A few questions about my AU1 Fairmont

[Richo86]

Hi guys,

I was wondering if anybody knows how the fuel door sensor in an AU1 Fairmont works? I bought the car recently and on the instrument cluster, the little arrow pointing at the fuel door flashes regardless of whether it is open or closed.

Being a perfectionist, this really ****es me off!

There is a little black box with separate red and black wires running out of it screwed to the bottom of the inside rim of the fuel door cabin. I'm guessing this is responsible for the sensor signal. However, there is also a metal rectangular ring screwed to the fuel door itself that seems to fit about 1 or 2 cm above the black box when the fuel door is closed.

Is something missing that fits inside the rectangular ring that fits roughly over the black box?

On to my next question - I was checking out the fuse box and noticed that several of the fuses were of lower amperages to those displayed in the diagram in my owner's manual. Would this be because the total has to fall below a certain figure? My car is fitted with a non-factory LPG system and an alarm - could these fuses have been downgraded in order to compensate for the power used by the LPG system and alarm? All of the fuses appear to be originals.

:

Also, one more question for the experts - my car is fitted with a non-factory LPG system and the auto transmission doesn't run all that well on gas. It makes a fairly long and loud whining sound when changing gears, and the revs will always go up to 3000 rpm before changing from first to second gear! Sometimes when idling, it will run very smoothly, but occasionally the car will shake pretty violently. Gear changes are jumpy, whether switching up or down in gears. But it runs beautifully on petrol...

I'm getting it tuned next week, but if someone is able to give me some advice on any of my questions then I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks a lot.

[au^dude]

I had the same problem with the fuel door, i took it to my uncle (machanic) and its fixed now. I noticed the metal rectangular ring screwed to the fuel door he glued an extra steel bit to that. Now the problem is gone

[mattp]

Mate I'll have a look at my fuel door sensor and take a photo of it for you if I can find my digital camera tonight. No idea on the idle, good luck with it though, mine's running rough on petrol at the moment they reckon it might be injectors. Matt.

[HoT-AU]

If ur talking about the fuel door Light on the dash always being on, i had that problem. And to be honest its a stupid problem that ford has complicated to the max. The problem is a little magnet. It sits in that piece of metal ur describing. When the magnet is over the top of the sensor when u shut the door, the light should go off.

Mine was missing the magnet in the square part of the door. Why ford couldnt of just made it click in and turn of the light alludes me. But thats most likely ur problem, If it aint that, its wiring.

[Richo86]

Thanks for the replies guys. I thought that it might have been a magnetic sensor of sorts. I went to Strap Ford yesterday and asked about a few things, one of them being about the little magnet for the door. As they couldn't just sell me the magnet itself, they quoted me $33 for the ring that screws onto the door with the magnet attached to it!

I knew you paid through the nose by going through Ford, but $33 is pretty f'n ridiculous...

[HoT-AU]

haha bad ey. I was lucky mine went throo the insurance company. Thats bull*****. Did u try any wreckers?

[Richo86]

Nah, I was considering it but I'm a bit strapped for time at the moment. The nearest wrecker is a half-an-hour drive whereas Strapp Ford is convenient. It better bloody fix the problem though!

I asked them how much it would cost to replace the driver's doortrim (just the cloth material) as the previous owner had burned a couple of cigarette holes in it... :jab: They said that the trim itself doesn't come separately and that I'd have to replace the entire interior door fitting! They told me I was looking at between $350 to $400.........

:

I'm also paying $40 for a new instrument cluster lens (just the bit of plastic.)

Luckily I'm in a pretty healthy financial position, otherwise I woulda said hell no.

[bodes-sh]

you could always give ftg auto salvage, a site sponsor, a try and see if they have anything, they have a thread going where you can post parts you are looking for and they can tell you if they have them and a price

this is the thread http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...943#post876943

[HoT-AU]

Whateva works for you bro.

Sucks bout the trim.