My AU XR6T with a fair share off problems

HotRod · 28-12-2005, 01:30 PM

hello all my name is Rod im from QLD ,you guys have probley been waiting to here were HOTDBZ XR6 turbo is at the moment ....it rests aside me in QLD..its had a engine rebuild due to a conrod cap parting company (please dont believe what is writen about the engine mods in the magazine cause this engine is very stock) and now i have a small auto transmisson problem this car after the rebuild was driven 300 kms with no problems and then one morning went to get in it and it shifted from 1st to 3rd and dosnt have 4th gear,i have drained and flushed auto oil and replaced the filter ,this tranny was very sluged up so sluged up the filter had a small built up film around the suction point on the filter to were the steel pan meets the bottom,how the oil got through it i realy dont no, and the oil wasnt burnt , anyhow the oil and filter has made no differance i still have no 2nd or 4th gear when u select 2nd the box neturalizes, i have done 2800kms since this car has been purchased and im looking for some info on how to fix it,i have had today a number off scan tools on it one was snapon and theres no codes for shift solinoids and went to ford dealer and no codes ether,ive been through the wiring conectors checking plugs etc and nothing at all,i think maybe it has broken a band in the box
has anyone had some simular issues with there 4sp auto
if so love to here your thoughts

cheers HotRod QLD

Casper · 28-12-2005, 01:48 PM

losing 2nd and 4th is a common issue for the 4spd autos. Time for a rebuild I'm afraid.
As for the rest of the HOTDBZ issues in the engine... have you contacted TSA in Melb? They built it and I'd be very interested to know what they have to say about its "stockness". I've been in the car a number of times and am suprised with what you have said. I know the original owner (Mal) never really gave it a hard time but was not "engine savvy" so he would not have known if TSA had not put in what he was told. Dan (2nd owner) only raced it once at the track that I know of. He hardly ever drove it when he had it however I do know he spent a bit of money on it cleaning up some turbo boost issues to get it runnng spot on.

Under what conditions did the the conrod cap let go? Was it at high RPM or just cruising on the road at low engine loads?

HotRod · 28-12-2005, 02:07 PM

Hi Casper
i have discussed the motor mods with gas research and guy that built the motor had told me what was in it and it dont have what the book says you can ring and ask him if you like cause this engine has a set off SPS forged pistons and a crow cam,,rest is stock my friend
conrod bolts let go on number two because the car has had major detination in the previous life i couldnt drive the car in boost over 10psi untill i rolled it on the dyno and took timing out it was ok but damage was allready done the top halfs off bigend bearings were floged half way through the brass thus a time bomb aweights every top ring had lost its tension second top ring was stuck in the groove thus burning large amounts off engine oil
cap come off at about 3500 rpm in first gear then shifted into second wasnt much good from there on in was running about 10 psi boost trying to get tracion.... as for the "stockness" i would like to state that i rebuilt the motor first hand and also spook to engine builder that built it for Mal, and he said he couldnt belive what was writen in the magazine artical he said when it come out Mal had already gone back overseas
you say the auto is due for a rebuild must be a particullar part thats the problem?

stiddy · 28-12-2005, 02:23 PM

Taken from AUFalcon.com

Engine Modifications: [In Brief] Balanced crankshaft, shot peened and linished con rods, custom forged pistons, custom-grinded camshaft, cylinder head o-ringed, custom turbo exhaust manifold, Garrett GT40 roller bearing turbocharger [AR .70], GFB Stealth FX BOV, 3-inch dump pipe, 3-inch mandrel bent exhaust [single muffler and 3-inch cat], Turbosmart Progate 45mm external wastegate, high capacity injectors, Bosch fuel pump, 4-inch custom intake, K&N pod filter [battery unit relocated], custom front mount intercooler [air-to-air, tube and fin core], Haltech E11k engine management system, custom built crank sensor, custom-built 4-speed transmission [rated at 400hp], tranns-cooler fitted, and much more.

Performance: 260+rwkw at 4800rpm [10psi]

I dont know about you, but that sounds like a little more then just a cam and pistons....

EFFalcon · 28-12-2005, 02:31 PM

wasnt there some high RPM involvement with the engine dying?

Racecraft · 28-12-2005, 02:43 PM

reguardless of the engine woes, I thought the BTR had been strenghtend? To buy a car then watch the engine and gearbox die is abit of a pi$$er mate.. Bad Luck

HotRod · 28-12-2005, 02:49 PM

the part about engine mods

Engine Modifications: [In Brief] Balanced crankshaft, shot peened and linished con rods , cylinder head o-ringed,

now that is what it dosnt have stiddy
i would love to belive what i read ,i belived it to when i bought it , its a bit different when you pull the motor down to find it first hand , especially when i had purchased another AU short motor to compair notes
i do have the 5 conrods and block and crank for anyone to study if the choose to

EFFalcon
as for what RPM the engine was doing i forgot that you were in the car at the time and for the record book the haltec rev limiter is set at 5800rpm HARD Cut and it has been lowered to 5500rpm , soft cut at 5200rpm which in my own eyes if you wish to rev something to the unknown and not make any more power from it then go right ahead because i have seen and built ford sixs and no off such make power after 5000rpm

anyhow back to the gearbox
anymore suggestions
thanks HotRod

HotRod · 28-12-2005, 02:54 PM

Hi Racecraft
a Very Very big Pi$$er Mate indeed , and yes the box is said to be made bulit proof so im trying to find the fault
cheers HotRod

Casper · 28-12-2005, 03:25 PM

I dont actually doubt what you are saying about the engine, my main issue is that I knew Mal and he wouldnt have made this stuff up for the magazine. I know this because he didnt know a crank from a conrod. If he wasnt specifically told what was in the engine (as listed on aufalcon.com) he simply wouldnt have had a clue it was there. He wasnt prone to makeing this up so he certainly wouldnt have told the mag things were in it that were not... unless he was lied to as well (which seems to be the most likely situation). I also know pretty much exactly what he spent on the engine set up (as I had been offered the car twice over a 12 month period before he left) and I think someone at TSA has some major explaining to do!

**Stav** · 28-12-2005, 04:05 PM

I think there may be nothing wrong with the gearbox. Your car sounds like it may be in limp home mode.Take off the left hand side kick panel and check if shift kit wiring has come undone at the ecu.

JC · 28-12-2005, 04:13 PM

Could also be the inhibitor switch on the auto trans - an $80 part. If you are putting the car in 2, and it's not selecting, I would check the inhibitor switch before getting a rebuild.

HotRod · 28-12-2005, 10:02 PM

Hi Casper i think you were right about the below statement

"unless he was lied to as well (which seems to be the most likely situation)."
Useless and JC, thanks for the advise, i used another brand of scan tool which give me live data of the gear box eg shift solinod 1234 and torque converter lock up data and the transmission speaks to the original PCM and all works fine, so i took it to my work shop put it on hoist removed gear box striped gear box to find front drum and band 1 competely f$@ked
so if any one has any parts eg front drum drop me an email at hot27trod@bigpond.com.au
cheers HotRod

SpoolMan · 28-12-2005, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by useless

I think there may be nothing wrong with the gearbox. Your car sounds like it may be in limp home mode.Take off the left hand side kick panel and check if shift kit wiring has come undone at the ecu.

Runs a Haltec.....

HotRod · 28-12-2005, 10:14 PM

haltec runs engine only and is piggy backed into ford pcm wireing.....orignal pcm shifts gears

gravelrash · 28-12-2005, 10:23 PM

i can vouch for HotRod here.
I was there when the sump came off. There is DEFIANATELY NO shot peened and linished rods, balanced crankshaft or oringed block, that engine is all elstocko baby apart from the forged pistons and crow cam.
I could not believe the condition of the big end bearings, worn right through to the copper, that engine had been through some very serious *%#!**%#!**%#!**%#!*en detonation in its previous life. Way to much wear that eventually snapped the rod bolts causing some big damage on the way.

SpoolMan · 28-12-2005, 10:25 PM

What size stall converter is in the car, amazing it never went into limp home mode all the time as this AU made plenty of torque...

**Stav** · 28-12-2005, 10:28 PM

I have the magazine ..it had a 2500tce stall converter.

**Stav** · 28-12-2005, 10:30 PM

Hot rod...if you visually have a look you may see wires not joined.When shift kit wiring comes loose the car goes to limphome mode.If you remove and refit the battery terminal for any other problem then it may temporarily fix the gearchanges.

HotRod · 28-12-2005, 10:38 PM

ok useless.ill check it out to... correct on the convertor 2500 rpm and it is a dominator convertor bright green i say but i must tell its about 2200rpm and starts to lock up
HMMM

gravelrash · 28-12-2005, 10:39 PM

useless.... i think your missing something ere tiger.
Rods au does not have an electronic shift kit using the old resistor trick. His auto has been done by adjusting the s5 solenoid approx 25degrees anticlockwise using a torquebit, no electronics ere bud.

**Stav** · 28-12-2005, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gravelrash

useless.... i think your missing something ere tiger.
Rods au does not have an electronic shift kit using the old resistor trick. His auto has been done by adjusting the s5 solenoid approx 25degrees anticlockwise using a torquebit, no electronics ere bud.

O ok ....useless goes and stands in the corner... :lookedat:

philstoj · 30-12-2005, 12:07 PM

Very strange indeed,i believe the car was very mildly tuned while mal had it, id look into who tuned it after mal sold it.

sfr rob · 31-12-2005, 06:28 PM

yeah, maybe a few bits and pieces were borrowed and never returned!
what a shame mate, hope you get this all sorted as that is one heck of a car you go there!

cheers
rob

EFFalcon · 31-12-2005, 06:34 PM

was any retuning done between when it was purchased and the engine died?
i don't imagine the climate change from vic to qld would be 'optimal' for the tune it had seeing as it was winter.
i realise there are correction factors etc but i'm still curious?

Noddy · 31-12-2005, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotRod

ok useless.ill check it out to... correct on the convertor 2500 rpm and it is a dominator convertor bright green i say but i must tell its about 2200rpm and starts to lock up
HMMM

Yes, sounds about right. JMM have a new converter available which is a genuine high stall converter, i would replace it with one of those if 2200rpm lock up is not to your liking. btw i have a dominator and it locks up close to that rpm.

EFFalcon · 31-12-2005, 07:55 PM

have u done a power run with the new engine?
just curious as to how much power it makes now?

Noddy · 31-12-2005, 07:57 PM

Jim Mock Motorsport. http://www.jimmockmotorsport.com/ click on to whats new to check out their new converter.

Sundeep · 01-01-2006, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EFFalcon

i don't imagine the climate change from vic to qld would be 'optimal' for the tune it had seeing as it was winter.

I don't think people factor in weather when they tune their car's John. It's obvious somebody stuffed up bad somewhere along the line, and there's no point blaming it on non-event factors, including engine revs. If I had been told my engine had that many mods done to it, I don't think I'd go a kay without hitting red line.

Sundeep

EFFalcon · 01-01-2006, 10:27 PM

i'm not defending the fact that said parts werent actually there, he knows what was in the engine, not me.
how ever there are other factors as well, i'm simply suggesting various ideas that could influence things.

MNM96 · 02-01-2006, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotRod

Hi Casper
i have discussed the motor mods with gas research and guy that built the motor had told me what was in it and it dont have what the book says you can ring and ask him if you like cause this engine has a set off SPS forged pistons and a crow cam,,rest is stock my friend
i would like to state that i rebuilt the motor first hand and also spook to engine builder that built it for Mal, and he said he couldnt belive what was writen in the magazine artical he said when it come out Mal had already gone back overseas

I find it odd that the Motor Builder did not contact the magazine and clear up this situation, unless he had told Mal some furfies!

Not to cast any aspersions, but the other thing that is funny is that the previous owner, who you purchased it from, is conspicuos by his absense in this thread!

This is a sweet looking car, get the trans and engine issues sorted, and enjoy it. Despite the issues, I am envious of your purchase! Nice Ride