Well I Am Now Officially A Galaxy Owner!

[PembsPanther]

Picked up my Ebay bargain yesterday, went well no issues really apart from the dam trains but I will not start about them!

53 plate 2.3 Zetec in burgundy / maroon colour, 140k on the clock MOT till September, advertised with a damaged passenger side rear door, rust over passenger side rear wheel arch heading towards the boot along the bottom of the panel that butts up to the top of the bumper. terminal in that area over the bumper me finger went straight through it but I think I can fashion a decent repair without having to learn to weld, this time! Will detail it all when I do it.

Main problem was, describe by seller as some kind of a misfire at over 3k revs, in reality it was more related to how hard you press the accelerator, quite bad really I had to feather the accelerator just so to get it to drive anything like, that was for over 250 miles, but it got me home, discovered on the way home that the windscreen wipers were not working at all so was praying for no rain, luckily I managed it which is a minor miracle in Wales!

So on to today, pressing matter misfire and wipers, ordered new coil pack, spark plugs and ignition leads, just ordered cheapo stuff from carparts4less for the moment to make sure it cures said issue, if it does great I will buy it all again "branded" if you like and keep this cheap lot as backup spares, quite happy to do that as if it does not cure the issue then we could be into a whole other world of pain with mechanical s, so £50 spent now is fine with me! That is all being delivered tomorrow so I scoured the forum and found various wiper threads and then broke out the tool box, all pretty straight forward really, both were seized solid sprayed with Gas Pro which is a million times better than WD40 with a little help from a persuader they gave up and came out, one was quite badly corroded so got in on the wire wheel to give it a really good clean, greased re-assembled not issues really, works well but need to get some new wiper blades, looks like they have not been working for years!

Whilst on the wipers, what is that funny way of connecting them to the arm? Do all Galaxy replacements come ready to mount on those arms?

Whilst I was there I decided to have a dry run on the plugs and leads, make sure I had the right spark socket etc they were all quite rusty on the top part where the plug connects to and then it was obvious on 2 of them that something had come off the end of the diode I think it is? Under the curved but that goes into the cylinder head, I think it might have been that platinum tip? Looked like a tiny nipple on the end? Anyway it was gone on 2 so I threw in some spare ones I had that kind of matched in cylinder 1 and 2, sprayed the inside of the leads with a bit of WD re-assembled, turned the key and perfect, misfire completely gone, engine light off success!

Went into town about 30 miles round trip on the way home the mis starts again and engine light flashing, the plugs I put in are not the right ones for this engine so it could be them or indeed a dodgy lead which with me messing with and WD'ing might have temporarily cured it, we shall see tomorrow when all the new parts are here.

So far I love it, the wife loves, the kids love it, really pleased and all for the unbelievable price of, wait for it, wait for it...............

£410!

Yep four hundred and 10 quid, I am gob smacked truly, oh well it is about time I had a bit of luck with cars! Looking at the history it was registered 2003 to a fleet company, in its first 3 years it covered 109k with 11 main dealer services, it was then sold to someone in Wimbledon who in the next 9 years put 31k on it, all backed up my MOT mileages, some years they were doing less than 2k a year! I have noticed they did not lavish it with money though, no service history past 2006, MOT history good though passed every year till last year when they had to have some suspension work done but apart from that nothing to write home about.

Hopeful it is a good un, lavish it with a bit of love and hopefully it will give us 3 or 4 years hassle free motoring but I do a fair few miles myself but I think it will but up to it.

Anyway thanks for reading.

[sparky Paul]

Those plugs must be changed at the correct service interval, or problems soon ensue - 40,000 miles and the platinum tips are all but burnt off.

 

There's some cheap Galaxys about, if you don't mind sorting out a few problems. A lot of car for 410 quid!

 

I've had mine 12 years now, it finally succumbed to rot this year. A bit of welding around the front outriggers, fabricated new front wing bottoms where they meet the sills and fixed the rust around the tailgate lock. A bit of fresh paint has given the old bus a new lease of life... cost me a few offcuts of steel, and 1/2 litre of base coat, but it looks great again!

Edited August 5, 2015 by sparky Paul

[PembsPanther]

Hello Paul

 

Thanks for the reply, yes it is a lot for little money very happy with it, that last post should have been posted last night but I forgot to hit the button before going to bed so the parts are due to arrive today, I hate waiting around for ruddy courier I want to get on with it but local motor factor was laughable price wise so had no choice but to order online. Hoping by the end of the day the miss will be cured once and for all. Need to order some wiper blades as well.

 

The rear screen wash wipe, where is the jet located that squirts the water onto the window? I had a look this morning and maybe I was having a moment but I could not see it anywhere??

 

The brake pedal feels a bit spongy as well so will do a decent brake dismantle, inspection, clean and re-assemble this weekend see if anything is needed there if all is fine I will bleed through fresh fluid see if that solves it, plenty of braking just does not seem to activate until peddle is half pressed then feels a bit, well spongy.

 

It is due its MOT September so will attack it now over the next couple of weeks and see where we end up, on the face of it though bargain of the century!

[sparky Paul]

Used carparts4less many times, no problems at all.

 

The rear window wash squirter is above the window. Doesn't normally block, if you can't find a problem look at the pipe which runs inside the car in the sill capping... there's a joint in the front passenger door panel which comes apart an leaks into the front passenger carpet. I can imagine someone might disconnect the pump or remove a fuse if they were flooded and couldn't be arsed to investigate.

 

Spongy brakes are a common problem on the Galaxy, they don't have the firmest of pedal at the best of times. Get air into the ABS unit and you need VAG-COM diagnostic tool to bleed it properly - USB cable is only a few quid off ebay. Seizing handrake adjusters in the rear calipers can also give long pedal travel.

 

If you're going to attack the back brakes, a wind back tool is highly recommended, the pistons must be rotated clockwise as they are retracted.

 

The VAG-COM tool is an invaluable tool for the few pounds they cost. As yours is a petrol, this VW tool won't talk to the Ford engine, but fortunately an ELM327 cable which will is also only a few quid.

[PembsPanther]

ahhh now I thought Vag-Com would not talk period to the 2.3, I have a bluetooth Elm device and just hooked it up to the Galaxy and connected with my Windows phone using an app called obd auto doctor, works very well good amount of sensor data and of course the all important trouble codes, can reset the codes but cannot make any changes to anything so Vag Com I am very interested in! Is it the lite version I download?

 

Thanks in advance

[sparky Paul]

Yes the VCDS lite software from Ross works great. This will allow you to access all other systems on the car, except the engine and PATS anti-theft.

 

However, it will not work with a ELM327 cable or bluetooth adapter, you need a VAG-COM USB cable - search for "vag com kkl" on ebay.

 

The car is basically an all-VW vehicle with a Ford engine cobbled in.

[PembsPanther]

Thanks Paul just ordered one :)

 

The code I have at the moment is, I think..... P304 Misfire detected on cylinder number 4, interestingly the replacement spark plus I used yesterday went in 1 and 2 so must be a coil or lead issue, still waiting for UPS :(

[Russats]

I've always fancied a petrol Galaxy is the 2.3 enough, or is the 2.8 V6 better?

 

Bound to be juicy right?

 

You can get them a lot cheaper that Diesels. Is it a Ford engine?

[PembsPanther]

Hi Russats

 

The 2.3 petrol has a reputation of being really quite reliable, it is chain driven so no pesky cam belts to worry about although chain tensioners should be checked, the 2.3 mpg wise seems to be a really mixed bag of figures and ultimately will be down to the way you drive it, the one thing I can tell you is even with a slight misfire it has bags and bags and bags of power, it is a Ford engine that was used for many many years so spares are plentiful along with advice and help from others who have been there before.

 

I am hoping to get it to achieve 30mpg average, if I can do this then I will be a very happy chappy, LPG conversion is always an option however I do not think I fancy this route, read loads on other forums about general engine failure after LPG kits have been fitted and even the ones I see on Ebay with LPG tend to have some kind of a fault with it also the more people using it the quicker Dave & Co will hike up the tax, LPG is a sticking plaster that for me does not work or answer any of the problems with being so oil reliant what we really need is invention and a serious willingness to leave petrol and diesel behind for good, a whole other thread though.

 

I am sure other will be able to add to this but this is what I learnt in my research before buying one. For me the 2.3 was the only one to have.

[Russats]

Don't they run hotter as well after LPG conversion. I don't know how much more economical they are now either as the price has crept up hasn't it? It's consumed faster too isn't it?

[PembsPanther]

I think in general you achieve the same MPG (if your lucky) but obviously the cost is cheaper so you can work out from there a "new" in theory MPG from there. The price will continue to rise and of course the more popular it is the more it will rise, for me it says it all that none of the major manufacturers have bother to do a full LPG variant of any model that has sold anywhere near any if it was to be taken seriously as a long term option then this would not be the case instead they are all too busy (and quite rightly so) working on electric and battery tech.

 

I also visit a few car forums and have yet to read a story with a happy long term ending for any of these conversions, I am sure there will be some but virtually everything I read is problem after problem after problem, why potentially screw up what is regarded as a great engine with such a conversion. For me I look at MPG a bit different, if I want 60+mpg then any of the little roller skate style diesels would do nicely, do I want to drive such a thing and squeeze my full size frame into it to then be uncomfortable for the length of the journey with the kids moaning and groaning because they have no room and forget about putting anything in the boot, me? No I have no desire to drive such a car for us the big size of the galaxy is perfect, easy to get in and out of, plenty of room for everyone, feels safe and well built, higher driving position, comfort, huge boot (when minus 2 seats of course) great reputable engine that has loads of power and more torque top pull your house up a hill let alone a caravan (if you would want such a thing  as a caravan that is) the list goes on and on, yes this is what we want and the cost is 25-30 mpg if we are lucky, for us that is worth it so we are happy to pay the price, we do a lot of miles so all the above are important to us.

 

I have just come out of a Mazda 6 that was only doing just over 30 mpg so already used to the high fuel bills but also self employed and 80% of our mileage is business mileage so the expense I suppose in theory is a little less as we claim petrol against taxes etc etc.

[PembsPanther]

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh dam UPS! Yep you guessed it they did not turn up! Managed to get in touch with my local depot they had no reason why it was not delivered just took my number and said someone would call me back in the morning, great!

 

Took her for a quick spin to the local shop earlier for some supplies and she is running worst than before, really misfiring now and I keep getting a catalytic converter smell so worried about frying that as well so that is me pretty much grounded now until UPS decide to deliver my parts and it will not stop friggin raining!

 

 

ahhhhhh rant over :) Oh well hopefully tomorrow brings better news.

[BrianH]

Hi Russats

 

The 2.3 petrol has a reputation of being really quite reliable, it is chain driven so no pesky cam belts to worry about although chain tensioners should be checked, the 2.3 mpg wise seems to be a really mixed bag of figures and ultimately will be down to the way you drive it, the one thing I can tell you is even with a slight misfire it has bags and bags and bags of power, it is a Ford engine that was used for many many years so spares are plentiful along with advice and help from others who have been there before.

 

I am hoping to get it to achieve 30mpg average, if I can do this then I will be a very happy chappy, LPG conversion is always an option however I do not think I fancy this route, read loads on other forums about general engine failure after LPG kits have been fitted and even the ones I see on Ebay with LPG tend to have some kind of a fault with it also the more people using it the quicker Dave & Co will hike up the tax, LPG is a sticking plaster that for me does not work or answer any of the problems with being so oil reliant what we really need is invention and a serious willingness to leave petrol and diesel behind for good, a whole other thread though.

 

I am sure other will be able to add to this but this is what I learnt in my research before buying one. For me the 2.3 was the only one to have.

 

 

Don't they run hotter as well after LPG conversion. I don't know how much more economical they are now either as the price has crept up hasn't it? It's consumed faster too isn't it?

 

I've clocked up nearly 200k on my 2.0 on lpg since 70k - these engines are well suited to lpg due to not having the soft valve seats most modern petrol engines have, so don't require valve lube either (at least the 2.0 doesn't, fairly sure the 2.3 same applies).

 

Biggest issue i find with lpg is the lack of range you get from it due to the lack of space for the tank - mine is in place of the spare wheel. I get 245 miles out of a fill which coses between £20 and £26 depending where i fill up (some areas are cheaper - 43p a litre round Birmingham if you don't mind filling up at the depots the taxis use, more locally to me theres 4 garages doing it between 54.9p and 65.9p a litre, Given the cheapest i can find petrol is around £1.12 a litre its a significant saving for me You lose some mpg over the petrol one, but I still find I can get around 5 miles per litre or approx 9-10p a mile at the cheaper end of the prices).

 

Electric cars suit a very select group of people - most of whom could do without a car in the first place! They just aren't practical for anyone without a proper driveway or garage, and just don't have the range either, LPG on the other hand if you run out you have petrol to fall back onto, or can refill in a few minutes at the local station. Though i'd advise checking out the local prices/availability before you consider it. It works well for me as i do a lot of miles in different areas and can usually find it fairly easily. www.filllpg.co.uk is a handy site to check if you want to get an idea of what is available in your local area.

 

Re the temp side - the combustion temp is slightly higher, but its not by much (around 30 degrees centigrade - which on 800 degrees isn't significant - a cooling system in good order shouldn't have any problems coping with it).

 

The other main problem is finding a converter who actually takes care in the job rather than doing a poor quality job - theres a few about, but they tend to be undercut by the less professional installers. Its far more popular in Europe than here where it never really took off (mostly due to a lack of understanding by people who don't want anything to do with it as they don't understand it and will blame it for anything that goes wrong with a vehicle fitted with it, and a love for filthy polluting oil burners)

 

At least one of the other regular posters on here is on lpg - I think it may be Sparky Paul but can't remember for sure and the forum search for LPG isn't allowed as its too short!

 

You need to get it working properly first though - the coil pack sounds suspect to me, Possibly stressed by the duff spark plugs you've already discovered!

 

Re your points on the wipers - is this the blades your talking about? or the arms?

[PembsPanther]

Hi Brian

 

Thanks for the reply, it is great to hear you have had a great experience with LPG and the 2.3, I might just do some more research, is there any drop in power?

 

It is the blades, I have always driven old bangers and have not seen this way of connecting them before.

[BrianH]

Its the 2.0 i've got - the other poster has the 2.3.

 

The 2.0 is gutless, but its gutless on petrol as well (well its not, but it struggles with the weight of the galaxy somewhat, whereas the 2.3 to me sounds the better bet). With proper mapping its not an issue as far as i've seen. Bear in mind that at 200k the engine is far from its original performance anyway!

 

The blades on the mk1 are 11.5mm not the more normal 9mm fitting, are these flat blades or the more conventional type?

Edited August 5, 2015 by BrianH

[BrianH]

And its Viperclive on LPG not Sparky Paul. Found the thread where it came up eventually.

[gregers]

welcome to the forum,panther.

 

i used to have a petrol 2 ltr and yes it was a tad gutless.

 

if you want to be a total boy racer in a mpv then get the v6,had a few come past me like a bat out of hell.

[sparky Paul]

No, I'm not on LPG... wish I had converted it though. Was going to, but I never though I would have it this long - I still have a spare complete inlet manifold in the shed, so I could fit the injector nozzles and do a quick swap over.

 

A flashlube kit is recommended for the 2.3, I have seen reports of burnt valves on LPG. The ignition system has to be 100% too. Otherwise, the 2.3 is as bulletproof as any engine out there. Just stick to the recommended service intervals, and make sure you use 5W30 oil.

 

28mpg is the official figure for mixed cycle, but I manage 30mpg average with mixed driving, never much worse or better. Don't expect a great deal better on a run either, only a few mpg more... the Galaxy is a big lump, and motorway speeds and above make a considerable dent in the mpg.

 

WIper blades - the later mk2 cars are fitted as standard with aero blades, which have the peculiar fittings.

[PembsPanther]

Hello

 

Thanks for the replies and welcomes :)

 

Well today has been better, parts finally arrived, new coil pack, plugs and leads fitted misfire gone she runs really well seems to have a little bit of a sticky throttle sensor so will give that a good clean out but I am very very pleased :) Started to notice a few other things now though, air con not working at all no fan no compressor nowt so going to go on a diagnostic mission with that over the weekend also I can feel a slight wobble, only very slight but it is there, to me feels like an engine mount, do they have a reputation on these?

 

Clasp on one of the back windows will not lock onto place, noticed a clang and bang coming from the front passenger side area but on "quick" inspection everything suspension wise seems in order so again was wondering maybe engine mount? Going to do new brake discs and pads front and back, catalytic converter looks like it has seen better days in fact the whole exhaust looks well used but no apparent leaks anywhere but the cat does look very flaky, remarkably good condition underneath no obvious rust anywhere so before it starts I will underseal the thing see if we can keep it at bay a bit longer!

 

Fantastic car though and really not bothered about these repairs, I got it for pennies at 410 so figure I have at least a grand I can spend on reviving it before I am going to lose money, in theory but besides this we want this as a keeper for a few years so really things like brakes and exhausts, coils, spark plugs they are all stuff I would have replaced anyhow bearing in mind I want as many years trouble free motoring for it as possible.

 

One very happy new Galaxy owner, the car is truly fantastic and fits our purposes bang on 100%

[BrianH]

Sounds like good news - which side is the broken catch? (hopefully passenger side as it should be easier to fix - the aerial is on the other side window). Have a check as you turn the wheel the other thing that can happen is problems with the top mounting on the strut - again its really a case of taking the wheel off and prodding about to identify where the problem is.

 

The main thing to cause strange noises on the Galaxy are the drop links, not seen much reported about engine mounts, but you can see it and we can't so its going to be a case of having a look and prod about to tell for sure.

 

Does the exhaust leak or appear like its going to fall off? Mine got to the point where I had to replace all except the mainfold as it was looking very rough and with holes in the cat and downpipe, with both backboxes rather rotten as well, but it was a bit older than yours before it was that bad (did it about a year ago now)

 

Oh and the galaxy aircon not working is nothing too unusual - snapped pipes aren't uncommon, though yours sounds more like an electrical issue  - do you get the light coming on to indicate its been switched on even?

Edited August 6, 2015 by BrianH

[PembsPanther]

Hi Brian

 

Thanks for the reply, the broken catch is the drivers side. I was not happy with the way I had it jacked yesterday so inspection was limited, I am going to figure out over the weekend the best way to get it nigh and high off the ground but also the safest, might need to buy a bigger trolley jack the one I have, (standard buy anywhere kind) only managed to just lift the wheel off the floor using the pinch welds.

 

No obvious leaks on the exhaust , all seems to function correctly just looks a bit of a mess from underneath. So far as air con yes I agree must be electrical, the systems has pressure so presume we are leak free, the light on the a/c button in the cab does light when pushed just no command being sent from somehwere, I will have a crack at diagnosing over the weekend see where we end up :)

[BrianH]

It's not something regularly complained about with the broken catch. You may be able to sort it without removing the window glass though.

 

There is a few relays behind the main fusebox. Think the mk2 has a second fusebox as well near the expansion bottle. Not sure what one does the ac but there are some diagrams of the relays on here

[PembsPanther]

The base of the catch that attaches the car rather than the window appears to be a bit loose on its mounting so am hoping I can remove the trim at the rear and simply tighten whatever is holding it on, might have a go at that tonight.

 

Need to track down the diagrams so thanks for the tip about some being on here I will have a look, a "friend of a friend" has access to Ford Etis so he is also going to print off the trouble shooting section for the air con, nice easy to follow steps so I am told we will see!

[PembsPanther]

Forgot to mention my USB cable Elm should arrive today so hoping to be able to be do some diagnosing with VCDS / VAG-COM lite just not sure yet what features are available in the lite version.

[BrianH]

You will be able to look at the engine with that one. You need a vag com cable for vcds on the Ford units. That will allow connection to the rest of the units except the engine