Reliability Of 6t?

[Geeseman]

Hi Guys.

I'm looking at getting a Xr6 but am a bit worried about the Turbo as a choice because of it being a new addtion to the ford line up and that it doesn't have a track record for longevity of performance.

I know that with the standard 182Kw XR6 I will get a solid engine that will have plenty of life left in it at 100,000Ks, but I'm not too sure that the Turbo will be the same. Does the extra performance strain on the engine mean that it will have a shorter life? Does the turbo system require more maintenance than the standard 6?

So, how old are the T's out there and are they still performing as you would expect a falcon to run?

At this stage the T is 6K more expensive than the standard XR6 and dealers are more willing to bargain on the standard XR6 than the T because of availability. I also think that the standard 6XR is quite a solid engine - it pulls hard, and although the T is a lot stronger in its powerband, the 182 barra is quite good. Any comments?

[GOLDIE]

The turbo motor has different con rods,pistons,valves and as such is biuld stronger to handle the extra power so I do not think there would be any problems with longevity as long as they are serviced regulaly and you use high grade oil.the turbo is also of high qaulity and should also last as well.we have done 32000 km so far and no major faults we also have had the boost at ten psi for 10000 km and this has not caused any problems either.

Ian

[Guest xr6t mayhem]

Funny how, when an Aussie car maker introduces a Turbo model, doubts of reliability appear. Yet no-one mentions poor reliability when they talk about the WRX, or the 200SX, two turbo engined vehicles, with smaller capacities than the XR6T. I think Australia has poor memories of the old VL Commy (a beast in it's own right), however Turbo technology has come a fair way since '87, most notably with the advent of ball-bearing turbos. IMO, the Ford turbo 6 will be no more reliable/unreliable than the rest of the BA range, and after you compare it to the NA, you'll find the extra moulah for the Turbo .

[Geeseman]

Thanks for the feedback.

I'm not meaning to doubt the XR6T - I have no experience with Turbo units, I just understand that they increase the performance of the engine and I'm wondering if it's at the cost of the longevity of the engine.

iaschmidt, you mentioned that you increased the boost of your Turbo.. How much performance increase did you get from this?

Also any normal XR6 guys out there with any feedback on the normal Barra 182?

[Guest EdMoorhouse]

I bought my first turbo car in 1991. It is a 1990 Laser TX3 and it now has done 193000 km with no drama. I would expect the XR6T to go the distance as well.

[GOLDIE]

iaschmidt, you mentioned that you increased the boost of your Turbo.. How much performance increase did you get from this?

With boost,3.5 inch exhaust,ss induction cold air intake. We now have 325fwkw's. It now goes loike a cut snake.

Ian

[Superoo]

Geeseman,

I think you will find that Ford also had the reliability/longevity issue high on their agenda when developing the 6T. The last thing they want is their reputation for building strong engines ruined.

To quote a Ford employee who was interviewed recently about the 6T development:

"Whatever we came out with had to be a durable package - we set our own standards and said we weren't going to compromise any of Ford's durability, so the turbo engine did all the same testing that the naturally aspirated engine did."

The truth is only time will tell but there are no guarantees whatever your choice so I wouldn't let these doubts sway you away from the T.

[Cobra]

more power .... less life

that old rule IMHO will prove true

without spending $k$k$k on the thing and beefing it up, the "cheap" unleashed power of the early mods have a price tag at a later date

in saying that;

the more power to you

[Geeseman]

iaschmidt, you mentioned that you increased the boost of your Turbo.. How much performance increase did you get from this?

With boost,3.5 inch exhaust,ss induction cold air intake. We now have 325fwkw's. It now goes loike a cut snake.

Ian

Thanks for the info guys.

With boost,3.5 inch exhaust,ss induction cold air intake. We now have 325fwkw's. It now goes loike a cut snake.

Ian

Holy cow!

How fast does it go now? I'm assuming that these mods will void warranty?

I've test driven a few T's over the last weeks and I'm pulling my hair out trying to decide to get the T or the normal barra XR6. Only 6 grand difference...

[Zeke]

I don't really think there's a choice! If you can stretch to the T, go for it! The fact that you're lusting after it means you'll regret buying the NA. If you leave the T stock, you'll have a very quick, reliable car with no durability or warranty hassles. And after the years of driver enjoyment, you'll recoup a fair bit of your initial expenditure in increased resale.

I really think its a no-brainer unless you really CAN'T afford the extra or you have NO interest in performance, in which case you probably wouldn't be subscribing to this forum.

Not Knocking the NA - its a fine car - just that the T offers so much more for the extra cost!

Regards

zeke