[Kieron]

I've noticed a few people who have mentioned these problems with their BA's, I also have it and am not satisfied with the usual comment of oh they are all like that, the latest info I have is the XR's have a firmer diff mount than other models so transmit any driveline problems into the body.

I've had a diff change @ 3K which made no difference and the last time I took it in for another problem (high speed vibration) mentioned it again and was told nothing will be done at the moment, the service manager explained how the T5 syncros worked in the BA and it appears they arn't as good as previous syncro setups. which explains why my manual EF XR6 had a superior gear change with 155,000k's on the clock and now I have just driven my brothers manual XG pano with 188,000k's on the clock and it was also way better.

Has anyone as yet got any satisfaction in this area?

 

[ianmcginley]

I've noticed a few people who have mentioned these problems with their BA's, I also have it and am not satisfied with the usual comment of oh they are all like that, the latest bit off BS i've been fed is the XR's have a firmer diff mount than other models so transmit any driveline problems into the body, this is after I had told them I have drivern a few examples of XT's, Futuras and Monties.

I've had a diff change @ 3K which made no difference and the last time I took it in for another problem (high speed vibration) mentioned it again and was told nothing will be done, the service manager explained how the T5 syncros worked, but didn't tell me why my manual EF XR6 had a superior gear change with 155,000k's on the clock and now I have just driven my brothers manual XG pano with 188,000k's on the clock and it was also way better.

Has anyone as yet got any satisfaction in this area?

No satisfaction here, and you are likely to get the line that it is "within ford factory spec" even though these gearboxs are never tested in the ford factory only installed.

It could also partially be the clutch, the BA's are the first falcons to have hydrolic units

 

[Kieron]

Thanks Ian, I mentioned the clutch to the SM when he took it for a drive with me in the car.
I could put clutch in, place in 1st and hear a light clunk from the rear which points to a clutch no completely disengaging from the fly or plate, to further test it we put clutch in waited for a few seconds then went into first and no clunk, ie the input shaft had stopped spinning, if the clutch was not completely disengaging the clunk would have happend all of the time.
To double check, do the above but partially push the gear into first, this will engage the syncros and still with foot on clutch fully engage 1st, if things are spinning you will get crunching.

The driveline on T5 equipped BA's is very much second rate if they are all like this, I intend to take it further with Ford depending on what everyones experience is here.

 

[XR6VCT]

Hi Kieron,

Personally I think all T5 equipped BA's are pretty bad when it comes to driveline refinement. However it does sound like some are definitely worse than others, and to me it sounds like yours is particularly bad.

While I don't think the driveline on ours is that bad, it certainly isn't great and it does indeed clunk around at times. It is without doubt something that Ford needs to improve. Also compared to the AUII XR6 we used to have, I actually find this gearbox / driveline to be slightly better. However there is very little in it.

IMO the poor driveline / gearbox lets the whole car down. It’s got a great engine and a great chassis. It needs a good gearbox and driveline to match. I just hope Ford does something about it for the series II BA, because really, the current setup is not good enough.

 

[ianmcginley]

IMO the poor driveline / gearbox lets the whole car down. It’s got a great engine and a great chassis. It needs a good gearbox and driveline to match. I just hope Ford does something about it for the series II BA, because really, the current setup is not good enough.

Yeah but what of those like myself that still have a crap box which feels like it will bearly last another 50,000km. We get no replacements - not love at the dealers because its all too hard. One of my friends first cars which was a 2nd hand '94 Lancer GL had a far better shift quality, sure it doesn't need to pass the same torque, however thats a car that also cost less than 1/2 when comparing brand new prices.

 

[XR6VCT]

ianmcginley, I understand what you are saying. Ford putting a new gearbox / driveline in the BAII is of no comfort to current BA owners. But they (Ford) must do something. This current setup is just not good enough.

However even if they do this, the current BA owners are still screwed and stuck with what is a joke of a gearbox. Really the only thing you can do is keep whinging about it to Ford in the hope that they will admit there is a problem and fix it. Unfortunatly it doesn’t look like Ford cares and hence you are likely to be stuck with what you have. :err:

Who knows, maybe if there is enough complaints they will be forced to do something about it. (Yeah right!) :hrm:

 

[XR_Strider_GuY]

Guys this has kinda makes me feel abit better in regards to my XR6 driveline issues. What you guys are describing about the manual XR's and it's driveline issues is present in my AUII XR6. And yes i had the same query, why is it that my EF wagon T5 is dead perfect in refinement with no clunks whirr's or anything.

As i've mentioned before,

I believe Ford cured the tailshaft whire and noises at low speed high gear situations ie. 60-70km/h in 4th or 5th in the BA with the introduction of the 2 piece tailshaft. There are many many AU XR's that had this problem including mine.

The clunking you guys are talking about comes from an incorrect crown pinion wheel tollerance in the diff. Until Ford investigate the tollerance problem or change suppliers, changing diff's will do jack all. I've been in a brand new XR8 with 2000k on it and it was already starting to clunk just like mine. The problem started from the EL2 where they had the AU style diff. Fortunately for automatic owners they don't feel this clunk as it's soaked up by the torque converter.

The only real remedy for a proper fix is to go to a diff/gearbox place and get the whole diff rebuilt properly. I have also heard from WB56 that Ford switched brands on the bearings in the diff which could be a contributing factor of this problem.

On the upside i can say that the clunking and noises don't appear to get worse as the km's mount up. It's pretty much constant and i've proven the driveline is very strong, just got to put up with the grizzly bear as i call that lives in the driveline. LOL

Cheers,
Gary.

 

[fullthrottle]

I only experince clunks when i shift gears in a certain way at very very low revs..
say if i change from 1st to 2nd gear under 2500RPM...
SOmetimes I get it when reversing.
is this the same clunk that everyone talks about?

I was told it was the famous clunk that tells you that you are actually driving a ford..... it hasn't really bothered me. What will bother me is if the diff sh!ts itself.

 

[XTS220]

I have a contact in QLD that can fix most of the Diff problems/ driveline problems with the AU's and BA's and most of the guys in the QLD XR Club use him. If any of you are interested let me know, the biggest problem he is in Warwick - that small cold country town about 150 Km's west of brissie.

 

[fullthrottle]

Excuse my ignorance...
but apart from the sound aspect...is the clunk really a problem? Should i be worried?
Still have 3 years warranty so not too worried yet.

 

[Genebaby]

I have this clunk. It is a tad annoying and doesn't always happen, but when it does it doesn't make you look like the world's best drive if you have others in the car. I hope there is a rememdy for this in the pipeline.

 

[Kieron]

fullthrottle,

my clunks will happen without even changing gear, just backing off will cause it, even just hitting the coast button on cruise at hwy speeds will more often than not give a thunk, some have described it as a loud popping sound that almost hurts the ears, others have described it as a sub woofer thump.

The problem is the diff is bolted to the chassis and any driveline problem is amplified through the body, it doesn't appear to be anywhere near as bad on solid axle Falcons, i've driven a manual AUIII XR6HP and it didn't have the problem.

Dealer reckons its the XR6's having a more solid diff mount to the chassis that XT's etc, I can't see why this would be the case on N/A XR6's as the diff doesn't need stronger mounts!


fullthrottle,
Its probably not a reliability problem, but its certainly a quality issue, as genebaby said its embarassing when you have passengers in your new car and the damm thing clunks like an old truck, in my view its not acceptable paying 40K+ for a car with such as sub standard driveline. Imagine when you come to sell it and telling a potential purchaser that they are all like that!

Maybe we should all organise a combined approach to Ford on this?

 

[fullthrottle]

mine doesnt make any loud popping sound or a thump.
its more like a "clunk" lol. It's audible but you wouldn't go "holly cow what was that!".

As I said..it only happens if i change gears are really low revs (which doesnt happen very often) and occasionally when reverse. It's not consistant. If it gets worse I'll let you guys know and.... yeh we should let ford know. But at this stage it's not annoying me enough to knock down Mr Ford's door.

 

[bossxr8]

The problem should be fixed by Ford but if they won't do anything about it a diff specialist should be able to fix the problem pretty easily. All they would need to do is adjust the crown wheel and pinion to the proper spec clearances and the problem should disappear. If only Borg Warner and now Dana could get the clearances right in the first place it wouldn't be a problem.

 

[XR_Strider_GuY]

fullthrottle,
Its probably not a reliability problem, but its certainly a quality issue, as genebaby said its embarassing when you have passengers in your new car and the damm thing clunks like an old truck, in my view its not acceptable paying 40K+ for a car with such as sub standard driveline. Imagine when you come to sell it and telling a potential purchaser that they are all like that!

Yes exactly, at some certain situations the diff clunk echo's quite loudly to the point when i accelerate and release the clutch quick in 1st pedestrians look or when one is coasting in say 3rd gear and comming down a slight hill at say 40km/h and one hears the clunk clunk clunk before depressing the clutch. :fraz: :fraz:

Maybe we should all organise a combined approach to Ford on this?

Exactly and if you want numbers get us AUII/III owners who are still covered by warrenty to join forces. I'm only more than too happy to support. Perhaps if we organise it by state and get all of us to turnup to the dealer.

 

[Genebaby]

Well, I am going to mention it at the first service next Friday and see what they say/do.

 

[XTS220]

All they will say is that its a common problem / characteristic with them all and if you wish they will arrange a test drive of a similar car to yours that does the same thing. If they want to be real assholes they will rub it in and tell you that you should have worked it out before you bought it.

 

[boss 8]

I have has my BA XR8 back 5 times and have had ford Customer care step in as the dealer gave me all sorts of different reasons. Last time it was in I took a tech for a drive and he advised it was the worst he had heard, clunk when foot goes on and off throttle, changing gears etc. The conclusion after managers and all sorts of people have looked at it was it is a "characteristic" of the car and it has been noted that mine is louder than the 'usual' but nothing can be done to rectify the problem. I was advised by the dealer to drive it hard and if something breaks take it back and they can fix it .... not happy at all.

 

[Genebaby]

Hmmm...that's kinda uncool...mine mainly does it at low speeds, like when I'm about to park. Not many revs at all needed, I can just push the clutch in to get a clunk so it is very noticable at those times. Doesn't always do it though, just 'sometimes'.

 

[XR6VCT]

...my clunks will happen without even changing gear, just backing off will cause it, even just hitting the coast button on cruise at hwy speeds will more often than not give a thunk...

Our XR6 suffers from this as well. If you jump off the throttle (or jump on the throttle) it will more often that not clunk quite noticeably. You really have to be quite gentle when getting on (and off) the throttle to avoid the 'clunk'.

I never recall it being anywhere near this bad in the AUII XR6 VCT we had. Which makes me wonder if it is something related to the Fly-By-Wire throttle setup in the BA’s. Maybe Ford could tweak the throttle inputs to help make the car smoother when going on or off the throttle? I really don’t know.

mine doesnt make any loud popping sound or a thump.
its more like a "clunk" lol. It's audible but you wouldn't go "holly cow what was that!".

As I said..it only happens if i change gears are really low revs (which doesnt happen very often) and occasionally when reverse. It's not consistant...

This sounds very familiar too. Sometimes low revs gear changes are perfect. Yet other times you will get a decent "clunk" when changing gears. There is no real consistency to it all and when you are 'chauffeuring’ people around it is indeed quite embarrassing!

I also tend to notice the clunks more when someone else is driving the car, particularly someone who hasn’t driven the car before. I think this is because over time you do tend to manage to avoid most of the clunks, however you never seem to be able to avoid them all.

Maybe we should all organise a combined approach to Ford on this?

I think this would be a very good approach. I would imagine there are quite a lot of owners out there who are frustrated about this issue and would love for something to happen about it. We need to send a message to Ford that tells them that "this isn't good enough".