Ford Transit 1980

Ford Transit 1980 Q&As

Check out real-world situations relating to the Ford Transit here, particularly what our experts have to say about them.

• How can I keep my 1997 Ford Transit Winnebago from feeling sluggish?

  In 1997, the Ford Transit was offered with a pair of diesel engines and a petrol engine. But the most powerful of them (the petrol) could muster up just 83kW, which, combined with the weight of the vehicle (around 1600kg) plus the weight of the camper conversion (maybe another tonne with full water tanks etc), equals paltry performance and acceleration.

  The simplest thing to do is make sure the engine is tuned to its absolute best. But even then, you’re fighting an uphill (literally) battle thanks to all that mass, not to mention the appalling aerodynamics of a campervan. If you don’t mind spending a lot more money, you could upgrade the engine and transmission to a more modern one but, at that point, you’re probably better off buying a newer van altogether.

  Maybe in 1997 life was quite a bit slower and your vehicle wasn’t such a mobile roadblock. That said, plenty of modern day caravaners are happy to sit at 80 or 90km/h, so maybe you just need to find the right mindset and become a bit more Zen with your camper. Of course, even if you do manage that, some driving tasks such as overtaking and merging into traffic will require plenty of forward planning and understanding from other motorists.

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• Am I able to tow a car behind my Ford Transit motor-home?

  The crucial number here is the towing capacity of the Transit. This model ranged form 2000kg to 2750kg (depending on body and wheelbase) so a Daihatsu car shouldn't take you anywhere near that limit. That, of course, is if you flat-tow the Daihatsu behind the motor-home. If, however, you tow the car on a trailer, then you might (depending on the trailer's size and construction) find you're getting close to that limit in some circumstances.

  The other problems will be the same ones faced by anybody who tows a decent sized load; wear and tear on the mechanical components and the sheer cost of fuel, particularly diesel.

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• Does the 2003 Ford Transit have a timing chain or cam belt?

  The model you've nominated has a timing chain, which, in theory, should be good for the life of the engine. However, that's not always the case, and some specialists recommend changing the timing chain at intervals of 200,000km. That is still a pretty decent innings for a hard-working vehicle like a Transit and is longer than the change interval for most engines with toothed rubber timing belts.

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• 2017 Ford Transit minibus cutting out when moving out of junctions

  You’ve gone down the right path by having the vehicle scanned first, and even though no fault codes were revealed, that doesn’t mean it was a waste of time. In some cases, a mechanic experienced in a particular make and model will know that a fault with no code is caused by a specific part or piece of software. LS1 Holden V8s, for instance can experience a misfire with no code showing up. In that case, an experienced LS1 mechanic will go straight to the spark plugs as the cause.

  So the best advice is to find a Ford Transit specialist as this problem has almost certainly occurred before to somebody else. Be aware, too, that Transits built between September 2014 and January 2015 were subject to a recall to replace a batch of faulty fuel injectors which were causing the precise symptoms you’ve noted. Ford believed the problem was solved for vehicles built after January 2015 (including yours) but it’s worth checking since it was a big enough problem for Ford Australia to issue a fleet-wide recall.

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