1984 Ford LTD FD 4.1 electronic fuel injection
Summary:
Exellent car, good for long distance driving
Faults:
The car came with a brand new cylinder head on it and required the fuel injection system and inlet manifold to be assembled and refitted to the motor.
I have assembled the fuel injection system and inlet manifold and has been refitted to the motor, but it does not get driven very far. It is being stored in the garage because I have a newer car that I use as the LTD drinks a lot of fuel, it gets started each week and is run for five minutes.
The only problems that I've had are:
Fuel injection system had problems, taken to mechanic and told that it's a common fault. The fault has been fixed, leaking vacuum hose from rocker cover to inlet manifold.
Sunroof leaking when raining, now fixed.
Rust in boot and quarter panels, repaired.
I would buy another car from this manufacturer, but the next car will be another LTD or a fairlane, but a later model.
General Comments:
The car is very comfortable.
However it drinks a lot of fuel.
Fuel injection system not the best and not very reliable.
Look nice when lowered.
Light power steering.
Large amouut of leg room in the back.
However is is common for this model to get rust in the boot and quarter panels.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 11th July, 2005
29th Dec 2009, 17:49
I bought an '87 FE LTD in July '92 ($20,000), with 70,000 on the clock. It was a choice between the FE and a more recent NA Fairlane, which was plain by comparison.
When I eventually traded-in the LTD in 2001 (got just $700 for it - shame!), it had done more than 300,000 including a couple of trips to WA, but mainly used on long hauls between Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast, via the Newell Hwy and running around on the Coast. It was a great cruising car.
I had an anti-theft system installed, which bypassed the ignition until activated, but when it stuffed up - which happened 2 or 3 times, it was back to the schematic to trace the fault. I also installed a 10 stacker CD in the boot. Other than that it was stock standard.
I was disappointed in the 3-speed auto, because it gave pretty miserable economy. But the main fault was in the computer management system. Occasionally the whole dash lights would flash brilliantly then go back to normal, which tended to worry me - especially when it happened at Cocklebiddy on the Nullabor!
The other worrying fault was in the EMS with the idling. Sometimes it would stall, which was pretty disastrous in a heavy car like the LTD and my then wife found it almost impossible to steer or brake. Ford was unable/unwilling to locate the problem. It was intermittent but unnerving all the same. Other than that it was marvelous.
After a run to or from Melbourne, the engine would rev beautifully and very freely, and it was always reliable with only the injectors removed and cleaned once in the time I owned it.
A small amount of body rust at the end, and once in a rain storm the wiper motor packed it in, (a bit disconcerting), but otherwise a great old car.
A five speed box, a performance chip (one for the engine was never produced), and a bit of tweaking with the suspension and it would be comparable to most modern large cars, (if you ignore the park sensors, sat/nav, reverse dipping mirrors and so on!)
The 4 wheel disc brakes really saved me on the Eastern Freeway once, when I had to aim for the centre barrier instead of the fallen motor cyclist ahead of me, but I pulled up maybe a foot short of the fence. Good old fashioned, comfortable and generally reliable motoring.