What??? Have I been wrong this entire time? (It happens a lot haha)
 
I went to look in the manual and it says "Place the thermostat back in reverse of removal" and without pictures I was nervous I was going to put it in wrong hahaha.
 
God I love this site.

that motorad looks like just a brand name?
that part goes into the head where the hot water touches the spring part to let it open. 

so opposite to how you are holding it in the first pic
like below (only pic i could find on google)

Ok, end up taking the crank to the machinist said those holes were strange but said wont be an issue. Crank getting a grind and balancing done.
Just glad there's no need for a replacement.

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.