What is the best type of oil to use in a 2009 Ford Falcon XR6T?

A good multi-grade oil is what you’re after; one that is thin enough to circulate and protect quickly in cold conditions, but also able to cope with the heat and stress inferred by a turbocharged engine in hot conditions. Options include a 5W30 oil or even a 10W40, but make sure that the API rating is suitable for your car. The correct API rating ensures that the oil is of a sophistication in keeping with the technology in your engine. The other critical piece of advice is to use a quality oil from a reputable brand. Ignore the supermarket-shelf stuff and, if you’re having the car serviced at a workshop, don’t forget to ask what brand and grade of oil it intends to use. A fully synthetic oil will cost more but will offer more protection for an engine such as the hard-working turbomotor in an XR6T.

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 2005 Problems

No car is perfect, but we've gathered everything relating to the Ford Falcon 2005 reliability here to help you decide if it's a smart buy.

Ford Falcon 2009: Cylinder head

Answered by CarsGuide 1 Mar 2012

The BA is well out of warranty, so the issue of being fixed under warranty doesn't come up, and it's doubtful that Ford would have automatically changed the head on the basis of a maybe. The best thing to do now is to repair the head.

Engine

Ford Falcon: Negligent mechanic

Answered by CarsGuide 3 Nov 2011

Your first port of call is to the mechanic who did the roadworthy. Show him the report from K-Mart and suggest that he should have observed these issues when he did the roadworthy check and they should have been fixed at that time. If he objects tell him you will report him to Vicroads, and follow through and report him if he refuses to help. If he has breached the law he could have his RWC licence revoked.

Used Ford Falcon review: 2005-2007

6 Oct 2011 · by Graham Smith

Which is the better car, Falcon or Holden, has long been a point of contention at the pub. It's no different today when brand loyalties remain strong. One of the main measures of the cars has been ...

Ford Falcon: Suspension failure

Answered by CarsGuide 15 Sep 2011

Yes, it is a problem that is regularly reported to us here at Carsguide. The only thing you can do is replace them, perhaps see a suspension specialist such as Pedders who would be able to replace them with more durable bushes so they don't wear out so fast next time.

Ford Falcon: Popping out of gear

Answered by CarsGuide 7 Jul 2011

I would get another opinion, as I doubt it is the clutch. I reckon it's wear in the gearbox itself.

Transmission

Ask Smithy Xtra BA Falcon MKII XR6 strange sound on take-off

Answered by CarsGuide 19 Apr 2011

It’s probably the diff mounting bushes, they’re a known problem with the BA, and probably need replacing.

Ford Falcon: Blown gasket

Answered by CarsGuide 22 Mar 2011

Is there water in the engine oil when you remove the dipstick? If there is you could have a blown head gasket. If you did, however, I would expect the engine to be running poorly. Another check you could do is to remove the spark plugs and check for signs of water on them. A blown head gasket would cost around $700-$1000 to fix depending on the condition of the cylinder head. If you’re concerned about oil in the water, that is, in the radiator it could be that you have a problem with the auto transmission cooler. The coolers are a known problem with Falcons, and when they fail water gets into the auto transmission and eventually causes that to fail.

Engine

Shaky Falcon wheel

Answered by CarsGuide 10 Feb 2011

It could well be that the discs are warping because the brakes are not fully releasing when you take your foot off the pedal. Check the vacuum booster, they are a known problem, and Ford used two different boosters with different rod lengths and it's important to get the one with the correct rod length for your car.

Ask Smithy Xtra Vibrating 05 Falcon

Answered by CarsGuide 25 Jan 2011

No, brake rotors are regarded as consumable items and not covered by the new car warranty.

Vibrating Falcon

Answered by CarsGuide 20 Jan 2011

The brake could be the clue. We have had reports of a vibration similar to yours that is caused by the brake master cylinder not fully releasing the brakes. Have the master cylinder checked; you might need to replace it.

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