Hi everyone,

I've just bought an ex-taxi AU series III Ford Falcon station wagon. It cost me $800 and its main purpose is to get me to the train station and back (since I didn't feel safe leaving my new Toyota Corolla Levin out there all day long )... and of course for the odd errand where I have to drive something large such as a couch.
The odometer says 609,000KMs but i've been told that the engine was replaced at around the 500,000KM mark... the replacement engine had about 150,000KMs on it. Anyway, it needs an oil change since the oil is all black... what oil should I use here seeing as it's an older engine... should I use 20/50 or something even thicker than that? I usually use Castrol Magnetec 10/40W for the Corolla Levin... but not so sure here with the Falcon.
The gearbox is okay... I think? It takes about a second to go into reverse and when it does I hear a slight thump in the back of the car?
The steering is making a funny click sound when I turn it all the way left or right? is this indicating a worn steering rack?
Another small issue is that the ABS light is always on and my fuel guage doesn't work (maybe because it's LPG?)... is there any way to fix these issues?

Also, my high beam lights don't work for some reason? Driving lights and parking lights work fine but once I engage high beam, they don't come on and only the parkers stay on... if I try to flash someone with high beams, that doesn't work either... is this a faulty relay or light globes?

I can't complain too much about these issues (but would be nice if I could fix them!) since I got an AUIII wagon for $800 and it comes with a few months rego too!

coz its over head cam it would need a thinner oil like 15_40 or so.
Also yea thers no petrol in the tank coz its on lpg thats y it says empty. Lol.
Headlights unsure maybe fuse or somthin.

the "click" is just a pressure idle switch so that when you turn the wheels at idle with no throttle, then that little switch will just knock up the idle a little bit.
it should do that

that is what i was told by the mechanic who services the bf

Not necessarily, only if it has a separate LPG gauge. Some installers combine the Petrol and LPG into the factory gauge. If that is the case it should be working when selected to LPG.

You ABS light staying on could be a faulty sensor or a faulty bag.

With the headlights, start with the basics, check your fuses and globes then swap a few relays around. That is take one from something you know is working and try it in the highbeam.
If none of that works you may have a fault in the wiring.

As for the oil I go with a 15/40 as well

I've never understood the grading of these oils... apart from the lower the number the more expensive... so I should use 15/40 right? If I were to use 20/50W would there be any detrimental effects? 15's close to 20 LOL... but I don't think it works that way.

Anyway, the steering click issue at close to full lock... could that indicate a worn steering rack? I don't think it's worn though because there's no play in the steering (just a thought though), as soon as I turn it, the wheels turn.

Today I actually had time to take a good look at the car and I've discovered my air conditioning isn't getting cold at all. The A/C light is on but it just gets a tad cooler say better than using the fan... would this require a re-gas and a few seals to be replaced at the same time? Also, the blower fan is making an annoying whining/clicking noise when I activate the interior fan... where is the fan unit located? I hear it from behind the glovebox I think?

ford-4l-and-6-cylinder-f1/oil-once-and-for-all-updated-first-post-24-4-2010-t27324.html

and stop using magnatec in your other car.

Wait. stop using magnatec 10/40W in the corolla? but that's what the Toyota dealer tells me to buy for the Corolla and that's what they use in the workshop as well...