Is the au quicker and lighter than the EF/EL?

[sleekism]

I think the non-IRS AU models were lighter than the EL. And the IRS models more than made up for it with the Tickford VCT engine and short diff.

The AU and EL base models did have the same power output but from what I have heard the AU and EL Intechs are completely different engines. From memory I think the main changes for AU were cross bolted mains, alloy sump and different pistons with a different coating as well as better balancing which meant overall that the AU is a much happier camper up near the redline.

I remember first driving a EA and it didn't feel much bloody different than the XE at home. I don't know if the EL is the same but the XE and the OHC EA both didn't like being past 4000 rpm while my AU VCT loves it.

Also don't forget that most EL's probably have 200,000 kays plus now

[SammyDen]

I find the opposite to what a lot of people are saying.
AU's i've driven seem way mid responsive down low and in mid range torque.
but really struggles top end.
the EL felt the opposite.

[falzoony]

Originally Posted by streetracer23

do you know what the fuel economy is for the el xr6?? would be appreciated.

Fuel consumption: AS2877 City/Highway per 100km: 12.5L/7.4L (GLi 4L auto sedan)
according to http://www.geocities.com/falconfacts.../elfalcon.html.
I couldn't find the xr6 but that gives you an idea.
But as said before its got alot to do with how you drive it. I'd expect around 400-450km's a tank.

[Dark Horse]

To help clear things up - and for this comparison I'll be using the specifications for the EL GLi and AU Forte in auto format, which is as base model as one could get for each model equivalent.

Kerb weights:

EL GLi
Sedan 1530 kg
Wagon 1600 kg

AU Forte
Sedan 1515 kg
Wagon 1581 kg

Power and torque figures were unchanged at 157kW @ 4900 rpm and 357nm @ 3000 rpm, respectively. Final drive ratios were unchanged at 3.08 for the sedans and 3.23 for the wagons. The gear ratios in the BTR's were also unchanged. The AU does have a 10% reduction in drag co-efficient. However, in view of that, there wouldn't be much in it between the EL and AU as to which was quicker in base model format.

Bear in mind also that what might feel to be a 'quicker accelerating' car to drive may not necessarily mean it is the faster car as discussed in this thread.

[Cespenar]

Originally Posted by Dark Horse

To help clear things up - and for this comparison I'll be using the specifications for the EL GLi and AU Forte in auto format, which is as base model as one could get for each model equivalent.

Kerb weights:

EL GLi
Sedan 1530 kg
Wagon 1600 kg

AU Forte
Sedan 1515 kg
Wagon 1581 kg

Power and torque figures were unchanged at 157kW @ 4900 rpm and 357nm @ 3000 rpm, respectively. Final drive ratios were unchanged at 3.08 for the sedans and 3.23 for the wagons. The gear ratios in the BTR's were also unchanged. The AU does have a 10% reduction in drag co-efficient. However, in view of that, there wouldn't be much in it between the EL and AU as to which was quicker in base model format.

Bear in mind also that what might feel to be a 'quicker accelerating' car to drive may not necessarily mean it is the faster car as discussed in this thread.

My AU Ghia owners manual states I6 auto weight 1640Kg. add 20KG for v8.
forte 1493
Futura 1520
XR series 1510
fairmont 1530
Diff ratios on all AUs (five) I have checked are 3.54:1
Also a 1996 ute of Bro's is 3.54:1 Also 2x AU traybacks.
All Ford salesmen I've asked for diff ratios haven't known.
Clue: Climb under and check it out yourself.
Also My VCT doesn't like to spin up much. It seems to get rough after about 3,500 rpm.
I know this is late but hope it helps.

[FGII-XR6]

Originally Posted by Cespenar

Diff ratios on all AUs (five) I have checked are 3.54:1
Also a 1996 ute of Bro's is 3.54:1 Also 2x AU traybacks.
.

Diff ratios
3.08 forte futura fairmont sedan
3.23 forte futura fairmont wagon and all fairmont ghia
3.45 XR6 XR8

not sure on ute ratios

[Dark Horse]

Originally Posted by Cespenar

My AU Ghia owners manual states I6 auto weight 1640Kg. add 20KG for v8.

Sticking to the topic, we are referring to the base models. Whether it is a Ghia, has IRS or a V8 is irrelevant.

Originally Posted by Cespenar

forte 1493
Futura 1520
XR series 1510
fairmont 1530

I'd like to know WHERE this information has come from.

Originally Posted by Cespenar

Diff ratios on all AUs (five) I have checked are 3.54:1

There was NEVER a a 3.54:1 ratio fitted to any AU. 3.45:1 yes, but they certainly weren't fitted to Forte's from factory.

Originally Posted by Cespenar

Also a 1996 ute of Bro's is 3.54:1 Also 2x AU traybacks.

Ok, you're introducing utes into the equation, that's fine. Again I'd question those ratios.

Originally Posted by Cespenar

All Ford salesmen I've asked for diff ratios haven't known.

Nothing surprising here.

Originally Posted by Cespenar

Clue: Climb under and check it out yourself.

Never needed to. I've had mine up on a hoist several times, and because it's not a base model for comparison purposes in this thread it does not count!

Originally Posted by Cespenar

Also My VCT doesn't like to spin up much. It seems to get rough after about 3,500 rpm.

But then again your VCT is not a base model, so again is as irrelevant as my XR is to this discussion.

Originally Posted by Cespenar

I know this is late but hope it helps.

No problems, but I do, once again have to question your figures.

[AU2PWR]

jesus , the horse had an answer for everything ..

[Mechan1k]

Utes start at 3.23:1 ..... and get shorter from there.
3.45:1 for some XR models (and available for option on the lower models).
Then there's aftermarket replacement ... which quite a few people seem to have done.
I wouldn't mind going to 3.7's myself ... bit more responsive around town when loaded up.

[broken_suave]

Didnt the EL have 148kW? or was that the EF? I thought there was a step up in power from the EL to AU or EF to EL? (cant remember which)
Was the EF I6 more or less the same as EBII/ED?

[private9]

Originally Posted by broken_suave

Didnt the EL have 148kW? or was that the EF? I thought there was a step up in power from the EL to AU or EF to EL? (cant remember which)
Was the EF I6 more or less the same as EBII/ED?

Hey mate, EB2 to ED had 148kw, EF-AU3 had 157kw.

[private9]

Originally Posted by GK

I'm only talking about feel here but I've driven two EF wagons (both Futuras)off and on, and they are much brisker off the line than my AU Futura Wagon.

GK

Agree 100% there George! Again,only going by feel too, but I've had an EF and 2 EL's, and 2 AU's and the earlier cars felt a fair bit quicker off the line.

Whether that's because the earlier ones are a fair bit noisier and rougher in the engine department, I'm not sure.

[Dark Horse]

Originally Posted by broken_suave

Didnt the EL have 148kW?

The EL didn't but the XH Longreach utes did.

[falzoony]

Originally Posted by au3xr6

Diff ratios
3.08 forte futura fairmont sedan
3.23 forte futura fairmont wagon and all fairmont ghia
3.45 XR6 XR8

not sure on ute ratios

How do I check what diff my car has? Theres nothing in the manual(that I could find).

[Dark Horse]

Yours is 3.08 single spinner falzoony.

[Cespenar]

Originally Posted by Dark Horse

Sticking to the topic, we are referring to the base models. Whether it is a Ghia, has IRS or a V8 is irrelevant.



I'd like to know WHERE this information has come from.



There was NEVER a a 3.54:1 ratio fitted to any AU. 3.45:1 yes, but they certainly weren't fitted to Forte's from factory.



ng surprising here.



Never needed to. I've had mine up on a hoist several times, and because it's not a base model for comparison purposes in this thread it does not count!



But then again your VCT is not a base model, so again is as irrelevant as my XR is to this discussion.



No problems, but I do, once again have to question your figures.

Sorry about the typo, dark horse. Imeant 3.45. As I said, I checked the tags on the diffs of 5 AU vehicles. Even the XR 8s were all 3.45. The ghia is 3.45. The utes and traybacks are 3.45.
I reasoned, that because of my own searching, and calculations to be sure, that all AUs were 3.45.
As for the weights, you can see that the forte weight came from the Ford owners manual.
Maybe weights changed from year to year. I don't know about that.
Regards from Cespenar.

[Dark Horse]

Yeap, no worries at all Cespenar. Just happened to be sheer coincidence that the AU's you checked out were all of the 3.45 flavour, which concurs with the information I posted for those specific vehicles.

[guy351]

well the au weighs around about 1530kg and does the 1/4 in 16.5 seconds when the el/ef weighs 1536kg and does the 1/4 in 17.0 seconds so id say that the au would be the better more powerful car to have.

[Au2falcons]

I had driven three EF's before purchasing my AU. These EF's were courtesy cars so I had them for up to a week at a time.

The EF/EL's seem to want to rev much easier than the AU which seems a little tame.

Seeing both I6 have the same power/torque outputs I think it comes down to the compression ratio's. The EF's ration is 9.3:1 where as the AU 9.6:1, I guess this would make the Engine tighter, harder to rev, which would make the EF feel more sporty/faster.

[CMYAU3]

wen i got my au series 3 auto stock i6
i took it down the quarter and i can tell u for a fact that it will never go faster than 16.6.
that s it........... thats wat it will do nothing more nothing less
as for a el/ef i have no clue wat a stock one will do

[walker]

my AU XR is 50kg lighter than a EF Fairmont

[blackers10]

16.6 max aye... my au fairlane I6 ran a 16.031 with a 2400 stall..K&N panel filter and XR8 intake snorkel and a 2.5" press bent exhaust... and its IRS and is a fairlane so weighs more to begin with.. and had 20" wheels and a big sub box with 2 15" subs..
for the mods i have i think it was faster than a 16.6 stock...

[minheim]

From memory the AUs were made with a new lightweight steel developed by Ford with BHP. Hence while carrying more standard eqiuipment than an EL they were actually lighter.

[Werd.]

+ EL's are getting older, unless of course you're referring to a perfect example.

[turbotrana]

The AU head does not flow as much as a EF head hence why EF seems to rev out a bit better

[GK]

What was the stock diff ratio on an EF/L?

Also, their autos had a slightly higher stall didn't they? Or was is a shorter 1st ratio? In any case, every EF/L I've driven has felt more lively off the mark than my AU.

GK

[JC]

Originally Posted by GK

What was the stock diff ratio on an EF/L?

Also, their autos had a slightly higher stall didn't they? Or was is a shorter 1st ratio? In any case, every EF/L I've driven has felt more lively off the mark than my AU.

GK

Wait til you drive mine GK - it'll change your mind about that statement!

[GK]

Originally Posted by JC

Wait til you drive mine GK - it'll change your mind about that statement!

Really? Is it auto or manual JC?

BTW, It's only just occurred to me that the EF/L's I've driven have been straight petrol where as my wagon is dual fuel. That's a hefty weight disadvantage not to mention the restriction of the mixer ring! LOL!

Hey, it is what it is, and I'd much rather have my AUs than an E series equivalent and much rather them on LPG than straight petrol.

Funny thing though. Just tonight before the Mrs headed off for her last night shift 5/5, she commented how much more gas the car uses now it's manual! I cracked up. She must be giving it the extra and she's actually driven it 5 days straight, having much more drive time than I've had since the conversion was done! :

GK

[JC]

Originally Posted by GK

Really? Is it auto or manual JC?

BTW, It's only just occurred to me that the EF/L's I've driven have been straight petrol where as my wagon is dual fuel. That's a hefty weight disadvantage not to mention the restriction of the mixer ring! LOL!

Hey, it is what it is, and I'd much rather have my AUs than an E series equivalent and much rather them on LPG than straight petrol.

Funny thing though. Just tonight before the Mrs headed off for her last night shift 5/5, she commented how much more gas the car uses now it's manual! I cracked up. She must be giving it the extra and she's actually driven it 5 days straight, having much more drive time than I've had since the conversion was done! :

GK

Mine's an auto, and slow as a wet week off the mark. Once you get it going, though, it goes OK. Not as good as the old XR8 on BBQ fuel, but pretty good for an "old" I6. Diff/auto whine and all!

Oh, and "chicks" that hoon - gotta love 'em!

[GK]

Originally Posted by JC

Oh, and "chicks" that hoon - gotta love 'em!

Indeed! Mrs JC the same I assume?

GK