Why does my 2002 Ford Falcon idle irregularly and have a delayed throttle response?

An engine that runs well when cold but misfires when It’s warmed up is often a victim of poor air-fuel mixture. That can be caused by an air-leak (such as the intake manifold gasket you’ve already changed) a crack in any of the intake plumbing, faulty fuel injectors, a worn fuel pump, a corrupted ECU (computer), blocked fuel line or about a thousand other things. But in this case, knowing the Ford AU Falcon’s engine, I’d be taking a close look at the ignition system, specifically the coil pack. These have been known to fail regularly, often displaying their problems including a rough idle, once the engine has warmed up; precisely the symptoms you’ve noted. That said, rather than rush out and buy a new coil pack, have the vehicle scanned electronically to rule out any other potential source for the problem.

What oil can I use instead of Ford Engine Oil?

You need to keep using an oil that is compatible with LPG as this fuel places different stresses on the lubricating oil compared with an engine burning petrol or diesel. Provided you stick with the correct grade and API rating and choose a known brand (not the Brand-X supermarket stuff) you should be fine. Don’t forget to change the filter every time you change the oil.

What is causing my 2001 Ford AU Falcon ute to miss?

A miss is fairly common on these engines and is usually tracked back to either a dud spark-plug or a crook ignition lead. If you’ve already changed the plugs, I’d suggest checking the ignition leads for excessive resistance. The other major source of misses in these engines is usually a fault with the coil-packs. Swapping these for another set is a pretty easy way to check whether they’re the culprits. Don’t forget, however, that a miss can also be fuel or mechanical-related, but experience with these engines shows that the ignition system is often the cause. According to government websites, the 2001 Falcon six-cylinder can, indeed, use E10 fuel. You may find, however, that you use a little more E10 over 100km than normal unleaded, so the savings at the pump might not be as marked as they seem on paper.

Ford Falcon 2003: Leaking coolant and replacing remote locking

If you can’t see coolant on the ground where the car has been parked, you need to start a more thorough investigation. Your car is now 17 years old, so every hose, clip, clamp and junction that carries coolant is a prime suspect to be the cause. The lack of any evidence could mean that the coolant is only disappearing when the engine is running and/or the engine is hot and the coolant is under pressure. So a close check of things with the car up to temperature and idling is a good start. Don’t forget, though, that a running engine has all sorts of belts and fans to get tangled in, and that the coolant – if it is spraying out anywhere – will be scalding hot. The other possibility is something to which Falcons of this era are a bit prone. And that’s a faulty transmission cooler which can fail internally and allow the coolant to escape into the automatic gearbox. At that point, the transmission is usually damaged to the point of needing replacement, so it’s a big deal, but it could explain the mystery disappearance of your coolant. As for the central locking, these functions are handled by the car’s body computer. Again, it’s common with this model Falcon for the computer to start playing up and require replacement. But before you do that, check that the battery in the remote unit hasn’t gone flat. If it’s not that, a trip to an auto electrician is the wise move. But if both the body computer and the transmission need replacing, you might just find that the repairs will cost more than the value of the car itself.

Ford Falcon 2002: Why does the engine keep cutting out?

Computer-controlled engines like the one in your Falcon, Tony, require a range of sensors to provide the information to the computer to allow the engine to run properly. If just one of those sensors sneezes, the engine can shut down without warning. As well as a throttle-position sensor, there are also camshaft-angle, crank-angle, air temperature, coolant temperature, oxygen sensors and more. So the best advice is not to start replacing the sensors one by one, but to have the computer interrogated electronically. The computer will be logging problems as they happen and should be able to tell you exactly which sensor is nodding off intermittently. A Ford dealership along with many independent workshops will have the computer-scan gear to do this. It will save you time and money in the long run. For what it’s worth, since the car cuts out completely, my hunch would be the crank-angle sensor is overheating. So, if you want to persist with a home diagnosis, try this: Carry a bottle of cold water in the car. Then, the next time the engine cuts out, pour the cold water over the crank-angle sensor. If the car suddenly restarts, you’ve found your problem. But to be honest, you could also be looking at a dud fuel pump, a blocked fuel filter and literally a hundred other possibilities.

Ford Falcon: Can I use premium unleaded fuel?

No, using premium unleaded won’t cause any engine running problems, if anything it would improve the running.

Ford Falcon 2010: Is semi-synthetic oil appropriate for my car?

If it’s a good quality the semi-synthetic oil will be fine for your car. Next time you have the oil changed ask the mechanic what oil he plans to use, and don’t be afraid to specify the one you want if it’s different.

What is the best tow vehicle to buy?

The GQ Patrol was a tough old bird, but it’s old and buying one now is a gamble. You could consider a Toyota Landcruiser, but again your budget will limit you to an older vehicle and that is always a risk. You could perhaps consider fitting power steering to the XF ute.

Ford Falcon 2009: Are there issues with the timing chain?

There’s no issue with the chain, they rarely break, but they can wear over time. If it does wear it usually becomes noisy, which in itself is not a problem. If it gets too bad the timing can be affected, and it’s best them to replace the chain.

Ford Falcon 2001: How to change the wiring?

You’ll need a different ECU for petrol, and you’ll need wiring for the fuel pump, which is in the fuel tank.

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Ford Falcon 2008 Problems

No car is perfect, but we've gathered everything relating to the Ford Falcon 2008 reliability here to help you decide if it's a smart buy.

Ford Falcon 2008: Not getting enough from tank of LPG

Answered by CarsGuide 8 Mar 2019

Check the system to see which LPG company developed the system for Ford and take it to them for checking. If you are unsure which company made it contact Mercer Industries (03 8788 1000).

Engine

Used Ford Falcon review: 2002-2016

18 Jan 2017 · by Ewan Kennedy

Ewan Kennedy reviews the 2002, 2004, 2008, 2011 and 2015 Ford Falcon as a used buy. In October 2016 the last Ford Falcon left the assemble line, not long after its 56th birthday in Australia. What ...

Used Ford Falcon XR6 review: 2008-2012

25 Mar 2016 · by Graham Smith

Ford's sporty six kept up the performance image but had a thrftier LPG variant. New Having dropped its V8 in the 1980s, Ford went looking for a suitable model on which to hang its performance ...

Used Ford Falcon review: 2008-2011

5 Jan 2016 · by Graham Smith

Take a tip: Go for a later model when you're out shopping for a G Series Falcon. New The G Series was a new range of sports luxury models Ford introduced with the FG Falcon in 2008. In effect it ...

Ford Falcon: LPG availability

Answered by CarsGuide 19 Jun 2015

I wouldn't be at all concerned about LPG being available, but I would strongly advise that you do your homework on where you can buy LPG before you leave home. The distribution network of LPG in country areas has never been as comprehensive as it is in cities, and that's what you've found.

Engine

Ford Falcon 2008: Torque converter issues

Answered by CarsGuide 24 Apr 2015

Talk to the dealer about recalibrating the transmission to avoid the problem. They should have a fix for it.

Transmission

Used Ford Falcon review: 1997-2014

25 Nov 2014 · by Ewan Kennedy

Not a lot of new Ford Falcons are sold these days, so there's a shortage of late models on the used-car scene, but certainly no lack of offering built prior to 2010. For many years Falcon was a huge ...

Ford Falcon 2009: Turbo tuning

Answered by CarsGuide 20 Jun 2014

Dealers don't do that sort of work any more; they simply change oil, give it a bit of a grease, and hand it back to you. You obviously want more, and for that you have to go to a specialist mechanic who has the knowledge and experience, and equipment to do what you want.

Engine

Ford Falcon 2008: Rattling sound

Answered by CarsGuide 10 Jan 2014

If you're not sure whether it's coming from the diff or the auto trans you need to get some help to isolate it before you have any chance of finding the cause. Changing the diff oil would have been the first thing I would have suggested if it was the diff, the next would to suggest it could be a bearing, but that needs a specialist to sort it out. An auto transmission expert would say you should change the trans oil every 25,000 km or so, or every year, and there's good reason to do that if you do a lot of towing. They would also say you should do a full service every 100,000 km or so, and again it's more important to do that if you tow a lot.

Transmission

2008 Ford G6 manual gearbox noises

Answered by CarsGuide 11 Oct 2013

Take it back to your dealer and ask him to reset the computer to soften the gear selection. He should have a recalibration available to do it for you.

Transmission

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Ford Falcon 2008 Problems