AU I XR8---->AU III XR8

[ef fairmont]

Hi everyone,

Been looking at upgrading to an AU XR8 in the near future but I'm having trouble choosing which series to go for.

I have noticed that the series I is 185kw, the series II is 200kw and the series III is an impressive 220kw:evil3: all from the "same" 5L V8.

So my question is what have ford done to the series I motor to get it up to 220kw? What sort of modifications would be necessary to get the same power figure and maintain reliability?

Would it be cheaper to just buy the series III or is it just a case of a few things like intake/exhaust + extractors/ecu that ford have purposely left room for improvement in the future models?

Any info appreciated,

Cheers.

[RG]

Many differences. Cam, rockers, tune, teh 220 has higher compression. On top of all that there are the changes that went with the Series II upgrade like better brakes and a laminated firewall amongst other things. IMO you'd be better off finding an AUII/III with the 220 motor unlesss you want to start modding yours.

[james22]

Taken from Au falcon.com

In 1999 Ford Australia together with Tickford Engineering formed Ford Tickford Experience (FTE) to build more exclusive, higher performance Falcons. September 1999 saw the launch of the first T Series vehicles, and with the cars, came the exclusivity of owning a vehicle that had a hand built engine under the hood. This exclusivity however was short lived as Ford Australia introduced these engines into the XR8 Falcons from February 2000 onwards. There were three power levels available for the hand built engines. A 5.0 200kw, a 5.0 220kw and the grand finale for the Windsor, the 5.6 250kw. So which AU Falcon v8 had which engine you ask? The table below is a list of the vehicles fitted with a hand built engine. Please note the dates are production dates and not the release for sale dates.

Model / Build Date
AU TE50 / JULY 1999 - MARCH 2000
AU TL50 / JULY 1999 - MARCH 2000
AUII XR8 SEDAN / FEBRUARY 2000 - JUNE 2001
AUII XR8 PURSUIT UTE / JANUARY 2001 - MARCH 2001
AUII XR8 UTE / APRIL 2001 - MARCH 2002
AUIII XR8 UTE / JANUARY 2002 - AUGUST 2002

Engine fitted
Windsor 5-litre V8, OHV, electronic multi-point fuel injection, 9.0:1 compression, Explorer cast iron heads, roller rockers, EEC V engine management system, electronic ignition, extractors, 200kw @ 5000rpm, 420Nm @ 3750rpm

Model / Build Date
AU TS50 / SEPTEMBER 1999 - MARCH 2000
AUII TE50 / AUGUST 2000 - APRIL 2001
AUII TS50 / AUGUST 2000 - APRIL 2001
AUII TL50 / OCTOBER 2000 - APRIL 2001

Engine fitted
Windsor 5-litre V8, OHV, electronic multi-point fuel injection, 9.0:1 compression, SVO Y303 alloy heads with larger valves and ports, roller rockers, 70mm throttle body, EEC V engine management system, special cam shaft, electronic ignition, extractors, 220kw @ 5250rpm, 435Nm @ 4000rpm

Model / Build Date
AUII TE50 / APRIL 2001 - SEPTEMBER 2001
AUII TS50 / APRIL 2001 - SEPTEMBER 2001
AUII TL50 / APRIL 2001 - JULY 2001
AUII XR8 SEDAN / JUNE 2001 - NOVEMBER 2001
AUII XR8 REBEL / JULY 2001 - NOVEMBER 2001
AUIII XR8 SEDAN / NOVEMBER 2001 - AUGUST 2002

Engine fitted
Windsor 5-litre V8, OHV, electronic multi-point fuel injection, 9.4:1 compression, reworked Explorer GT40P cast iron crossflow heads, roller rockers, 70mm throttle body, EEC V engine management system, special cam shaft, switch-ported inlet manifolds, upgraded fuel pressure regulator, 220kw @ 5250rpm, 435Nm @ 4000rpm

Model / Build Date
AUIII TE50 / AUGUST 2001 - AUGUST 2002
AUIII TS50 / AUGUST 2001 - AUGUST 2002
AUIII TL50 / SEPTEMBER 2001 - JULY 2002
AUIII XR8 PURSUIT 250 UTE / FEBRUARY 2002 - SEPTEMBER 2002

Engine fitted
Re-engineered Windsor 5.6-litre V8/342 cu in, OHV, Tickford crankshaft, roller rockers, double valve springs, worked cast iron heads, 9.6:1 compression ratio, blueprinted block, 82mm throttle body, EEC V engine management system, multi-point injection, tuned 8 trumpet inlet manifold, shotpeened billet conrods, floating gudgeon lightweight pistons, performance camshaft, block girdle, extractors, 250kw @ 5250rpm, 500Nm @ 4250rpm



A few interesting points that some of you might already be aware of. In April 2001 the 220kw engines changed from imported SVO alloy cylinder heads to locally produced cast iron heads. These engines were then introduced into the already in production AUII TE50, AUII TS50 and AUII TL50 as a running change. Interestingly, going on the information I have received, there might only be 2 out of the 12 AUII TL50’s, 8 out of the 47 AUII TS50’s and 38 out of the 141 AUII TE50’s with the cast iron cylinder head 220kw motors fitted to them. The AUIIIXR8 utes never got the 220kw motor like the sedans did, although there have been a few owners of AUIII XR8 utes who have said they have the 220kw engine factory fitted. Only three AUIII TL50’s were built, of which only one was built in 2002. July to be exact. There was a couple of AUII TE50 and TS50 sedans built with the 5.6 250kw motor. Prototypes which were then upgraded and sold off as AUIII’s.
The easiest way of knowing if you have a hand built V8 in your AU is to look at the drivers side rocker cover for a plaque. On the plaque is the name of the Tickford technician who proudly hand assembled the motor prior to it being fitted to the vehicle.



That list shows all modifications through the entire series to reach specific output.

Personally I would start with the 220 . But I might be a little biased lol :-) you wont regret it. :

[GK]

I'd go the S2 220 with SVO heads, leather, premo sound, sunroof and a 5 speed.

That would be awesome.

All the best with your deliberations and searching.

Cheers,

GK

[RG]

Originally Posted by GK

I'd go the S2 220 with SVO heads, leather, premo sound, sunroof and a 5 speed.

That would be awesome.

All the best with your deliberations and searching.

Cheers,

GK

That'd be a T2.

[ef fairmont]

Thanks guys for the fast and highly informative posts.

It is clear to me that It would cost more doing it myself than just buying the AUIII.

I have also looked at the competition and was pretty surprised that the VX SS 5.7L 6sp only puts out an additional 5kw on the AU III 5L while gaining 102kg and has a lower power to weight ratio. Too bad the AU III isn't a 6sp though aye. The commodore uses slightly less fuel to which i thought was strange being heavier and bigger displacement.

[ef fairmont]

What do you guys reckon the alloy heads or the cast iron?

[james22]

Alloy is better. They are GT-40X heads instead of P's, flow slightly better. I do'nt believe you will find very many XR's though with the alloy heads. Nearly all S2 & S3 came with GT-40P's

[RG]

Originally Posted by james22

Alloy is better. They are GT-40X heads instead of P's, flow slightly better. I do'nt believe you will find very many XR's though with the alloy heads. Nearly all S2 & S3 came with GT-40P's

Not nearly all but ALL XR8's had the cast iron GT40p heads. It wasn't a GT40x alloy head either it was an SVO Y303 (says it in what you posted _2: ) and the only cars that had them were some of the T2's. I think even some of the later T2's ended up with the XR8 220 motor, difference being the heads and higher compression.

[partie]

You wont find any alloy heads in XR8's.

They only came in the T1 TS50, T2 TE50 & T2 TS50. However, not all T2's had the alloy heads. Only the early models did. The later ones (post April) changed over to cast iron heads.

[soulfire]

Originally Posted by ef fairmont

Thanks guys for the fast and highly informative posts.

It is clear to me that It would cost more doing it myself than just buying the AUIII.

I have also looked at the competition and was pretty surprised that the VX SS 5.7L 6sp only puts out an additional 5kw on the AU III 5L while gaining 102kg and has a lower power to weight ratio. Too bad the AU III isn't a 6sp though aye. The commodore uses slightly less fuel to which i thought was strange being heavier and bigger displacement.

The commodore is still a fair bit quicker, and unfortunately pulls far more power per mod. The AU is a much better car for handling and the overall drive though.
Why bother with a six speed? Shorten the diff ratio for a bit more acceleration and you start wasting your time with the 1st gear.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by soulfire

The commodore is still a fair bit quicker, and unfortunately pulls far more power per mod. The AU is a much better car for handling and the overall drive though.
Why bother with a six speed? Shorten the diff ratio for a bit more acceleration and you start wasting your time with the 1st gear.

One thing you forgot, the AU sounds a hell of a lot better while doing it to

[xr8driver]

Originally Posted by soulfire

The commodore is still a fair bit quicker, and unfortunately pulls far more power per mod. The AU is a much better car for handling and the overall drive though.
Why bother with a six speed? Shorten the diff ratio for a bit more acceleration and you start wasting your time with the 1st gear.

Not wrong power per mod, my dads vx ss with full exhaust, monaro cai, filter and edit was pullin 230rwkws and ruffly 545nm torque, only way to really do that with a 5l is a blower! I wanted a VX SS before i bought my XR8, the only thing that swayed me is its cheaper to put a 5L on lpg then a 5.7L

[ef fairmont]

Originally Posted by soulfire

The commodore is still a fair bit quicker, and unfortunately pulls far more power per mod. The AU is a much better car for handling and the overall drive though.
Why bother with a six speed? Shorten the diff ratio for a bit more acceleration and you start wasting your time with the 1st gear.

Why is the commodore quicker if it has less kw's per kilo? More power per mod makes sense because its a bigger donk with less factory tuning and being light I'd say your right about the handling.

Originally Posted by SKEENZ

Not wrong power per mod, my dads vx ss with full exhaust, monaro cai, filter and edit was pullin 230rwkws and ruffly 545nm torque, only way to really do that with a 5l is a blower! I wanted a VX SS before i bought my XR8, the only thing that swayed me is its cheaper to put a 5L on lpg then a 5.7L

I am not really worried about lpg aye otherwise I wouldn't be looking at V8s lol but 230rwkws is impressive for a couple mods.

[xr8driver]

Theres is no way i could i afford to run a v8 if i didn't have LPG, LPG is my savior!! Yay $25 a tank instead of $70!!

[ef fairmont]

Haha fair enough, does it affect performance at all?

[ef fairmont]

A more accurate comparison price wise would be VT SS II 5.7L 6sp vs AU XR8 I/II 5L or AU XR8 III vs VX SS 5.7L 6sp.

How would you compare the AU to the VT II? VT is 160kg heavier than the AU II for starters but roughly power to weight ratio.

[xr8driver]

Originally Posted by ef fairmont

Haha fair enough, does it affect performance at all?

Yeah a little bit, but its a reasonable trade off, plus i can push the magic button and i have all power petrol when i need it.

160kg? thats hardly anything, considering how much more power u can easily make out of a 5.7. Having driven both the 5.7l engine is far better than the au engines accept the t3 stroker!

[Falcon SXR8]

The VT SS isn't 160kg heavier than the XR8 there about the same 1650kg or so and having been in a VT SS gen 3 and owning a 220 xr8 I can say that stocko the XR8 is realy the best buy the VT goes good its definatly not quicker than a 220 but the 220 is just so much better in my opionion. It sounds 10x better and the induction roar is realy good wereas the VT sound like a V6. Also the 220 rocks the car at idle and you know its going unlike the other one. But mod for mod the SS would be quicker.

[DJM83]

Get an XR this convo isnt about a VT SS

[Bucknaked]

The AU does grow on you. People say how ugly it is, but since the VE Maloo was released, AU is no longer the holder of that tile. Thankyou HSV. :hihi:

[xr8driver]

Originally Posted by Bucknaked

The AU does grow on you. People say how ugly it is, but since the VE Maloo was released, AU is no longer the holder of that tile. Thankyou HSV. :hihi:

no the tailgate on it is fowl! its way to busy with the tailights on the tailgate n the number plate garnish!

[TIC-302]

this is our XR8 (specs below), its all stock and a very nice car.