Why do so many people hate EA's?

[ILLaViTaR]

I hear many people saying that EA's are crap and unreliable.

What exactly goes wrong with them more than any other E series???

I don't want any EA fanboys saying If you dont look after it it's the same with any other car.

EA's seemed to have gained this reputation more than any other series.

I would like an unbiased answer.

My mate just bought one and was originally a holden man so I don't want his ford experience to be crap.

I just want to know what the common problems are that seperate it form other E series.

[burnz]

timing chain failure.
pistons punch valves.
23 rebiuld's and counting (other's not mine)

[ILLaViTaR]

Argh, anyway to prevent these?

Also He actually has a 1990 EA 2, were these problems fixed before then?

Were these the only problems or are there more?

[MotherNatureVer2]

I think generally if the EA is still going at this point is most likely isnt a bad one. It would be about 19yrs old now though so things can & will start happening.

This was the first of a totally different style of Falcon released, the first always seems to have a few hiccups before everything is sorted.

[ILLaViTaR]

Yeah but what exactly made them one of the worst fords ever to some people.

Did they fix these issues in the EA 2?

I heard they use cork gaskets which was bad

So we got

timing chain failure.
pistons punch valves.
and cork gaskets.

That doesn't seem that bad to me really.

Sure there's nothing else?

[burnz]

Originally Posted by ILLaViTaR

Argh, anyway to prevent these?

Also He actually has a 1990 EA 2, were these problems fixed before then?

Were these the only problems or are there more?

89~2003 engine, explorer was the latest model 3.9~4.0 have the problem
(note the V.C.T has not had this problem that i'm aware of)
the problem is caused bye the timing chain guide that is made out of bakerlite incased steel,
the steel is not full length, and as the chain streches it's play breakes the bakerlight.
most failure's occure at idol, some below 80 rearly at full noise.
the guide then slipp's down and jam's on the crank's gear drive.

[Dezza]

Originally Posted by MotherNature

I think generally if the EA is still going at this point is most likely isnt a bad one. It would be about 19yrs old now though so things can & will start happening.

This was the first of a totally different style of Falcon released, the first always seems to have a few hiccups before everything is sorted.

That's very true. The biggest problems with the EA were that it was the start of the series. It was a massive change from the XF and Ford did release it a little bit too early. Because of this, there were a few issues that did plague some of the early EAs. Generally if you buy the first of a series with major mechanical changes over it's predecessor, some things may not be quite right. The EAs aren't bad cars. People just presume they are all bad.

For example, people say that EAs regularly blow head gaskets. All E-series 6 cylinders blow head gaskets. It's not just EAs. For example, my EA did it's first and only head gasket last year at 220,000kms. That's a very good run! People say to avoid all EAs and buy an EB instead. The EBII had a number of improvements (most notibly the 4.0 litre). As for the EB1, it's hardly any different to the EAII. In fact besides the taillights, bonnet, mirrors, and c-pillar vents, it's basically the same

I haven't heard any of what burnz has said. For example, my car is now at 246,000 and is still running strong. The timing chain has never failed, it has never had a rebuild (the head gasket was the closest thing) and generally it has been very reliable.

The 4 speed auto on mine basically died, but 200,000kms without a single oil change wouldn't have helped! In about 1500 kms, my car will reach a significant milestone. It will be 100,000kms more than when I first got behind the wheel of it. In that time, it has only been on a tow truck once, and that was only because I crashed it. So basically, be cautious with early EAs but by 1989 most of the problems were fixed.

[old_mate]

They rust

The shells have heaps of flex in them

CFI engines are crap

the 3 spd is terrible, the 4 speed not much better

EB (especially EB II) far better for not many more dollars these days.

I miss my EA only cos it was my first car

[Allen]

I think the EA has got a bad rep because when they first came out you had cars like a 3.2 Cfi 3 speed GL Falcon... very uninspiring :P

The whole headgasket myth as another one. Some people are under the impression that these cars will blow a gasket on a regular basis, and that doesn't help their reputation.

Personally, I've never been much of a fan of the styling... mainly the badge on the bonnet, as it just doesn't flow with the design of the car... needless to say they got it right with the eb:P

Mechanically they are just as reliable as any other e-seires... providing the car is maintained properly... but thats just common sense
My mum has had an EA2 Gl Wagon for years, and has done well over 400,000k's on it... never done a head gasket. Apart from regular maintenance (brakes, filters, fluids etc) Its had a power steering pump and valve stem seals... Can't ask for much more than that IMO :P

[ILLaViTaR]

Originally Posted by old_mate

They rust

The shells have heaps of flex in them

CFI engines are crap

the 3 spd is terrible, the 4 speed not much better

EB (especially EB II) far better for not many more dollars these days.

I miss my EA only cos it was my first car

Hmmm What's wrong with CFI?

Yeah I also heard there's hardly any difference between the EB1 and EA II

[burnz]

oddly enough i've had not one problem with head gasket problem with a ford

[Dezza]

CFi is crap because it has a lot less power than MPi but uses more fuel at the same time.
MPi was optional across the EA range (except standard on Ghia).

[snypereb]

Originally Posted by MotherNature

This was the first of a totally different style of Falcon released, the first always seems to have a few hiccups before everything is sorted.

Very true. However if you treat it good and have common knowledge on basic problems you can get very easily.

I would have an EA as a project car any.
Some of the best presented cars in the club are EA.





Mine may aswell have been EA.

[MotherNatureVer2]

We actually have an EA as a project car ;)

[EA2BA]

My EA is a series 1 Fairmont Ghia built in 1988 and it is still going, only things to really go wrong have been my own doing and constant modding, but overall as a car I can say I find no fault with it to make want to ditch it and get an EB or an ED.

[Conrad]

EB2 is when they got their act together

[Kenster]

there nothing wrong with an EA i own a S pack series 1 still with the orginal 3 speed and CFi engine.

I recommendation just dont push the engine to much cause there will be problems coming up, unless you upgrade your engine that the only way.

[RUQ1KA]

I used to own a 1988, 3 speed, Cfi, EA a few years ago (well i do again bought it back a few days ago) and never had any problems with it, i did about 20,000kms in it in the year and a half i owned it and never blew any gaskets or timing chains or anything!

[s2_hyundai_s2]

Originally Posted by ILLaViTaR

I hear many people saying that EA's are crap and unreliable.

What exactly goes wrong with them more than any other E series???

I don't want any EA fanboys saying If you dont look after it it's the same with any other car.

EA's seemed to have gained this reputation more than any other series.

I would like an unbiased answer.

My mate just bought one and was originally a holden man so I don't want his ford experience to be crap.

I just want to know what the common problems are that seperate it form other E series.

my mate has an ed and it looks like an ea,
i guess the shape of the ea was good at the time when it came out, but now it looks corney, like round car like a boat but a flat boot...

they came out with 4wd spec suspension and also singlepoint????

is there any physical appearance difference between ea's eb's and ed's
ea's came out in a 3 speed auto right?

[s2_hyundai_s2]

oh umm, i hate ea's because my rival owns an ea,
well he says it is an ed, but it looks like an ea to me,
and well just grown up with this rivalry between his ea and my

excel

lol nah but i moved on to better grounds though,...

my vk

and he still has the ea

[Dezza]

Originally Posted by s2_hyundai_s2

my mate has an ed and it looks like an ea,
i guess the shape of the ea was good at the time when it came out, but now it looks corney, like round car like a boat but a flat boot...

they came out with 4wd spec suspension and also singlepoint????

is there any physical appearance difference between ea's eb's and ed's
ea's came out in a 3 speed auto right?

EA-ED all looked basically the same. For the physical differences between them, look here:
http://www.deleted link/portal/kb.php?mode=article&k=8

I reckon the EA-ED shape still looks great! Unfortunately they did come standard with 4WD spec suspension. As for the singlepoint, it's also called centrepoint (or CFi) and I already explained it on post #12 on this page. And finally only series 1 EAs got the 3 speed auto. EAII received the 4 speed auto.

[JC]

It's because that in 1988, while they were considered Extremely Advanced, they are now just Extremely Advanced (in years).

[snypereb]

Originally Posted by JC

It's because that in 1988, while they were considered Extremely Advanced, they are now just Extremely Advanced (in years).

Haha........very true. CFI was probably its most down fall id say personally. I was just unlucky enough to by an EB with CFI.

[BROCKYB8]

Well im about to buy a ea wagon and i love the cars they are great . THey are one of the cheapest e series cars to get parts for . Plus u have alot of upgrades u can do for them

[Grechie]

for me its, woteva technology i put under the bonnet, it still is gets unreliable, i almost dont have 1 peice of ea left, and the thing can still at times stuff up.

[mcflux]

Originally Posted by burnz

89~2003 engine, explorer was the latest model 3.9~4.0 have the problem

say what?

[BaYa]

EA's are just the 1st series of the 90's falcon and people just assume there crap, well the are now :P but they make an awesome sleeper car only time i'd have an ea would be to make it in to a sleeper. 5 speed ea s-pack+ Turbo or 2= jaw dropping pwnage

[NudgE^SIKBRO]

My EBII...
HAD rust in the usual spots (rear wheel arches)
Blew Head Gasket (220,000ks)
Auto Died (220,000ks Yes the same time the head went)
has usual body flex (like an EA or EL for that matter)
so why are EB's so much better if they all have the same little issues??? No car is ever gunna be perfect they are all gunna develop faults at one time or another its a fact of life.

[Kenaz]

Originally Posted by snypereb

Some of the best presented cars in the club are EA.

All nice cars, but what's with the ED with the bonnet that's not closed properly? :

[StealthAu]

They were in my opinion, a step backwards for Ford. Why go from a MPI 4.1L to a CPI 3.9? Plus you don't here as many problems with the efi xf's as you do with the ea's