BrianH

Lucky fix, Did well to get it that quickly too.

Unfortunately given the software problems here not many people visit anymore, most have migrated to the other forum for the Galaxy where there is a lot more traffic.

I was quite suprised when taking the scuttle out of mine to find they weren't rusted - the ones on my dead mk1 were rusted to hell and was a job i was dreading having to deal with - Never did in the end thankfully!. I prefer to replace those type of pinch bolts whenever possible for exactly that reason, been stung by it before. The first time it happened on a Fiesta they were different, bolt though hole into a nut, so it was just a case of pull it out and replace it so not major, when its a threaded hole much more of a pain to fix. Its also the main reason I have more than one car!

It can be done long as the pipe is in good condition. If you've never used one before have a few practice goes with some of the spare pipe first (you can usually buy 10 metre reels of copper with fittings for around £15 if you look around so plenty of practice, you can reuse the threaded fittings as well if your practicing). A brake spanner (or two of them) might also help if you need to undo difficult fittings as they engage better with the hex heads. The main thing you might want if your flaring tool doesn't have one is something to cut the pipe with - I've used ones like these before > https://www.screwfix.com/p/3-28mm-manual-multi-material-pipe-cutter/49428 Using those tends to cut down on generating swarf and rough edges, certainly makes the job easier than using a hacksaw as you get a straight cut through the pipe this way.

If they are bad enough to warrant repalcement my MOT tester has been happy as long as the corroded section is cut out and replaced, even if it means adding another joint where there wasn't one originally. The copper pipe is easier to flare though. Try having a look on the parts list here for some ideas how they join, last time i had to replace the whole run on anything the joints were above the fuel tank, right PITA to get to (but given the old pipe actually snapped in my hands as i was removing it did need doing, but wasn't a Galaxy in that case) https://volkswagen.7zap.com/en/rdw/sharan+syncro+4motion/sha/2003-406/6/611-611030/

Good stuff, depending how the lambda fails depends how it reacts, though from memory when mine failed it didn't even detect it had failed, but the output was constantly .32v which was clearly wrong. It didn't run too well like that. Newer ones would be more likely to detect that sort of failure.

The fittings you want will depend how many joints you end up making - you will probabbly find your best bet is to get a bundle like this below (you will want more male than female fittings as its those to go onto the flexible hose ends) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brake-Pipe-Copper-Line-3-16-25Ft-20x-Male-Female-Brake-Nuts-3-8-Unf-x-24Tpi/361495722834 Don't know what size the pipe is offhand, should only be a case of measuring it to check though, Most cars are 3/16th though You will need a flaring tool to use those ends like this as well https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Draper-Brake-Fuel-Pipe-Flaring-Installation-Tool-Kit-Copper-Brass-Aluminium-Tube/361219798440 As you will need to undo the end that goes into the flexible hose, there isn't another way i know of making the required end to fit into that.

Only other thing to mention - it might be worth checking the sensor for the sai system (its on the bit of plastic thats next to the expansion bottle) as the hoses can rot away to it, you'd proabbly hear if that was the case though. Same with the hose from the pump at the back that feeds towards the exhaust, front end of this is near the coil packs.

I ran mine without the secondary air system for 5 years as it was broken (the fan was melted and rusted to death, I removed it completely and capped the hose inlet to the pipes) without a problem, its only there to speed up the cat warming up so won't effect running, just emissions when cold. The intake air temp might cause problems, though the popping sounds more like a misfire, I'd suspect its more likely the o2 sensor in the exhaust if it was a sensor (given the popping there is the possibility thats been damaged anyway, probably what also took out your cat). The intake air temp sensor is either in the MAF, or in the tube that leads between it and the manifold, can't remember which as no longer have that car. If its in the maf then unplugging it should cause it to use a default map (Though an error condition should cause the same thing to happen anyway). Can you see any live data? If your using a bluetooth adaptor then Torque with an android phone will display this, I'd have a look at the o2 sesnsor reading (1x1) and see if your getting a wave output shown. If its dead (same reading all the time) then it may be that causing the problem, equally the MAF might be causing the problem, though that usually causes lean running. Coil packs tend to be more temperature sensitive and likely to throw intermittent faults when starting to fail, equally the ht leads can play up in the same fashion.

Sounds like it wants the ignition circuit looking at - if a coil pack has failed that will effect two cylinders, but it may be in want of a new set of plug leads or spark plugs. They are a right pain to change on the 2.0 as they are in the back of the engine, but can be swapped with a decent plug socket and couple of extension bars on a ratchet. Equally if the coil pack has become unplugged partially this can cause the same problems, although that usually gets an error on the obd flagged up if so (won't bring engine light on, but will have a code logged). I would assume yours being a 96 would have the two coil packs on the end of the block, both are identical just rotated round 180 degrees if your looking for spares. Given it runs better at times I wouldn't expect loss of compression to be an issue, Mine went to 235k but did chew up its piston rings on one cylinder, finishing it off (would go through a litre of oil to 500 miles as it was blowing it back up the crankcase vent and filling the air filter box up)

You might be able to tell using the vin on ETIS > http://www.etis.ford.com/vehicleSelection.do

I've not done it, or even considered doing it, but bear in mind that if you have the rear A/C vents then these may be in the way when compared to a vehicle with front a/c only when considering any answer you might get.

I also had an Insignia estate as a courtsey car when a lorry hit the rear end of mine. I found despite it being a much bigger car than the Focus estate it was replacing that it was a struggle to get much into it in the boot (lack of height mostly). Thats one area where the Galaxy is far better!

At least yours was £255 - last time i taxed my 2.3 (which is due next month) it was £305. Its also decided to eject the spark plug from cylinder 3 earlier this week, thread all chewed up as well so not going to be a simple fix it appears. I now suspect that was what gave me problems earlier in the year when it flooded itself. Still might give the opportunity since the head has to come off to get on with converting it to gas as the same time to address the 30mpg (you were doing better than me!) issue at the same time. The Fords I was referring to were ones other than the Galaxy - I had a Mondeo that literally started disintegrating over the winter, to the point where there was a hole in the rear sill one side big enough to fit your fist inside. Given the extent of where the Rot had got to and it had already had a skin sill previously on one side, it wasn't worth the amount of welding required to fix it (both sills, the panel round the fuel filler and both rear arches, plus doors that had rust issues due to it being originally a first responders vehicle with checkerboarding down the sides, removed by someone who didn't know what they were doing and took a number of patches of paint off with it). As you say for a 19 year old car (which in a lot of cases won't have been particularly well looked after in their early years) they do quite well. I've seen a Golf GTI convertable on a G plate this week, which apart from the faded red paint still looked in very good shape overall. Thats not the only one I've seen whereas you rarely see Fords of that age still about as often.

If there the pads I think they are, there are two springs that press against the caliper. I'd guess one end of either spring isn't located properly hence the pad doesn't sit in the right place (I've seen them end up with a step on the edge of the pad where it misses the disc entirely!). But given you paid someone to do it, as Paul says above take it back to them and ask them to sort it!

Out of the Ford's I've owned the Galaxy has had the least rust issues. Others of the same era had got to being terminally rusty (bits falling out of the sills, rust spreading along edges of panels) years before that. VAG stuff tends to fair a bit better, though any help you can give it will help.

That to me sounds like something that shouldn't be in the selector area is getting in the way. Only real answer is to get in there and have a look about.

The linkage would be where i'd suggest looking - either the cable (theres 2 in total, one controls left/right, the other up/down) is either caught by something it shouldn't be or its damamged somewhere allowing water to get it, or something is caught in the linkage on the gearbox. I did find some chewed up conkers on top of mine thanks to a local squirrel stashing them there, might be something as simple as that. Don't think the mk1 has the bolt issue that the mk2 sometimes has causing problems (bolt works its way loose and eventually falls out inside the gearbox)

The front outriggers and the sills are the places I've had go (the bits round the rear lower corner of the rear doors too - these easily visible from outside though). Cleaning it would be the best bet to keep ontop of it, the outriggers have a hose sized hole in the bottom of them (or should have) it might be an idea to stick the end of the garden hose into there to flush it out particually after bad weather (salt on roads etc) as it is a mud trap. Scuttle drains are worth checking if your in that area too, as if they block will allow water to sit on top of the bulkhead. Probabbly best check them at the same time as the front wheel arch liners to get any accumulated rubbish out from both.

294mm and 268mm looks like possible ones?

Good stuff, this link gives more info on the dryer cap issue > https://www.fordmpv.com/smf2/ford-galaxy-common-faults-and-problems/ford-galaxy-diagnosing-ac-gas-leaking-from-drier-cap-area/

If its lost all the refrigerant you probably have the leaky dryer cap issue that the mk2 has - I filled mine up with glue when it was in the same state as it wasn't coming out, worst case you have to replace the condenser which has the dryer built into it anyway (you can access it from the front grille area). It usually passes a vac test in that state anyway, but will leak slowly. Others have used hot melt glue to "fix" the problem, I used araldite as it meant i could avoid too much stripping down to get in there at the time. Don't have a second key, though i have done that with a Focus where I had a broken key to get a replacement that was already cut to work. Vacuum gauge sounds interesting though will have a look into that next time i've got a/c issues.

If you have vents in the roof at the back it has the dual system, no vents (you will have controls for the back either way) then its the single zone. Dual takes the higher figure on the sticker under the bonnet. Though i'd expect it to still work with the single system charge, just not as well as it should (mine single zone would work with 310g of gas though not well, as thats what was recovered from mine when it was regassed). I'll be interested in what you find with the key cloning as I need a second key for mine (got one the previous owner has had cut, but not programmed to the car)

Good work - I hate wasps too, but not had them nesting in the car! It might be worth some investigation with VCDS on the air con front, if its holding gas you've got the worst bit ruled out, some of the sensors can fail in such a way to stop it working though

The socket falling inside the door is common - the design is very weak in my opinion as not much actually holds it in place, and with old plastic it gets brittle as well. I don't know if the front door looms are the same swapped left to right if you have a LHD Vs RHD - They may be. When i've had that socket/plug fall out i've managed to get hold of it through the gaps and reposition it without taking anything off (you can just get a finger in through the gap) but that was on a mk1, the mk2 may be a different story (if your fusebox is on the drivers side you might find opening the access flap gives you a path to it if your hands will go in there)