Ford Problems

AS IT'S under warranty, pursue that with Ford. There is no simple answer, other than start a class action suit against the company. Persist with the dealer initially and if you don't have any satisfaction there, go to Ford. Start with the Customer Assistance people, but again if that doesn't produce the result you want, go higher until you do get the solution you're seeking. The only way you'll get satisfaction is to keep the pressure on.

ONCE loaded, you will be travelling close to the Escape's limit of 1600kg, so you need to be careful. If you stay within Ford's recommendation I can't see a problem, but get the Escape serviced, including checks of the auto transmission, airconditioning and cooling.

Unless you need a vehicle capable of driving over rough or slippery ground, I would buy a 2WD diesel ute. It will be more economical than a 4WD and will tow your trailer without problems. Your budget will get you an upmarket ute. Look at the Toyota Hilux or new Mitsubishi Triton. Also, there are good deals available on the Mazda Bravo and Ford Courier for much less. For little more than $20,000 you'll get a 2WD diesel with a tray and toolbox.

UNFORTUNATELY, there isn't a modern gas-injection system available for your model, so it will be an old throttle-valve type that has been used for years in taxis and private cars. It works well, gives little trouble, and will deliver the economy you want. It's best to talk to a reputable installer and get his advice and, if possible, to talk to other owners who have fitted the same system to AU Falcons.

EVERY engine has valve recession, whether running on petrol, LPG or your grandma's bath water, but it happens at a faster rate on engines running on LPG. Your engine will have some valve recession, and switching to LPG will accelerate the wear. You could have to rebuild the heads sooner than you might if you stuck with petrol. The way around the problem with LPG is to fit a dual-fuel system and regularly run the engine on petrol to lubricate the valves and valve seats with lead, as happens when it runs on petrol alone. If you follow a routine of using petrol, say for an hour or two a week, you shouldn't have any problem. Upper-cylinder lubricants are available that protect the valves and valve seats from wear.

Like all oils and fluids, the power steering fluid goes off in time. Power steering fluid works quite hard. I would have it changed and the system flushed at the same time.

FORD'S dedicated e-gas engine has been developed to run on LPG. Some modifications to the head and connecting rods help it withstand the punishment handed out by LPG. Ford generally recommends that you not convert your regular petrol engine to LPG, but several LPG converters will convert and they say they have no trouble with them. A lot of Falcons are running on aftermarket dual-fuel systems. But you need to be aware of the implications for your warranty. Ford will cover nothing that's affected by the installation of the LPG system, so part of your warranty will become void. The LPG system installer is responsible for covering its work.

I find the advice you received most interesting. To suggest an oil cooler would cause ``the system'', whatever that means, to overheat is contrary to industry advice. This says fitting an external transmission oil cooler is good insurance if you plan to tow in hot weather over long distances. I do agree your warranty would be affected. It would no longer cover parts modified to fit the cooler, but an installer should provide a warranty to cover this work.

THE advantage of LPG is that you need only one tank, so you get around problems such as having to relocate the spare wheel, but you are relying on having LPG wherever you go. That's not a huge problem because about almost half of the servos in most areas have LPG. But if you want to take a trip around Australia, I would prefer the option of both fuels.

FORD modifies the six-cylinder engine to suit LPG. It uses hardened valves and valve seats, which are the main areas of concern with an LPG engine, and the heavier conrods from the XR6 Turbo engine. The LPG engine also has a higher compression, 10.7 to one compared with 9.7 for the petrol engine. Without the modifications, the experience in the field is that a normal petrol engine running a dual-fuel system from the aftermarket needs a head rebuild at about 100,000km.