Ford Falcon Problems

FALCON coupes are highly prized as collector cars, even modified ones like yours, so it is worth keeping. I'm not aware of a hybrid-drive system you could fit to it, other than gutting a Toyota Prius and installing the system from that. LPG is probably your best solution at present.

TOO many differences to detail here, but in a quick summary: the XR8 V8 was uprated from the standard engine to 170kW at 4500 revs and 398Nm at 3000 revs; the suspension was retuned and lowered 35mm, with revised rate springs, revised shocks, bushes and roll bars; and, of course, there was the external styling changes and an interior makeover with sports seats et cetera.

SHELL has been having issues with its LPG. There has been too much residue and it has been causing problems with cars. Have the converter cleaned and try another brand of gas.

YOU can convert your Falcon to LPG. Several quality systems are available, but the best system is a gas-injection one. It will cost more, but it will drive, perform and run better than the other systems. You could expect to pay $4000-$4500 for an injection system, compared with $2500-$3000 for an older mixer/venturi system. If it's set up correctly there won't be an impact on the life of your engine. For an installer, it's best to talk to the system manufacturers and get their recommendation.

IT'S certainly an option. If you bought a two or three-year-old Falcon for $15,000 and installed a gas-injection system you would have $19,000 or so invested in it, against the cost of the Corolla or Mazda. The cost of running the Falcon on gas would be a little less than the cost of running the small car so I would believe you would be in front. Think also of buying a used E-Gas Falcon, which might be an even better bet.

I WAS surprised Ford didn't use the new model to update its LPG technology to the current gas-injection system. It says its customers aren't prepared to pay the higher price. If it had updated to an injection system it would have been able to have electronic stability control, but it can't have it because the old technology doesn't allow the control of fuel flow to individual cylinders required to make stability control work.

THANKS for the report. As you say, drivers of LPG-powered vehicles should be aware of these problems and perhaps not be so quick to blame Shell. We have also heard from Shell (below). LPG with a higher-than-normal level of residue was delivered to some parts of Victoria from our facility in Lara, west of Melbourne. As a result, motorists who purchased gas from certain retail service stations (including some which are not Shell-branded) from June 17-28 could have experienced problems with their vehicles, such as cold starting or rough running. The quality issue was quickly resolved and the Shell LPG supplied since that time is fit for purpose. We have been asking customers whose vehicles have been affected to contact our customer service centre on 13 16 18 to discuss the problems they have encountered. Claire Wilkinson, Shell senior media adviser APPRECIATE your advice. Hopefully motorists running LPG-powered cars will be reassured the LPG they buy will cause no further problems.

IT REALLY depends what your priority is. If it's having fun in a ute, go for the Commodore or Falcon. My recent experience in the new FG Falcon was that the six-cylinder gave about 12.0L/100km on average, but that the XR6 Turbo was a little better on fuel and was heaps more fun to drive. If you need a ute for work and fuel economy is important, I would go for a diesel. But you also need to remember that hauling all that four-wheel-drive equipment around is soaking up fuel and you'll probably find the diesel four-wheel-drive isn't much more economical than a petrol six-cylinder ute.

INTERNAL combustion engines can be run on CNG, but it's not as simple as filling your tank with natural gas and driving away. I have heard that it is possible to buy a pump that can be used to tap into your gas supply, but I wouldn't recommend it without doing your homework.

THE Australian LPG Warehouse has a kit. There is a problem with the spare wheel, though. It has to be relocated to accommodate the LPG tank under the vehicle. The solution most owners accept is to leave the spare at home and take a puncture repair kit.