Common Problems with the AU??

[TRAU BLAU]

Does anyone know how to stop brake pads/wheel over-heating.I've lubricated the sliding pins on the caliper etc with the recommended grease.Could the rubber sleeves on the pin bolt heads stop them sliding & would it improve heating problems if they are removed?Are soft or hard pads best?

[Maka]

Originally Posted by TRAU BLAU

Does anyone know how to stop brake pads/wheel over-heating.I've lubricated the sliding pins on the caliper etc with the recommended grease.Could the rubber sleeves on the pin bolt heads stop them sliding & would it improve heating problems if they are removed?Are soft or hard pads best?

Hi TRAU BLAU, hows your handbrake adjustment? If its not releasing properly & dragging... heat!

I woudn't remove the dust covers imo at all, they are there also to keep water out on rainy days to protect against corroded pins etc

Here's a quick link with a chart in it about disc pad compounds & effectiveness -

http://www.ebay.com/gds/The-Dos-and-...7322315/g.html

Hope it helps & good luck!

cheer's, Maka

[Silver']

Front or rear?
Sounds like the caliper itself is holding the brakes on. Often the piston will be unable to retract within its bore inside the caliper body but when everything is cold and the metal contracts the wheel still turns freely. If it's only one wheel then look at this, if it's both wheels (or even all four?) then master cylinder is the place to look. Crack a line and if fluid flow out with any pressure at all then it was holding the brakes on - only do that test if you know how to bleed your brakes though.

Fix for a tight caliper is to reco with a kit, but you may need a new piston too.

Really should find the money and have it looked at by a professional.

[Silver']

Originally Posted by Casper

Based on some suggestions from Bucknaked, this thread is to share your experiances with problems that have occured with your AU.

Be them common (like the shock mounts on the IRS models) or not so common (a dead MAP sensor making the car run rich and lose power), share it all here



The problem, the solution, the cost.





This is not a "I have a problem, need advice" thread, it is purely for those that have had a problem, found the cause and got it sorted. These experiances may save us all a lot of time, headaches and money.

The OP is worth a read, we've taken this thread off course somewhat!

[TRAU BLAU]

It's only the front driver side which is getting hot.I'm getting a front pair of pads today because although there's plenty of thickness on them the outside pad is disintegrating in the middle.Probably caused by dragging IMO.But the dust sleeve seemed to developed a twist & possibly sticking & preventing a pin slide.Fair enough about this thread not being a fix/prob.

[madmate]

have a look at the caliper pistons some are made of bakelite it swells and the pads stick on need to replace with steel ones

[Fyrestorm]

Hmm, Suppose I better add my 'cursed' wagon onto this list. (and solutions etc if i can remember)

Pre-Ownership (friend of mine brought it in 2011, i brought it off her in october 2013)

Installed aftermarket LPG. Nothing but headaches since really.
Thermostat replaced at 197,000km. Non-lpg unit originally, replaced with an LPG friendly one. (difference was apparently an extra hole for water flow to stop the converter from freezing, and lowered opening temp.)
Replaced front and rear brake pads at 210,000km (give or take 20,000km)
Starter motor died in 2013, Replaced with brand new unit.
Front window (drivers door) came out of the clips, replaced whole door (somehow easier and cheaper. window was tinted, bonus?) Somewhere in 2012.
Driver's Seat bolts snapped. Base becomes a handy frisbee. Yet to fix (cbf'ed. just need to re-weld or replace seat.) think this happened late 2011.
Standard services (oil, Filters, etc.)

Since I've had it..

Replaced thermostat (had 140,000km on it.) December 2013. $20?
Muffler broke at the second barrel. Dec 2013. broken welds at the barrel, replaced whole middle section. (free, pulled from spare car.)
Jan 2014: Replaced front brake pads and rotors. drivers rotor got chewed by the pads. T2 Rotor's, Bendix pads. ($100 per rotor. Pads $60?)
Changed cluster with fairmont model. Feb 2014. New cluster added 25-30,000km onto odometer (didnt change the chip.)
March 2014: Muffler broke (again!) Snapped the welds at the cat. 330,000km or so on it at the time. Solution: New cat. $250. (forgot about the spare hi-flow i had.)
March 2014: Fuel Pump died the day after the muffler came off for the second time. $50 from wreckers. (didnt work.) Replaced again with another unit when i had the motor out in Feb/March this year (2015) new unit had a faulty sender, re-used old sender. Drove on LPG in the mean time.
Thought i broke the alternator. turns out i was a dumbass and didnt plug the cluster back in. $55 for a second hand one from the wreckers. April 2014 i think.
August 2014: Passenger front ball joint seperated. dropped control arm into brake rotor's. replaced control arm and ball joint. Gotta watch them potholes.
December 2014. Replaced the coil pack. figured 'new' one was in better condition. no differences noticed.
Driver's window did the 'fall off the clips' thing again. ended up pulling the trim off and sikaflexing the crap out of it. had to do it a few times (need to replace the clips, still havn't done that.)
Replaced the flow sensor in the coolant bottle. cant remember when but the light stopped flashing. $15 from wreckers.
Jan 2015: somehow dropped a weight or twisted the driveshaft. didn't notice until the gearbox had alot of issues. still didnt find it until i replaced the shaft with a second one in May.
Feb 2015: Extension case seal and bush blew out, 375,000km (on odometer. about 360,000km on the car.) reco extension case + bush/seal from mechanic. $80.
Feb 2015: Speedo sender failed. Towed to mechanic. (i was late for work.) new sender ~$100 fitted.
Feb 2015: transmission blew completely. sheared the teeth off the torque converter and did something else internally to the gearbox that rendered it totalled. did a total overhaul of motor and gearbox (there's a big list of crap here. It'll be in my build log.)
April 2015: Replaced Radiator top hose (burst.)

I swear there's alot more. Just can't remember what it all is. the Missus could tell me though.

[TRAU BLAU]

Wow that's a lot of maintenance stuff to go wrong in such a short time Fyrestorm!Series 1 eh?Although there's still a lot of them around.Did you get it very cheap & you've done a few k's.The ball joint control arm dropping into the brake rotor sounds real scary & I hope it doesn't happen on my wag.I've had to fix leaking seals,exhaust system etc but*****the gearbox torque converter would have been a big job.

[red_hotxr6]

Originally Posted by Fyrestorm

Hmm, Suppose I better add my 'cursed' wagon onto this list. (and solutions etc if i can remember)

Pre-Ownership (friend of mine brought it in 2011, i brought it off her in october 2013)

Installed aftermarket LPG. Nothing but headaches since really.
Thermostat replaced at 197,000km. Non-lpg unit originally, replaced with an LPG friendly one. (difference was apparently an extra hole for water flow to stop the converter from freezing, and lowered opening temp.)
Replaced front and rear brake pads at 210,000km (give or take 20,000km)
Starter motor died in 2013, Replaced with brand new unit.
Front window (drivers door) came out of the clips, replaced whole door (somehow easier and cheaper. window was tinted, bonus?) Somewhere in 2012.
Driver's Seat bolts snapped. Base becomes a handy frisbee. Yet to fix (cbf'ed. just need to re-weld or replace seat.) think this happened late 2011.
Standard services (oil, Filters, etc.)

Since I've had it..

Replaced thermostat (had 140,000km on it.) December 2013. $20?
Muffler broke at the second barrel. Dec 2013. broken welds at the barrel, replaced whole middle section. (free, pulled from spare car.)
Jan 2014: Replaced front brake pads and rotors. drivers rotor got chewed by the pads. T2 Rotor's, Bendix pads. ($100 per rotor. Pads $60?)
Changed cluster with fairmont model. Feb 2014. New cluster added 25-30,000km onto odometer (didnt change the chip.)
March 2014: Muffler broke (again!) Snapped the welds at the cat. 330,000km or so on it at the time. Solution: New cat. $250. (forgot about the spare hi-flow i had.)
March 2014: Fuel Pump died the day after the muffler came off for the second time. $50 from wreckers. (didnt work.) Replaced again with another unit when i had the motor out in Feb/March this year (2015) new unit had a faulty sender, re-used old sender. Drove on LPG in the mean time.
Thought i broke the alternator. turns out i was a dumbass and didnt plug the cluster back in. $55 for a second hand one from the wreckers. April 2014 i think.
August 2014: Passenger front ball joint seperated. dropped control arm into brake rotor's. replaced control arm and ball joint. Gotta watch them potholes.
December 2014. Replaced the coil pack. figured 'new' one was in better condition. no differences noticed.
Driver's window did the 'fall off the clips' thing again. ended up pulling the trim off and sikaflexing the crap out of it. had to do it a few times (need to replace the clips, still havn't done that.)
Replaced the flow sensor in the coolant bottle. cant remember when but the light stopped flashing. $15 from wreckers.
Jan 2015: somehow dropped a weight or twisted the driveshaft. didn't notice until the gearbox had alot of issues. still didnt find it until i replaced the shaft with a second one in May.
Feb 2015: Extension case seal and bush blew out, 375,000km (on odometer. about 360,000km on the car.) reco extension case + bush/seal from mechanic. $80.
Feb 2015: Speedo sender failed. Towed to mechanic. (i was late for work.) new sender ~$100 fitted.
Feb 2015: transmission blew completely. sheared the teeth off the torque converter and did something else internally to the gearbox that rendered it totalled. did a total overhaul of motor and gearbox (there's a big list of crap here. It'll be in my build log.)
April 2015: Replaced Radiator top hose (burst.)

I swear there's alot more. Just can't remember what it all is. the Missus could tell me though.

Ok, someone has thrashed this car before you got it, waaaaay too many things wrong with it...must be near new now that you have fixed those items...geeez

[Fyrestorm]

Originally Posted by red_hotxr6

Ok, someone has thrashed this car before you got it, waaaaay too many things wrong with it...must be near new now that you have fixed those items...geeez

Nope. Still runs like dead horse. After replacing the gearbox the shaft kept destroying seals, then the gearbox pan gasket went. Slips like no tomorrow and only has first, second and park (with max rpm in park of 2600rpm)

The tail shaft ($60 from wreckers for the replacement) took 3 seals, bushes, extension cases and a torque converter with it. And probably had something to do with toasting my solanoids in the new box. (Not happy, heavy duty internals throughout and 5psi shift kit. Pretty much all destroyed in less then 5,000km)

Motor still goes hard as hell. Drove it up to my grandparents place to work on (335km away) in second the whole time. Fuel consumption was ****house at best but she sounded damn pretty at 3-4000rpm the whole way there.

[Fyrestorm]

Ok, can't find the edit button. But I did forget to mention the damaged rear quarter (before I owned it and prev. Owner) and the rust. Behind the front quarter (below top drivers door hinge) and the boot strut mounts and brackets are showing surface rust.

Can't see if I mentioned the lack of roof lining. Started falling down early 2013.

[red_hotxr6]

Wow, previous owners must have really flogged it, presuming of course that you wouldnt do that to your own car...i mean the speed limit is 60, 70, 80, 100 and in someplaces 110....so mate yeah they done a real job on that car.
My EL GHIA was bought new and owned by a principal for 10 years, i have all the services done on the car till 2007 then a 19 year got hold of it, cam, and big exhaust and thrashed the butt off of it. Torque converter, brakes, radiator and just caught the head gasket on it. Three years later and 282,000 klms later its just absolutely a dream to drive...

[TRAU BLAU]

Yeah!A lot depends on how a car has been treated(same as a horse I s'pose or anything for that matter.)Has it been serviced,garaged,driven etc.I've still got to get round to replacing front shockies & brake rotors but I've had nothing like the trouble that gave Betsie the Barge -*** it's name.That's a lot of work.

[Crazy Dazz]

In typical Ford Fashion, they changed the steering geometry for the AU, but didn't get around to revising the sway bar links, so they bend. All our series 1's had bent rods, and the old women doing the inspections don't like this. They fixed it for series 2 onwards, and maybe even late 1's, but the newer links don't fit. Fortunately whiteline now do an EF/EL kit that works.

At some point in time Ford realised that the AU's posterior was almost as ugly as its face, and they started dressing it up with "spoilers." For some reason they decided this could only be achieved by drilling holes in the boot lid and not sealing them properly. This resulted in almost mandatory rusting in the lower boot lip, because the water is channelled there and there are no drain holes. But on the plus side its really refreshing to go into your boot and have fetid water dribble on your neck.

The next issue cannot be blamed wholey on Ford, but also on the idiots in the replacement parts market. If you own an AU, eventually you will need to replace the power-steering pressure switch, which is the automotive equivalent of an appendix. Everyone has one, nobody knows why, and you never notice until it gives you trouble.
The first problem is that it is almost impossible to remove without Ford's special tool. An open crows-foot spanner, and much swearing, will eventually do the job.
DO NOT succumb to the temptation to buy anything but the genuine Ford part, despite the price differential. For some reason, the replacement switches are sealed with a o-ring that simply dissolves on contact with P/S fluid. I kid you not. The original part can last for 10 years or more. The knockoff will start leaking within 6 months to a year.
The solution is to either only buy the genuine part, OR obtain a replacement o-ring in NITRILE.

[TRAU BLAU]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

In typical Ford Fashion, they changed the steering geometry for the AU, but didn't get around to revising the sway bar links, so they bend. All our series 1's had bent rods, and the old women doing the inspections don't like this. They fixed it for series 2 onwards, and maybe even late 1's, but the newer links don't fit. Fortunately whiteline now do an EF/EL kit that works.

At some point in time Ford realised that the AU's posterior was almost as ugly as its face, and they started dressing it up with "spoilers." For some reason they decided this could only be achieved by drilling holes in the boot lid and not sealing them properly. This resulted in almost mandatory rusting in the lower boot lip, because the water is channelled there and there are no drain holes. But on the plus side its really refreshing to go into your boot and have fetid water dribble on your neck.

The next issue cannot be blamed wholey on Ford, but also on the idiots in the replacement parts market. If you own an AU, eventually you will need to replace the power-steering pressure switch, which is the automotive equivalent of an appendix. Everyone has one, nobody knows why, and you never notice until it gives you trouble.
The first problem is that it is almost impossible to remove without Ford's special tool. An open crows-foot spanner, and much swearing, will eventually do the job.
DO NOT succumb to the temptation to buy anything but the genuine Ford part, despite the price differential. For some reason, the replacement switches are sealed with a o-ring that simply dissolves on contact with P/S fluid. I kid you not. The original part can last for 10 years or more. The knockoff will start leaking within 6 months to a year.
The solution is to either only buy the genuine part, OR obtain a replacement o-ring in NITRILE.

I got the local power steering guys to change the pressure switch which was leaking fluid so fast that there was a loud noise coming from the steering rack not long after filing it up.Not sure if they used the genuine part but it hasn't leaked after 3 years.

[cebecebe01]

Hi all, Generally speaking and all else being equal (never is) would you go for AU Fairmont 3 at 235.000 K's or the Forte at 190.000 K's. Price roughly same. Is the premium worth the extra K,s. Any thoughts appreciated. Chris. (ex EL lover.)

[PridenJoy]

I'd go Fairmont just for the cruise control, well worth it.

[xr8 007]

Hey all. Boot light no longer turns on. Fuses are all good and other interior lights work fine. Any ideas what it could be? Also the fuel cap door takes a while to open when pushing the fuel door button, any help will be
appreciated, thanks in advance : )

[Professor Farnsworth]

Originally Posted by xr8 007

Hey all. Boot light no longer turns on. Fuses are all good and other interior lights work fine. Any ideas what it could be? Also the fuel cap door takes a while to open when pushing the fuel door button, any help will be
appreciated, thanks in advance : )

I assume you've tried changing the globe already?

With the fuel door, do you hear the actuator firing every time you push the release button? Or does it only fire intermittently?

[TRAU BLAU]

Getting back to the sticking caliper pistons....is it a common fault?The vehicle had hard brakes when I got it & when I pushed the pistons in just recently the wheel is not getting as hot & also a softer more sensitive brake pedal.Could sticking caliper pistons cause the rotor warping?

[xr8 007]

Originally Posted by Professor Farnsworth

I assume you've tried changing the globe already?

With the fuel door, do you hear the actuator firing every time you push the release button? Or does it only fire intermittently?

Thanks heaps for the reply. The fuel door has fixed itself magically. However the boot light is still no good. I tried different globes to make sure that wasnt it however still no good.

[TRAU BLAU]

Originally Posted by cebecebe01

Hi all, Generally speaking and all else being equal (never is) would you go for AU Fairmont 3 at 235.000 K's or the Forte at 190.000 K's. Price roughly same. Is the premium worth the extra K,s. Any thoughts appreciated. Chris. (ex EL lover.)

Which one(if any) did you choose?Obviously the in individual condition of the Fairmont compared to the Forte would be a decider.

[xr8 007]

Anyone encountered this problem before with boot light not working? Volt meter indicated little to no voltage. Could it be a bad earth somewhere?

[Dauphin]

Recently taking my wheels off, I noticed the front brake pads touch the rotors and slows the wheels when the car was elevated. Is it meant to be making contact when no brake pressure is applied? Or is it meant to be very slightly on the rotor all the time?

[Professor Farnsworth]

Does it touch all the time or just a little on and off as the wheel spins? Warped rotors.

[Dauphin]

From memory it seemed to be right around.

[FTe342]

No its not meant to be touching. If its touching it will be generating heat which is not what you want. Ideally you want it as close as possible without touching. Adjustment at the rotor should be done first with the handbrake cable backed off at the handbrake lever. Then adjust the cable at the lever but if you try to get a nice low lever you usually end up with pads not releasing far enough and get the squeaking as you idle along. Only fix is a high lever if you dont want the annoying squeak

[TRAU BLAU]

I haven't had any problems with the back brakes(except for park brake squeal)it's the front ones that over-heat due to caliper piston stick.Freeing up the brake hose helped.

[Maka]

Originally Posted by xr8 007

Anyone encountered this problem before with boot light not working? Volt meter indicated little to no voltage. Could it be a bad earth somewhere?

Hi mate, haven't had the problem before, though i would check the actuator switch first to make sure its not faulty. Yes checking your earth's would be a good idea as maybe tracing the loom back from the connector plug on the boot light.

Good luck!

cheer's, Maka

[xr8 007]

Anyone had this issue. Rear license plate lights dont work, all other lights work ok? Any help would be appreciated. Checked globes and they are ok as i swapped and tested with new ones.