Diagnosing Ford LPG Issues

Diagnosing Ford LPG Issues

Running problems with Ford vehicles fitted with LPG can be tricky, especially for those who don’t do a lot of work on LPG vehicles.

This diagnostic article attempts to help workshops that may not be familiar with issues in AU, BA, BF and FG Ford Falcons.

The problem vehicle is a Ford Falcon fitted with factory LPG using the Vialle converter venturi-based systems.

These diagnostics also apply to older Ford factory Tickford LPG systems where the balance line is in a different position to the vehicles featured in this story.

Symptoms Include:

  • Most symptoms can be detected within seconds using a OBD scanner/software.
  • Stalling at idle
  • Stalling on an overrun going down a hill prior to coming to a stop
  • Stalling during low speed cornering.

First, do a basic vehicle inspection, drain the LPG converter and clean the idle jet.

If these check out OK, with the vehicle running, connect the scan tool and bring up the parameters PIDs, bring up the on­ board diagnostics parameter IDs (codes used to request data from a vehicle) and do the following:

  • Check for engine codes
  • Check that the 0 sensor is cycling with the engine on and at idle
  • Check the LPG stepper motor count (normally 150 to 175 at idle and similar at 1,500 RPM).

The 0 should remain cycling while the 2 engine is at idle.

The oxygen sensor should have 0 to 1 oscillating voltage if it is working OK. The stepper motor count should be about 150 to 175 at idle if all conditions are OK.

If the engine is running lean, the 0 sensor 2 will be showing lean around 0.1 V and the stepper motor count will be lower than 150 steps.

Now check the PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) valve that can often be damaged by an engine backfire.

Check for air leaks within the intake manifold system, from the air box through to the manifold gasket. If the fault is still apparent, test drive the vehicle with the scan tool hooked up and record the stepper motor count.

If the mixtures go lean as indicated by the 02 sensor being below 0.1 V and the stepper motor count is ramping lower to (say) 140 when the engine stalls, it may be a split or a hole in the balance line.

To check the balance line remove it from the air filter end and, using a smoke machine, check for leaks but use only very low pressure.

Alternatively just seal one end of the flexible line and blow in the other. There should be no pressure loss.

Due to the design being like a convoluted tube, complete removal and a thorough visual check for splits must be done.

If no splits are found, the sensitivity diaphragm in the converter may be split. This pressure balance system must be completely sealed.

An easy way to help diagnose this is to test drive the vehicle in a safe area, accelerate up to 40 to 60 kmlh and shift the gear to neutral while coasting.

If the engine stalls it is most likely to be a balance line problem.

The balance line must be completely sealed as the incoming ram air is required to draw the correct amount of LPG through the idle circuit.

Note: Stepper motor count- the higher the number, the richer the mixture. The lower the number the leaner the mixture.

ford-lpg-problemsCar diagnostics software like TOAD can help diagnose common engine issues.

Diagnosing Ford LPG Issues
3.9 (78.18%) 33 votes

127 Responses to Diagnosing Ford LPG Issues

  1. Hi I have au II won’t start when it does it won’t idle I have to hold the revs up as soon as I let go of the accelerator it stalls and have lots of difficulty starting again

    • Did you find out what your problem was mate as im having same with 2007 bf falcon with factory lpg. Stalls soon as take foot off accelerator.

      • My factory lpg ba was stalling at low rpm, I found the teenager didn’t plug the balance pipe back into the air filter box while it was off to fit led headlights. Lol, it had me scratching my head for a little while. My point is you all need to check your whole gas system. pipes, tubes, earth’s,everything really.

      • Hi all I have a 2110 FG g6 on duel fuel run on fuel no problems but no power to the gas switch gas has been put on the car

  2. Hi Alex. My name is Carl. I have a 2007 ford Falcon dedicated gas. I have been having backfiring issue for three months. When in backfires. It blows off a vacuum hose need the manifold and I need to take the air filter cover off to fix it.
    Annoying when it does it twice a day. I have it to two mechanic. First one decided it was the starter motor. Cost me $367. Still have the issue.

    Second mechanic (Ford dealership) said it was the ignition coils. Had them replaced with genuine ford ones plus they checked converter, fixed a disconnected wire on the coil and cleaned throttle assembly $550 still have the issue. Then he said it might be the new sparkplugs I recently put in an said I should put irinium plugs in another $125.

    I still have backfire. Spent nearly $1000 on people who should know the problem. Any suggestion. Cheers carl

    • Use free solution. Get free software (ForScan) from ForScan.com and cheap ELM327 USB from eBay. That’ll be suffice for all the diagnostics one needs.

    • Got tank recertified on my BFII e-gas wagon today. Told the guy that new platinum plugs last week, that I got done somewhere else, did not eliminate my cold start backfiring problem.
      He found and fixed a vacuum leak due to a split in the elbow fitting where pipe from PVC valve terminates under the manifold.
      Starts much quicker since, and I’m hopeful of no more backfiring.
      Putting a sniffer up the exhaust led to his diagnosis he told me.

    • Relax iv s scan tool told mine was a fuse after I replaced several then cleared it , it was a bem totally agree frustrated then it was the manual said a reset button so did this cause on up hill hard to start and then I did the bolt thing with the wax cleaning cause it will help bring back timing to start it about 6 seconds and then I go back pushing it and once finish run it for a park take off brake handbrake on a clutch down shit stalls not you gotta turn off problem cones the scan tool can erase but until u cover the basic checking it can be anywhere what’s making it , its also a responsibility to have to do but it mite help if you get a code but it mite not fix it the time dedicated to help your car out may improve and I still have one issue to fix on the way that it wouldn’t have I looked saw a huge improvement and thought if the problem is a balance line then its next or doing a little for the economic single handed comes with patience

      • Iv had it here for 5 months so I totally became open to this not that I recommend scan tooling but that it has driven a lot in 5 months to say it couldn’t be any simple thing but it need to move to help it out not just take it to Amy person to solve , and now having that means it mite not be too late to do yourself because most days an autumnounomys repair could be a battery , generator or this one thing I found is hard to spray it but it drys up that mite need an hour or two down near the side bottom is and any other spray clean off then can see if it drying Patience’s

    • Yes mine did the same wen i cranked moter and let go of the key after cranking for a wile…i put a biger battery with more crank power and havnt had a bakfire since

      • Had my BF for 13 years, at 5000K started backfire on startup, ford guys checked everything,found no problem but put a new battery and no more problem. Next time it started backfire I changed the battery and again the problem disappeared.the battery’s still start other cars easily but just not enough grunt left to carry the start over on the gas when it fires I assume.

        • The ECO does not like low voltage. When I tried cranking it with a dead battery, Smartlock shut the entire car down and I had to trailer it 200kms to a mechanic even though it had a new battery in order to reset “ Smartlock”!

    • Could be a lean backfire, check for vacumm leaks, check your ocv valve,m make sure it has not been shattered by backfires, is there any tracking in the spark plug ceramics ?

      Starter motor ? A tired starter motor on one of these cars can cause the engine to crank slowly, potentially cause a backfire, Ignition coils can internally crossfire and potentially cause a backfire, they are a common problem with these falcons, be careful to use good quality coil packs only, ebay ones are garbage, dont last, usually faulty out of the box. Buy over the counter from a reputable seller so u have warranty on the parts you buy and install.

    • Hey Carl have you gave it a compression test?? I have one and it is doing the same thing and I’m down in number 5 cel to 95 psi

  3. I have a 06 Egas Wagon, started backfiring/stalling when cold, light throttle especially when cornering. Would then take 20 secs of winding to start and run rough for about 1 minute but driveable. Wont backfire when warm. Would easily rev up to 4000rpm in park but only up to 3000rpm after backfire.

    Did this most mornings for a week and then died one night after 30 minute drive home – convertor was full of coolant. Bought secondhand convertor and it seemed to fix the stalling issue. Used the stepper motor that came with SH unit – had a minor flatspot from idle but no backfire.

    After 6 days, backfire at 2pm (warm day) same issues with starting etc. Next morning backfire again.

    Wondering if the first convertor failed due to backfire (7-8 times)? Only had this issue since new tank of gas 2 weeks ago.

    Plugs and coils replaced before Christmas – 2-3000km with no probs… Haven’t checked the idle jet yet.

  4. Hi Alex
    I have just brought a 2012 EcoLpi Falcon ute (factory dedicated gas) for my son. When cold it splatters on take of with light acceleration only and then when it warms up it only does it on acceleration from standing start sometimes and only very slightly. He doesn’t have a ton of cash to throw at so some direction as to where to start would be very helpful

    cheers
    Sav

  5. Hi I have bf falcon the car is running only 75 litre gas runs 250 km cam sonmeone tell me what’s the problem I am change spark plugs coils new converter is well but same mileage

  6. I have bf falcon straight lpg car runs 75 litre gas 250 km can someone help whats the problem the car have ne converter lpg plugs new coils

    • Could be the oxygen sensors had the same problem on by comadore changed the sensors 700 Kay’s on gas and 750 on petrol hope this helps

  7. Hi I have replaced new gas converter steppermotor oxygen sensor pv checked for vacuum Leaked everything appeares to be good
    My problem is when car is selected into drive car start to shudder lightly dashboard shaking running rough on idle
    Is at 700rpms
    Cars performance is good normal driving but not at idol
    Car does not stall at idol
    Any thoughts
    Miles

  8. hi larry I have a 2013 eco lpi xr6 ute with 170 thousand on speedo some times it starts okay then it wont when its on prime pump makes sqeeling/whistling noise this indicates car will not start prime indicator on dash keeps circling when no squeeling /whistling noise ( normal prime sound ) it will start mechanic put diagnostic on it and it says low pressure in gas line has new filter on gas tank fitted still does it he says could be pump does this sound right….and if so how much are pumps he quoted 800 dollars is there any other pump that can be fitted or cheaper alternative I am on the pension and not very financial have had car since new,,many thanks david

  9. Hi.. don’t know if I’ll find the answer here but..

    I have a 97 falcon that runs duel fuel.. (aftermarket).

    And I have a serious problem when I drive along when I get up to 30-40 klms or more the revving just keeps going and it’s holding back the gears and won’t kick into normal gear. Petrol it’s smooth as piss kicking into gear, on gas, it’s rough as guys. Can someone help me out??

    I have had a computer test on the gas no go.. still the same problem

    And it’s idling also, sitting up just above 1,000 revs

  10. I have a 2007 BF dedicated gas wagon. I have recently started to tow a small caravan – about 1100kg – and while the car copes with it fairly well, after an hour or two it will start to miss and / or surge when travelling at lower speeds and revs. Also, when restarting after sitting for an hour or so, it needs cranking for up to 20 seconds to finally restart. These problems only occur when towing the caravan. I have had the plugs, coils and converter all replaced recently to try to solve the problem but it still persists. Just wondering whether the stepper motor may need replacing? Any suggestions would be much appreciated

    • See if free ForScan.org software can help, together with the cheap ELM327 on eBay. As it can decently diagnose Ford.

    • May be stepper
      May be o2 , not working well together to run smoothly?

      May also be the cat underneath getting hot or blocked under load meoooooow lol

    • Check the transmission cooler, it may be blocked & not allowing coolant flow through converter!

  11. Hi, I’m hoping that someone here can help with FG Falcon heavy power steering issue that is unbearably heavy at low speeds. I took it to a mechanic who said I needed a new power steering pump. After installing the pump that made no difference, mechanic said I needed a complete rack. What else could it be..? A switch? Okay, so then I took the vehicle to the brake, steering and suspension ‘experts’ and told I needed a new power steering pump… Grrr… Any ideas? What could be causing the power steering to be tight at low speeds after replacing the power steering pump with a genuine pump at 200K kms.

      • Hi alex
        Hi
        I want to change fuel filter of falcon ecolpi
        Please tell me wahts the procedure
        And where the gas shut valve in falcon ecolpi
        Thanks

  12. Hi there. I took my Ford in ( 2006 bf falcon dedicared lpg) as it was shuddering. On inspection it was found the thermostat wasnt working as it should and my gas was freezing up causing stalling and shuddering and not starting. This was a week ago and yesterday my car stalled when it was idling while I got my mail. Sometimes turning it over it cuts out and I have to try again and it starts. What else could be wrong??

    • Check your engine coolant levels.
      The coolant needs to to warm in the motor and warm the converter for it to work properly.
      If the converter is cold/frozen to the touch then the coolant is not warming the converter.

    • had the same problem it is the heat exchanger (blocked up) for the mixer which is located under the car follow the hoses from mixer to find it cheap to replace (my problem occurred when I added head gasket sealer to coolant to stoped the head gasket leak but blocked up the heat exchanger)!!!!!!!!!!!!

  13. Hey I have au ford its dedicated gas it has two 70 Lt tanks now it seems to be only running one I have ran out gaz how do I activate the second tank or check watis causing this I’m stuck

  14. I have a bf falcon dedicated gas. Washed engine bay on weekend now it’s splattering on idle and acceleration checked all connections not sure what problem is help please

  15. Hi I have a 08 Ford falcon xt lpg if I don’t turn my car on for the day and turn it on the next day, it kind of struggles to turn on and makes a loud bang n turns off. But it turns on the second time I start the car. Not to sure what the problem is

  16. hi ive just bought a 2008 bf mk2 factory dedicated lpg ute sometimes when i fill it up i get back in the car start it all gauges are fine distance to empty goes upto over 500 then the fuel light flashes and the fuel gauge goes to empty so does the distance to empty goes to zero some times goes back to normal whilst driving other times i have to re start the car but its happening more often

  17. I have a Ford falcon au with lpg fitted in Adelaide by Parnell which has a miss etc. who is best person in Adelaide to sort it out

  18. Sounds like it is backfiring ,you need to get it diagnosed could be many things like spark plugs , coils , intake manifold leaks , pcv valve damaged, lpg converter issues, find a local mechanic who specialising in LPG

  19. I have a 2001 AU dedicated gas ute which has developed a random issue where on some mornings it will start and run fine but within a few minutes of driving will start losing power and wont rev over 1500rpm. Eventually it cuts out and then will not start at all. Converter seems fine. It is getting warm so is not freezing, no coolant comes out when i undo the bottom bolt and the solenoid does click when attempting to start. If i leave it alone for a while eventually it comes good and starts and runs fine for days at a time, then randomly the issue returns.

  20. Hi, I have a 2006 bf falcon wagon on factory dedicated gas. 210,000 kms. Was running perfectly until disconnected the battery during headlight bulb change and since has developed a stalling problem at low revs and mainly at corners. Mechanic has scanned item. Swapped converter same issue. Swapped throttle body same issue. All original components back on car.
    No increase of revs as a/c or tuning power steering is engaged. Hunting at 1500 revs during driving. When decelerating
    car goes from say 2000 rpm to 250 rpm and then stalls every 2nd or 3rd corner. Seems to happen mainly during deceleration
    coming up to a corner or to a stop. Thanks Leigh

    • Hi Leigh. Just wondering if you have solved your problem. I believe mine is the same and 2 mechanics are stumped so far

  21. Hi Michael, your fuel sender unit is stuffed. we had issues like that for 2 years but were scared of running out of fuel. car still ran great but sometimes alarms would go range would go up the creek. Price dropped from 400 to 200 for a new unit. It’s a pain to swap out.
    Cheers
    Ross

  22. Hi all, been running gas cars for 30 years- 1.2 million ks. If you’ve got factory gas find someone who does taxis. I’ve got quotes for 600 for convertor has 2 rebuilt and fitted by a taxi guy for 350 each. They run the codes for nix. 3 big things- low water levels cause the convertor to freeze and no gas runs. The coolant actually stops the gas freezing. Small vacuum leaks cause drama- really rough idle, check all hoses are tight and no rubber perished or plastic cracks, get cracks in the coil packs too. Clean out all intakes and replace air filters. make sure throttle body is clean, use a proper cleaner, residue burns off. Sludge is an issue and something that is inevitable.
    Ford didn’t run 6 speeds with gas until 2012 coz they couldnt get it to work properly. So I’ve stayed away from that mix until the ecolpi.
    Plugs last 90,000 before they go off and they get loose too. do the simple stuff yourself before seeing the mechanic.
    Gas can be cheap motoring but is not maintenence free.
    We currently run 3 bfs and a ecolpi in the family.

  23. Ive got a 95 ford fairlane v8, factory gas,
    I don’t seem to be getting any power to the gas system?
    Does it get power from the BCM?
    Wondering if it might be a security lock issue?

    • SteVe’O is telling porkies

      Security or smartlock in 95

      only gets locked if orrrr you have been doing some(WORK) baddd things to her (SPIT IT OUT) WHAT HAVE YOU DONE Lol

  24. Hi everyone. Struggling with our Factory Dedicated 6cyl LPG AU2 Ute. It began to get a backfire under acceleration, especially on the freeway. Also when hot, it would sometimes backfire when starting. Replaced coil pack, plugs, leads and air filter (genuine Ford). Went for test run, but still had the issue. I am thinking possibly the Vialle convertor (338,000k and untouched). Only found out about drain plugs. One of them let a fair bit of brown oil out?. Any help would really be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

    • Forgot to add to the above. After driving it for 10 mins up the road, it just ran out of power and stopped. Wouldn’t start so we towed it home.

  25. Hi Alex, hope you’re still reading these. How confident are you about the stepper motor count figures? My BF MKIII wagon reads between 170-200 pretty much in all situations. I have no major issues, just a slightly vibrating idle, may not even be engine related. But curious about this stepper motor count, are my figures too high? No engine codes and oxygen sensor readings seem normal. Thanks

  26. Great read. Really informative. Ive got a designated gas Au 111 that after half an hour of usually highway cruising hunts quite badly. It seems electrical as if the gas solenoid is swiching on for a couple of seconds then off for a second or so constantly on then off. I can still maintain speed but it would not be doing the drive line any favours. If I stop for gas with engine off for five to ten minutes it seems to go back to normal and may come back to some degree ten minutes to half an hour later. It can start off as a light hunt and not actually cutting out but it almost invariably ends with it cutting in and out every couple of seconds. I have changed plugs, leads, coil packs, pcv, air cleaner to throttle body hose. There was no waxy deposits in converter. I changed the inlet manifold gasket a while back and noticed one of the threads into the head for inlet manifold on no. 2 was stripped. I could get it reasonably tight before it lost purchase but not enough to get to torque specs. Im hoping its not sucking air when warm but I’ll put a helicoil in it in a couple of weeks. Not sure if its electrical or converter related like a small perforation that rears its ugly head when hotter. If the converters werent so ridiculously pricey I would have taken a gamble and changed that by now but even the rebuild kits compared to impco etc are stupidly expensive. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Has one else had this experience? Thanks in advance for any help.

    • Maybe ggget that heli done and wack in a brand new

      aftermarket cat $300 and see if she prrrrrrrrrrs ☆☆☆

      Change the fuel filter when your down there
      LoL

    • I’ve been chasing exactly the same problem mate.. had the converter rebuilt, changed coils, plugs, stepper motor. Had it at a lpg mechanic a number of times and still got the same issue, any suggestion?

  27. Hi, I’m trying ti locate a dual fuel switch for a Ford Falcon 2002, 4.2 motor. Several attempts but no luck, apparently there were several different types. The no on my faulty one is M60017 POM1 anybody know where I can get one or what to do??

  28. Hi.
    Have an AU2 Ute on factory gas.
    Wouldn’t start and had to wait for it to start again.
    RACV drained some fluid out of the bottom of my converter and said I’ve got coolant mixing with the lpg.
    And I will probably need a tow.
    Got her started and she ran very rough, but got her home.
    The bad starts, etc. included backfiring that unclipped the air filter! If that helps!
    Any ideas as to what’s wrong?
    Cheers😊

    • Coolant and gas not a good mix, i would stop trying to drive or start it as the coolant is getting sucked into your engine.
      New or reco convertor? $$$ Its had its days

  29. Hi Alex, I have a 2010 dedicated gas and it wont start. I’ve checked the solenoids and they appear to be ok because the hose from the converter to throttle head gets really cold, so does the converter when i turn it over with the starter motor. So I assume gas is actually getting to the throttle head. The throttle head doesnt get cold at all so I’m wondering if theres a problem there ?? I pulled out the stepper motor and pushed the piston home. Left the plug disconnected and tried to start it again with no luck. Does the computer control all of this as I notice 2 electrical plugs at the throttle head ?? Could there be a problem with the control at the throttle head ??

    Thanks Larry

    • I think only Tech2 would help with this. See on eBay if can find one, nad if supports your vehicle.

      • Hi Alex, thanks for your reply. I got the codes checked and there were a few. They were reset and the motor starts but runs very erratic. Hard to start but once it fires I need to pump the accelerator to keep it going. It sits on 2000 rpms but then fades and i need to manage it by the accelerator, wont idle, if i try reving to say 3000 rpm it dies then goes into a spasm reving up itself, then cycling revs up and down for a while then settles down. The hole time i need to work the accelerator. When it stops its very hard to get it started again. Could it be a problem with the computer ? or converter ?

    • This free software ForScan (Google it) may help diagnose issue. It’ll need EML327 USB (which you buy on eBay).

  30. Do you get the stepper motor info etc with the ELM327 you sell ? I’ve got a dedicated gas BF Falcon, very low consump. on flat freeway 9L/100, then drinks like a sailor and gutless as soon as hits an slight incline. Same around town. Some hanging idle/cruise controlling. Any help really appreciated.

      • I just borrowed a cheap elm327 and got some o2 readings.. the voltage is up around 900 most of the time in closed loop with very quick cycles back to 900ish again. Fuel trims virtually never happening. I’ll try replacing the o2 sensor I guess… not sure what’s normal.

  31. I have a 2010 ford falcon ute put new plugs and coils in it still back fires some time and pop the air hose off the head ? Need help

  32. Hi Alex have a 2006 bf falcon lpg dedicated and it appears to miss and rough idle when cold. This seems to get better as it warms up and then problem seems to stop. However it taking longer to stop missing and rough idle. Could you help please much appreciated.

    Stephan

      • Thanks mate will try that and let you know should I look for anything in particular.

        Stephan

  33. Hi Alex,

    I bought a ford falcon 2013 from a dealer less than a week (122000 km). It was running good but one day the engine started shaking and the yellow engine sign on the dashboard appeared. This happened just after starting the car and it was happening while driving too. Even driving in this condition, the DSC warning light also appeared. I noticed that the lpg is only quarter tank left (as can seen in the fuel meter). So I filled the tank and the shaking, yellow engine sign, DSC light everything disappeared. For further information, before buying the car I took a test drive in the dealer showroom, and that time there was less than a quarter lpg in the tank. The dealer filled it up to three quarter. After that I did not fill the tank until this shaking thing happened.

    Another issue I faced is the battery. I stopped in the coles parking and after shopping only for 15 minutes I returned back. But the car did not start after several tries. I called my friend and he came with a jump starter and the car started with it. I drove the car smoothly that day. But again I faced this battery issue today. To me, it seems like the car is taking a little longer than usual to get started. Which indicates insufficient charges in the battery. I also checked the battery by Supercheap auto, they reported that the battery is good but it needs charging.

    Now Alex, please tell me are these two issues are correlated? What may happen to the car?

  34. I have 1996 Ford E150 Econonline 5.0 liter. 112K miles. New 6 year battery installed March 2017. Van has never hesitated or run rough. Check Engine light has been on a while, but no codes show up on tester. Airbag light started blinking a couple of months ago and again no codes. Van ran great.

    2017-09-25 Monday my van cranked well, but would not start. After many attempts +10 it started and ran without a problem until

    2017-10-12 Thursday when the same problem occurred. It did later start.
    I checked the inertia fuel pump cutoff switch – good.

    On 2017-10-05 Thursday the van cranked without a problem, but again would not start. I did not hear the relay click nor hear the fuel pump turn on in the key on position.

    I changed the relays and still could not hear the fuel pump come on. Installed a new ignition switch on the steering column still could not hear relay click or fuel pump come on. I dropped the tank and installed a new fuel pump assembly. It cranked and started.
    After two days the van again would not start on its own. Engine cranked without a problem but no fuel pump relay click nor sound of the fuel pump running.

    I used starter fluid, tiny amount, cranked the engine and it started and ran great as if nothing was wrong. Turned off the engine and restarted – I heard and felt three relays click (fuel pump relay, PCM relay and the pigtail with relay for what I think would be an auxilary fuel tank/pump.

    On 10/23/2017 I used starter fluid to start the car – ran great. I let sit 15 minutes and it restarted. I let sit 30 minutes and it restarted. I let it sit 45 minutes and it restarted. I did this in 15 minute increasing intervals and it kept restarting with no starter fluid (I could hear relays click and fuel pump turn on in key on position) up to 90 minutes of being off. At 115 minutes off, the engine would not restart and I heard no relays click or fuel pump running.

    I pulled the PCM thinking it was a temperature issue and brought it inside to warm up to 70F. Outside Temp was 56F. This had no effect.

    Does anyone have a potential reason why the relay and pump does not get power in the Key on Position after being off for 2 hours, yet after starting using starter fluid and running off the fuel pump, turning off the engine will then in the key on position provide power to the fuel pump relay (hear click, feel click) and fuel pump (hear it run for 1-2 seconds) for up to 90 minutes?

    A simple push button switch I can press to send power to the pump (manually) is a thought.

  35. Hi guys , I’ve got a fg 2010 in my shop atm that came in not being able to start , it fires for a second then backfires and dies , I’ve checked for leaks and replaced the plastic pcv with a metal one , has anyone got any ideas where to go next with it ??
    Any help will be greatly appreciated

  36. Hi I have a 2009 Ford falcon FG Ute factory dedicated LPG, Only recently has the “fuel system fault” light come on and displayed on the screen on my dash can anyone tell me what this could be, Ute still runs good and will continue to run after that indicator comes up, its always been a temperamental vehicle shaky sometimes when idle to where it’ll shut itself off but very rarely. It’s had a balance replaced about a year ago I can’t remember what it was called but that was due to a different indicator coming up on the dash.

  37. i have a question regarding the obd systems for a ford,it says its not compatable with obd2.its an 03 model,what system can i use.my scan tool will not register with the car.cheers

  38. Gi I have a 2007 bf falcon ir starts a bit ruff but once going is ok for a while then the converter freezes i had put a 2nd hand 1 on because the 1 that was on was getting water into the gas side of converter and had to keep draining it to get it to run but now this 1 is freezing i tried to flush everything had rusty water coming from the bottom hose but wasn’t flowing to good i was told i may have a build up of gunk in the gas chambers and to flush out with metho

  39. Hi guys I’ve got a 2007 ford bf station wagon dedicated LPG

    The first of the lpg problems started from when my converter started freezing up real thick ice on a long country drive and left me stranded every 10 minutes had to pour water on the converter melt ice to get started again. In the end it was the transmission cooler unit blocked and causing the freezing. Once that was replaced the car was running good for a couple days until the converter failed completely and I replaced the converter with a new rebuilt one.

    So no I have a rebuilt converter, 1x new solenoid and 2nd hand off other 2 solenoids and stepper motor.

    Been driving good for 3 weeks..until yesterday it stalled at idle. And hard to start it again for 5 minutes then starts and get driving again. Then it wanted to stall at higher speeds every time I lift my foot off the accelerator it wanted to cut out had to keep revs up. Pull over and it stalls.

    Had the stepper motor replaced with a brand new one. Then stalled again on me the next day same thing.

    I have no idea anymore what’s goyon with this I’m throwing endless money at it and can’t get it right please help

    • Hi ya did u manage to fix problem my car is doing the same has hit worse over last / weeks now it really hard to start and just want to keep buying out while driving and parked have to pump exhilarate are to keep her with that to keep happening with cuts out straight away I’m in New Zealand and we are in lock down at moment no where to get car looked at and fixed no where to buy parts cleaned spark plugs when I first noticed it was having a problem to start is there anything I could look at doing without getting parts or pretty much anything for it thank u Desiree

    • I currently have exactly similar issue. Converter is freezing after 10 mins of drive. Apparently the coolant isn’t flowing through the converter as I have a blocked heater core and heater also does not work.

      I am struggling to flush the heater core. Flushed coolant 6 times now but it did not work. Does your heater work when converter freezes?

  40. If you have a LPG Ford , install a bigger battery, the one ford supply is two small and is for use in petrole fords , So go up 2 sizes

    • yep , BF2 dedicated lpg – had back fire and cold start issues over a few months then the battery died , as soon as I replaced the battery with a higher CCR , all the problems went away … seems in modern cars the battery must be in peak performance .. had similar cold start gremlims in my 2012 coyote mustang .. went to the biggest recommended battery CCR and all became good , cheers

  41. i have a BA Lpg ute it seams to be too rich on idle sometimes its starts fine idles nice then other times it wont start like its flooded too much lpg with a strong smell of lpg. converter isnt that old new plugs new coil packs thought anyone thanks Ryan

  42. I have a 2010 BF111 wagon dedicated gas, I start the engine and it immediately stops, does not matter how many times you try, it starts then immediately stops. can anyone help?

  43. To those guys who stall at low revs etc my quick fix it was to push the auto gear stick to the left, to force it to stay in 3rd gear. This was no permanent solution, but I got lucky, had a flat battery overnight, must have left something on. After restart or was back to normal. The PCM must have been forced to recalibrate back to the right settings, been alright for a month now. Before you decide to change all those expensive accessaries just try Disconnecting the battery for a few hours, I bet no mechanic (in his right mind) would suggest that.

  44. What dose the hand symbol means on a Ford au gas
    There is a bad gas smell and it back fires
    And the it stalls and won’t start for 15 minutes but the hand symbol is always on

  45. Hey guys,

    I bought a 99 Falcon back in may. Ran perfectly for around 2 weeks but slowly the LPG gauge displayed incorrectly. DTE slowly decreased with every fill. Initially it was 350 then sat on 320 for a while, then 280,gradually until it got to 160 where it sat for a couple of months. All the while, the gusge would display half full.

    Today, the LPG shit itself. Just as I was minutes from home, only 30 minutes after filling up, the car would no longer run on gas. I pulled into my driveway only for a horrible burning smell to greet me. This lasted less than a minute and I was unable to find where the smell came from due to a strong breeze.

    The car now starts on LPG and idles if not a little rough but as soon as I try to push the accelerator, it wants to stall.

    A mate if mine believes that it may be the solonoids but I’m not sure and hoping that someone here might be able to further explain what the problem might be.

    Cheers

  46. Hi Guys, I recently let my LPG Tank run too low. It sat for about a week and then wouldnt start. AA picked up my car and took it to a service station where I put $50 of LPG into the car, Tried to start it with several attempots and ran x2 Batteries flat turning the engine over. During the process the engine backfired a few times with a puff off vapour emitted from the left side of the engine. It is now sitting in my driveway and I have no idea what the problem can be. I am not mechanically minded outside of the basics. Any Ideas what the problem could be. Before running the LPG too low I never had any problem with starting the car?

    • Sorry for the trouble. Only solution we have is call mobile mechanic. May be more convenient then taking Ford vehicle to mechanic shop.

  47. Hi Alex E, do you ship to NZ, do not see that on your shipping page.
    Have a 2002 AU111 factory LPG XLS Ute.
    VIALLE system, working good at the moment.
    Issues in the past, finding a good LPG technician getting very hard now in Wellington area. A dying breed here in the southern North Island.
    Have really appreciated the various comments and requests on this page and your answers and those of the other knowledgeable people.
    Think having a good diagnostics tool as you suggest in answers is the way to go.
    Would you be kind enough to advise which one I should invest in please.
    Thanks Kerry, Wellington NZ.

  48. New to this .I have a 2001 ford f150 on lpg and petrol
    I keep getting the p0401 coming up egr code with the lpg the egr valve has been blocked off to the inlet manafould is this right

  49. I have a 2003 ford falcon factory gas 6 cylinder. My battery was flat and called RAC.fix battery and was told to idle for 45 minutes.when I found gas was low,I went to petrol station and put 30 dollars gas in whilst car was idling..I know not good but I didn’t want to stop the car..when I got home.after 10 minutes the car just stopped and I tried numerous of times to restart car but to no avail.please help

  50. Very helpful hints but also very confusing,l have a 2002 series 2 Falcon Future dedicated factory fitted gas.When starting sometimes it splatters and backfires , after a while of driving it goes away , replaced new plugs, ignition spark plug leads ,airfilter , still same problem , not sure to go for mechanics advice, looking like it’s trial and error mechanics. Worst I am on a pension.

  51. Can anyone help me for my G6 2014 lpg priming problem my car doesn’t start just shows lpg priming before start and making weird noise wrrrr in boot
    Cheers

    • Hi Harry,
      Did you find out what the issue was? I’m having the same problem with my 2014 ecoLPI Falcon

  52. Hi,
    I have a BF RTV dedicated LPG and I’m getting 23L /100Ks, seems excessive, others seem to get 15 to 16L/100Ks. (motor has 335 ks on the clock)

    Can you suggest what could cause this excessive usage.

    I don’t drive hard and ute only has a hard cover.

    Many Thanks
    Regards Alan

    • Allan did you find out about your lpg fuel use issue ? i have had the same problem seems excessive and mine is about that too , tho it is way better on freeway about 14-16l per 100 , rather than the 20+ in traffic..?? have been tinkering with little success , the car runs good tho a little rough at idle but no backfire and no stalls .. thinking about swapping out the stepper , cheap on ebay $ 40-50 but quality ? think im gunna go with the original VDO $120.00h , any success and advice for how you went ? cheers Rick in brisbane

  53. Hi everyone, just came across this post and am desperate for a solution…
    2008 Falcon dedicated lpg. Now don’t laugh, but it will cut out on me first thing in the morning as I’m driving down the hill. It will do this only ONCE. Restarts straight away and doesn’t die again!
    No codes apparently come up when hooked up to the computer.
    Can anyone help? I live in Adelaide, so happy to take it anywhere if need be.
    Massive tia,
    Mike

  54. If you are interested in owning a Ford LPG vehicle, you can take advantage of a government rebate program to pay for your conversion. Stillwell Ford, a leading Ford LPG dealer, uses high-quality equipment to install Ford LPG systems. The company’s systems use liquid injection to deliver gas more precisely to the engine, eliminating backfires and reducing emissions.

  55. Gday,I have a 2002 au dedicated lpg ute . Won’t start. It did this about a year ago, a bloke I new fixed it . He showed me a brass 6mmx30mm rod that had carbon build up on it. He cleaned it and the car was fine. The question is does anyone know where i can find it to clean it?
    Thanks in advance.

  56. Hi there, Ford Falcon fans! As a friendly mechanic, I’d like to share some insights regarding two most commong issues. (1) ford falcon lpg problems, and (2) gas converter ford falcon problems.

    LPG systems in Ford Falcons can sometimes face issues like poor performance, stalling, or difficulty starting. These problems often stem from a faulty gas converter or issues with other LPG components. To diagnose and address these concerns, it’s essential to have a reliable diagnostic tool compatible with Ford Falcons’ LPG systems.

    Regular maintenance and timely repairs can help you prevent these problems and keep your Ford Falcon running smoothly on LPG. Stay safe on the road, and enjoy your Falcon’s LPG benefits!

  57. Hi, a mate has a 2012 XR6 EcoLPi. To start, it would stall sometimes, once at temp and slowing down, or going over a speed bump. He took it on a long trip and on the way home it got worse. Now once at temp, it will stall every time he slows down. The engine had an oil leak, so he had the head done and also did coils, plugs, leads etc at the same time. The issue has continued. The mechanic hooked it up to diagnostics. They drove it around and have recieved no faults and the data doesn’t seem to be out of line with what’s normal.
    He did take it to Ford, who said that nothing is wrong with the motor, but they would require payment for further diagnostics.
    The previous owner had the ecu flashed with a crackle map and tuned for better performance. The car ran fine after, but began the stall issue sometime later and so far no one has been able to diagnose it. What would be your suggestion?

  58. Hi I just brought a 09 bf dedicated gas it will not idle above 500rpm and if I don’t hold my foot on the gas pedal it will stall what could the problem be

  59. Diagnosing Ford LPG vehicles includes checking for engine codes, monitoring oxygen sensor and stepper motor readings under different conditions using a scan tool, inspecting for intake leaks or issues with the balance line between the throttle body and converter which could cause stalling.

Leave a Reply to larry westney Cancel reply

About Us

Total Car Diagnostics helps fellow home car owners, mechanics, technicians, garage shops, engineers, ECU programmers and auto repair centers — to significantly cut down on maintenance, repair costs, time, money, energy… and all other frustrating headaches involved with dealing with vehicles — by providing cost-effective advice, tools and recommendations.


facebook Total Car Diagnostics  LinkedIn Total Car Diagnostics  YouTube Total Car Diagnostics

Home | About Us | Contact | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Tuning Disclaimer | Affiliate Program | Shop

Address: Byron Bay, NSW, 2481, Australia.

© Copyright 2023 by Total Car Diagnostics. All Rights Reserved.