Geoff289
Well-known member
That publication would rival War and Peace for length. Sorry, couldn't help myself.
Above 1200 Sq/FT DFB's Garage
- Thread starter D.F.B
- Start date
Wokspaces above 1200 squarefeet.
That publication would rival War and Peace for length. Sorry, couldn't help myself.
23 pages to be precise..........................
Printed on the back is the following......................................
Ooops.........................
From memory, I picked this up at my local dealer when I was in ordering a Ranger in 2010. I was flipping through it and asked if I could take it, I didn't realize it was a dealer-only publication, and I suspect the salesman thought it was just another Falcon brochure. I'd say this type of publication would be a regular thing in both Holden and Ford dealers for decades.
The TURBOTHRUST has now paid for itself. Two things to note after today –
- After I finished mowing, my near-blind client asked me what mower I was using. He’d been listening to it while I was mowing and remarked how sweet it sounded, how it didn’t miss a beat. Yep, I noticed that as well…………………
- The final job of the day, ankle high grass, full throttle. This thing just slashed through the grass without a sweat. Not once did it bog down, or even cause the governor to compensate for the extra load. This Intek is easily one of the stoutest lawn mower engines I’ve used.
For my Aussie followers, you will know the reference here, this is not the first Intek I’ve sampled……………………
- After I finished mowing, my near-blind client asked me what mower I was using. He’d been listening to it while I was mowing and remarked how sweet it sounded, how it didn’t miss a beat. Yep, I noticed that as well…………………
- The final job of the day, ankle high grass, full throttle. This thing just slashed through the grass without a sweat. Not once did it bog down, or even cause the governor to compensate for the extra load. This Intek is easily one of the stoutest lawn mower engines I’ve used.
For my Aussie followers, you will know the reference here, this is not the first Intek I’ve sampled……………………
Geoff289
Well-known member
Very good. Four litres, 6 cylinders and overhead cam is exactly what a mower should have.The TURBOTHRUST has now paid for itself. Two things to note after today –
- After I finished mowing, my near-blind client asked me what mower I was using. He’d been listening to it while I was mowing and remarked how sweet it sounded, how it didn’t miss a beat. Yep, I noticed that as well…………………
- The final job of the day, ankle high grass, full throttle. This thing just slashed through the grass without a sweat. Not once did it bog down, or even cause the governor to compensate for the extra load. This Intek is easily one of the stoutest lawn mower engines I’ve used.
For my Aussie followers, you will know the reference here, this is not the first Intek I’ve sampled……………………
Don't forget VCT as well.
For the non-Aussie members here, the Intech was the final evolution of the Ford Falcon SOHC inline 6 engine before it became the DOHC Barra. The basic and HP versions of the Intech weren't really all that different to the previous incarnations, they even produced the same 157 kW / 357 Nm and 164 kW and 366 Nm from the previous model. Most of the changes were made to increase refinement, but if I'm honest, while the Intech was smooth up to about 3500 rpm, they were wheezy and rough up to the 5750-rpm limiter.
My first car had the standard Intek, which used a raw aluminium rocker cover. The HP version used a revised cylinder head and camshaft, which was developed by Tickford and used in the XR6 HP sedan and Ute, identified by the red rocker cover. There was also a green rocker cover, which denoted dedicated LPG (propane).
Ignore the aftermarket headers fitted to this example -
Ford and Tickford worked to develop a more powerful version of the Intech. They looked at both turbocharging and supercharging, but nixed those ideas due to cost. Instead, they developed a revised cylinder head to accommodate a VCT system (variable valve timing). In theory, this sounded like a high-tech solution to providing more power. To make the financial case stack up, in addition to creating the XR6 VCT sedan (the ute would follow a few years later), they fitted this "premium" engine to the luxury Fairmont Ghia and long wheelbase Fairlane Ghia. The VCT engine also got a red rocker cover, but it was a different casting and featured silver accents. This is one the sexiest looking Falcon 6's ever made....................................
Considering the cost that went into creating this unique cylinder head, the actual increase in power and performance was tiny. Because there was only one camshaft, the rage of timing adjustment was limited. The Fairmont/Fairlane produced 168 kW and 370 Nm, the XR6 with a less restrictive exhaust made 172 kW and 374 Nm. That represent only a 4 to 8 kW increase over the standard HP engine.
Compounding this feeble increase in output, an XR6 VCT was significantly heavier than the base model XR6 HP due to the fitment of double wishbone IRS. The result being the cheaper XR6 HP was faster than the more expensive XR6 VCT. Same applied to the Fairmont vs Fairmont Ghia, the base Fairmont had a live axle, the Ghia had the heavier IRS.
The VCT system didn't make the engine smoother up top either. None of these SOHC engines could come close to that sweet rasp and butter smooth running of a BMW inline 6. Instead, you got a lot of mechanical valve train thrash and an unpleasant wheezy whine after the intake manifold switched to the short runners at 3500 rpm. Below that 3500 rpm, they were smooth and rich with torque, ideal for towing and long distance travel.
The early 3.9 and 4.0 versions of the SOHC engines were plagued with head gasket and cooling problems. However, these final Intech versions were incredibly reliable, easily capable of a 500,000 km and beyond.
My first car had the standard Intek, which used a raw aluminium rocker cover. The HP version used a revised cylinder head and camshaft, which was developed by Tickford and used in the XR6 HP sedan and Ute, identified by the red rocker cover. There was also a green rocker cover, which denoted dedicated LPG (propane).
Ignore the aftermarket headers fitted to this example -
Ford and Tickford worked to develop a more powerful version of the Intech. They looked at both turbocharging and supercharging, but nixed those ideas due to cost. Instead, they developed a revised cylinder head to accommodate a VCT system (variable valve timing). In theory, this sounded like a high-tech solution to providing more power. To make the financial case stack up, in addition to creating the XR6 VCT sedan (the ute would follow a few years later), they fitted this "premium" engine to the luxury Fairmont Ghia and long wheelbase Fairlane Ghia. The VCT engine also got a red rocker cover, but it was a different casting and featured silver accents. This is one the sexiest looking Falcon 6's ever made....................................
Considering the cost that went into creating this unique cylinder head, the actual increase in power and performance was tiny. Because there was only one camshaft, the rage of timing adjustment was limited. The Fairmont/Fairlane produced 168 kW and 370 Nm, the XR6 with a less restrictive exhaust made 172 kW and 374 Nm. That represent only a 4 to 8 kW increase over the standard HP engine.
Compounding this feeble increase in output, an XR6 VCT was significantly heavier than the base model XR6 HP due to the fitment of double wishbone IRS. The result being the cheaper XR6 HP was faster than the more expensive XR6 VCT. Same applied to the Fairmont vs Fairmont Ghia, the base Fairmont had a live axle, the Ghia had the heavier IRS.
The VCT system didn't make the engine smoother up top either. None of these SOHC engines could come close to that sweet rasp and butter smooth running of a BMW inline 6. Instead, you got a lot of mechanical valve train thrash and an unpleasant wheezy whine after the intake manifold switched to the short runners at 3500 rpm. Below that 3500 rpm, they were smooth and rich with torque, ideal for towing and long distance travel.
The early 3.9 and 4.0 versions of the SOHC engines were plagued with head gasket and cooling problems. However, these final Intech versions were incredibly reliable, easily capable of a 500,000 km and beyond.
Double Valve Job!
Did you know that you are supposed to check and adjust the valve clearance on your OHV Briggs?
Things is, they no longer tell you this in the owners manual. The above was taken from the owners manual of my 1999 Intek. When I went looking for the same thing for the newer engines, they have completely removed this recommendation. And that applies for the homeowner 125cc – 163cc OHV engines, as well as the big block 170cc, 190cc and 221cc commercial grade OHV engines. My theory here would be that Briggs are banking on you not adjusting valves, so the engine over time progressively runs worse and worse, leading the customer to think its just worn out, then buys a new mower.
The reality is, you are going to get a LOT of time out of these engines before sloppy valve clearance affects performance. Seeing that I have two OHV Briggs engines with a LOT of hours on them, I was curious to see how far out of spec they would be. For this post, I’m using my 2016 Mulchmaster with the 850-Series and the recently acquired Rover with an Intek Edge as test subjects. The Mulchmaster has been used commercially for close to a decade, the Rover has 26-years worth of homeowner usage behind it.
In preparation for this task, I made sure to find the correct valve clearance specifications. No matter if it’s the older Intek, the later 850-series or the small-block homeowner engines, all of them use the same valve clearance range. I also ordered fresh valve cover gaskets just in case.
Intake – 0.004 to 0.006
Exhaust – 0.004 to 0.008
850-Series –
With this engine, its best to remove the blower cover to give proper access to the valve cover. This involves removing the three retaining nuts holding the recoil down, lifting the recoil out of the way, then levering the blower cover up and off the engine. You can then clean around the valve cover properly before its removal. I also had a towel down and the mower tilted back to avoid messy oil leaks.
The valve cover is held down with four bolts, which are not all that tight. On the 850, these actually thread fully into the cylinder head casting. The rocker cover will be stuck firmly, so it will need a little assistance to come away from the head. If you don’t have a replacement gasket, you need to be careful to avoid tearing the old one.
In this case, the gasket came away with the rocker cover.
As expected, the valve clearance for both intake and exhaust was out of spec. I tested a 0.010 and still had clearance. Let me say, I’ve never done this before, so the Mulchmaster was a bit of gunnie pig here.
Now, I know you are supposed to do the whole top dead centre thing, but that’s not how I chose to do it. If you notice in the above Briggs owner’s manual, it states you must push 6mm past TDC, which is to account for the compression release on the exhaust valve. Now, it’s very hard to gauge 6mm of piston movement in an OHV engine like this. So, I followed the Taryl Dactal method of having one valve completely open, which means the other is completely closed. (See video links below at the end of the post)
From here, you slacken the inner T20 set screw, then with the feeler gauge in place, tighten the outer nut until gauge has a slight amount of drag on it, then retighten the inner set screw. In most cases, tightening the set screw will end up tightening the outer nut slightly, in turn further reducing clearance. So, you may need to repeat the process a few times till you get it right. In my case, I used a 0.005 feeler gauge to set the lash with firm drag but then allowed a 0.004 to pass through nicely. No matter the method, you will be within the spec range.
Now, I could have left the gasket alone, it wasn’t damaged and wasn’t leaking. But I had the part, so I just went ahead and replaced it. Important to note with these 850-series engines, there are two different rocker cover gaskets. You will need your model-type-code number to confirm which one your engines takes, the earlier engines used a fibre gasket, while the later versions moved to a rubber type gasket of a different shape, ie they are not interchangeable.
Older 850 engines – 796480
Newer 850 engines – 597318
These gaskets are not a commonly stocked part, which meant my usual online suppliers didn’t show listings for them. The ones I found on eBay and Amazon were either not in the country and needed currency conversion, or weren’t OEM parts. So, I contacted my preferred online Briggs dealer and asked them to special order them for me. In the end, the OEM parts ordered from a Briggs dealer were cheaper than what I could get off eBay or Amazon. Go figure.
https://bwmachinery.com.au/?srsltid=AfmBOopOc5SLTyP3bGQN_hfjCaQbWJ_loMJsQUjls72sXzKkmuY8l6OG
The is no torque spec on the rocker cover bolts, so I just did them up firmly without hammering down on them. I did however get the torque wrench out to check the cylinder head bolts for spec, which is 24 Nm for both the 850 and Intek. Both engines were bang on here, which is different to high-hour flat head engines that have a tendency to back out the bolts around the valve area.
A quick test fire, it was time for the next paitient…………………
Intek Edge –
For the most part, the procedure here is the same as the 850, with a few minor differences. Firstly, you won’t need to remove the blower cover on this engine, although some Intek’s had a bullnose cover that would be best removed before starting.
Next, I needed to switch out my tools from metric tools to imperial, clearly Briggs shifted to metric after this engine was built. For example, the rocker cover bolts were 3/8” instead of 10mm, the central set screw was an 1/8” allen head and not T20 Torx, and the outer rocker nut was 5/8” and not 16mm. When I bought a set a tools a few years ago, I was told that a matching set of imperial sockets and wrenches were not really needed, which I tended to agree with at the time. And yet, the number of times I’ve needed imperial sizes makes me glad I have them.
Valve clearance adjustment for the Intek is done in the same way, set firm with the 0.005, which allows for slight drag using the 0.004.
While both Intek and 850 share a similar cylinder head/valve train design, they do not share the same cylinder head. Take note of the spark plug location, the Intek has the plug in line with the upper (exhaust) rocker arm and points slightly up, while the 850 has it mounted just below the lower rocker arm (intake) and points slightly down.
The most obvious difference is the rocker cover bolt locations and how they attach. As mentioned earlier, the 850 rocker cover bolts drive fully into the cylinder head. The Inek rocker bolts are a pass-through design, which is the same as the 125 – 163cc homeowner OHV engines. I’m not a fan of that arrangement, is just me, or does this seem more prone to stripping out? With that in mind, I was extra careful to not over-tighten these upon reinstallation.
On this occasion, the gasket remained on the cylinder head and came away intact, but again, I decided to replace it. The Intek has its own separate rocker cover gasket, which I had to go with an aftermarket item.
Rocker Cover Gasket – 691890
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/405971411410
With the Intek back together, I left it running to warm up the oil for another oil change. If anything, I tend to over service mowers, so when I drain oil, it never comes out black. Also, fresh SAE30 oil tends to keep that cherry red colour for quite a while after a change, and even then, it usually changes to a darkish red when used. After its initial change last week, the oil turned brown almost instantly, I’d say frequent oil changes were not a thing with the previous owner. When I syphoned the oil today, it was far too black for my liking. With fresh oil back in, it seems to have kept its colour this time. I suspect I’m going to have to do this a few times to get it back on track.
Did you know that you are supposed to check and adjust the valve clearance on your OHV Briggs?
Things is, they no longer tell you this in the owners manual. The above was taken from the owners manual of my 1999 Intek. When I went looking for the same thing for the newer engines, they have completely removed this recommendation. And that applies for the homeowner 125cc – 163cc OHV engines, as well as the big block 170cc, 190cc and 221cc commercial grade OHV engines. My theory here would be that Briggs are banking on you not adjusting valves, so the engine over time progressively runs worse and worse, leading the customer to think its just worn out, then buys a new mower.
The reality is, you are going to get a LOT of time out of these engines before sloppy valve clearance affects performance. Seeing that I have two OHV Briggs engines with a LOT of hours on them, I was curious to see how far out of spec they would be. For this post, I’m using my 2016 Mulchmaster with the 850-Series and the recently acquired Rover with an Intek Edge as test subjects. The Mulchmaster has been used commercially for close to a decade, the Rover has 26-years worth of homeowner usage behind it.
In preparation for this task, I made sure to find the correct valve clearance specifications. No matter if it’s the older Intek, the later 850-series or the small-block homeowner engines, all of them use the same valve clearance range. I also ordered fresh valve cover gaskets just in case.
Intake – 0.004 to 0.006
Exhaust – 0.004 to 0.008
850-Series –
With this engine, its best to remove the blower cover to give proper access to the valve cover. This involves removing the three retaining nuts holding the recoil down, lifting the recoil out of the way, then levering the blower cover up and off the engine. You can then clean around the valve cover properly before its removal. I also had a towel down and the mower tilted back to avoid messy oil leaks.
The valve cover is held down with four bolts, which are not all that tight. On the 850, these actually thread fully into the cylinder head casting. The rocker cover will be stuck firmly, so it will need a little assistance to come away from the head. If you don’t have a replacement gasket, you need to be careful to avoid tearing the old one.
In this case, the gasket came away with the rocker cover.
As expected, the valve clearance for both intake and exhaust was out of spec. I tested a 0.010 and still had clearance. Let me say, I’ve never done this before, so the Mulchmaster was a bit of gunnie pig here.
Now, I know you are supposed to do the whole top dead centre thing, but that’s not how I chose to do it. If you notice in the above Briggs owner’s manual, it states you must push 6mm past TDC, which is to account for the compression release on the exhaust valve. Now, it’s very hard to gauge 6mm of piston movement in an OHV engine like this. So, I followed the Taryl Dactal method of having one valve completely open, which means the other is completely closed. (See video links below at the end of the post)
From here, you slacken the inner T20 set screw, then with the feeler gauge in place, tighten the outer nut until gauge has a slight amount of drag on it, then retighten the inner set screw. In most cases, tightening the set screw will end up tightening the outer nut slightly, in turn further reducing clearance. So, you may need to repeat the process a few times till you get it right. In my case, I used a 0.005 feeler gauge to set the lash with firm drag but then allowed a 0.004 to pass through nicely. No matter the method, you will be within the spec range.
Now, I could have left the gasket alone, it wasn’t damaged and wasn’t leaking. But I had the part, so I just went ahead and replaced it. Important to note with these 850-series engines, there are two different rocker cover gaskets. You will need your model-type-code number to confirm which one your engines takes, the earlier engines used a fibre gasket, while the later versions moved to a rubber type gasket of a different shape, ie they are not interchangeable.
Older 850 engines – 796480
Newer 850 engines – 597318
These gaskets are not a commonly stocked part, which meant my usual online suppliers didn’t show listings for them. The ones I found on eBay and Amazon were either not in the country and needed currency conversion, or weren’t OEM parts. So, I contacted my preferred online Briggs dealer and asked them to special order them for me. In the end, the OEM parts ordered from a Briggs dealer were cheaper than what I could get off eBay or Amazon. Go figure.
https://bwmachinery.com.au/?srsltid=AfmBOopOc5SLTyP3bGQN_hfjCaQbWJ_loMJsQUjls72sXzKkmuY8l6OG
The is no torque spec on the rocker cover bolts, so I just did them up firmly without hammering down on them. I did however get the torque wrench out to check the cylinder head bolts for spec, which is 24 Nm for both the 850 and Intek. Both engines were bang on here, which is different to high-hour flat head engines that have a tendency to back out the bolts around the valve area.
A quick test fire, it was time for the next paitient…………………
Intek Edge –
For the most part, the procedure here is the same as the 850, with a few minor differences. Firstly, you won’t need to remove the blower cover on this engine, although some Intek’s had a bullnose cover that would be best removed before starting.
Next, I needed to switch out my tools from metric tools to imperial, clearly Briggs shifted to metric after this engine was built. For example, the rocker cover bolts were 3/8” instead of 10mm, the central set screw was an 1/8” allen head and not T20 Torx, and the outer rocker nut was 5/8” and not 16mm. When I bought a set a tools a few years ago, I was told that a matching set of imperial sockets and wrenches were not really needed, which I tended to agree with at the time. And yet, the number of times I’ve needed imperial sizes makes me glad I have them.
Valve clearance adjustment for the Intek is done in the same way, set firm with the 0.005, which allows for slight drag using the 0.004.
While both Intek and 850 share a similar cylinder head/valve train design, they do not share the same cylinder head. Take note of the spark plug location, the Intek has the plug in line with the upper (exhaust) rocker arm and points slightly up, while the 850 has it mounted just below the lower rocker arm (intake) and points slightly down.
The most obvious difference is the rocker cover bolt locations and how they attach. As mentioned earlier, the 850 rocker cover bolts drive fully into the cylinder head. The Inek rocker bolts are a pass-through design, which is the same as the 125 – 163cc homeowner OHV engines. I’m not a fan of that arrangement, is just me, or does this seem more prone to stripping out? With that in mind, I was extra careful to not over-tighten these upon reinstallation.
On this occasion, the gasket remained on the cylinder head and came away intact, but again, I decided to replace it. The Intek has its own separate rocker cover gasket, which I had to go with an aftermarket item.
Rocker Cover Gasket – 691890
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/405971411410
With the Intek back together, I left it running to warm up the oil for another oil change. If anything, I tend to over service mowers, so when I drain oil, it never comes out black. Also, fresh SAE30 oil tends to keep that cherry red colour for quite a while after a change, and even then, it usually changes to a darkish red when used. After its initial change last week, the oil turned brown almost instantly, I’d say frequent oil changes were not a thing with the previous owner. When I syphoned the oil today, it was far too black for my liking. With fresh oil back in, it seems to have kept its colour this time. I suspect I’m going to have to do this a few times to get it back on track.
hewey
Well-known member
I had an EL Falcon wagon as my third car. Left me stranded on the side of the road countless times thanks to overheating. Despite that dubious relationship, I still think the EF-EL Falcons are chronically underrated and under represented in the street machine scene. Especially the XR models. We won't talk about the styling of the EL GT though
2024 Ranger Wildtrak Detail -
This 2024 Ranger Wildtrak with the 3.0 Powerstroke Diesel V6 was in today for its first major detail since it was purchased last year. Finished in Aluminium Silver, it and also has the $2100 Premium Pack with includes the following -
- Auxiliary 6 Switch Pack
- Premium Matrix LED Headlamp and Tail lamp pack
- Bang & Olufsen Premium Audio System
- Cargo Management System
For anyone buying a Ranger, please please please include the Ford 3D rubber floor mat set in the deal. They make a massive difference in keeping your carpets clean, mainly preventing grass and sand from becoming embedded in the fibres. Carpet mats are completely useless for this sort of vehicle, or any daily driver really. I can also highly recommend the TruFit 3D branded mats as well.
Genuine Ford All Weather Rubber Floor Mats For Ranger & More
TruFit 3D Mats
Exterior Detail –
Wheels & Tyres -
While I sorted out my buckets and tools, I started off by liberally applying NV Purge to all four wheels. After a few minutes, I went in with Bilt Hamber Touch-less, foaming over the top of Purge and allowed to further soak. After rinsing all four wheels, I then went back with Wise Guy for the tyres, then foamed the wheels with Brake Buster for the contact washing. As I moved around the car, I also scrubbed the black plastic wheel arch flairs and side steps.
Pre-treatment & Decontamination -
From dry, the whole car was sprayed down with iron remover. Today I finally managed to use up the last of a 4-litre bottle of Gyeon Iron, which while effective, was absolutely putrid to use. Switching over to NV Purify has been a long time coming, I much prefer these NV iron removers as they do not stink anywhere near as badly, while remaining highly effective. I hear the latest Gyeon Iron Redefined has addressed the stench complaint, but the NV product is considerably cheaper. Another benefit of NV Purify is that it also contains surfactants to break down traffic film.
As usual, an alkaline pre-wash soap was foamed right over the top of the iron remover. At the moment, I’m really liking KCx Active Foam, mainly because its less aggressive as Touch-less, smells better, and cleans nearly as well. After further dwell time, the car was given a very thorough rinse.
While the soap was doing its thing, I made use of that time by giving the engine bay a quick refresh. Nothing drastic was needed, just some accumulated dust and debris caught at the base of the windscreen. So, it too was treated with Active Foam, then rinsed. A healthy dose of Hyper Dressing, a quick blow and the job was done. Oh, and I also filled the empty windscreen washer fluid reservoir, it’s the little details that matter sometimes.
To finish the pre wash treatments, I vacuumed, foamed and then rinsed out the tub. Yes, I vacuumed, it was full of particle board chips and sawdust, vacuuming is less messy than turning all that into an abrasive slurry.
Contact Wash -
For this step, I foamed with Carpro Descale, then used a microfiber wash pad for the contact washing. Afterwards, a very thorough rinse, including flushing out the lower door jambs.
At this point, I had some very stubborn bee droppings on the hood, roof and aluminium roller tonneau cover. While bee deposits are almost always harder to remove than you’d think, typically an alkaline or acidic soap will lift them away. Not here though, they’d clearly been on the car for some time. First, I tried a clay mitt to luck, then progressed to KCx TEA tar remover, still no luck. In the end, I had to get out the sledgehammer, KCx Eulex. Thankfully, this took care of the issue. Important to note, you need to be mindful of using Eulex on small sections as it has a very high evaporation rate and you don't want it drying on the paint, I also like to flush the area with water afterwards.
From here, the whole vehicle got a dose of Carpro Hydr02, including the wheels and wheel arches.
Drying & Paint Protection -
After a blow down with the EGO, I went around and polished out a couple of minor scrapes on the front fender and rear door. It was then time for a heavy application of NV Boost v2. Other than the Hydr02 I had just applied, the vehicle had absolutely nothing on the paint, hence the heavy application.
Spray sealants like this have somehow become drying aids over the last few years. When used like that, typically one to two sprays per panel is used. Thing is, that is nowhere near enough to provide durable “protection”, which then leads to people complaining about a lack of longevity. This is something I’ve noticed with multiple products like Boost, and Bead Maker in particular, people use it sparingly as a drying aid, then bash the product for not doing what they had unrealistically expected.
From here, I cleaned and dried the door jambs with ECH20 at the waterless rate.
Interior Detail –
I actually started the interior before starting on the wheels. This involved removal of the carpet mats and opening all of the doors. With the car in the driveway, I grabbed the air line and my Tornador, then blasted as much dust and debris from the interior as possible. The same was done on the carpet mats. This process is incredibly effective at removing debris from hard to reach places or areas that resist vacuuming, think seat seams, between the seat and console, door trim crevices, air vents ect. Doing this BEFORE cleaning the exterior limits that dust being deposited onto the freshly cleaned exterior.
As with any neglected interior, it’s the vacuuming that eats up most of the time. And it doesn’t really matter how stout your vac is, removing sand, mud, pet hair and grass from carpet is always a tedious and time-consuming task. On this carpet, I found using Paint Gloss as a vacuum aid noticeably improved the situation.
15-hours later, it was time for the cleaning. Starting with the leather, I used Pol Star on the Carpro InnerScrub mitt. Once dry, NV Nourish was applied.
By the way, that mitt should be white…………………….
The rest of the interior wasn’t that bad, so I switched to P&S Swift for a general wipe down. I like Swift because not only does it clean, it leaves behind a subtle dressing, combining two steps into one. I also cleaned the pedals while I was at it.
The glass however was appalling, covered in a hazy film and greasy fingerprints. This is one of those occasions where a simply wipe down wasn’t going to cut it. The first “mow down” was done using Angelwax Vision, sprayed into the towel and not directly as this is the nuke of glass cleaners. With the funk removed, I went back in with Invisible Glass and a fresh set of towels to deliver a streak free result.
Finishing the interior, the floor mats were reinstalled, then a misting of KCx Fresh Up.
Finishing Touches –
For the exterior glass, I ended up having to polish the front windscreen due to an accumulation of water spots and etchings. For this, P&S Clarity Crème was used by hand with foam polishing puck. The glass was then cleaned using the ceramic version of Invisible Glass.
Next, the wheels were wiped down with Bead Maker, the tyres dressed with Capro Perl. The black plastic wheel arch flairs, mud flaps, side steps and rear number plate trims were dressed using Mother’s Naturally Black (aerosol). I only use that product when I want a quick and easy lift without creating mess. Finishing things off, I gave the paint a final wipe down using P&S Clean Maker.
The Ming Mole Strikes Again -
The owner of this vehicle is a family friend, in fact I nearly did a cabinetry apprenticeship with him back in the early 2000’s. When he bought the car, he was upsold on a ceramic coating and window tint package for $2000. I was made aware of this after I’d returned to vehicle. I mention this because, 1000%, there was no ceramic coating on this car, and if there was, it only lasted less than 12-months.
Even before I started contact washing with a strip soap, the water behaviour was completely flat. After the wash, it remained completely flat. I say that because sometimes you can revive a coating after a decon wash, but not here. The thing is, even if a vehicle is neglected for say 9 – 12 months, a coating will still exhibit some hydrophobic qualities. But on this car, the paint was dead flat.
The owner mentioned that he didn’t really notice anything different with or without the “coating”, which is when I made him aware that there was no chance a coating was still on the vehicle. No doubt something was applied by the dealer, but it was probably just a “ceramic” spray sealant and not a proper ceramic coating. Which makes me angry because these stupid dealership Ming Moles are fleecing uneducated customers under the pretence of guilt. In fact, the very same Ming Mole pulled that stunt when the owner was buying another (black) car for his wife, along the lines of “are you really going to buy a black car for your wife and not keep it protected?”. Insult guilt trip 101. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, car dealerships are their own worst enemy.
Anyway, this Ranger was returned to the customer looking “better than it did when it was brand new”. And that’s a reflection of both my skill, and the dealers lack of integrity.
Final Thoughts -
I did a pickup and return with this vehicle. I mention this because it’s the first time I’ve driven a Ranger with the Powerstroke V6. And what a lovely engine it is! There is a layer of creamy refinement that is missing from the 4-cylinder diesel engines, be that the Ford 2.0 Bi-Turbo, or any of its competitors. Also, there is this thing called throttle response, as in you flex your ankle and the engine smoothly responds in a linear and progressive manner. And I’m not talking about “performance” here, I’m referencing drivability. And then there is that lovely smooth waft factor, which reminds me of the diesel Territory that used the older 2.7-litre version of this engine. The V6 is one of the key reasons why the Ranger and Everest have become segment leaders in the sales race, no other competitor has an answer for this powertrain.
The in Bi-Turbo in comparison needs to be stabbed in the guts to respond, almost like its got a giant torque converter mixed with throttle and turbo lag. This makes the vehicle feel super sluggish, which in turn affects smooth drivability. Nor can the Bi-Turbo match the V6’s smooth sound, instead you get the typical diesel 4-cylinder clatter and vibration.
If you are looking at a Ranger or Everest, where available, you’d be bonkers to settle for the 2.0 Bi-Turbo engine instead of the Powerstroke. Worth every penny, simple as that!
This 2024 Ranger Wildtrak with the 3.0 Powerstroke Diesel V6 was in today for its first major detail since it was purchased last year. Finished in Aluminium Silver, it and also has the $2100 Premium Pack with includes the following -
- Auxiliary 6 Switch Pack
- Premium Matrix LED Headlamp and Tail lamp pack
- Bang & Olufsen Premium Audio System
- Cargo Management System
For anyone buying a Ranger, please please please include the Ford 3D rubber floor mat set in the deal. They make a massive difference in keeping your carpets clean, mainly preventing grass and sand from becoming embedded in the fibres. Carpet mats are completely useless for this sort of vehicle, or any daily driver really. I can also highly recommend the TruFit 3D branded mats as well.
Genuine Ford All Weather Rubber Floor Mats For Ranger & More
TruFit 3D Mats
Exterior Detail –
Wheels & Tyres -
While I sorted out my buckets and tools, I started off by liberally applying NV Purge to all four wheels. After a few minutes, I went in with Bilt Hamber Touch-less, foaming over the top of Purge and allowed to further soak. After rinsing all four wheels, I then went back with Wise Guy for the tyres, then foamed the wheels with Brake Buster for the contact washing. As I moved around the car, I also scrubbed the black plastic wheel arch flairs and side steps.
Pre-treatment & Decontamination -
From dry, the whole car was sprayed down with iron remover. Today I finally managed to use up the last of a 4-litre bottle of Gyeon Iron, which while effective, was absolutely putrid to use. Switching over to NV Purify has been a long time coming, I much prefer these NV iron removers as they do not stink anywhere near as badly, while remaining highly effective. I hear the latest Gyeon Iron Redefined has addressed the stench complaint, but the NV product is considerably cheaper. Another benefit of NV Purify is that it also contains surfactants to break down traffic film.
As usual, an alkaline pre-wash soap was foamed right over the top of the iron remover. At the moment, I’m really liking KCx Active Foam, mainly because its less aggressive as Touch-less, smells better, and cleans nearly as well. After further dwell time, the car was given a very thorough rinse.
While the soap was doing its thing, I made use of that time by giving the engine bay a quick refresh. Nothing drastic was needed, just some accumulated dust and debris caught at the base of the windscreen. So, it too was treated with Active Foam, then rinsed. A healthy dose of Hyper Dressing, a quick blow and the job was done. Oh, and I also filled the empty windscreen washer fluid reservoir, it’s the little details that matter sometimes.
To finish the pre wash treatments, I vacuumed, foamed and then rinsed out the tub. Yes, I vacuumed, it was full of particle board chips and sawdust, vacuuming is less messy than turning all that into an abrasive slurry.
Contact Wash -
For this step, I foamed with Carpro Descale, then used a microfiber wash pad for the contact washing. Afterwards, a very thorough rinse, including flushing out the lower door jambs.
At this point, I had some very stubborn bee droppings on the hood, roof and aluminium roller tonneau cover. While bee deposits are almost always harder to remove than you’d think, typically an alkaline or acidic soap will lift them away. Not here though, they’d clearly been on the car for some time. First, I tried a clay mitt to luck, then progressed to KCx TEA tar remover, still no luck. In the end, I had to get out the sledgehammer, KCx Eulex. Thankfully, this took care of the issue. Important to note, you need to be mindful of using Eulex on small sections as it has a very high evaporation rate and you don't want it drying on the paint, I also like to flush the area with water afterwards.
From here, the whole vehicle got a dose of Carpro Hydr02, including the wheels and wheel arches.
Drying & Paint Protection -
After a blow down with the EGO, I went around and polished out a couple of minor scrapes on the front fender and rear door. It was then time for a heavy application of NV Boost v2. Other than the Hydr02 I had just applied, the vehicle had absolutely nothing on the paint, hence the heavy application.
Spray sealants like this have somehow become drying aids over the last few years. When used like that, typically one to two sprays per panel is used. Thing is, that is nowhere near enough to provide durable “protection”, which then leads to people complaining about a lack of longevity. This is something I’ve noticed with multiple products like Boost, and Bead Maker in particular, people use it sparingly as a drying aid, then bash the product for not doing what they had unrealistically expected.
From here, I cleaned and dried the door jambs with ECH20 at the waterless rate.
Interior Detail –
I actually started the interior before starting on the wheels. This involved removal of the carpet mats and opening all of the doors. With the car in the driveway, I grabbed the air line and my Tornador, then blasted as much dust and debris from the interior as possible. The same was done on the carpet mats. This process is incredibly effective at removing debris from hard to reach places or areas that resist vacuuming, think seat seams, between the seat and console, door trim crevices, air vents ect. Doing this BEFORE cleaning the exterior limits that dust being deposited onto the freshly cleaned exterior.
As with any neglected interior, it’s the vacuuming that eats up most of the time. And it doesn’t really matter how stout your vac is, removing sand, mud, pet hair and grass from carpet is always a tedious and time-consuming task. On this carpet, I found using Paint Gloss as a vacuum aid noticeably improved the situation.
15-hours later, it was time for the cleaning. Starting with the leather, I used Pol Star on the Carpro InnerScrub mitt. Once dry, NV Nourish was applied.
By the way, that mitt should be white…………………….
The rest of the interior wasn’t that bad, so I switched to P&S Swift for a general wipe down. I like Swift because not only does it clean, it leaves behind a subtle dressing, combining two steps into one. I also cleaned the pedals while I was at it.
The glass however was appalling, covered in a hazy film and greasy fingerprints. This is one of those occasions where a simply wipe down wasn’t going to cut it. The first “mow down” was done using Angelwax Vision, sprayed into the towel and not directly as this is the nuke of glass cleaners. With the funk removed, I went back in with Invisible Glass and a fresh set of towels to deliver a streak free result.
Finishing the interior, the floor mats were reinstalled, then a misting of KCx Fresh Up.
Finishing Touches –
For the exterior glass, I ended up having to polish the front windscreen due to an accumulation of water spots and etchings. For this, P&S Clarity Crème was used by hand with foam polishing puck. The glass was then cleaned using the ceramic version of Invisible Glass.
Next, the wheels were wiped down with Bead Maker, the tyres dressed with Capro Perl. The black plastic wheel arch flairs, mud flaps, side steps and rear number plate trims were dressed using Mother’s Naturally Black (aerosol). I only use that product when I want a quick and easy lift without creating mess. Finishing things off, I gave the paint a final wipe down using P&S Clean Maker.
The Ming Mole Strikes Again -
The owner of this vehicle is a family friend, in fact I nearly did a cabinetry apprenticeship with him back in the early 2000’s. When he bought the car, he was upsold on a ceramic coating and window tint package for $2000. I was made aware of this after I’d returned to vehicle. I mention this because, 1000%, there was no ceramic coating on this car, and if there was, it only lasted less than 12-months.
Even before I started contact washing with a strip soap, the water behaviour was completely flat. After the wash, it remained completely flat. I say that because sometimes you can revive a coating after a decon wash, but not here. The thing is, even if a vehicle is neglected for say 9 – 12 months, a coating will still exhibit some hydrophobic qualities. But on this car, the paint was dead flat.
The owner mentioned that he didn’t really notice anything different with or without the “coating”, which is when I made him aware that there was no chance a coating was still on the vehicle. No doubt something was applied by the dealer, but it was probably just a “ceramic” spray sealant and not a proper ceramic coating. Which makes me angry because these stupid dealership Ming Moles are fleecing uneducated customers under the pretence of guilt. In fact, the very same Ming Mole pulled that stunt when the owner was buying another (black) car for his wife, along the lines of “are you really going to buy a black car for your wife and not keep it protected?”. Insult guilt trip 101. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, car dealerships are their own worst enemy.
Anyway, this Ranger was returned to the customer looking “better than it did when it was brand new”. And that’s a reflection of both my skill, and the dealers lack of integrity.
Final Thoughts -
I did a pickup and return with this vehicle. I mention this because it’s the first time I’ve driven a Ranger with the Powerstroke V6. And what a lovely engine it is! There is a layer of creamy refinement that is missing from the 4-cylinder diesel engines, be that the Ford 2.0 Bi-Turbo, or any of its competitors. Also, there is this thing called throttle response, as in you flex your ankle and the engine smoothly responds in a linear and progressive manner. And I’m not talking about “performance” here, I’m referencing drivability. And then there is that lovely smooth waft factor, which reminds me of the diesel Territory that used the older 2.7-litre version of this engine. The V6 is one of the key reasons why the Ranger and Everest have become segment leaders in the sales race, no other competitor has an answer for this powertrain.
The in Bi-Turbo in comparison needs to be stabbed in the guts to respond, almost like its got a giant torque converter mixed with throttle and turbo lag. This makes the vehicle feel super sluggish, which in turn affects smooth drivability. Nor can the Bi-Turbo match the V6’s smooth sound, instead you get the typical diesel 4-cylinder clatter and vibration.
If you are looking at a Ranger or Everest, where available, you’d be bonkers to settle for the 2.0 Bi-Turbo engine instead of the Powerstroke. Worth every penny, simple as that!
I had an EL Falcon wagon as my third car. Left me stranded on the side of the road countless times thanks to overheating. Despite that dubious relationship, I still think the EF-EL Falcons are chronically underrated and under represented in the street machine scene. Especially the XR models. We won't talk about the styling of the EL GT though
Yeah, the EL GT styling never appealed to me. Not to mention how ****** slow they were.
Having said that, I like the AU Falcon, widely regarded as the ugliest Falcon of all time.
Nice job, I wish the Powerstroke was available in the US.2024 Ranger Wildtrak Detail -
This 2024 Ranger Wildtrak with the 3.0 Powerstroke Diesel V6 was in today for its first major detail since it was purchased last year. Finished in Aluminium Silver, it and also has the $2100 Premium Pack with includes the following -
- Auxiliary 6 Switch Pack
- Premium Matrix LED Headlamp and Tail lamp pack
- Bang & Olufsen Premium Audio System
- Cargo Management System
For anyone buying a Ranger, please please please include the Ford 3D rubber floor mat set in the deal. They make a massive difference in keeping your carpets clean, mainly preventing grass and sand from becoming embedded in the fibres. Carpet mats are completely useless for this sort of vehicle, or any daily driver really. I can also highly recommend the TruFit 3D branded mats as well.
Genuine Ford All Weather Rubber Floor Mats For Ranger & More
TruFit 3D Mats
Exterior Detail –
Wheels & Tyres -
While I sorted out my buckets and tools, I started off by liberally applying NV Purge to all four wheels. After a few minutes, I went in with Bilt Hamber Touch-less, foaming over the top of Purge and allowed to further soak. After rinsing all four wheels, I then went back with Wise Guy for the tyres, then foamed the wheels with Brake Buster for the contact washing. As I moved around the car, I also scrubbed the black plastic wheel arch flairs and side steps.
Pre-treatment & Decontamination -
From dry, the whole car was sprayed down with iron remover. Today I finally managed to use up the last of a 4-litre bottle of Gyeon Iron, which while effective, was absolutely putrid to use. Switching over to NV Purify has been a long time coming, I much prefer these NV iron removers as they do not stink anywhere near as badly, while remaining highly effective. I hear the latest Gyeon Iron Redefined has addressed the stench complaint, but the NV product is considerably cheaper. Another benefit of NV Purify is that it also contains surfactants to break down traffic film.
As usual, an alkaline pre-wash soap was foamed right over the top of the iron remover. At the moment, I’m really liking KCx Active Foam, mainly because its less aggressive as Touch-less, smells better, and cleans nearly as well. After further dwell time, the car was given a very thorough rinse.
While the soap was doing its thing, I made use of that time by giving the engine bay a quick refresh. Nothing drastic was needed, just some accumulated dust and debris caught at the base of the windscreen. So, it too was treated with Active Foam, then rinsed. A healthy dose of Hyper Dressing, a quick blow and the job was done. Oh, and I also filled the empty windscreen washer fluid reservoir, it’s the little details that matter sometimes.
To finish the pre wash treatments, I vacuumed, foamed and then rinsed out the tub. Yes, I vacuumed, it was full of particle board chips and sawdust, vacuuming is less messy than turning all that into an abrasive slurry.
Contact Wash -
For this step, I foamed with Carpro Descale, then used a microfiber wash pad for the contact washing. Afterwards, a very thorough rinse, including flushing out the lower door jambs.
At this point, I had some very stubborn bee droppings on the hood, roof and aluminium roller tonneau cover. While bee deposits are almost always harder to remove than you’d think, typically an alkaline or acidic soap will lift them away. Not here though, they’d clearly been on the car for some time. First, I tried a clay mitt to luck, then progressed to KCx TEA tar remover, still no luck. In the end, I had to get out the sledgehammer, KCx Eulex. Thankfully, this took care of the issue. Important to note, you need to be mindful of using Eulex on small sections as it has a very high evaporation rate and you don't want it drying on the paint, I also like to flush the area with water afterwards.
From here, the whole vehicle got a dose of Carpro Hydr02, including the wheels and wheel arches.
Drying & Paint Protection -
After a blow down with the EGO, I went around and polished out a couple of minor scrapes on the front fender and rear door. It was then time for a heavy application of NV Boost v2. Other than the Hydr02 I had just applied, the vehicle had absolutely nothing on the paint, hence the heavy application.
Spray sealants like this have somehow become drying aids over the last few years. When used like that, typically one to two sprays per panel is used. Thing is, that is nowhere near enough to provide durable “protection”, which then leads to people complaining about a lack of longevity. This is something I’ve noticed with multiple products like Boost, and Bead Maker in particular, people use it sparingly as a drying aid, then bash the product for not doing what they had unrealistically expected.
From here, I cleaned and dried the door jambs with ECH20 at the waterless rate.
Interior Detail –
I actually started the interior before starting on the wheels. This involved removal of the carpet mats and opening all of the doors. With the car in the driveway, I grabbed the air line and my Tornador, then blasted as much dust and debris from the interior as possible. The same was done on the carpet mats. This process is incredibly effective at removing debris from hard to reach places or areas that resist vacuuming, think seat seams, between the seat and console, door trim crevices, air vents ect. Doing this BEFORE cleaning the exterior limits that dust being deposited onto the freshly cleaned exterior.
As with any neglected interior, it’s the vacuuming that eats up most of the time. And it doesn’t really matter how stout your vac is, removing sand, mud, pet hair and grass from carpet is always a tedious and time-consuming task. On this carpet, I found using Paint Gloss as a vacuum aid noticeably improved the situation.
15-hours later, it was time for the cleaning. Starting with the leather, I used Pol Star on the Carpro InnerScrub mitt. Once dry, NV Nourish was applied.
By the way, that mitt should be white…………………….
The rest of the interior wasn’t that bad, so I switched to P&S Swift for a general wipe down. I like Swift because not only does it clean, it leaves behind a subtle dressing, combining two steps into one. I also cleaned the pedals while I was at it.
The glass however was appalling, covered in a hazy film and greasy fingerprints. This is one of those occasions where a simply wipe down wasn’t going to cut it. The first “mow down” was done using Angelwax Vision, sprayed into the towel and not directly as this is the nuke of glass cleaners. With the funk removed, I went back in with Invisible Glass and a fresh set of towels to deliver a streak free result.
Finishing the interior, the floor mats were reinstalled, then a misting of KCx Fresh Up.
Finishing Touches –
For the exterior glass, I ended up having to polish the front windscreen due to an accumulation of water spots and etchings. For this, P&S Clarity Crème was used by hand with foam polishing puck. The glass was then cleaned using the ceramic version of Invisible Glass.
Next, the wheels were wiped down with Bead Maker, the tyres dressed with Capro Perl. The black plastic wheel arch flairs, mud flaps, side steps and rear number plate trims were dressed using Mother’s Naturally Black (aerosol). I only use that product when I want a quick and easy lift without creating mess. Finishing things off, I gave the paint a final wipe down using P&S Clean Maker.
The Ming Mole Strikes Again -
The owner of this vehicle is a family friend, in fact I nearly did a cabinetry apprenticeship with him back in the early 2000’s. When he bought the car, he was upsold on a ceramic coating and window tint package for $2000. I was made aware of this after I’d returned to vehicle. I mention this because, 1000%, there was no ceramic coating on this car, and if there was, it only lasted less than 12-months.
Even before I started contact washing with a strip soap, the water behaviour was completely flat. After the wash, it remained completely flat. I say that because sometimes you can revive a coating after a decon wash, but not here. The thing is, even if a vehicle is neglected for say 9 – 12 months, a coating will still exhibit some hydrophobic qualities. But on this car, the paint was dead flat.
The owner mentioned that he didn’t really notice anything different with or without the “coating”, which is when I made him aware that there was no chance a coating was still on the vehicle. No doubt something was applied by the dealer, but it was probably just a “ceramic” spray sealant and not a proper ceramic coating. Which makes me angry because these stupid dealership Ming Moles are fleecing uneducated customers under the pretence of guilt. In fact, the very same Ming Mole pulled that stunt when the owner was buying another (black) car for his wife, along the lines of “are you really going to buy a black car for your wife and not keep it protected?”. Insult guilt trip 101. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, car dealerships are their own worst enemy.
Anyway, this Ranger was returned to the customer looking “better than it did when it was brand new”. And that’s a reflection of both my skill, and the dealers lack of integrity.
Final Thoughts -
I did a pickup and return with this vehicle. I mention this because it’s the first time I’ve driven a Ranger with the Powerstroke V6. And what a lovely engine it is! There is a layer of creamy refinement that is missing from the 4-cylinder diesel engines, be that the Ford 2.0 Bi-Turbo, or any of its competitors. Also, there is this thing called throttle response, as in you flex your ankle and the engine smoothly responds in a linear and progressive manner. And I’m not talking about “performance” here, I’m referencing drivability. And then there is that lovely smooth waft factor, which reminds me of the diesel Territory that used the older 2.7-litre version of this engine. The V6 is one of the key reasons why the Ranger and Everest have become segment leaders in the sales race, no other competitor has an answer for this powertrain.
The in Bi-Turbo in comparison needs to be stabbed in the guts to respond, almost like its got a giant torque converter mixed with throttle and turbo lag. This makes the vehicle feel super sluggish, which in turn affects smooth drivability. Nor can the Bi-Turbo match the V6’s smooth sound, instead you get the typical diesel 4-cylinder clatter and vibration.
If you are looking at a Ranger or Everest, where available, you’d be bonkers to settle for the 2.0 Bi-Turbo engine instead of the Powerstroke. Worth every penny, simple as that!
Geoff289
Well-known member
Always in the eye of the beholder but unless you got the base model Forte with the weird grille, I never thought the AU was that bad.Yeah, the EL GT styling never appealed to me. Not to mention how ****** slow they were.
Having said that, I like the AU Falcon, widely regarded as the ugliest Falcon of all time.
In my humble opinion the best looking Falcons for their time were the XP coupe, XY, XD and FG. I'd actually nominate the XW as the worst looking. Amazing how some cosmetic changes could have its successor the XY amongst the best.
You guys had it in the F-150........................and no one bought them.
On that same thought train, I wish Ford would start offering the 2.3 and 2.7 EcoBoost engines in the Ranger here. I'm pretty much over diesel, noisy, expensive to service and repair, smelly. I also prefer the power delivery of a petrol/gas engine.
Absolutely!
Those early Falcon's were so pretty, and at the time, considerably more modern looking than the equivalent Holden's. I actually prefer the XM as it kept the original "droop" to the front end. But....................the XP in any body style was just so nicely proportioned, just the right amount of chrome. And the round tail lights, they were just soooo cool.
XM Falcon -
XP Falcon -
The XY Falcon is probably the most recognisable Falcon of all time, purely because of the GT with the shaker hood. They never really recreated that overwhelming sense of power until the 2010 supercharged Miami V8. Myself, I'm partial to a Fairmont sedan or wagon.
The XD Falcon is one of those designs that was perfect out of the box. In that I mean the updates that followed didn't necessarily improve on the original. And compared to the previous model, there was a simplicity to the lines and a lack of excess.
The FG was another design that didn't improve with subsequent updates. Where the VE Commodore was all SHOUTY, the FG had a subtlety to its lines. I especially love the side profile line that ran from the front quarter panels, into the doors, through the rear quarter before curving into the boot lid, expertly done.
My list of favorite Falcon designs would include the following –
XP Falcon -
As mentioned in the previous post, the XP Falcon was such a petite, pretty looking vehicle. And it didn’t matter if it was the 2-door hardtop, sedan, wagon, ute or van, they all looked fantastic.
XA Hardtop –
I love these for the pure excess they exuded. That roof line was perfection, and those massive hips were stunning. Just a shame they didn’t put a wider track on these vehicles to flesh out the guards. I like the XA for its purity, the XB and XC models didn’t have the same cohesion. I’d have mine as a Fairmont, or a GT in wild colour, Lime Glaze I’ve always had a thing for…………………
BA and BF Falcon –
While the non-performance models look bland these days, the performance variants were a bullseye from Ford, even today. Primarily, it’s the relationship between the headlight and the bumper, that little ledge on the bumper looked so aggressive. Also, the BA was better proportioned than the FG that followed. Having said that, I need to cherry pick a few specific models here –
BA XR6 and XR8 – I prefer the crisper front end on the BA compared to the BF variants that followed.
For the eagle eyed, can you spot what is different about this particular XR8?
BF FPV Models – I think these are the best-looking modern era GT’s. They had the right amount of aggression without looking like a plastic fantastic (hello HSV), but also standing out more than the BA series FPV’s. I also love how they offered wild colour and stripe combination.
Can you name this colour?
FG Falcon –
Did you know that the same guy who designed the EL Falcon GT and AU Falcon had returned to Ford Australia be the lead designer of the FG, Steve Park. I remember him describing his design as being more elegant than the Holden, and more “updateable” as well. At the time, the press took pot shots at the design for not being new enough compared to the previous model, but then they did that for AU and everyone hated it because it didn't look like a Falcon. This sort of thing angered me for years, Ford were always in the wrong compared to its rival.
Again, I need to cherry pick specific models -
XR6 and XR8 – Compared to the G-Series that look a little dated now, the frontal design of the XR models still look fresh today. I love the faired-out cheek bones above the fog lights and the sunken grills, both give it a cohesive, aggressive look. The FPV models looked bloated in comparison, and the flush-fit grills and panda eyes didn’t really work in my view.
The FG MK II update didn’t hit the mark for me, different, not better.
AU Falcon –
Look, this isn’t the best looking Falcon ever made, most people hated it. I was 12-years old when the AU hit the market in 1998, about when I started to become conscious of cars. But it wasn’t until about 2000 – 2002 did I understand this hatred for the AU design, something my Holden mates made apparent at every opportunity. But to me, it was a Ford, and I liked Ford’s.
To be clear, the original 1998 – 2000 AU model wasn’t a pretty vehicle. With the gangly ride height, shallow bumpers, grey interiors, oval shaped windscreens, domed roof and questionable wheel and grill designs, I can totally see why people hated it.
However, certain elements were very well executed, such as the that sculpted belt line that runs from the headlight right through to the taillight. The crisp profiling of the hood on the XR and Ute models. The pinched at each end side profile and curvy taillight and boot lid gave the car a unique look…………………one that everyone ratted on until Mercedes copied it in 2005 and called it a 4-door coupe. Did you know the designer of the original CLS was an Aussie?
The angled head and tail lights also provided a different look to jellybean styling common to a lot of 90’s cars (cough, VT Commodore, cough).
And the XR fontal was unlike anything else on the road! Silver really highlights the crips body lines of the AU.
Through my teens, these were my “poster” cars…………………
My first car was an AU III Fairmont, and I eventually went on to buy my poster car. So, while its probably not considered “best looking”, it’s a design I have strong connection to.
XP Falcon -
As mentioned in the previous post, the XP Falcon was such a petite, pretty looking vehicle. And it didn’t matter if it was the 2-door hardtop, sedan, wagon, ute or van, they all looked fantastic.
XA Hardtop –
I love these for the pure excess they exuded. That roof line was perfection, and those massive hips were stunning. Just a shame they didn’t put a wider track on these vehicles to flesh out the guards. I like the XA for its purity, the XB and XC models didn’t have the same cohesion. I’d have mine as a Fairmont, or a GT in wild colour, Lime Glaze I’ve always had a thing for…………………
BA and BF Falcon –
While the non-performance models look bland these days, the performance variants were a bullseye from Ford, even today. Primarily, it’s the relationship between the headlight and the bumper, that little ledge on the bumper looked so aggressive. Also, the BA was better proportioned than the FG that followed. Having said that, I need to cherry pick a few specific models here –
BA XR6 and XR8 – I prefer the crisper front end on the BA compared to the BF variants that followed.
For the eagle eyed, can you spot what is different about this particular XR8?
BF FPV Models – I think these are the best-looking modern era GT’s. They had the right amount of aggression without looking like a plastic fantastic (hello HSV), but also standing out more than the BA series FPV’s. I also love how they offered wild colour and stripe combination.
Can you name this colour?
FG Falcon –
Did you know that the same guy who designed the EL Falcon GT and AU Falcon had returned to Ford Australia be the lead designer of the FG, Steve Park. I remember him describing his design as being more elegant than the Holden, and more “updateable” as well. At the time, the press took pot shots at the design for not being new enough compared to the previous model, but then they did that for AU and everyone hated it because it didn't look like a Falcon. This sort of thing angered me for years, Ford were always in the wrong compared to its rival.
Again, I need to cherry pick specific models -
XR6 and XR8 – Compared to the G-Series that look a little dated now, the frontal design of the XR models still look fresh today. I love the faired-out cheek bones above the fog lights and the sunken grills, both give it a cohesive, aggressive look. The FPV models looked bloated in comparison, and the flush-fit grills and panda eyes didn’t really work in my view.
The FG MK II update didn’t hit the mark for me, different, not better.
AU Falcon –
Look, this isn’t the best looking Falcon ever made, most people hated it. I was 12-years old when the AU hit the market in 1998, about when I started to become conscious of cars. But it wasn’t until about 2000 – 2002 did I understand this hatred for the AU design, something my Holden mates made apparent at every opportunity. But to me, it was a Ford, and I liked Ford’s.
To be clear, the original 1998 – 2000 AU model wasn’t a pretty vehicle. With the gangly ride height, shallow bumpers, grey interiors, oval shaped windscreens, domed roof and questionable wheel and grill designs, I can totally see why people hated it.
However, certain elements were very well executed, such as the that sculpted belt line that runs from the headlight right through to the taillight. The crisp profiling of the hood on the XR and Ute models. The pinched at each end side profile and curvy taillight and boot lid gave the car a unique look…………………one that everyone ratted on until Mercedes copied it in 2005 and called it a 4-door coupe. Did you know the designer of the original CLS was an Aussie?
The angled head and tail lights also provided a different look to jellybean styling common to a lot of 90’s cars (cough, VT Commodore, cough).
And the XR fontal was unlike anything else on the road! Silver really highlights the crips body lines of the AU.
Through my teens, these were my “poster” cars…………………
My first car was an AU III Fairmont, and I eventually went on to buy my poster car. So, while its probably not considered “best looking”, it’s a design I have strong connection to.
One last addition to the TURBO-THRUST, a handlebar mount for the starter rope.
For whatever reason, the hook and wing nut are sold separately, not as a kit. You really can't use one without the other.
Rope Guide / Hook - MTD 710-1205
Wingnut / Knob - MTD 720-0279
https://www.outdoorking.com.au/bran...ine-knob-hndl-ers-1-4-20-mtd720-0279-720-0279
https://www.outdoorking.com.au/bran...eye-1-4-20-bent-rope-gde-mtd710-1205-710-1205
For whatever reason, the hook and wing nut are sold separately, not as a kit. You really can't use one without the other.
Rope Guide / Hook - MTD 710-1205
Wingnut / Knob - MTD 720-0279
https://www.outdoorking.com.au/bran...ine-knob-hndl-ers-1-4-20-mtd720-0279-720-0279
https://www.outdoorking.com.au/bran...eye-1-4-20-bent-rope-gde-mtd710-1205-710-1205
Both Falcon's uncovered for the first time in a while! The Mustang was washed and covered, swapping places up front with the XR6. The XR8 got out this morning to blow out the cobwebs, some fresh V-Power in the tank, and a few cheeky courtesy revs!
1992 Combat vs 1999 Supercut........................................
Both of these share the same profile aluminum deck, the Combat providing an 18-inch cut and the Supercut 20-inches. Both also share the same blade set, the Supercut using a larger carrier disk. The Combat has 3.5 hp from its 190cc L-Head engine, the Supercut 5.5 hp from the same capacity OHV Intek.
For what it is, the Supercut is surprisingly light. However, back to back with it's little bro, the Combat is supremely light and easy to push. Stylistically, I actually prefer the red hub caps of the Combat, the chrome on the Supercut looks tacky in my opinion. Or, just go with the black pack wheels............................
I never intended to "collect" Rover's, it sort of just happened.
Both of these share the same profile aluminum deck, the Combat providing an 18-inch cut and the Supercut 20-inches. Both also share the same blade set, the Supercut using a larger carrier disk. The Combat has 3.5 hp from its 190cc L-Head engine, the Supercut 5.5 hp from the same capacity OHV Intek.
For what it is, the Supercut is surprisingly light. However, back to back with it's little bro, the Combat is supremely light and easy to push. Stylistically, I actually prefer the red hub caps of the Combat, the chrome on the Supercut looks tacky in my opinion. Or, just go with the black pack wheels............................
I never intended to "collect" Rover's, it sort of just happened.
I know most would say this car is too quiet, but that's how I like it.
I've never been a fan of 6-cylinder engines with aftermarket exhausts. That doesn't mean I don't like the sound of a 6-cylinder engine, some of my favorite sounding cars have 6's in them. However, its a very fine line between pleasant and awful when it comes to 6-cylinder engines.
Of the locally made cars, the V6 Holden's take on a very unpleasant warble, The Falcon's inline 6 tends to drone, especially the naturally aspirated Barra. The Nissan VQ V6 takes on that off-beat buzz to another level. The rudest insult is when someone takes a sawzall to a Porsche GT3/GT4 and ruins the hours of work Porsche put into tuning a very specific sound. Same with the gloriously tinny E46 M3 exhaust.
Now, having offended every P-Plater of my generation, I think its best to leave 6-cylinder engines alone. Enjoy the smoothness for what it is.
I've never been a fan of 6-cylinder engines with aftermarket exhausts. That doesn't mean I don't like the sound of a 6-cylinder engine, some of my favorite sounding cars have 6's in them. However, its a very fine line between pleasant and awful when it comes to 6-cylinder engines.
Of the locally made cars, the V6 Holden's take on a very unpleasant warble, The Falcon's inline 6 tends to drone, especially the naturally aspirated Barra. The Nissan VQ V6 takes on that off-beat buzz to another level. The rudest insult is when someone takes a sawzall to a Porsche GT3/GT4 and ruins the hours of work Porsche put into tuning a very specific sound. Same with the gloriously tinny E46 M3 exhaust.
Now, having offended every P-Plater of my generation, I think its best to leave 6-cylinder engines alone. Enjoy the smoothness for what it is.
Having a little play with the camera, lighting and backdrop to feature four of my favorite brushes.
From left to right -
Detail Factory Ultra Soft - I use this grey brush for wheel nuts and brake calipers.
Detail Factory Boar Hair - Used for general interior and exterior cleaning.
Detail Factory ProGrip Tyre Scrub Brush - Pretty self explanatory, I also have another one for cleaning rubber floor mats. Probably my favorite brush overall.
Maxshine Curved Grip XL Mixed Bristle - This one is used for dressing low profile tyres.
From left to right -
Detail Factory Ultra Soft - I use this grey brush for wheel nuts and brake calipers.
Detail Factory Boar Hair - Used for general interior and exterior cleaning.
Detail Factory ProGrip Tyre Scrub Brush - Pretty self explanatory, I also have another one for cleaning rubber floor mats. Probably my favorite brush overall.
Maxshine Curved Grip XL Mixed Bristle - This one is used for dressing low profile tyres.
Number 1 -
My first Rover I bought in 2015, a ProCut 560 with the crappy Krohler engine. These have a 22-inch alloy deck and a self-propel system that has the gearbox mounted above the deck, which then permits a full width rear discharge chute. That means you can cut tall, wet grass without blockages. I ran that thing into the ground, and while I tried to find a suitable replacement a couple of times, nothing does it all like those OG ProCut's. So, I basically threw parts at it whenever something broke, new wheels, new drive gears, new bushings.
Check out the bald "tyres"......................
The Bushranger was attempt 1 at replacing the ProCut. The engine was nice, it was built like a tank, and it had a 3 speed gearbox. But, only a half chute, so it would block too easily. From what I can gather, these Bushranger 21-inch Bushranger's are an older Honda chassis, they even use the same blades and shaft drive. I sold this earlier in the year.
Replacement attempt number 2 was this Victa Commercial 21. It's ok, but still has the half chute design, and only a single speed. Thing is, if you are buying new, this is the one to go for, its got the best engine, the best deck.
Number 2 -
A client gave me this mower, a 1992 Rover Combat with the Quantum 35 engine. It had sat in a shed for 15 years, I was the last to use it. I fixed a few things, namely a brand new fuel tank that was on backorder for 3-months, new handlebar knobs, a head job, and some fresh service items, oh and a dam good clean! I have this is rotation, its great for smaller jobs due to its lightness. I also love that you can idle it down to a sweet tick-over.
Number 3 -
This is what I called my mower unicorn, the Rover ProCut 560 with the Briggs 850, the engine I always wanted when I purchased my first one brand new. This popped up out of the blue about year ago, a virtually brand new ProCut 560. I snapped it up before anyone else spotted it, bringing it home as if I'd just won the lottery! So, I finally replaced my old ProCut.....................with another ProCut. And that engine solved my only complaint of the original, namely the lack of torque from that Krohler. This has become my main mower.
All it needed was a service, and a new set of drive hardware.
I have kept my original, but I'm not using it now. I think with the amount of parts thrown at it, I'll just keep it as a backup for when parts become truly hard to find, which is only getting worse and worse with Rover.
Number 4 -
This Commercial Supercut popped up at just the right time, I was needing another project and I'd never had that engine before. Did I need it, hell no. Did I want it, hell yes. I probably won't keep this one forever, but I'm having fun with it at the moment, so I'll run it for a while and move it on at some point.
I'm still on the hunt for that elusive Victa Twin 500, likewise a 2000's era Razor with either the Briggs Quantum or Victa Powertorque. The Razor I will probably fully restore.
If you know of one, I want it!
Not new, just some messing around with overhead photography and lighting. These are genuine Stihl Special Tools, of which the middle one (5910-90-4501) has proven very useful, the other two are for carburettor tuning/limiter cap removal (5910-890-4500 and 5910-890-2314).
Cdubu52
Well-known member
While we are wishing, I wish the Everest was available in the US. Those things would outsell the Explorers so fast. Ford has no SUV on the Ranger platform anymore and I think it is a segment that is missing here.You guys had it in the F-150........................and no one bought them.
On that same thought train, I wish Ford would start offering the 2.3 and 2.7 EcoBoost engines in the Ranger here. I'm pretty much over diesel, noisy, expensive to service and repair, smelly. I also prefer the power delivery of a petrol/gas engine.
Ahh, but you do, it's called the Bronco, which is on the same Australian-designed and engineered T6 Platform. Bronco and Everest also share the watts-link coil rear suspension (Ranger is on leaf springs, except Raptor).
Why the Bronco is off limits to us is beyond me, it would do very well here. I'm told by an ex-Ford engineer that Bronco doesn't meet international crash safety standards, which to me is just nuts for a global car company, especially when its on a platform designed outside of the USA.
Cdubu52
Well-known member
Good call, I wasn't thinking about the Bronco. I guess I didn't realize it was on truck platform because of the 2 door option. That being said, I just really like the look of the Everest over the Explorer.
That makes zero sense regarding the crash safety standards. Im sure you guys get cars there that we cant get and US says the exact same thing.
I have a bad taste in my mouth when it comes to the new Bronco's. When they came out I put down a deposit for a new one. Once they started showing up at the dealership, I saw that they had one listed online for sale, so my wife and I went and looked at it. We drove it and I gave it a full look around, because it was the first one that I had seen in person. I was super excited about seeing it. The one that I had "ordered" was a 4 door and this was a 2 door, but the same model and color. Since my build date was still over a year away, I offered to buy the 2 Door that we had just test drove, with the intention that when the one that I ordered came in I would trade it in. Now, let me also say that my family has bought multiple cars from this dealer. They used to be Ford and Jeep/Dodge/Ram for a long time and only recently had they dropped the Mopar lines. I had bought a Durango, and 3 Jeep Wranglers from them, my mom had bought, 3 Grand Cherokees and an Explorer and that doesnt count my extended family that shopped there as well. We were told that they couldnt sell me the Bronco. Like I said, I wasnt just some guy off the street, I had spent plenty of money with them, and I was dealing with the same guy that I had bought all of the other vehicles with. Through our talks, I found out I was test driving someone else's preordered vehicle that had not come to get it yet. They had it listed on their website to purchase and it was already sold. He had always been a good guy to deal with, but it was truly bait and switch. He told me that Ford wanted them to list them like that so that when a customer came in to look at it, it would tempt them to order one for themselves. It really pissed me off that if he would treat me that way, and not be straight up from the start. That ruined the Bronco for me. It was already bad with the 18 month production time from when I ordered it. I cancelled my order that day and got a refund for my deposit. I refuse to buy one now, and am more than happy with my new Gladiator.
Toyota Landcruiser 200-Series Detail
I seem to be the Landcruiser 200-Series expert of late. This example with 160,000 km on the clock came to me as a referral, and well, he got his monies worth today! Upon retrieval, the car looked deceptively tidy. However, on closer inspection I knew this would be a long one, hence the lack of progress images, I just had to get on with the show.
Wheels & Tyres -
Quite a lot of time was spent on the wheels, I suspect they have never had the barrels cleaned due to the stubborn build-up of brake dust. I threw everything I had at them, even wheel acid, in the end I got them decent but not perfect. You can't reverse years of neglect in 2 minutes. Also, the tyres were brand new and required two rounds to remove the blooming.
Product & Tools Used -
- NV Purge
- Shine Supply Wise Guy (Tyres & Wheels)
- Meg's Acidic Wheel Cleaner
- EZ Detail Large
- EZ Detail GO
- Detail Factory XL Tyre Brush
- Chemical Guys Boars Hair Brush
Engine Bay -
Suspecting the owner wouldn't even notice my efforts here, I kept it simple with this one. I foamed with BH Touch-less, allowed to soak, then rinsed. A healthy dose of Megs Hyper Dressing and quick hit with the blower, job done!
Product & Tools Used -
- Bilt Hamber Touch-less
- Meguiar's Hyper Dressing (5:1)
- MTM PF22.2 Foam Cannon
- EGO 765 Blower
Exterior Decontamination & Cleaning -
On inspection, it was clear the owner has kept this car in decent shape. Other than some baked-on road film and a few bugs, it just needed a decent deep clean.
As per recent details, the vehicle was treated with NV Purify, allowed to dwell, then foamed with Koch Chemie Active Foam. As you can see, I got a fair bit of reaction on the paint, and as always, the rear tailgate was the most contaminated. To be honest, I was expecting more.
With the car rinsed, I went around with a brush and APC to clean the badges, grill and around the door handles. For the contact wash, I used Carpro Descale in both the foam cannon and bucket. Because of the size of this thing, and the fact its warming up now, I broke the car into three sections to avoid the soap drying on the car. For a pH neutral wash, you can sort of get away with that, but not with an acidic or alkaline soap.
After another rinse, I ended up claying the rear tailgate and glass as it was super crunchy. I then went around and applied Carpro Hydr02 to the entire vehicle, wheels included. The big 200 was then moved into the garage, this one actually fits, then hit with the EGO.
Product & Tools Used -
- NV Purify
- Koch Chemie Active Foam (Alkaline)
- Koch Chemie Green Star (6:1 APC)
- Carpro Descale (Acidic)
- Carpro Hydr02 Lite
- Detail Factory Boars Hair Brush
- TRC Cyclone Bone Wash Pad
- Economax Clay Mitt
- MTM PF22.2 Foam Cannon
- EGO 765 Blower
Post-Wash Details -
After the blow down with the EGO, I went around and applied NV Boost to the whole vehicle. The door jambs were then cleaned/dried using a towel and more APC. The exterior glass was then treated with Optimum Glass Clean & Protect.
Product & Tools Used -
- NV Boost v2 (Ceramic Spray Sealant)
- Koch Chemie Green Star (6:1 APC)
- Optimum Glass Clean & Protect
- TRC Car Wash Towel (For drying/sealant application)
- TRC Car Wash Towel (For door jambs)
- TRC Dry Me A River (Glass Towel)
Interior Detailing -
Along with the wheels, this is where a lot of time went. As you will see shortly, this vehicle has vulgarlour seats and not leather. I much prefer leather as you can soak it down, scrub and dry with a towel. On fabric, you can't really do that unless you want to be extracting them afterwards. Also, leather doesn't end up being a dust trap like cloth, which will often migrate deep down into the foam base.
To start, I went in with the Tornador to remove as much trapped dust and debris from the interior as possible. I then vacuumed and vacuumed and vacuumed. Then I vacuumed some more, then a little more after that.
For those seats, I sprayed them down with Koch Chemie Pol Star, scrubbed with a carpet brush, then used my Bissel to lift up as much of that Pol Star as possible, followed by a rub down with a towel.
The door trims were quite grotty, so I cleaned these with the Carpro InnerScrub and P&S Xpress. The steering wheel was so glossy that you could use it as a mirror. In this case, I scrubbed with Xpress and a leather brush, likewise the gear shifter and handbrake, then followed with NV Nourish. The transformation here was remarkable, the wheel in particular back to a lovely soft matte finish. This is what I love about detailing, taking something neglected and bringing it back to life.
From here, the glass was cleaned with Invisible Glass, likewise the gauge cluster lens and central touchscreen. The whole interior was then wiped down with P&S Swift. Having earlier cleaned the rubber floor mats, these too received a treatment with Swift before being re-installed. Finally, the carpets and seats were misted with Koch Chemie Fresh Up.
Product & Tools Used -
- P&S Xpress (Interior Cleaner)
- Koch Chemie Pol Star (Textile Cleaner)
- P&S Swift (Interior Detailer/Dressing)
- Stoner Invisible Glass
- NV Nourish (Leather Quick Detailer)
- Koch Chemie Fresh Up (Odour Neutralizer)
- Tornador Basic (Air Gun)
- Karcher WD6 Vacuum
- Bissell Spot Clean
- Vikan Carpet Brush
- TRC Car Wash (Interior Towel)
- TRC Dry Me A River (Glass Towel)
- Carpro InnerScrub
- ColourLock Leather Brush
Finishing Touches -
Returning to the wheels, I wiped them down with Carpro ECH20, then dressed the tyres using Shine Supply Decked Out. Long story, the owner completely serious asked me if the price included "putting tyre black on the tyres". Present at the time, his brother immediately erupted into laughter before I said that tyre dressing was my favourite part, so naturally it would include "tyre black". His brother later asked me to do one thing, leave one tyre undressed to see if he'd notice. Oh, how I wanted to do that, but I just couldn't do it. Anyway, he got his "tyre black", of which Decked Out is hard to miss as its quite glossy.
Finishing up, the engine bay was given a quick Q/C wipe down, and the tail gate scuff plate treated with Mother's Naturally Black.
Product & Tools Used -
- Carpro ECH20 (16:1)
- Shine Supply Decked Out
- Mothers Naturally Black
- TRC Ultra Utility Brush (Dressing Applicator)
- TRC Car Wash Towel (For final wipe down)
- TRC Rip-N-Rag (For Naturally Black & Final wipe of the tyres)
Final Results -
Note the lack of off-road gear on this 200-Series, this one being used purely for family car duties. Something else I noticed is the flat / non-metallic white, not the pearl metallic used on the other 200-Series I've detailed.
For what is easily a $100,000 vehicle, it's pretty stingy of Toyota to spec crappy grey cloth trim on this vehicle. And this GXL isn't even the base model! In reality, Toyota could have specified hessian and straw for the seats and people would still buy these things.
I much prefer this MY2016 version of the 200-Series, the slimmer headlights give it a more confident look compared to the blob-like headlights of the original. And I have to say, looking out over that sculpted bonnet is epic, which was also part of the MY2016 facelifted.
I'm not much of an SUV fan, especially ones as big as this that are used to carry around one or two children (if that). I'm also not a big on diesel engines. But.................that 1VD V8 is such a honey of an engine, especially with the Power ETC engaged. Smooth, super torquey, and sounds nice too.
For US readers, you didn't get this engine. With a 4.5-litre capacity, this twin-turbo V8 diesel produces 210 kW (282 hp) @ 3,600 rpm and 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) @ 1,600–2,800 rpm. So, while these things are big and heavy, this engine with its rich torque delivery is the perfect powerplant for this vehicle. It's also why these 200-Series command a very healthy premium on the used market, basically a name your price proposition for a seller as no one likes the new 300-Series with the V6 Diesel.
Anyway, I'm buggered!
I seem to be the Landcruiser 200-Series expert of late. This example with 160,000 km on the clock came to me as a referral, and well, he got his monies worth today! Upon retrieval, the car looked deceptively tidy. However, on closer inspection I knew this would be a long one, hence the lack of progress images, I just had to get on with the show.
Wheels & Tyres -
Quite a lot of time was spent on the wheels, I suspect they have never had the barrels cleaned due to the stubborn build-up of brake dust. I threw everything I had at them, even wheel acid, in the end I got them decent but not perfect. You can't reverse years of neglect in 2 minutes. Also, the tyres were brand new and required two rounds to remove the blooming.
Product & Tools Used -
- NV Purge
- Shine Supply Wise Guy (Tyres & Wheels)
- Meg's Acidic Wheel Cleaner
- EZ Detail Large
- EZ Detail GO
- Detail Factory XL Tyre Brush
- Chemical Guys Boars Hair Brush
Engine Bay -
Suspecting the owner wouldn't even notice my efforts here, I kept it simple with this one. I foamed with BH Touch-less, allowed to soak, then rinsed. A healthy dose of Megs Hyper Dressing and quick hit with the blower, job done!
Product & Tools Used -
- Bilt Hamber Touch-less
- Meguiar's Hyper Dressing (5:1)
- MTM PF22.2 Foam Cannon
- EGO 765 Blower
Exterior Decontamination & Cleaning -
On inspection, it was clear the owner has kept this car in decent shape. Other than some baked-on road film and a few bugs, it just needed a decent deep clean.
As per recent details, the vehicle was treated with NV Purify, allowed to dwell, then foamed with Koch Chemie Active Foam. As you can see, I got a fair bit of reaction on the paint, and as always, the rear tailgate was the most contaminated. To be honest, I was expecting more.
With the car rinsed, I went around with a brush and APC to clean the badges, grill and around the door handles. For the contact wash, I used Carpro Descale in both the foam cannon and bucket. Because of the size of this thing, and the fact its warming up now, I broke the car into three sections to avoid the soap drying on the car. For a pH neutral wash, you can sort of get away with that, but not with an acidic or alkaline soap.
After another rinse, I ended up claying the rear tailgate and glass as it was super crunchy. I then went around and applied Carpro Hydr02 to the entire vehicle, wheels included. The big 200 was then moved into the garage, this one actually fits, then hit with the EGO.
Product & Tools Used -
- NV Purify
- Koch Chemie Active Foam (Alkaline)
- Koch Chemie Green Star (6:1 APC)
- Carpro Descale (Acidic)
- Carpro Hydr02 Lite
- Detail Factory Boars Hair Brush
- TRC Cyclone Bone Wash Pad
- Economax Clay Mitt
- MTM PF22.2 Foam Cannon
- EGO 765 Blower
Post-Wash Details -
After the blow down with the EGO, I went around and applied NV Boost to the whole vehicle. The door jambs were then cleaned/dried using a towel and more APC. The exterior glass was then treated with Optimum Glass Clean & Protect.
Product & Tools Used -
- NV Boost v2 (Ceramic Spray Sealant)
- Koch Chemie Green Star (6:1 APC)
- Optimum Glass Clean & Protect
- TRC Car Wash Towel (For drying/sealant application)
- TRC Car Wash Towel (For door jambs)
- TRC Dry Me A River (Glass Towel)
Interior Detailing -
Along with the wheels, this is where a lot of time went. As you will see shortly, this vehicle has vulgarlour seats and not leather. I much prefer leather as you can soak it down, scrub and dry with a towel. On fabric, you can't really do that unless you want to be extracting them afterwards. Also, leather doesn't end up being a dust trap like cloth, which will often migrate deep down into the foam base.
To start, I went in with the Tornador to remove as much trapped dust and debris from the interior as possible. I then vacuumed and vacuumed and vacuumed. Then I vacuumed some more, then a little more after that.
For those seats, I sprayed them down with Koch Chemie Pol Star, scrubbed with a carpet brush, then used my Bissel to lift up as much of that Pol Star as possible, followed by a rub down with a towel.
The door trims were quite grotty, so I cleaned these with the Carpro InnerScrub and P&S Xpress. The steering wheel was so glossy that you could use it as a mirror. In this case, I scrubbed with Xpress and a leather brush, likewise the gear shifter and handbrake, then followed with NV Nourish. The transformation here was remarkable, the wheel in particular back to a lovely soft matte finish. This is what I love about detailing, taking something neglected and bringing it back to life.
From here, the glass was cleaned with Invisible Glass, likewise the gauge cluster lens and central touchscreen. The whole interior was then wiped down with P&S Swift. Having earlier cleaned the rubber floor mats, these too received a treatment with Swift before being re-installed. Finally, the carpets and seats were misted with Koch Chemie Fresh Up.
Product & Tools Used -
- P&S Xpress (Interior Cleaner)
- Koch Chemie Pol Star (Textile Cleaner)
- P&S Swift (Interior Detailer/Dressing)
- Stoner Invisible Glass
- NV Nourish (Leather Quick Detailer)
- Koch Chemie Fresh Up (Odour Neutralizer)
- Tornador Basic (Air Gun)
- Karcher WD6 Vacuum
- Bissell Spot Clean
- Vikan Carpet Brush
- TRC Car Wash (Interior Towel)
- TRC Dry Me A River (Glass Towel)
- Carpro InnerScrub
- ColourLock Leather Brush
Finishing Touches -
Returning to the wheels, I wiped them down with Carpro ECH20, then dressed the tyres using Shine Supply Decked Out. Long story, the owner completely serious asked me if the price included "putting tyre black on the tyres". Present at the time, his brother immediately erupted into laughter before I said that tyre dressing was my favourite part, so naturally it would include "tyre black". His brother later asked me to do one thing, leave one tyre undressed to see if he'd notice. Oh, how I wanted to do that, but I just couldn't do it. Anyway, he got his "tyre black", of which Decked Out is hard to miss as its quite glossy.
Finishing up, the engine bay was given a quick Q/C wipe down, and the tail gate scuff plate treated with Mother's Naturally Black.
Product & Tools Used -
- Carpro ECH20 (16:1)
- Shine Supply Decked Out
- Mothers Naturally Black
- TRC Ultra Utility Brush (Dressing Applicator)
- TRC Car Wash Towel (For final wipe down)
- TRC Rip-N-Rag (For Naturally Black & Final wipe of the tyres)
Final Results -
Note the lack of off-road gear on this 200-Series, this one being used purely for family car duties. Something else I noticed is the flat / non-metallic white, not the pearl metallic used on the other 200-Series I've detailed.
For what is easily a $100,000 vehicle, it's pretty stingy of Toyota to spec crappy grey cloth trim on this vehicle. And this GXL isn't even the base model! In reality, Toyota could have specified hessian and straw for the seats and people would still buy these things.
I much prefer this MY2016 version of the 200-Series, the slimmer headlights give it a more confident look compared to the blob-like headlights of the original. And I have to say, looking out over that sculpted bonnet is epic, which was also part of the MY2016 facelifted.
I'm not much of an SUV fan, especially ones as big as this that are used to carry around one or two children (if that). I'm also not a big on diesel engines. But.................that 1VD V8 is such a honey of an engine, especially with the Power ETC engaged. Smooth, super torquey, and sounds nice too.
For US readers, you didn't get this engine. With a 4.5-litre capacity, this twin-turbo V8 diesel produces 210 kW (282 hp) @ 3,600 rpm and 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) @ 1,600–2,800 rpm. So, while these things are big and heavy, this engine with its rich torque delivery is the perfect powerplant for this vehicle. It's also why these 200-Series command a very healthy premium on the used market, basically a name your price proposition for a seller as no one likes the new 300-Series with the V6 Diesel.
Anyway, I'm buggered!
Funny how social media feeds you with whatever is on your mind.
For me, it was numbers 1, 3, 4 (THIS especially), 6 (again, THIS x1000) and 7 (that's why I left with 120 hours of sick pay, 400 hours of annual leave and two lots of long service leave owing).
For me, it was numbers 1, 3, 4 (THIS especially), 6 (again, THIS x1000) and 7 (that's why I left with 120 hours of sick pay, 400 hours of annual leave and two lots of long service leave owing).
Finally got a chance to wash the Ranger today. I didn't bother washing it last week as it had to sit outside in the weather while I house sat again, then a busy week of gardening and detailing, it just had to wait!
Because I'd spilled some 2-stroke fuel and diluted weed killer in the tray, I went above the usual rinse out and scrubbed with soapy water as well, then a quick hit with KCx Wet Gloss. I've found Wet Gloss doesn't quite have the same night-day hydrophobic difference that Hydr02 or Wet Coat brings to the table.
Today I had Meguiar's Hyper Wash in the foam cannon, which was used on the tray, wheels and cab. I even used it as a pre-wash foam and rinse, the extra cleaning power of Hyper Wash easily lifting some road film and pollen deposits. Drying Aid was ADS Amplify, then some OPT Car Wax for the tray sides, ECH20 for the door jambs. The interior was cleaned with ADS Pilot, such a treat this product.
For the glass, I wanted to try ADS Hero mixed 128:1, which Bradley from ADS swears by. I'm pretty touchy when it comes to glass cleaners, to the point where I say the cheaper versions seem to work better. So, using a rinse-less product like this for glass had me sceptical.
My first attempt didn't win me over, mainly because I followed Bradley's lead by using TRC FTW towels. While many use the FTW's for drying aid use, they were originally intended for glass, hence the F (For) T (The) W (Windows) name. I'm not sure why these towels are so popular, I've always found them too grabby and end up bunching up in my hands.
Today however I used my normal waffle weave towels, which worked much better with Hero. Two light mists onto the glass or into a towel, wipe, flip, wipe, done. While Hero doesn't quite flash away as quickly as an IPA-based glass cleaner, it wasn't too far behind. The end result was a slick, streak free finish. On this occasion, I did both exterior and interior glass. A surprise winner! And one that didn't cost $50 for a 1-litre bottle, you know, like a certain glass cleaner than claims to leave no traces behind.
Rounding out the session, NV Onyx for the tyres. These Michelin's are such an easy tyre to clean and dress, so pretty much any dressing will look great. Onyx is an old favorite, one that a fellow detailer once said provided a "rich" user experience, and I can't argue with that. It spreads so smoothly and cleanly, smells divine and looks amazing. Like many NV product I return to after a while, I'm always pleasantly surprised, as if it was my first time discovering the product.
A clean Ranger once again, sanity restored. I then had to hose out the driveway, it left filthy after yesterdays Landcruiser. I also went ahead and refilled several bottles, always a favorite task.
Because I'd spilled some 2-stroke fuel and diluted weed killer in the tray, I went above the usual rinse out and scrubbed with soapy water as well, then a quick hit with KCx Wet Gloss. I've found Wet Gloss doesn't quite have the same night-day hydrophobic difference that Hydr02 or Wet Coat brings to the table.
Today I had Meguiar's Hyper Wash in the foam cannon, which was used on the tray, wheels and cab. I even used it as a pre-wash foam and rinse, the extra cleaning power of Hyper Wash easily lifting some road film and pollen deposits. Drying Aid was ADS Amplify, then some OPT Car Wax for the tray sides, ECH20 for the door jambs. The interior was cleaned with ADS Pilot, such a treat this product.
For the glass, I wanted to try ADS Hero mixed 128:1, which Bradley from ADS swears by. I'm pretty touchy when it comes to glass cleaners, to the point where I say the cheaper versions seem to work better. So, using a rinse-less product like this for glass had me sceptical.
My first attempt didn't win me over, mainly because I followed Bradley's lead by using TRC FTW towels. While many use the FTW's for drying aid use, they were originally intended for glass, hence the F (For) T (The) W (Windows) name. I'm not sure why these towels are so popular, I've always found them too grabby and end up bunching up in my hands.
Today however I used my normal waffle weave towels, which worked much better with Hero. Two light mists onto the glass or into a towel, wipe, flip, wipe, done. While Hero doesn't quite flash away as quickly as an IPA-based glass cleaner, it wasn't too far behind. The end result was a slick, streak free finish. On this occasion, I did both exterior and interior glass. A surprise winner! And one that didn't cost $50 for a 1-litre bottle, you know, like a certain glass cleaner than claims to leave no traces behind.
Rounding out the session, NV Onyx for the tyres. These Michelin's are such an easy tyre to clean and dress, so pretty much any dressing will look great. Onyx is an old favorite, one that a fellow detailer once said provided a "rich" user experience, and I can't argue with that. It spreads so smoothly and cleanly, smells divine and looks amazing. Like many NV product I return to after a while, I'm always pleasantly surprised, as if it was my first time discovering the product.
A clean Ranger once again, sanity restored. I then had to hose out the driveway, it left filthy after yesterdays Landcruiser. I also went ahead and refilled several bottles, always a favorite task.
Supercheap had a flash sale on Penrite the other day, 30% off for online / click & collect purchases. That took a 5-litre bottle of Small Engine 10W-30 from $89.99 to $62.99.
www.supercheapauto.com.au
For whatever reason, at $56.99, the car version is cheaper than the Small Engine equivalent.
Penrite Small Engine Oil 10W-30 5 Litre
Penrite Small Engine Oil 10W-30 5 Litre
www.supercheapauto.com.au
For whatever reason, at $56.99, the car version is cheaper than the Small Engine equivalent.
littlebean
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2018
- Messages
- 751
soooo trueFunny how social media feeds you with whatever is on your mind.
For me, it was numbers 1, 3, 4 (THIS especially), 6 (again, THIS x1000) and 7 (that's why I left with 120 hours of sick pay, 400 hours of annual leave and two lots of long service leave owing).
You will frequently hear my disklike of Kohler engines, or Krohler, or is it Rehlko now?
Every single Krohler I've come across has been a dud for various reasons, but all have at least one thing in in common.
The first Krohler I ever used was at age 17 in 2003, also my first time using a ride on mower, and a zero-turn at that. The mower in question was a Toro Time-Waster fitted with a single cylinder Command 17.5. Now, this mower was used to maintain quite a large garden spread across 5 acres with large expanses of lawn. When I came to this mower, it wasn't that old. But it wasn't long before the engine became an oil burner, especially when the blades were kicked on, it would puff out a large cloud of blue smoke.
Eventually, that mower was replaced by another Toro Time-Waster, this time a Titan with the Kindasucki V-Twin.
At the same job, I progressively became more confident using Krohler powered Dingo mini-diggers, this time the Command Pro 23 hp.
As part of my horticultural training, I had to complete a module on tractor and machinery driving. I hated tractors and did my best to get out of it, as far as I was concerned, I had no interest in tractors and didn't see value in it considering I was perusing retail horticulture. So, when it came to using those Dingo's, I wasn't at all confident. And yet, this was the same boy who picked up a chainsaw at age 14 like it was the most natural thing in the world. Go figure. So, I'm actually quite proud of myself for overcoming my fear and becoming proficient using those Dingo's.
For the most part, I was using these things with a bucket to load up potting mix during the end of winter potting of bare root roses and trees. As you can see, I was also using them as a tow vehicle as I found it easier to control a trailer with one of these than a tractor or Ute. Over time, I became somewhat proficient using the bucket to scrape and level soil and gravel. I also used them with a fork attachment for moving pallets of trees. On one job, I was also taught how to use the post hole attachment for planting over 100 trees.
We'd (actually, I'd) pot up about 1000 trees at the end of winter. A big job that was hard on the body.
Now, these were hard worked machines, and not very well maintained by the owners. I took it upon myself to at least clean/replace the air filters, and the occasional clean of the whole machine. But I ALWAYS checked the oil before use. Why? Because..................................
Yep, two more oil burning Krohlers. One in particular had a dud cylinder, so it would run until it bridged the spark plug and then proceed to run on one cylinder, so half power. Remove and clean the plug, then you were back in action, just not for very long. However, because of where the spark plugs are in relation to the body of the machine, access was impossible without a modified tool, ie a cut-down 16mm bar wrench. And even then, you could only get a quarter of a turn, so it took forever to remove and re-install a plug. Now, that wasn't necessarily Krohler's fault, rather the machinery manufacturer not providing convenient access to this essential maintenance item, but it's just another strike against my use of these engines.
My biggest beef is with the XT-Series push mower engines, as fitted to my first Rover ProCut 560. In this case, I'm talking about the 173cc Courage XT8, but there are several other models that are larger and smaller than this one.
With its cast iron bore, I will say that this engine has lasted far longer than I had expected. Purchased in mid-2015, I've put 1000's of hours on that engine, and not sympathetically either as I had it tweaked to rev much higher than factory standard rpm's. Why? Because this thing has absolutely no torque, I needed momentum to make it cut like it should, and even then it would struggle on thick grass. Also, even with an automatic decompression release, this engine has always been hard to pull over, like someone left the brake on. The thing would often need 3 or 4 pulls to start, whereas a Briggs and Honda just one. The small muffler meant it was noisy, even before I ramped up the revs. And while it didn't visibly smoke, this engine consumed oil from brand new. No idea where it would go, but I always had to keep an eye on it, something I NEVER needed to do with a Briggs or Honda.
And above all else, every single thing about this engine screams CHEAP. From the feel of how it pulls over, the tiny muffler, the crappy plastics, the tiny little spark plug, the imprecise dipstick and nasty filler tube, right down to the quality of the castings. To add insult to all this is how mower manufacturers price these engines as a premium option when in actual fact, they are basically the same as all of the generic Honda rip-off's that pour out of Chinese factories. For example, a Krohler XT-775 powered Bushranger will carry a $100 premium over a similar capacity Briggs or Loncin. Back in 2015 when I bought the ProCut, I paid the premium to have the lesser of two evils, the 173cc Krohler or the crappy 196cc "Rover" 910 engine. In hindsight, I should have gone with the 910 for its extra 23cc, in theory it would have at least had some torque. Take note of how these Chonda engines rarely ever give a power or torque figure, there is a reason why.
So, that's why I'm not a fan ofKohler Krohler Rehlko engines.
Every single Krohler I've come across has been a dud for various reasons, but all have at least one thing in in common.
The first Krohler I ever used was at age 17 in 2003, also my first time using a ride on mower, and a zero-turn at that. The mower in question was a Toro Time-Waster fitted with a single cylinder Command 17.5. Now, this mower was used to maintain quite a large garden spread across 5 acres with large expanses of lawn. When I came to this mower, it wasn't that old. But it wasn't long before the engine became an oil burner, especially when the blades were kicked on, it would puff out a large cloud of blue smoke.
Eventually, that mower was replaced by another Toro Time-Waster, this time a Titan with the Kindasucki V-Twin.
At the same job, I progressively became more confident using Krohler powered Dingo mini-diggers, this time the Command Pro 23 hp.
As part of my horticultural training, I had to complete a module on tractor and machinery driving. I hated tractors and did my best to get out of it, as far as I was concerned, I had no interest in tractors and didn't see value in it considering I was perusing retail horticulture. So, when it came to using those Dingo's, I wasn't at all confident. And yet, this was the same boy who picked up a chainsaw at age 14 like it was the most natural thing in the world. Go figure. So, I'm actually quite proud of myself for overcoming my fear and becoming proficient using those Dingo's.
For the most part, I was using these things with a bucket to load up potting mix during the end of winter potting of bare root roses and trees. As you can see, I was also using them as a tow vehicle as I found it easier to control a trailer with one of these than a tractor or Ute. Over time, I became somewhat proficient using the bucket to scrape and level soil and gravel. I also used them with a fork attachment for moving pallets of trees. On one job, I was also taught how to use the post hole attachment for planting over 100 trees.
We'd (actually, I'd) pot up about 1000 trees at the end of winter. A big job that was hard on the body.
Now, these were hard worked machines, and not very well maintained by the owners. I took it upon myself to at least clean/replace the air filters, and the occasional clean of the whole machine. But I ALWAYS checked the oil before use. Why? Because..................................
Yep, two more oil burning Krohlers. One in particular had a dud cylinder, so it would run until it bridged the spark plug and then proceed to run on one cylinder, so half power. Remove and clean the plug, then you were back in action, just not for very long. However, because of where the spark plugs are in relation to the body of the machine, access was impossible without a modified tool, ie a cut-down 16mm bar wrench. And even then, you could only get a quarter of a turn, so it took forever to remove and re-install a plug. Now, that wasn't necessarily Krohler's fault, rather the machinery manufacturer not providing convenient access to this essential maintenance item, but it's just another strike against my use of these engines.
My biggest beef is with the XT-Series push mower engines, as fitted to my first Rover ProCut 560. In this case, I'm talking about the 173cc Courage XT8, but there are several other models that are larger and smaller than this one.
With its cast iron bore, I will say that this engine has lasted far longer than I had expected. Purchased in mid-2015, I've put 1000's of hours on that engine, and not sympathetically either as I had it tweaked to rev much higher than factory standard rpm's. Why? Because this thing has absolutely no torque, I needed momentum to make it cut like it should, and even then it would struggle on thick grass. Also, even with an automatic decompression release, this engine has always been hard to pull over, like someone left the brake on. The thing would often need 3 or 4 pulls to start, whereas a Briggs and Honda just one. The small muffler meant it was noisy, even before I ramped up the revs. And while it didn't visibly smoke, this engine consumed oil from brand new. No idea where it would go, but I always had to keep an eye on it, something I NEVER needed to do with a Briggs or Honda.
And above all else, every single thing about this engine screams CHEAP. From the feel of how it pulls over, the tiny muffler, the crappy plastics, the tiny little spark plug, the imprecise dipstick and nasty filler tube, right down to the quality of the castings. To add insult to all this is how mower manufacturers price these engines as a premium option when in actual fact, they are basically the same as all of the generic Honda rip-off's that pour out of Chinese factories. For example, a Krohler XT-775 powered Bushranger will carry a $100 premium over a similar capacity Briggs or Loncin. Back in 2015 when I bought the ProCut, I paid the premium to have the lesser of two evils, the 173cc Krohler or the crappy 196cc "Rover" 910 engine. In hindsight, I should have gone with the 910 for its extra 23cc, in theory it would have at least had some torque. Take note of how these Chonda engines rarely ever give a power or torque figure, there is a reason why.
So, that's why I'm not a fan of
I've been having some fun with product and tool photography lately, made much easier with a LED ring light. I'm told that this makes me a real influencer now, but I disagree, you'll never see me in front of the camera wearing skintight Lycra, pouted lips, a botoxed face with makeup troweled on, and a link to an Only Fans account. Like and subscribe....................
littlebean
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2018
- Messages
- 751
arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh mind bleach quick
Look who's back in the house!
The Jaaaag hadn't been driven since I had to panic polish the whole thing after a product reacted badly. I mean, it at least looked good after I polished it...................
If you are into the detailing scene, you'll be seeing a lot of noise about Labocosmetica at the moment. I had sat back and watched for a while, for some reason I didn't feel the need to jump in on this brand. And yet, the call became deafening and I caved in and bought a small sample to try. Everything about this brand screams class, the textured bottles are beautiful, the scents are simply to die for. They also have every single product category covered, often multiple different times.
To date, the first and only product from Labocosmetica I have used is their rinse-less wash, Idrosave. I used this product like any other rinse-less wash, pretreating the whole vehicle, then working around the car using the multiple towel method. When I went to dry, the car was covered in thousands of polymer spots that would not wipe off. I tried using more product and wiping again. No. I tried a drying aid. No. I tried Eraser (IPA). No. I think I even tried Green Star APC. I ended up having to polish these spots off the vehicle. What was supposed to be a quick rinse-less wash turned into an ordeal.
Now, it was on me for not reading the directions of use outside of the dilution ratio. But I used this product like any other rinse-less, none of which react like this one did, be that one with or without Si02 in the formula. I've since learned that my bottle was a very early batch that was known to be a little touchy. But the damage was done, I simply do not trust the brand now. I was told that this was a childish reaction, but as far as I'm concerned, it's a natural human trait to show caution after being bitten. So, those three products sit in my cabinet as a reminder of what can happen if you aren't on your game.
Another comment regarding Labocosmetica, the product range is just waaaay too overcomplicated. And I say that as a guy who likes to complicate the detailing process by having every conceivable product or tool on hand. But why would anyone need a 3-pH rinse-less wash system, which consists of acidic and alkaline pre-treatment products? At which point, just get out a ****** hose or pressure washer! Or what about the 2-pH acid/alkaline fabric cleaning system. Why? Or the two different water-spot removers, three different APC's, nine different soaps. Just too much.
Anyway, the Jaguar's battery is NOT happy. I did start it and let the engine run up to temperature in early August, but even after a decent drive this morning, the battery was still giving me a low-battery message. It's also taking quite a while to accept a charge. Because this vehicle has stop-start, take note that I have it on the AGM setting (same applies to the new Mustang).
That chunky strut tower is cast aluminum by the way. The only steel panels on this vehicle are the doors and boot lid. I'd assume the steel doors would be for crash strength. The boot lid is an interesting one as it could have easily been alloy like the hood, front fenders and rear quarter panels. All I can think of is it's for weight distribution (or cost control).
Also, on this example with the sliding glass roof, the painted sections of the roof are composite. I personally don't like sunroof's as they just add weight and reduce body rigidity, so I'd never have wasted money ordering it on this vehicle. However, we bought this car off the lot for a significant price adjustment. I suspect the colour had a lot to do with that. I originally wanted the brighter Firenze Red, but this example had the Light Oyster Interior that I was non-negotiable about, as well as the 19-inch wheels and several other high-price options. In the end, the Odyssey Red colour set against that interior makes the car for me. The sunroof is consequential, I think it's been opened something like two or three times in the 9-years we've owned it.
The Jaaaag hadn't been driven since I had to panic polish the whole thing after a product reacted badly. I mean, it at least looked good after I polished it...................
If you are into the detailing scene, you'll be seeing a lot of noise about Labocosmetica at the moment. I had sat back and watched for a while, for some reason I didn't feel the need to jump in on this brand. And yet, the call became deafening and I caved in and bought a small sample to try. Everything about this brand screams class, the textured bottles are beautiful, the scents are simply to die for. They also have every single product category covered, often multiple different times.
To date, the first and only product from Labocosmetica I have used is their rinse-less wash, Idrosave. I used this product like any other rinse-less wash, pretreating the whole vehicle, then working around the car using the multiple towel method. When I went to dry, the car was covered in thousands of polymer spots that would not wipe off. I tried using more product and wiping again. No. I tried a drying aid. No. I tried Eraser (IPA). No. I think I even tried Green Star APC. I ended up having to polish these spots off the vehicle. What was supposed to be a quick rinse-less wash turned into an ordeal.
Now, it was on me for not reading the directions of use outside of the dilution ratio. But I used this product like any other rinse-less, none of which react like this one did, be that one with or without Si02 in the formula. I've since learned that my bottle was a very early batch that was known to be a little touchy. But the damage was done, I simply do not trust the brand now. I was told that this was a childish reaction, but as far as I'm concerned, it's a natural human trait to show caution after being bitten. So, those three products sit in my cabinet as a reminder of what can happen if you aren't on your game.
Another comment regarding Labocosmetica, the product range is just waaaay too overcomplicated. And I say that as a guy who likes to complicate the detailing process by having every conceivable product or tool on hand. But why would anyone need a 3-pH rinse-less wash system, which consists of acidic and alkaline pre-treatment products? At which point, just get out a ****** hose or pressure washer! Or what about the 2-pH acid/alkaline fabric cleaning system. Why? Or the two different water-spot removers, three different APC's, nine different soaps. Just too much.
Anyway, the Jaguar's battery is NOT happy. I did start it and let the engine run up to temperature in early August, but even after a decent drive this morning, the battery was still giving me a low-battery message. It's also taking quite a while to accept a charge. Because this vehicle has stop-start, take note that I have it on the AGM setting (same applies to the new Mustang).
That chunky strut tower is cast aluminum by the way. The only steel panels on this vehicle are the doors and boot lid. I'd assume the steel doors would be for crash strength. The boot lid is an interesting one as it could have easily been alloy like the hood, front fenders and rear quarter panels. All I can think of is it's for weight distribution (or cost control).
Also, on this example with the sliding glass roof, the painted sections of the roof are composite. I personally don't like sunroof's as they just add weight and reduce body rigidity, so I'd never have wasted money ordering it on this vehicle. However, we bought this car off the lot for a significant price adjustment. I suspect the colour had a lot to do with that. I originally wanted the brighter Firenze Red, but this example had the Light Oyster Interior that I was non-negotiable about, as well as the 19-inch wheels and several other high-price options. In the end, the Odyssey Red colour set against that interior makes the car for me. The sunroof is consequential, I think it's been opened something like two or three times in the 9-years we've owned it.
68400BIRD
Well-known member
I have that same 17.5 Kohler motor in my 42” Scotts/JD mower. It’s going on 24 years and runs great. Our yard is .7/8 of an acre and for many years I took care of my neighbors yard also as he was not capable anymore. It has been a great engine and mower in general. But, I also take care of it like you do with your machines.
That's the key factor.
I've never owned a rider or zero-turn, but if I did, keeping it maintained would be a top priority. With even the low-end machines being an expensive outlay, let alone the commercial grade ones that cost more than some cars, I don't understand the logic behind not looking after such an expensive outlay. So, even the best of best, they won't tolerate neglect year after year. I also don't know why you'd park your mower outside in the rain, hail or shine. But, that's how some people roll.
My first mower was given to me as a birthday present in 2001. It was hardly a high-end machine, a brand-new steel bodied Victa with a little 148cc Briggs & Stratton Sprint 375. At age 14, it was my pride and joy. Briggs have a reputation for making cheap engines, as in Breaks & Scrap-em. The thing is, I worked that little mower for many, many years, far more than this type of machine was designed for. And yet, I never neglected it, changed and maintained the oil, cleaned or replaced the air filter and spark plugs.
The only "Corvette" I've owned.......................
Even after all the work it had done, that little Briggs just kept running. It did replace the carburettor diaphragm in 2002, and it had become a smoker. However, the smoking wasn't from neglect, I just wore it out. Most people would have just scrapped it, but this thing has sentimental value to me, so I decided to replace the piston rings last year. That cleared the smoking habit and restored a considerable amount of compression. Despite all of the hours on it, removing the sump revealed a springily clean crankcase. All from diligent maintenance spread over 23 years.
