1989 EA Falcon

MackayGraeme · 12-03-2006, 07:56 PM

Sorry to bother you all, but have bought a 1989 Ea falcon sedan a few months ago for 400 dollars, body and interior in excellent condition, motor seems to be in very good condition as well, but does a few funny things and hope some of you people here can help. It has the throttle body injection.

I have put a half a bottle of fule injector cleaner in a quarter full tank (probably too much) as the ildling was up and down and not consistent and sometimes could hear misses at the exaust sometimes. Have used all the fuel in the tank and have put another 20 litres in and still seems to be not much difference...would appreciate any advice.......?

Also it has the 3 speed auto and the car has been stting for a few months and the gear change seems to quite sudden and harsh especially the down change, fluid is the correct level....?

Also the power steering is leaking in the rack part of the steering and have been told by a local automatic place up here that to drive in and out it will cost about $420.00.....exchange rack..$350, wheel alignment...$40.00, new fluid etc.......any advice...?

Will putting 15 " alloy snow flake mags affect the speedo reading by much......?

Sorry for all the questions, but want to keep the car and spend a bit of money on it but not quite familar with all the quirks of these cars.

Graeme

Kenno · 12-03-2006, 08:10 PM

i'd start with plugs and leads, do the leads look old or have white marks on them where they have been arcing onto the rocker cover?

snypereb · 12-03-2006, 10:45 PM

Firstly you should only need a service on your auto tranny! Next your probably running cfi so i would also suggest a multi point injection conversion which i am doing at the moment! Im wouldnt mess around with anything to do with the steering though!!

Damo · 12-03-2006, 11:16 PM

i got a good condition second hand steering rack for $50 when my car took and excursion into the gutter and snapped the mounts clean off the k frame. :O That was a year and a half ago and the rack is still good. They're not hard to change either but you'll prolly need a wheel alignment.

ilsautomotive · 13-03-2006, 12:41 AM

Personally I prefer to use 98 octane fuel (purely for the cleaning agents) on a regular basis rather than using any aftermarket additives.

I had a major steering leak in mine, but it was just the power steering switch, which is an inexpensive part and a common fault.

And no factory alloys of the same age will affect speedo readings - it's modified diffs and transmissions that usually will do that.

MackayGraeme · 13-03-2006, 07:51 AM

Thanks for all the advice fellas, think it is a really good site

shane289 · 13-03-2006, 09:10 AM

Check all your vacume hoses up near LHS of the fire wall and heater tape, make sure there conected.

Get the auto serviced $150.00 ?

With the sterring rack is it leaking from the rubber boots on the ends or from the switch. If its the switch its easy to replace and cheap to buy, if it from the boots replace the hole rack. If you get a second hand one remove the boots and check for fluid leaks.

With your wheels if you take your diff ratio ( there is a tag on the diff wich will tell you your ratio ) Wheel size and model car car to the ford dealer he can tell which gear you need for your speedo, then just change them.

snypereb · 13-03-2006, 09:47 AM

$150 should get you a fairly good service i get mine for $120.

BLUEMISTEA · 13-03-2006, 11:14 AM

The best advice i can think of is for you to go out and buy a workshop manual and an analogue multimeter then you can learn how to do the diagnostic test for the computer, i've found most idling problems are due to faulty sensors.
Much more satisfying to find and fix problems yourself... Good luck!!! :voldar02:

MackayGraeme · 13-03-2006, 08:46 PM

Hi again fellas,
Thanks again for the advice i have been recieving it has been very helpfull, just a couple of more questions.....the passenger door is a bit hard to open, have to lift the door handle quite hard to open, does it need adjusting inside and do I have to remove the door lining or what.....?

The roof lining is hanging down a little, if I was to take it out and try to glue it my self, what would be the best glue to use or any advice for this...?

And one more....I want to put another radio arial on as the standard electric is no good, I just want to replace it with a rubber conventional arial, do i have to take off the whole mudguard as I have removed to plastic panel under the mudguard and it looks like I cannot get to the arial...?

Thanks again

snypereb · 13-03-2006, 09:47 PM

Sounds like your door hindges have dropped never really heard of this on an e-series however x series are known for it all you need to do is loosen them and lift the door up and tighten make sure you have someone else to help you out its so much easier. No idea about your roof lineing and pretty sure you may have to take the guard off to do your aerial!!

MackayGraeme · 14-03-2006, 07:33 AM

Hi again fellas,
Thanks again for the advice i have been recieving it has been very helpfull, just a couple of more questions.....the passenger door is a bit hard to open, have to lift the door handle quite hard to open, does it need adjusting inside and do I have to remove the door lining or what.....?

The roof lining is hanging down a little, if I was to take it out and try to glue it my self, what would be the best glue to use or any advice for this...?

And one more....I want to put another radio arial on as the standard electric is no good, I just want to replace it with a rubber conventional arial, do i have to take off the whole mudguard as I have removed to plastic panel under the mudguard and it looks like I cannot get to the arial...?

Thanks again

MackayGraeme · 15-03-2006, 07:29 AM

Hi again fellas,
Thanks again for the advice i have been recieving it has been very helpfull, just a couple of more questions.....the passenger door is a bit hard to open, have to lift the door handle quite hard to open, does it need adjusting inside and do I have to remove the door lining or what.....?

The roof lining is hanging down a little, if I was to take it out and try to glue it my self, what would be the best glue to use or any advice for this...?

And one more....I want to put another radio arial on as the standard electric is no good, I just want to replace it with a rubber conventional arial, do i have to take off the whole mudguard as I have removed to plastic panel under the mudguard and it looks like I cannot get to the arial...?

Thanks again

dansedgli · 15-03-2006, 08:10 AM

If you look inside the wheel arch there is a black plastic panel. On the edges of this panel you can see tabs that are bent that hold the plastic in.

Unbend these, remove the plastic and then you can access the aerial. When you put the plastic back in place it over the tabs and bend them back again.

You can buy spray on adhesive which seems to work okay. You would just need to spray behind the roof lining and press the lining upwards to make it stick. This might be a bit easier than taking it off completely.

I would assume that your door hinges have worn making your door sag and that its not the handles fault. Do you need to lift the handle hard or is it easy if you lift the door at the same time as opening?

If its the handle then the door trim will need to come off. There is screws on the outside of the panel all around the doortrim, 2 hex bolts in the inside plastic handle holding the plastic in underneath 2 round tabs, a philips head screw in the window winder.

Good luck.

Dezza · 15-03-2006, 11:00 AM

1980 EA Falcon? I take it you mean 1990. Sometimes one of my doors sticks a bit. I think it tends to be the door rubbers more than anything on mine.

MackayGraeme · 20-03-2006, 07:48 AM

Hi again to all,
Thanks for all the advice I have been recieving so far it has been very helpfull, especially the advice about my power steering, it turned to be the powersteering switch that was leaking.

I have another question....I noticed on the weekend as I had the car up on ramps and was moving the steering that there is 2 bolts holding the power steering rack onto the chassis or K frame or what ever it is that the whole rack was moving as if the rubber bushes around the bolts were worn.......???

Also I have taken my battery out a few times and each time had to put in the security number again to get the radio working, but the last time I did it it did not work....my number is 4522 but each time i do it the first number comes up very small and the other numbers are bigger..........???

Thanks again

MackayGraeme · 20-03-2006, 07:18 PM

Hi again to all,
Thanks for all the advice I have been recieving so far it has been very helpfull, especially the advice about my power steering, it turned to be the powersteering switch that was leaking.

I have another question....I noticed on the weekend as I had the car up on ramps and was moving the steering that there is 2 bolts holding the power steering rack onto the chassis or K frame or what ever it is that the whole rack was moving as if the rubber bushes around the bolts were worn.......???

Also I have taken my battery out a few times and each time had to put in the security number again to get the radio working, but the last time I did it it did not work....my number is 4522 but each time i do it the first number comes up very small and the other numbers are bigger..........???

Thanks again

ilsautomotive · 20-03-2006, 07:28 PM

With due respect Graeme, it is not necessary to make 2 threads per day on this when you can bump the original. Sorry I cannot help with your queries.

ilsautomotive · 21-03-2006, 08:42 AM

Cheers for the PM Graeme, I have merged all the threads and given instructions on replying.

If anyone can help with the queries it would be appreciated.