bluesmuso

Yeah I just drove it again, it is a bit better. I took it onto a nearby 100 zone highway and with traffic permiting tried a 0-100kph run and I guessed it to be about eight something seconds (stock na xr6 time) still feels like bugger all boost, I think I'd be lucky to be making 1 psi LOL Anyway thanks for the info, cheers Bluesmuso (Martin) P.S. ZZR1100 Kawasaki....now your talking! My bike was the older air cooled 1982 GSX1100 (same engine as the Katana) well as my mates used to say when I went for a ride "Keep the dirty side down" (don't drop it) Bluesmuso

The PCM and TPS re-set seemed to help, it feels like the boost is coming on earlier but has no top end, but it does feel a bit better. I like doing my own mechanical work as long as I know what I'm doing, if it's a horrible job or beyond me I'm happy to pay a mechanic to solve my problems. A bit off topic but I used to have large motor bikes when I was in my 20,s and pulled a few GSX1100 motors down and re-built (they are still a top engine even these days) .There is nothing as good as being on a large powerful bike on a nice day unless you hit something or something hits you, sold my last bike when I turned 30.

Thanks Racerx you are an 'encyclopaedia of knowledge' I'll try these things and see how I go, If I can get it running properly and average fuel consumption back down to 13-14L/100 rather than 22L/100 I'll be happy. I've still got it booked in at the tuners but if I can check some things for myself it helps.

Thanks Gregor, but I think the car is a bit old for Ford to have accurate service records and it may have been serviced elsewhere, I know that when I had my new VX when I shopped around I could get a service done for more than $100 less than at the dealerships. The previous owner has agreed to post them over to me, so I'll wait and see if I get them. sixapeal, I've been to Ford and they showed me how to re-set the keypad so that the stray keypad cannot unlock my car anymore and when I asked it seemed that the previous owner had lost the other key, so I might look at getting my key re-coded as well.

I've got a compressor at work I'll try and borrow it, hey Racerx how do you re-set the PCM and throttle position sensor? Disconnect the battery?

Cheers Racerx you are a champ, I did pretty much what you said in your post this morning whilst car was cold, removed rear heatshield, found the pivot arm which goes to the front underneath canaster (Actuator I think) The pivot arm could not be moved by hand at all, but I did not put any compressed air through the boost solenoid (which is by the battery) But I sprayed Silicone lube onto the pivot point of the arm using a mirror to see what I was doing. Should I be able to manually move the waste gate pivot arm? Or will it only move with air pressure applied through the boost solenoid? I put it back together and drove it but no real difference, car comes on boost at very low rpm (from 1200-1500rpm you can hear the turbo spooling up) but feels like it is getting bugger all boost and would only go a little bit better than a na XR6 but with twice the fuel consumption 21L/100km's taking it easy......oxygen sensor problem? To take the turbo off completely do you need to heat up the nuts to get them off?

Thanks Ravenhard, I have the car booked in for later next week at Graham West Workshops, I'll speak to them, I'll ask that he checks the wastegate function as well as for a blocked exhaust (the car sounds muffled and too quiet, from inside it is a distant hum). I'm not too sure how they can test to see if the exhaust has an obstruction without pulling it apart though.

How are the wastegate solenoid hoses supposed to go? Any pics? I've had a quick look at the Turbo charger and it seems very clean and spins easily with little or now discerable bearing shaft play.

If I could establish that the problem was actuator or wastegate flapper I'd pull the turbo off myself and have it repaired and then re-install like I did on my Pulsar ET years ago, it's just a matter of accurate diagnosis which is best left to the tuner with a dyno. I am not too shy about mechanical work as long as I know what the problem is and have a good workshop manual, that way I can save money

I've answered my own question, no I can't use it and must use the newer castrol synthetic fluid specified for all fords from AU onwards, it's about $26.00 for a 1 litre bottle.

Cheers Mike XR6T, yes Bill is a really nice guy and knows his sh*t, I'll be ringing West Workshops later today, I will be LPG injecting my xr6t once I have it running well, after owning 2 cars on LPG it is hard getting used to paying for petrol again and if done properly can work well on the xr6t.

I haven't booked it in but probably next week some time.

I spoke to Bill from ATS and he recommended Graeme West Workshops at Parkholme, I had a Pulsar Turbo 12 years ago fixed by Bill and he was great and a nice guy, he even pulled apart the turbo and showed me the workings whilst he was replacing the core bearings whilst I watched, so if he recommends GWW that's good enough for me.

ebxmple "Are you sure it isnt modded in anyway?" I'll find out when I get it to the tuners in a few days, I found a pair of circlip pliers in the intake before the air filter, so who knows what it's had done to it, I needed a pair of circlip pliers, maybe there's a good Sidchrome socket set in the sump and a torque wrench in the petrol tank LOL But seriously I think something has been done to the transmission, the shifts feel really firm even at light throttle take off and it seems to change up really quickly (doesn't hang on to lower gears unless you put your foot down)

UPDATE: I can't speak highly enough about Ceva Logistics for interstate car transportation, they were professional, reliable and friendly and one of the cheaper quotes $278 depot to depot Melb to Adel, many prices where $380 -$450, one mob wanted $900. Anyone considering interstate car freight should check Ceva out, and I'm not being paid by them to say this, I just don't want anyone else here in my situation paying too much.

My steering is heavy when parking (03 BA xr6T) but it's probably due to the wider tyres but I did notice that the power steering fluid is quite low and needs topping up (at the min line) but steering is not noisy or shuddering. I have a brand new bottle of Valvoline ATF DX-3 trans fluid, it says on the bottle recommended for GMH, Ford and some imported vehicles. But on the back it says "recommended for service fill where Ford M2C138-CJ and 166H are nominated." "Should not be used where Ford Type F or G fluids are specified" Now I don't have my owner's manual yet (see other thread) so I don't know what they specify, and if I ring Ford they will say use only Ford power steering fluid to either sell it to me or because there actually is a mechanical reason to use it. At this stage I will stay on the side of caution and will not use the Valvoline.

Well, I've replaced that now but it would have been nice not to have to, but the car is exacly what I wanted and I could not find one here in S.A. for the price. Once I get the books I'll be as happy as a dog with two dicks, it does have lots of extras such as Premium sound, Ford Momo steering wheel, shift kit, external trans cooler (albeit mounted in front of the intercooler) and I've always wanted Blueprint, now all I need to do is get it to a good tuner to get it running right.

Thanks heaps guys, I have found a tuner who is local in marion, I will have him check it out, in the mean time I will check for boost leaks etc. Whatever the problem it is affecting economy but I guess it would if it is either a restriction (melted cat) or boost leak or tuning issue. I just noticed it has an external trans cooler mounted in front of the turbo intercooler (not the best spot) I think it also has a shift kit as the car has very solid firm shifts even at light throttle. Thanks heaps guys, I'll get to that tuner.

I've only had the car about a week, but love it to death, however in spite of having great torque it really does not want to get up and go, in fact whilst it's roll on performance is quite good it's not much faster than my 3.5 magna up to 80 or 100 kph standing start, having driven a few non turbo ba's it does not feel much faster but sometimes has a quick burst of power (between the flat spots) Turbo can be heard and there is blow off valve sound (only sometimes though) as it comes off boost, turbo can be heard still spinning for a while after car has been turned off but it is very quiet (without the bonnet up you'd barely notice it) so it must still be working, but car has done 165,000km's so oil supply screen may be partially blocked and killing the turbo. Fuel filter replaced: no improvement Boost solenoid treated with WD40: no improvement Coolong system full flush: Coolant was a coffee brown colour (not red) and is now bright green but no improvement to performance and I didn't expect it but mentioned the flush anyway. Possibilities: (my guessing) Turbo oil supply line screen dirty? Restriction in exhaust somewhere? Maf de-tuned to prevent damage????not sure about that one. Turbo failing and on it's way out????....hope not, it still spins and spools up. I once gave it a bit in 1st gear and it was all flat spot up to 3,500rpm then suddenly took off but went flat again before 5,500 rpm at which time it changed into 2nd. It really feels like it isn't running much boost, it also is not very responsive at light throttle driving and needs a heavy push on the pedal to get it moving, most n/a BA's I've driven are very light and sensitive to even minimal throttle applications and require minimal throttle to leap off at the lights, but they are obviously a different throttlebody setup. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated, I will pull out and check/clean/remove the oil supply screen ASAP Is loss of power a sign of a dying turbo? It also has dreadful fuel consumption average 22L/100kms with the occasional boot, but with really light footed go with the flow off traffic type driving it showed 12.5L/100kms bt that was before I put my foot down, but I've yet to actually measure the fuel use at the pump. Sorry about all the questions but as a new comer I'm really eager to learn about these great cars.

Cheers Pube, I got the filter today and Ford service dept said I don't have to do anything, just unscrew the threaded sections from the old filter and remove. But I don't like the idea of high pressure fuel all over the place so I'll pull out the fuel pump relay and run it out first to release pressure.

UPDATE: I phoned them, they'd been away, they are really nice people and have the service records/book there and are posting them over straight away, they'd forgot to put them back in the car and were very apologetic. Thanks heaps for your replies everyone, drive safe. Bluesmuso

Cheers Senna_T

Thanks Varaitch

I had a V6 Late model camira and before removing the fuel filter you had to remove the fuel pump fuse and run the car dry otherwise you got a face full of petrol, do you have to do the same with the BA xr6t? I did a search but did not see this point mentioned.

Thanks guys, drove it home in the heat and it's still at the max level (actually a bit over) when it's cooled down. Does anyone know when the thermo fans cut in or do they only come on with the air cond? Mine never come on without the air cond. My wife says I talk too much, look at the size of my opening thread question.......wtf it's a biography. Thanks guys, I just didn't want my "Geelong Gem" to over heat.