cisco

Mine kept falling off so I made a mount from aluminium plate. It is held by the two screws holding the centre visor clips and the mirror held to that by a 1/8" bolt through the mirror foot with a bit of rubber tube cushioning it off the screen. End of problem. Eventually the super glue just won't hold it any longer.

The 87 XF had a low compression engine and was the first Falcon to get a computer. I had one years ago and from memory the distributor did not have the electronic ignition module on the side of it and the timing was controlled by the computer module behind the passenger side kick plate. I believe this module compensated for different octane fuels and they would just about run on kerosene. I took the head off for a decoke/valve job and noted that the lips in the bores were progressively more from cyl 1 to 6 which creates piston slap issues. I was told by a Ford specialist that it was because they did not run hot enough. My question for the brains trust is if I rebuilt one of these engines with high or higher compression ratio pistons, would the computer module compensate the timing enough for the engine to run properly on 98 octane fuel??? I would be fitting a higher temp thermostat also.

Well dean the point may be moot in this case. Despite two enquiries I sent via Carsales on the 87 Fairmont without replies the car is now on hold. Had this happen before and it pisses me right off. Why do people list things for sale if they are not going to respond to enquiries???? Got me beat. I remember the old Austin/Morris engines that had a heart shaped combustion chamber. The point of the heart would get red hot and sometimes you had to clutch stall the engine to stop the run on. The other issue with modern fuels is that they require VVT to extract the horsepower. Because of that my old school Ford man says if you are rebuilding an engine a standard cam is the best option if you are not building it for high performance. My XE has a Dynotec CM251D cam shaft.The spec sheet says it has 214* duration @ .050"cam lift and 291* duration with SAE Valve timing .006"valve lift which is a little beyond me. The engine builder called it a "Tow and Go cam". The result for me is that idle is still smooth, is still tractible in traffic but has that bit extra grunt when you want it. Torque peaks at 3000 rpm and it will wind out to 4500 rpm easily. I think it will go to 5000 rpm if I want to flog it. The diff is 2.77:1 and with the 4 speed single rail I put in it rpm at 100k is 2350-2400 and from memory economy is about 13 L/100 klm. My son made me promise the car to him so I am happy to keep driving it daily. Some people have gotten the 200 crossflows really screaming them being a square engine or slightly over square when bored out. They are under rated I think.

The compression ratio in my XE went up a bit after 2 head removals over the years and just would not run without pinking unless I retarded the hell out of it. With that I have become accustomed to only using 98 octane fuel all the time. It actually uses less fuel on 98 but not quite enough to offset the cost. The added benefit of 98 is getting a cleaner burn.

A couple of handy pages with specs for xe and xf. https://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/falcon_XE_technical_specifications https://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/falcon_XF_technical_specifications You will see the pre unleaded XFs had a 9.35:1 compression ratio and then 8.7:1 for unleaded and the XEs had 8.8:1. I would think 9.35:1 is an ideal compromise for performance and economy.

Thanks for your response. Yes it is a carby model. I don't own it yet but an original rust free 87 Fairmont with 220 on the clock at $5,000 has to be good buying. If I get it I will pull the head off and if the bores are OK just give it a decoke, tidy the ports. valve grind, bash the ceramic out of the catalytic so it can breathe and drive it. Maybe 10 or 20 thou off the head. The one I had in the late 90s I took the family on a 4000k road trip Bundaberg, Dubbo, Lithgow, Sydney and back to Bundy and it drove a dream. Fingers crossed.

I had to buy one to change out the plugs in my Corolla which are down a 6 inch hole. At first I had a socket with a rubber grip and it gripped the plug so tight that when you put the plug in and tried to take the tool out the extension bar came out but not the socket. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Repco has 3/8" spark plug socketwith magnetic grip for about $27.

With the age of the car it is a good idea to fit NEW rubber brake hoses. What happens is that the inside layer of the hose starts to break away and become like non return flaps for the brake fluid. I had the problem with my front brake calipers so it is worth replacing the hoses all round.

Have a look at my post in "The Wreckers". I have a BW 35 gearbox complete with bell housing, converter, shifter, hump and cooling lines. Was regularly serviced and working perfectly when removed and replaced with a single rail. The blue/gray console is available too. Also I have a BW 40 which was reconditioned at some time too. I am located in Bundaberg. You can pick them up or I can deliver to Gold Coast. Private Message me with phone number and email address and I can send you photos and we can negotiate a price. There is a steering column also which from memory came out of 4 speed manual XD.

I think you could Loctite the female part into the carburettor. The Webers have a plastic thing in there and can cock up if not careful. I had a few XDs in the past and never had any issues with the Strombergs, simplicity being the key.

Really good F100 chase clip here. Charles Bronson Mr Majestyk.

I cut the damned thing off and flare the intake end. It is only to get the engine up to temp quicker. I don't think it affects RWC but check with your RWC guy.

Hi Fellas, I have trawled through all the threads in Suspension and Steering and could not find anything related to my question which is :- What is the ideal set of springs for my XE. The car is a Fairmont from which I have removed the original 250 crossflow engine and auto gearbox and have installed a blueprint and balanced 250 crossflow with a fairly mild camshaft upgade from an XF and a single rail gearbox from an XD sedan. Rear end is 2.77 with drum brakes. The combination seems fairly good and while the engine is still running in I am pulling first gear 45 kmh, second gear 70 kmh, third gear 100 kmh and have had 140 kmh in top gear. This is if I push it but normal driving it is 40 kmh, 60 kmh, 80 kmh and 100 kmh respectively. All good and I am a happy chappy. I have fitted 15 inch snowflake wheels and the next step is to upgrade the suspension with new bushes and whatever else it needs. Currently the springs in it are I believe are raised height out back pack coils which are fine but I do get some body roll. These may be good for Farmer Joe getting onto the paddock occasionally but that is not me. Around town and on the highway is what I do. I am thinking that ESP spec springs might be the shot but no doubt hard to get them genuine. The choices most available are King Springs, Standard height KFFS-17 and KFRS-18, Lowered KFFL-0 and KFRL-18 or Super low KFFL-59 and KFRL-27. I want to improve the handling but I do not want to be bouncing the sump guard off speed bumps. Does anybody have experience with different spring heights and what is recommended. The car has been my daily driver for the last 18 years, I love it and do not think later model Falcons got much better based on my ownership of 15 odd Fords from a 68 XT through to an 04 BA Futura over the years. This Fairmont is promised to my son who is completely non mechanical so I need to get it right. I appreciate any and all comments. Cheers.

Not steering mods, just make sure all components are up to scratch. You might consider heavy duty sway bars. Some say that is the best handling upgrade you can make. I have a set of Kings Super low springs if you are interested. $100 and I could bring them to Brisbane next time I am down which will be fairly soon.

That looks great but will costalotta moola. In Brisbane I get my instrument work done by Lionel Otto Instruments, Evans Rd Salisbury. Ph 0732773888. What you can buy. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/325441893751?hash=item4bc5d93577:g:DdUAAOSwaBRjhFtZ&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoBuk9xJKm0w8pmPXpxAQ4RWCNWr7QSV2KPsqHHp3YwTIMThwj%2Ff9dYx6ubAyR2rwDncJs7koiDArTWwPrlYQHcjkCd4lQwH28rdJmHf%2B4tuiHEqFBCq7jHgV2QUN6UMo4k2Q7ZzQRwqE0%2BLblQpMUQyo5dJoUR9nInOGbtdzOc7GBS1lrF4guXayaARzhZao%2BzeXPWC%2FaHwEtZDYuX2XAbA%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR9ai-cCeYQ https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/234809114821?hash=item36abb6c0c5:g:DzkAAOSwcThhCNQy https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/334639247511?epid=1542143734&hash=item4dea0db097:g:kb4AAOSwgSFigzji&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAsFEq24cdHsKgnKb%2Fy%2BqxDolQV%2Bm991KVFQGyLDW%2F9DkqkHRqPGgwCjiWt5IEYfF5xB8ynO7LbZ0g1ddFcY%2BLdh6UmSuPkyjJse1%2Bkw8moG5m5Aw7LcsQxKMkjDiMjLzri7XU2nRJZ7YBchBwkvWDgB5yHQ5Wm%2B3ptGLafP%2F0UT%2FmD%2FZVFywcCbQndllvVp%2FarfU2poX4FMzVQDZxvymZ7%2FBC%2FBd4SAHdCHbBANKeX%2FYi|tkp%3ABk9SR6ThuMGeYQ I would go with the genuine cluster. Fits straight in and plugs into existing wiring loom, only need to find correct speedo sender unit cog to suit diff ratio. Also maintains originality. I have just changed the cluster in my 84 Fairmont, no problems. Next thing you will need to consider is the fuel tank sender unit. They do not like the latest fuels which oxidize the copper strips in them. Otto Instruments are currently making up a new unit for me which has a float for $350. It will save me carrying around a 10 litre fuel can. There are a couple of threads on here about sender units. By the way you shouldn't worry about the chrome strip on the front of the bonnet. It is useless and only promotes rust. The same with the strips around your tail lights. Remove them, bog the holes and paint. With the huge engine and transmission mods you intend you need to upgrade your steering and suspension to match starting with rims and tyres. In 14, 15 and 16 inch diameter sizes there are few if any performance tyres available. I have seen 18' snowflakes available but can't find them. I think it is the wheel mob at Kingston who make them. The only mods I have done to my XE are a blueprint and balanced crossflow engine with a mild cam, extractors and a single rail 4 speed gearbox which is more than enough to take it to the edge of it's handling capabilities and makes it a great cruiser with a nice note. If I was ever going to consider putting a V8 in it, a Windsor fom an E series is the way I would go to maintain the weight balance these cars are designed for. The Clevelands are way to heavy and require sand bags or lumps of lead in the boot to maintain rear end traction

My 84 XE Fairmont has the Econo Gauge cluster and I have what is probably an XD S Pac cluster that I have tried in the car. First time round the speedo would not read over 80 kmh and volt meter did not read at all. I took it to Lionel Otto instruments in Brisbane and paid them $220 to give it the once over. They said they replaced a couple of resistors and checked and calibrated everything. On fitting it to the car, temp, oil gauge and tacho are working fine but no read on the speedo and intermittent on volt meter. I will be taking it back to them but my question is regarding compatability. Do the XD and XE speedos work on a different pulse rate or signal?? If so, is there a fix for it??

This is what I got today at Auto Barn. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/163226838260?epid=18017012507&hash=item260113e4f4:g:1GIAAOSwvu5bhOv3&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoB%2FNzL5FBkzXTQNE0xEZp%2FjUo7IJvOCJiGZ79Ec4hB%2FXdc2XC4Bu6zC41kzjtzNjGcwUjEBAtQH5s1vEJDIthmG76T0qfTNy62aBOoXsXzB3M32soNbqzKLRMhKbYFzsBoIDgzIWp9ZC%2FSN7hFQc2sDu88DyCCjtuYLRTxzfb4yDIuqDRrCnTl4UX%2BJ1mf2DByIM8xAt3dbX4PB8Pl7m058%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR_7cq6vvYA This one holds 3 but I would go for 3 of the above angled to the driver. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/333958985441?hash=item4dc181b6e1:g:CxYAAOSwe-tgdrH2&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoGYxpwy7wDqAGMF99fYi5MPCALxwyOly4NxI%2FSey6ChS52EJC6K1GuN0ncJxNavuukuIcCri6O2VxiZQtdmxSiDYLMKw2ojv8k9aMH34K7joMNZ4xjmPhnQB4Me14LuRYFPvTqgbc2L7v5TCQ98Lxg%2BVJTuIAePcFS9%2BvtaEJvh%2BcRfCW1Zmp5rM%2F6XtolgftPj0j9yHQkxblPKt2KJBISg%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR5Dg6KvvYA

I was in Auto Barn today buying a SAAS 2" gauge mounting cup ($32) for my vacuum gauge. You could bolt 3 maybe 4 of them to that centre speaker grille which would look quite pro. Not like original I know but they had some other cluster mounts that might do the trick.

If you just dry sand it leaving a very light amount of rust and then paint it with Fertan. https://www.google.com/search?q=fertan+rust+converter+reviews&oq=fertan&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j35i39l2j0i512l4j69i60.13640j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 Once cured it will take primer and top coat and should hold for a couple of years at least. Another one is Feronite. In your situation I think a tannic acid will work better for you than phosphoric. When you get to stripping it back to bare metal a phosphoric wash and wipe off just before priming is what the panel beaters do I believe.

If the pulse rate is definitely the same between XD and XE then I think the problem is in the speedo itself however I will try the other two senders. The problem with the volt meter I think is a faulty connection somewhere. When I turn the ignition on it usually indicates voltage but then when I am driving I notice it not indicating. If I tap the cluster screen in front of it I get it to indicate. Even if I get the speedo to work it is going back to Ottos to get the volt meter right. I quite like having the manifold vacuum being displayed and I have one of these https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/314139830133?hash=item4924316775:g:zioAAOSwFpZjGtW1&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoKXBQ0GoFEr5y0TQcaT5bhgdLaTHyF6Crmyzm8arx0YJ%2F5uY%2FGGsE%2Bj7Z6%2BS0vw0PYLt9z0ZwLdu5Tr6pemq8kANptwSdUX4ZCxuomYB7dE2%2FoRKVkqfj5A%2BnUb%2FEZ5tNfXcgqrXV513XGMhEI2sNe0FVV4F2oKx8XK6ZX89VL9M2scyHEs1AoP0B%2FpY8XTdvcuBZi1F6766RbQg2fvaboA%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR4yS18LuYA I just have to find a neat way of mounting it on the centre radio speaker grille

Thanks Thom. The single rail in the car came out of an XD. Not sure if I changed the sender. I have two other senders in spare auto boxes. I will try them both.

If you pulled the thread using a torque wrench set correctly it suggests to me that you have "tired iron". If it is just the engine in your daily banger, using helicoils will get you back on the road. If the engine is a project for a performance car you might want to rethink about using that block.

At first I thought I had a leaking rear main seal. Removed bell housing cover for a look and flywheel and seal were clean. Looked over and saw oil pressure switch was leaking at the crimp (quite common). Replaced that with new but still getting an oil drip on garage floor. It looks to be the rear part of sump gasket (the U bit) that is leaking. That prompts the question in the title. I read somewhere that if you raise the engine 50 mm the sump can be taken out. Can anybody confirm this and give further advices. Thanks in advance.

I managed to solve the problem by removing the bell housing half cover, degreasing and then wiping Three Bond High Temp RTV Silicon into the slight gap between the sump and the rubber seal. It wasn't a big leak but enough to fail a RWC inspection. I should probably have put the RTV silicon on it when fitting the sump. Anyway I am most happy that it no longer leaks.