Howdy, got a real problem with my wife's EF Futura, which is Tickford duel fuel job. The converter sticks full open, car won't start no matter what you do. Took it to Ford before Christmas, they freeed it up and said if it happened again we would have to get teh converter rebuilt ata price aof about $550 -$600. It's stuck again, does anyone know how to free it up? I can't afford to get it fixed right now and it's too expensive to drivew it full time on petrol.....HElp

Hi Ratj,
You could go to a wrecker and pick up a second hand one, a lot of the EL/EL Taxi's had the tickford system and most of them are now available for parts at the local wreckers. If you can't get one then any local LPG installer will be able to do a clean / service for much much less than the $600.

Hope this helps
Cheers
TW.

the converter kit is only a couple diaphrams, springs and seals. most gas places can supply them. you can do it yourself and then have the gas tuned. the problem with second hand ones is the diaphrams could be stretched and wont peform as good as a new or rebuilt one.

Go to a LPG specialist, if you f**k up the rebuild, refit and tune you will have more problems than you have now, ask around for a LPG mechanic that most customers are happy with, there is some real d***head in the LPG game that shouldn't have a licence and/or a licenced workshop.

Give Gas Research a call, when my convertor in my EA started leaking it was cheaper to replace the convertor with a new one than rebuild it. I'm not sure about the tickford ones though, the guys a gas research will.

http://www.gasresearchpc.com.au/html/contact_us1.html

haven't evercome across a convertor sticking on one of them. sounds more likely to be the stepper motor being fully open. ignore fords price on that rebuild. i have 2 brand new ones here that i sell at 520 each. so their prices suck.
take it to someone who knows what they're doing. in sydney that'd be boral alternative fuel systems (aus distributors) if not, give em a call and ask who their state distibutors are and go see them.

yep - boral can probably help you out

rebuild units are about $300 i think and a newy is about $400.

The sticking is probably the secondary pin or the stepper motor.
Avoid rebuilding the converter yourself, it's about 100 separate parts and is very easy to stuff up if you don't know what you're doing

The guys at Ford did say something about having to unstick something, must be that secondary pin you just mentioned. How do you unstick it? Can't be that hard, as Ford did it pretty quickly and only charged $118!!! If I can just free it up for a little while longer, I can get it fully checked out and get some money up to get whatever needs doing done...Rod

Sorry for bringing up an old post but i'm having a similar problem.
The car is an EL with the Tickford fitted gas. The gas works intermitantly.

One gas place reckoned the converter was stuffed and quoted $1100 to replace it, which I think is hugely way over priced. Just wondering about any other options.

Can anyone recommend a gas place in the Frankston area that wont rip me off on a rebuild or new converter?

Thanks

Hi mate.

You dont have to pay that much.
I only fixed mine yesterday.

All it is , is the idle jet that is clogged.
Remove the e clip that holds the black square box on the pin . remove the black box, just slide it off.

Before you proceed with the next step, please shut the gas tank vavle off.

Get a ring spanner and slowly unscrew the nut until you hear the gas pressure totally dissapear.

PLEASE DO NOT SMOKE .

Once the preesure is relieved, romeve the plug totally, under the plug is a spring , remove it, the idle jet is at the bottom, dont try taking it out.
Get some fine wire and poke it through the idle jet.

reinstall the spring , locate the o ring properly on the plug and lightly lubricate it with some saliva.

put the black box back on and the clip.

Turn the gas vavle back on and first lsiten and smell for a gas leak prior to starting.

if all is well , start the engine..

this fixed mine.

If it doesnt fix it , then remove the vapour hose of the stepper motor and have a look inside the port of the stepper.

You should not see any moisture in it, if it has then the stepper motor is most likely stuck.

$190 new from ford.

also unscrew the draun plug on the bottom of the converter and let it drain.

Also if moisture is evident on the stepper motor, it is very likely that the diaphram has a pin hole in it.

hope this helps.