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Mazda Bravo / Ford Courier 2.5 Turbodiesel Tips n Tricks

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  • Mazda Bravo / Ford Courier 2.5 Turbodiesel Tips n Tricks

    I am now the owner of my first ever Ford Courier.
    Apart from a couple of dents and the drivers seat losing a bit of its stuffing, It drives well (once I sort out the blocked fuel filter it will drive well again).
    Please share your tips n tricks with this vehicle.

    Current issues:
    • Only one immobiliser / security alarm remote works (Cyclops TX11) I replaced its battery and tried to re-pair it to the system (using this procedure https://youtu.be/3zMHm3m4MQY to no avail.
      I am looking for another remote to suit.
    • Drivers seat cover worn away / torn on door side of cushion, losing foam padding.
    • Radio has varying whistle on AM for about 10 minutes after switch-on - OK on FM, USB and CD - no Bluetooth though.
    • Glow plug relay seems to be on all of the time - now only 1 GP working, I have 4 new ones to go in. I plan to put a push button on the dash to power them up independent of the computer.
    • Fuel gauge has just started to go to empty with a 1/2 tank remaining. It may right itself but I can drop the fuel tank and check out the sender.
    • More issues will be advised as I recall them/find out about them.


    Tony
    Tony From West Oz
    Vice Chairperson of WARFA
    Last edited by Tony From West Oz; 19 February 2019, 10:58 PM.
    Life is a journey, with problems to solve, lessons to learn, but most of all, experiences to enjoy.

    Current Vehicles in stable:
    '06 Musso Sports 4X4 Manual Crew Cab tray back.
    '04 Rexton 4X4 Automatic SUV
    '2014 Toyota Prius (on ULP) - Wife's car

    Previous Vehicles:
    '90 Mazda Capella. (2000 - 2003) My first Fatmobile. Converted to fun on veggie oil with a 2 tank setup.
    '80 Mercedes 300D. 2 tank conversion [Sold]
    '84 Mercedes 300D. 1 tank, no conversion. Replaced engine with rebuilt OM617A turbodiesel engine. Finally had good power. Engine donor for W123 coupe. (body parted out and carcass sold for scrap.)
    '85 Mercedes Benz W123 300CD Turbodiesel
    '99 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my darling Wife's car)[sold]
    '98 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my car)[sold]
    '06 Musso Sports Crew Cab well body. [Head gasket blew!]
    '04 Rexton SUV 2.9L Turbodiesel same as Musso - Our Family car.
    '06 Musso sports Crew Cab Trayback - My hack (no air cond, no heater).

    Searching the Biofuels Forum using Google
    Adding images and/or documents to your posts


  • #2
    Re: Mazda Bravo / Ford Courier 2.5 Turbodiesel Tips n Tricks

    Morning Tony.

    it is nice to be able to give backa little after all my years of learnign on here.

    Mobiliser / security alarms - I ripped mine out. pain in the A.
    Driver seat - that sux.
    Radio whistle - I bet thats the glow plug circuit. I found mine was staying on for around 7 mins after engine start. more on this next:
    Glow plugs:

    After many many exchanges I found the Bosch glow plug lasted the longest. The car is a natural borne glow plug killer. My current courier has exactly what you describe - a push button on the dash. the little glow light still comes on the dash when you turn the key on, which is good as the light is hooked up to a temperature sensor which determines how long the light stays on for. this is a handy guide when manually glowing. I always glow a little longer though, as the original circuit stays open right through start and then for several minutes thereafter, so Mazda naturally could shorten the time the light stays illuminated for. if it still runs rough after a cold start, just stick your finger on the button for another couple of seconds.

    Fuel gauge - pretty easy fix Im sure. sounds like you are on to it.

    other stuff:
    the little WLT motor is just fantastic. I love it. It does need a bit of a hand though. ofcourse there is the usual suite of maintenance to do when you buy a second hand diesel - clean out intake manifold, fit EGR blank, check turbo seals, check air box intake seals, clean screen under IP inlet banjo etc etc.

    The biggest improvement I made to the car is to advance the boost compensator on the IP. I am not sure if you spend a lot of time in traffic, but if you do, you will see a massive improvement in driveability. If you or others would like to do it, it is very simple to do. I wound my current one ALL THE WAY UP.

    - undo all the screws on the top of the boost compensator except ONE.
    - carefully and slowly back the last one out, stopping before its out fully.
    - get a paint pen, and carefully pry the top cover off the diaphragm. the diaphragm might be stuck to the cover or the pump body - its an even bet what happens.
    - you need to mark the diaphragm rotational position reference something, just put a mark on the diaphragm at say 6 oclock for reference. the reason for this is the diaphragm has an off centre cone on the actuating pin attached to it. if you rotate the diaphragm, you will move the entire fuel curve, not just the part of the curve under boost. I dont recommend this as its easy to go the wrong the way.
    - lift out said diaphragm and spring.
    - now you see a collar with a ratchet gear around the outside of it, and its mounted on a thread. grab a screw driver and rotate that sucker so the collar goes DOWN all the way to the stop. it will be a couple of turns.
    - refit everything, taking note of the diaphragm position.

    things to note: when you have the diaphragm and actuating pin out, take a look inside and make sure the fuel metering rod which rides against the off centre cone is retracted back in the body of the pump, otherwise you wont get it back together. I had some serious power issues a while back, and it came down to that little rod not moving forward and riding the cone. for some reason it was stuck in the retracted position.

    by doing this mod, you are reducing the spring pressure which resists the manifold boost pressure, thereby allowing more fuel into the cylinders at a lower boost, which in turn creates more exhaust, which creates more boost down low. prior to the mod, the turbo would start to be effective around 2000 rpm, after the mod it has a massive increase in torque as early as 1400 rpm. it makes no difference to top end working pressures / temps, as it does not affect total fuel, just when the fuel comes on in the boost curve. you will see an increase in smoke under load down low, but who really cares - our fuel is pretty cheap. The car is not a heavy car, and its power plant is rather modest, so I dont see any issues with damage to drive lines / 5th gear etc etc if you drive it normally / lightly. If towing i would stay out of top gear, but that goes for any 4 cylinder diesel really.

    I get exceptional economy out of the car around town driving it lightly, as I get a higher gear well before you normally would.

    other stuff:
    the catalytic converter removal process is pretty simple (if the 2000 model has one - not too sure), and only adds to the exhaust note slightly. the first section of exhaust immediately after the dump pipe comes off easy, and the honeycomb can be belted out with a length of steel pipe pretty easily if you hold it in a vice. I saw a noticeable increase in power available when I did this on my first WLT. I would imagine a 2000 model would be ineffective now anyway, so I would definitely remove it.

    I found a new cheap turbo on ebay for about $400 which gave my bravo a new lease on life. it was lovely to drive after, especially with the boost compensator adjustment. it spooled up just fantastic.

    if you fit a pusher pump - which I am sure you will - there is a handy little pair of threaded holes in the chassis rail just under the rear seat on the drivers side (right next to the fuel lines coming out of the tank) which you can easily make a bracket for and fit the pump off to. its nice and protected there right behind the body mount, so it wont get nocked off when 4wding.

    I run silverstone AT17, and I find them great. they fit the factory alloys, or if you have something different, you can get a set of sunrasia rims to fit easily. $200 per corner for tyres, or $300 per corner for tyres and rims.

    the headlights will be terrible if they are still stock. I got headlight replacements that fitted perfectly off ebay for $120 the pair. big increase in vision. 4WD SUPACENTRE have fantastic 9 inch LED spotties for about $150, these are a very good accompaniment. the technology in LED spots has gone out of this world in recent years. the $150 ones are better than my $1300 lightforce spotties on my cruiser, and they both look the same to look at.

    If you PM me your email, I will send you a factory workshop manual for the car, its not perfect for every model, but it certainly covers off most issues you might encounter.

    Happy motoring! I will add to this if I think of anything else.
    Captaincademan
    Senior Member
    Last edited by Captaincademan; 20 February 2019, 06:38 AM.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Mazda Bravo / Ford Courier 2.5 Turbodiesel Tips n Tricks

      Cade, I managed to get Manual for the Courier on Ebay, then found that they are available for free download on the Facebook Mazda Bravo/ford Courier 4x4 page.


      I have been smelling hot engine oil when I stop after a uphill run (anytime I arrive home - always uphill to our place).
      Today I found a lot of oily buildup at the turbo compressor outlet. I degreased it and hope that this will fix the smell and occasional smoke from under the bonnet.
      I have 31" tyres on the factory alloy wheels. I believe the car has a 2" lift too.
      The previous owner installed 2 large LED spotties and a huge light bar under the front roof bar. These are switched when high beam is on, with a switch on the dash (legal install)
      He also installed a dub woofer on the driveshaft hump in the rear of the cab. As I do not like loud music, I may remove it, but that means I need to get a replacement console - he chopped it up to get the sub and is amp in there.

      I was disappointed with the fuel mileage that the courier is getting, but I could not quantify it. I have now started a mileage check and will record fuel use and mileage over the next 6 months. I hope I can get better than 12L/100km. This is not critical though, as I am on a veggie blend.

      The engine seems to be struggling to gt enough fuel, even with a new main fuel filter fitted. I will remove the prefilter and the pusher pump (I am not sure of its flow rate) tomorrow, then check the engine performance going up the hill towards home. It seemed sprightly on diesel, just need to make it perform like that on my veggie blend.

      OK have a good day.
      Tony
      Tony From West Oz
      Vice Chairperson of WARFA
      Last edited by Tony From West Oz; 22 February 2019, 03:09 AM.
      Life is a journey, with problems to solve, lessons to learn, but most of all, experiences to enjoy.

      Current Vehicles in stable:
      '06 Musso Sports 4X4 Manual Crew Cab tray back.
      '04 Rexton 4X4 Automatic SUV
      '2014 Toyota Prius (on ULP) - Wife's car

      Previous Vehicles:
      '90 Mazda Capella. (2000 - 2003) My first Fatmobile. Converted to fun on veggie oil with a 2 tank setup.
      '80 Mercedes 300D. 2 tank conversion [Sold]
      '84 Mercedes 300D. 1 tank, no conversion. Replaced engine with rebuilt OM617A turbodiesel engine. Finally had good power. Engine donor for W123 coupe. (body parted out and carcass sold for scrap.)
      '85 Mercedes Benz W123 300CD Turbodiesel
      '99 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my darling Wife's car)[sold]
      '98 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my car)[sold]
      '06 Musso Sports Crew Cab well body. [Head gasket blew!]
      '04 Rexton SUV 2.9L Turbodiesel same as Musso - Our Family car.
      '06 Musso sports Crew Cab Trayback - My hack (no air cond, no heater).

      Searching the Biofuels Forum using Google
      Adding images and/or documents to your posts

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Mazda Bravo / Ford Courier 2.5 Turbodiesel Tips n Tricks

        Hi Tony,

        sounds like you might have a fair bit of oil sneaking down your PCV. Have you cleaned the intake manifold and fitted an EGR blank? I reckon I had a build up of at least 4mm , maybe even 6mm when I took the manifold off mine. I would like to fit a catch can to mine to keep it all dry and clean, but I just havent gotten around to it yet. I made one which I intend to put on the sahara, and I will probably make a second one for the courier. I fitted the fuel water sensor to it, so I will get the light come on the dash when it starts to collect some. it will be my first warning for a run away, and hopefully give me time to shut down and pull over before it screams its tits off.

        The little 2.5 WLt doesnt draw much fuel, so if you are getting a fuel restiction, I would leave the pusher on and change the main filter assembly. I have posted before about using the CAV filter backwards. that way the glass bowl becomes the pre-filter of sorts. The fleetguard FF167A allows more than enough fuel through, and they are only $6 each, so it might be a worth while investment. The cav filter assembly fits in the metal shroud for the stock filter. Just need a little bit of angle as a bracket to mount it. My pusher is one of those 'it has to be unreliable because it was so cheap' tick tick facet pumps off ebay. I think it was $20. it does a great little job and ran on my bravo and now the courier for years without missing a beat. bearing in mind im not pushing thick oil, just bio.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Mazda Bravo / Ford Courier 2.5 Turbodiesel Tips n Tricks

          I have replaced the fuel filter but the fuel starvation issue continues.
          I then removed the prefilter and the pusher pump. no improvement.

          I looked for the gauze filter in the inlet banjo but all I found was a spring which didn't seem to be doing anything. It seems that a previous owner has removed the gauze filter and some cr@p has gotten into the IP.
          I think I need to get it to a Diesel injection workshop to clean out the IP.
          In the meantime I will reinstall the pusher pump to see if I can get the car drive-able.
          Tony
          Tony From West Oz
          Vice Chairperson of WARFA
          Last edited by Tony From West Oz; 22 February 2019, 03:52 PM.
          Life is a journey, with problems to solve, lessons to learn, but most of all, experiences to enjoy.

          Current Vehicles in stable:
          '06 Musso Sports 4X4 Manual Crew Cab tray back.
          '04 Rexton 4X4 Automatic SUV
          '2014 Toyota Prius (on ULP) - Wife's car

          Previous Vehicles:
          '90 Mazda Capella. (2000 - 2003) My first Fatmobile. Converted to fun on veggie oil with a 2 tank setup.
          '80 Mercedes 300D. 2 tank conversion [Sold]
          '84 Mercedes 300D. 1 tank, no conversion. Replaced engine with rebuilt OM617A turbodiesel engine. Finally had good power. Engine donor for W123 coupe. (body parted out and carcass sold for scrap.)
          '85 Mercedes Benz W123 300CD Turbodiesel
          '99 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my darling Wife's car)[sold]
          '98 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my car)[sold]
          '06 Musso Sports Crew Cab well body. [Head gasket blew!]
          '04 Rexton SUV 2.9L Turbodiesel same as Musso - Our Family car.
          '06 Musso sports Crew Cab Trayback - My hack (no air cond, no heater).

          Searching the Biofuels Forum using Google
          Adding images and/or documents to your posts

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Mazda Bravo / Ford Courier 2.5 Turbodiesel Tips n Tricks

            Hi Tony,

            Why not try draining the blend out and going back to diesel or bio until you can isolate the exact issue?

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Mazda Bravo / Ford Courier 2.5 Turbodiesel Tips n Tricks

              Well, the car is drive-able but I cannot get full power for more than a few seconds, then it is rather sluggish.
              We live on a highway which has a long moderate slope when coming to our place. The car is fine at the bottom of the hill, but as the load increases, the power drops off and I am lucky to get 60 km/h midway along the 2 km I need to traverse when going home.

              I need to look for a good second hand IP and install it.
              This is a real pain as I have commitments for which I need my vehicle.


              Thanks for the suggestion, I will drain the tank and add some diesel to see if things improve.
              Life is a journey, with problems to solve, lessons to learn, but most of all, experiences to enjoy.

              Current Vehicles in stable:
              '06 Musso Sports 4X4 Manual Crew Cab tray back.
              '04 Rexton 4X4 Automatic SUV
              '2014 Toyota Prius (on ULP) - Wife's car

              Previous Vehicles:
              '90 Mazda Capella. (2000 - 2003) My first Fatmobile. Converted to fun on veggie oil with a 2 tank setup.
              '80 Mercedes 300D. 2 tank conversion [Sold]
              '84 Mercedes 300D. 1 tank, no conversion. Replaced engine with rebuilt OM617A turbodiesel engine. Finally had good power. Engine donor for W123 coupe. (body parted out and carcass sold for scrap.)
              '85 Mercedes Benz W123 300CD Turbodiesel
              '99 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my darling Wife's car)[sold]
              '98 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my car)[sold]
              '06 Musso Sports Crew Cab well body. [Head gasket blew!]
              '04 Rexton SUV 2.9L Turbodiesel same as Musso - Our Family car.
              '06 Musso sports Crew Cab Trayback - My hack (no air cond, no heater).

              Searching the Biofuels Forum using Google
              Adding images and/or documents to your posts

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Mazda Bravo / Ford Courier 2.5 Turbodiesel Tips n Tricks

                Does the tank have a gauze over its internal pickup?

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Mazda Bravo / Ford Courier 2.5 Turbodiesel Tips n Tricks

                  Just saying that because I had that n January with my other (petrol) car. It used to go fine for a few km then slow to a stop. Restart engine and everything went well for another couple of km and then the same death.

                  Turned out to be sludge in the tank which got picked up in the gauze then dropped each time the engine stopped. Didn't help that the gauze was old and 3/4 blocked to start with.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Mazda Bravo / Ford Courier 2.5 Turbodiesel Tips n Tricks

                    Tony,

                    before you go to that expense, humour me with about an hour of your time. As per previous instructions, pop the top off your boost compensator on top of the IP. Pull out the diaphragm and the steel spindle. Check the little rod that rides the conical section on the spindle. I bet it’s stuck. Free it up with some ether spray like start ya bastard or even DW40 with the little squirter tube. I had the exact issue you describe. Put it back together. If you like then run some ATF through it at idle to remove any varnish buildup. Then give it a go. If it’s still poop, consider an IP then. I bet it’s a simple issue.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Mazda Bravo / Ford Courier 2.5 Turbodiesel Tips n Tricks

                      Originally posted by Chev28 View Post
                      Hi Tony,

                      Why not try draining the blend out and going back to diesel or bio until you can isolate the exact issue?
                      I did that. What a difference. My blend was not mixed before adding to the tank. as a result undiluted veggie oil was being drawn into the IP and didn't flow fast enough to give full power from the engine. I drained about 35 litres from the tank, leaving around 25 litres in the tank, and added 13 litres of diesel and swirled it to help it mix in the tank, by swerving and using power on/off to agitate the tank contents, and she is giving full power once again.


                      Note: the gauge is indicating 1/2 tank after adding the diesel.

                      Tomorrow I will add 20 litres (of 20% misfuel in veggie) to the tank and see how it goes then. I will use the brakes going down our driveway to assist with slosh mixing the current tank contents and the added blend, then go for a test drive down the highway and back up it to see if the power has been affected.

                      I am not confident enough to remove the top of the IP. I have lost enough sleep over poorly blended furls to open another can of worms.
                      Life is a journey, with problems to solve, lessons to learn, but most of all, experiences to enjoy.

                      Current Vehicles in stable:
                      '06 Musso Sports 4X4 Manual Crew Cab tray back.
                      '04 Rexton 4X4 Automatic SUV
                      '2014 Toyota Prius (on ULP) - Wife's car

                      Previous Vehicles:
                      '90 Mazda Capella. (2000 - 2003) My first Fatmobile. Converted to fun on veggie oil with a 2 tank setup.
                      '80 Mercedes 300D. 2 tank conversion [Sold]
                      '84 Mercedes 300D. 1 tank, no conversion. Replaced engine with rebuilt OM617A turbodiesel engine. Finally had good power. Engine donor for W123 coupe. (body parted out and carcass sold for scrap.)
                      '85 Mercedes Benz W123 300CD Turbodiesel
                      '99 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my darling Wife's car)[sold]
                      '98 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my car)[sold]
                      '06 Musso Sports Crew Cab well body. [Head gasket blew!]
                      '04 Rexton SUV 2.9L Turbodiesel same as Musso - Our Family car.
                      '06 Musso sports Crew Cab Trayback - My hack (no air cond, no heater).

                      Searching the Biofuels Forum using Google
                      Adding images and/or documents to your posts

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Mazda Bravo / Ford Courier 2.5 Turbodiesel Tips n Tricks

                        Originally posted by Chev28 View Post
                        Does the tank have a gauze over its internal pickup?
                        That is a good question. I will think about dropping the tank sometime in the future to check the interior of the tank and, if needed, I will clean it out.
                        Thanks for the suggestion.
                        Life is a journey, with problems to solve, lessons to learn, but most of all, experiences to enjoy.

                        Current Vehicles in stable:
                        '06 Musso Sports 4X4 Manual Crew Cab tray back.
                        '04 Rexton 4X4 Automatic SUV
                        '2014 Toyota Prius (on ULP) - Wife's car

                        Previous Vehicles:
                        '90 Mazda Capella. (2000 - 2003) My first Fatmobile. Converted to fun on veggie oil with a 2 tank setup.
                        '80 Mercedes 300D. 2 tank conversion [Sold]
                        '84 Mercedes 300D. 1 tank, no conversion. Replaced engine with rebuilt OM617A turbodiesel engine. Finally had good power. Engine donor for W123 coupe. (body parted out and carcass sold for scrap.)
                        '85 Mercedes Benz W123 300CD Turbodiesel
                        '99 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my darling Wife's car)[sold]
                        '98 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my car)[sold]
                        '06 Musso Sports Crew Cab well body. [Head gasket blew!]
                        '04 Rexton SUV 2.9L Turbodiesel same as Musso - Our Family car.
                        '06 Musso sports Crew Cab Trayback - My hack (no air cond, no heater).

                        Searching the Biofuels Forum using Google
                        Adding images and/or documents to your posts

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Mazda Bravo / Ford Courier 2.5 Turbodiesel Tips n Tricks

                          Great news that you have a solution to go back to each time to get back to 100% power.

                          With your experience Tony, I'm sure you can now refine the process to find the sweet spot.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Mazda Bravo / Ford Courier 2.5 Turbodiesel Tips n Tricks

                            I have had a few instances of reduced power from the engine. In each case, I have replaced the fuel prefilter and the performance has been restored.
                            I have 3 prefilters and have one in the cleaning solution, one in use and one ready for use.
                            I will see how many times I need to clean it until the fuel filter remains clean for a complete tank of fuel.

                            I did buy the spare IP for it. I am prepared for the worst case scenario. In the meantime I will be putting a Tee piece in the fuel line after the main fuel filter to monitor the fuel pressure / suction, so I can see the suction level at which the power loss occurs.
                            Life is a journey, with problems to solve, lessons to learn, but most of all, experiences to enjoy.

                            Current Vehicles in stable:
                            '06 Musso Sports 4X4 Manual Crew Cab tray back.
                            '04 Rexton 4X4 Automatic SUV
                            '2014 Toyota Prius (on ULP) - Wife's car

                            Previous Vehicles:
                            '90 Mazda Capella. (2000 - 2003) My first Fatmobile. Converted to fun on veggie oil with a 2 tank setup.
                            '80 Mercedes 300D. 2 tank conversion [Sold]
                            '84 Mercedes 300D. 1 tank, no conversion. Replaced engine with rebuilt OM617A turbodiesel engine. Finally had good power. Engine donor for W123 coupe. (body parted out and carcass sold for scrap.)
                            '85 Mercedes Benz W123 300CD Turbodiesel
                            '99 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my darling Wife's car)[sold]
                            '98 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my car)[sold]
                            '06 Musso Sports Crew Cab well body. [Head gasket blew!]
                            '04 Rexton SUV 2.9L Turbodiesel same as Musso - Our Family car.
                            '06 Musso sports Crew Cab Trayback - My hack (no air cond, no heater).

                            Searching the Biofuels Forum using Google
                            Adding images and/or documents to your posts

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Mazda Bravo / Ford Courier 2.5 Turbodiesel Tips n Tricks

                              How much was the IP Tony?

                              Comment

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