Galaxy V6 Runs Like A Dog....

[Guest billsullivan]

I have just aquired a 1998 Galaxy V6, problem is that it is running like an absolute dog. With a struggle I can get it up to about 50 mph on the flat (eventually) or down hill, but it drops to 20 mph when asked to go up even the slightest of hills. It also has a feeling about it that it is not running on all cylinders, will not rev more than 2000 rpm when driving, but will rev right up when not in gear. I also experience a severe juddering on overrun, and the car put out plumes of black smoke. Please can anyone help?

 

Rgds

Bill

[Guest SA Intruder]

Favourite fault is the coil pack.

 

Search on Forum for repair possibility, or renew.

 

Warning: you WILL damage engine running like this, and probably the ECU due to HT tracking back to the ECU.

[Guest Turbo]

Yes, coil packs are quite a common fault . As you are getting black smoke it sounds like you are getting unburnt fuel through the exhaust ruling out a fuel fault. Either try changing it or have the engine checked on a diagnostic machine but this is usually expensive to do. Good luck.

[Richmond]

Piston rings worn? Sounds a bit old fashioned, but I presume that the Galaxy has them. If it wasn't for the black smoke, a small crack in the head or even a dodgy head gasket might explain it, no?

[Guest smithgt]

I've had a very similar problem on my Diesel Galaxy, the Max speed was about 50mph, and there was very little accelleration.

 

I took it to the local Ford dealership and they tracked the problem down to a circuit board that controlled the air /fuel mix. The part was

[Guest SA Intruder]

That was the MAF sensor.

 

!!!!!!!

[Guest smithgt]

That was the MAF sensor.

 

!!!!!!!

Yep! Just found my invoce..

 

Engine Lacks Power & Acceleration

Fit M.A.F Sensor & Test - OK

 

F1051396 Sensor - Air CH

[Guest chunkyandlouie]

This is for SmithGT - thanks for the E mail. I'll certainly ring Dovercourt tomorrow morning. Don't know how Allen Ford can come up with a figure

[Guest smithgt]

Spooky cos I got your email this am! Good Luck!

[Guest billsullivan]

Thank you to everyone who has responded to my problem. I think I will try the coil pack suggestion first. Is it difficult to change at home, or will I need the assistance and tools of a specialist. Also, can anyone suggest the best place to buy a coil pack - or better still have my one tested.

 

Thank you once again.

Bill Sullivan

[Guest nimrod]

it may be worth your while to spray a bit of water (fine mist not the hose! :o)

on the coil pack, then run the engine in the dark and see if you can see the coil pack tracking out? if you can see sparks flying around the pack its most likely the outer insulation cracking up and holding the moisture in the cracks!

if it is you have two options :o

1 replace the coilpack

2 dry it out, reseal it and see how it goes? you may end up doing option 1 in the end but its worth a try!

 

OPTION 1. the only tools you will need are a set of torx drivers? the silly star bolt thingies :P and maybe a pair of pliers to help remove the plug leads off the coil pack? the coil pack is marked 1 to 6 near each pylon so as long as you remember which lead goes where, you should be ok! i made a diagram of the leads position before i started to be on the safe side.

the coil pack is held on by four bolts, it may be worth your while magnetiseing the torxs socket to help you from not dropping the bolts down into the depths of darkness that is a VR6 engine bay :blink:

the job goes a bit like this

unplug the plug leads and main cable connection to the coil pack, unbolt it, remove it and replace it, do up the bolts, plug in all the leads in the correct places and see how you go?

 

OPTION 2. goes likes this, wait till the wife goes out! pre heat the oven (fairly hot) remove the coil pack, clean all the dirt off it and stick it in the oven for a while to dry it out

then, reseal it using an epoxy resin or such like, something that will take a bit of heat? stick it back in the oven on a low heat to cure it then when its all dried stick it back on the car and try it :o

 

best place for a coil pack is Fords! GF&S and Euro Car Parts did do one when i changed mine

i believe the part number is P F1008464 N/STK COIL ASSY - ING

[rwtomkins]

I've always got the impression from reading this forum that loss of power and lack of acceleration were classic symptoms of a failed MAF sensor. So just of curiosity, what is it makes you experts think it's the coil pack in this case? Is it the black smoke?

 

Seems to me it could be an expensive (or at least time consuming) mistake to fix the wrong thing and so a diagnostic would be the sensible route. But hey, what do I know?

[Guest Turbo]

I agree with you rw,maybe the vehicle should go on a diagnostic machine first. It`s so expensive to find the fault. Whatever happened to a simple engine set-up ? How much do we benefit from all these electronics and engine management systems ?So yes we gain in extra perfomance, but what we save on fuel seems to be lost spending money on all these fancy parts and diagnostics!

[Guest nimrod]

In any other case I'd agree with you but from experience of running a VR6 Galaxy and knowing the problems of coilpack insulation breaking down! i would opt to try my recomendation of the water test on it first before splashing out on a trip to the dealers, after all lifting the bonnet and spraying a little water round in the dark will cost you nothing!