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barra 5.4 bang for bucks 

 

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 Post subject: barra 5.4 bang for bucks
Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 11:38 pm 
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Age: 57

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Joined: 23rd Nov 2010

Ride: BA Fairlane G220

Location: brisbane
QLD, Australia

just had new timing chain tensioners fitted to fix start up rattle noise probs on my 03 BA Fairlane G220 - only 80k on the clock! workshop says they can't read my ECU VIN to do a custom tune, have to pay $700 for an off shelf 1 tune chip and then they can custom tune from there = + more $. looking for advice on what/where to spend $ to get better off line performance - intake/cat back exhaust/ other ???
Any advice appreciated
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 Post subject: Re: barra 5.4 bang for bucks
Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2010 12:15 am 
Parts Gopher
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Ride: 2008 BFII Fairmont Ghia

Location: Greystanes, Western Sydney
NSW, Australia

like just about every factory car on earth, it will benefit from a free-er flowing exhaust, plus you get to hear and enjoy all 8 cylinders with one. headers, hi flow cats (this is a debated issue) and a high flow sports exhaust with a muffler or so removed. just about any exhaust shop will line them up for you, and depending on brands, parts and such, ballpark would be 850 ish for a cheaper system installed by a decent shop to well north of 2k for a big stainless steel system, ceramic coated headers etc etc done by a more expensive place
thats pretty much the first port of call for anyone wanting more from there car
then if you are staying na, you go down the road of intake, head, cam, diff, gearbox etc etc
or just pop a big blower in the valley and buy some shares in dunlop tyres :)

 

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RED-JET - BFII Fairmont Ghia - Under Construction...
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 Post subject: Re: barra 5.4 bang for bucks
Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2010 1:03 am 
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Ride: BA Fairlane G220

Location: brisbane
QLD, Australia

Thanks hunt3r - looks like <$1k best spent on exhaust, next $ intake and tune after?
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 Post subject: Re: barra 5.4 bang for bucks
Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2010 1:19 am 
Parts Gopher
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Age: 35

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Joined: 24th May 2010

Ride: 2008 BFII Fairmont Ghia

Location: Greystanes, Western Sydney
NSW, Australia

yeah definately, though i cant say too much about the tune , my experience(limited as it is) is on the old 4l 6-bangers. something with a newer computer would have a much better chance of responding well to a good tune. just need to decide how far you want to take it. if you are going to go crazy and start chucking major cams or forced induction, best bet is to wait until the work is complete so your cat isnt on the dyno every 2nd weekend
get an exhaust and take her for a belt, then see if you want more grunt/noise etc is probably the best way to go about it

 

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Rocky AKA The Tractor- ED Gli head+cam 3.7 limo 2x15' subs - gone but not forgotten
RED-JET - BFII Fairmont Ghia - Under Construction...
Rambo - NCII Fairlane Ghia 5.0l - just a daily runaround...

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 Post subject: Re: barra 5.4 bang for bucks
Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2010 1:52 am 
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Age: 57

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Joined: 23rd Nov 2010

Ride: BA Fairlane G220

Location: brisbane
QLD, Australia

thnx - exhaust "sounds" way to go - been reading other forum posts re early 5.4 3v probs and have had timing chain tensioners fixed but now noticed posted issues with VCT phasor??? can anyone advise what this is is and how can diagnose if it is a problem and how to fix at what $

also have climate control mixer motor req fix - as others said dash out to do,ford quoted $950

hope once above fixed no more probs with BA G220 (spark plugs siezing on replacement? oh no! maybe should do soon at only 80k???)
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 Post subject: Re: barra 5.4 bang for bucks
Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2010 5:31 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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Ride: FG Ute, ED XR8 Sprint, GPZ900R

Location: Leopold, Geelong
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best bang for your buck mod to get you off the line is diff gears mate, 4.11's to be exact :). If you actually want to increase performance from your engine then the usual exhaust, intake, tune combo works quite well without completely blowing your budget, econonomy, or reliability

 

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 Post subject: Re: barra 5.4 bang for bucks
Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2010 8:18 pm 
Parts Gopher
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Ride: 2008 BFII Fairmont Ghia

Location: Greystanes, Western Sydney
NSW, Australia

thats true about the diff gears, but it also carries with it the speedo adjustment you will have to get done, and the, particularly with 4.11 gears, substantial increase in fuel costs for any sort of distance driving
though 4.11s would be a lot of fun in one of those puppies :)

 

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Rocky AKA The Tractor- ED Gli head+cam 3.7 limo 2x15' subs - gone but not forgotten
RED-JET - BFII Fairmont Ghia - Under Construction...
Rambo - NCII Fairlane Ghia 5.0l - just a daily runaround...

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 Post subject: Re: barra 5.4 bang for bucks
Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2010 9:39 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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What'd it cost you to get the tensioners done?

I'd go (and plan to)
Stage 1:
Cat Back + Intake

Stage 2:
Extractors + Cats

Stage 3:
Custom Tune

 

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DAILY - BA Fairmont Ghia 5.4 3V

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 Post subject: Re: barra 5.4 bang for bucks
Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2010 11:30 pm 
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Ride: BA Fairlane G220

Location: brisbane
QLD, Australia

tensioners cost $1250 parts and labour all up - car still at shop more probs now being sorted (including broken spark plug on removal) - will update when all done!
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 Post subject: Re: barra 5.4 bang for bucks
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 12:44 am 
Getting Side Ways
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the intake tube alone got me .3 quicker down the 1/4 than stock :shock: & is a cheap mod.

then did the full exhaust and got around another .5 of my pb... abit over $2000 all up for the system.

i'm still to get it tuned, as i'm looking at other options before i get it done (to save money) :wink:
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 Post subject: Re: barra 5.4 bang for bucks
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 2:45 pm 
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What are the numbers on the sticker of the PCM?
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 Post subject: Re: barra 5.4 bang for bucks
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 7:54 pm 
Smokin em up
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Ride: Fairmont Ghia BA 5.4L V8, AU 6

Power: 205 rwkw

Location: Perth
WA, Australia

{USERNAME} wrote:
thnx - exhaust "sounds" way to go - been reading other forum posts re early 5.4 3v probs and have had timing chain tensioners fixed but now noticed posted issues with VCT phasor??? can anyone advise what this is is and how can diagnose if it is a problem and how to fix at what $


Hey Dude,

Yeah with your VCT Phasors, what they do is sit infront of the cams and act like a sprocket. However, they can move upto 60 degrees allowing the computer to advance and retard the timing depending on what your foots doing. They use electronic oil solenoids controlled by the computer to do the job. This is why the 3V has its tourque alot sooner in the rev range as compared to the non-VCT boss motors. They make a knocking sound when they are buggered, as far as i know though they don't do any damage they just make a s**t of noise. And with the tensioners, they say that the timing chain can jump a tooth, but as long as you dont rev the s**t out of it while the tensioners are priming you should be right. Mine has been making the rattle for a while now, and ive even heard of one guy on fordforums who got his tensioners fixed only for it to came back again some 12 months later. So i figure whats the point? Already paid 4 grand for a new trans at 120 thou, so Fraud aint getting another cent out of me.

If you do want to do the VCT Phasors, source them from BPT motorsport as Fraud want $700-$800 each for them, when BPT only want $385.

and + 1 on what EFFalcon Said.

 

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Chaos, Panic and Disorder. My work here is finally done.
BA Fairmont Ghia 5.4L. Mods -Full Exhaust, Chipped, Custom Intake, CAI @205.4RWKW.
Stezza - Alpine Type R Splits & 6x9's, Alpine 400w RMS 4ch, 380w RMS Pioneer Mono, 2x12" Pioneer Subs and an AVH-P5950DVD Player.

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 Post subject: Re: barra 5.4 bang for bucks
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 10:46 pm 
Fordmods Newbie
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Age: 57

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Ride: BA Fairlane G220

Location: brisbane
QLD, Australia

Thanks for the info - tensioners fixed, new plugs fitted but motor still sounds like an old diesel for first 5+ seconds on cold start up (misses and rattles) then ok - any thoughts on cause??? VCT/cams/phasors??? mechanic not sure until further investigation - remove rocker covers again!
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 Post subject: Re: barra 5.4 bang for bucks
Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2010 6:27 pm 
Smokin em up
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Age: 38

Posts: 276

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Gallery: 12 images

Ride: Fairmont Ghia BA 5.4L V8, AU 6

Power: 205 rwkw

Location: Perth
WA, Australia

{USERNAME} wrote:
Thanks for the info - tensioners fixed, new plugs fitted but motor still sounds like an old diesel for first 5+ seconds on cold start up (misses and rattles) then ok - any thoughts on cause??? VCT/cams/phasors??? mechanic not sure until further investigation - remove rocker covers again!


So you replaced the tensioners and its still happening? Did he replace the top and bottom tensioner guides aswell? Only thing i could suggest would be using the right thickness of oil, this helps alot. I use Castrol Edge 5W-30 and it seems to be good s**t. They rely on the thin oil for the VCT to work properly. And also make sure you use an oil filter with an anti-drain back valve, Ryco filters have them.

I doubt it will be the cams as they have roller rockers so they dont make much noise, it could be the phasor sprockets that sit infront of the cams.

Go to this website and view video 17. It explains how and what the VCT does. and explains a few common problems with the Phasors, then they show you how to fix it.
http://www.flatratetech.com/index.php?categoryid=4

 

_________________

Chaos, Panic and Disorder. My work here is finally done.
BA Fairmont Ghia 5.4L. Mods -Full Exhaust, Chipped, Custom Intake, CAI @205.4RWKW.
Stezza - Alpine Type R Splits & 6x9's, Alpine 400w RMS 4ch, 380w RMS Pioneer Mono, 2x12" Pioneer Subs and an AVH-P5950DVD Player.

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 Post subject: Re: barra 5.4 bang for bucks
Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2010 1:58 am 
Fordmods Newbie
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Age: 57

Posts: 7

Joined: 23rd Nov 2010

Ride: BA Fairlane G220

Location: brisbane
QLD, Australia

Thnx smokin - link very helpfull - will fwd to shop 2day - want to be back on road asap (driving borrowed AU futura grandpa car very boring :roll: )

Also thnx to all advice: will do intake next, then cat back followed by flash tune - rest of G220 factory set up inc suspension (same as XR), interior, etc ok enough for me.

(lol - first ever car owned 1974 SLR 5000!!! bought as 2nd owner in 84 - nothing hi tech back then)
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