Ford Falcon 2002 Problems

PERHAPS a reader has this information. It would seem they replace the front bucket seats with a bench, but that would involve moving the automatic transmission shifter from the floor to the steering column.

THANKS Ross for the info on the radiator fix. We must warn that doing what Ross has done to his cars will void your new-car warranty as far as the radiator, cooling system and auto transmission is concerned. If you do plan to make the modification you need to be aware of this.

IT IS a common problem in Falcons, and I would think you have a valid claim to at least part of the cost for that reason. I would recommend you pressure Ford and I would expect they would come to the party. It's really impossible to estimate the reasonable life of a radiator, but I once believed it was good for the life of the car. To avoid the problem occurring again, you could block off the oil cooler connections on the radiator and fit an aftermarket external cooler.

WELCH plugs can corrode, but it's usually caused by a lack of corrosion inhibitor in the coolant. Perhaps the dealer hasn't been keeping the corrosion inhibitor up. I wouldn't accept that the plugs are consumables and not covered.

Consult another auto transmission specialist and get his opinion. If you weren't happy with the advice you were getting from your doctor, you would get a second opinion. That's what you should do in this case.

IN A word, yes. For a start you should have your car serviced before departing. Also have the airconditioning serviced because it will be working hard. Falcons can have cooling-system problems, and certainly have the auto trans serviced and an oil cooler fitted. The Falcon auto really doesn't carry enough oil and the result is that it can overheat when asked to work hard, such as when towing.

WE ASKED tyre expert Russell Stuckey for his opinion. The Dunlop SP9000, SP Sportmaxx and Goodyear GSD3 all deliver good road holding and are fitted as original equipment, which is a good guide to the quality of a tyre.

CONVERTERS make no internal changes to the engine when they convert it to dual-fuel, and plenty of cars out there are running on LPG with no problem, so I wouldn't be worried about engine wear, if that's your concern. The most popular -- and the best -- system is an air-valve system. Impco has a nicely developed kit that is easily installed for about $2200.

THOUGH the old air-valve systems work quite well, the newer injection systems are much better for fuel consumption, performance and general operation. Visit the LPG Australia website, www.lpgaustralia.com.au, which lists systems available for your car. Then talk to installers direct and get an installation quote. Expect to pay $3000-$3500 for an injection system. An air-valve system is less.