Buying Tips EFEL
From Boosted Tech
Drawing Points of the Car
The EF and EL series Falcons were two of Ford’s finest products, the EF Falcon winning many awards from a variety of organisations. These included “Best Large Car” from the RACV and “1994 Family Car of the Year” for the Futura, from the Royal Automobile Association of South Australia. Perhaps the biggest accolade was winning the Australian Design of the Year. It also outsold the Commodore in 1995, something the Falcon has found difficult to do since then.
The cars have always represented great value, with many standard features that rival new cars twice their price. EF and EL Falcons are now more affordable than ever, and represent great value for money when compared to other car in their price bracket.
The new interior is well laid out and ergonomically styled, the styling is not out-dated like the other cars of its time, with digital displays on the dash replacing the old style odometers. The seats are comfortable, good for both short trips and long journeys. Space is never a problem in the EF/EL's.
The exterior has always been a favourite of the public, the rounder new look was more fresh than anything on the market at its introduction, and with the controversial styling of the newer AU Falcon, has often been described as one of the most beautiful Falcons.
What's new to the EF/EL range from the EA-ED?
First of all, every panel on the EF Falcon sedans were changed from the EA shape, while the wagons, however, only received the front end panel treatment. The EA design had run for more than 6 years, and the new shape was well received by the public. The 4.0 litre straight six was retained from the ED, albeit heavily reworked. The engine was made a lot smoother and fuel efficient, and the introduction of a single 'serpentine' fan/accessory belt reduced noise. The new 'Computer Torque Control' dual runner intake manifold increased power 9kW on the previous ED Falcons. The maximum torque was also increased, and obtained at a lower rpm. The distributor was also deleted in place of coil packs, and the noisy viscous clutch fan of the ED was replaced with a much quieter 2 speed twin electric thermofan setup. New paint colours became available with the introduction of the EF, and door handles were also colour coded, unlike the previously black ones from the ED. The handbrake was removed from the umbrella style under the dash to the more conventional type on the centre console, except for column shift cars which received the foot operated parking brake. Perhaps one of the best features incorporated into the EF/EL Falcons were standard airbags, the EF getting the drivers standard, while some of the later models also came with it standard in the passenger side as well. 15 inch wheels were also made standard, improving the looks of the car, and more importantly, the handling.
How does it compare to the equivalent Commodore?
There are many points that the Falcon rivals its Holden counter part, the VR and VS Commodores. A drivers airbag came standard on all EF/EL models, while the VR Commodore only had it as a costly option. The airbag system on the Falcon is also a superior design, having three sensors, compared to the Commodores one. The Falcons airbag system not only detected frontal collisions, but also offset collisions, and could detect and separate electrical problems and remained active even while the ignition is turned off.
The interior of the VR and VS Commodores had similar themes to the older VN and VP Commodores, with a very square interior that became outdated quite quickly. The EF and EL Falcon interiors however were all new, and have remained very fresh and current.
The Falcons also enjoyed a considerable power advantage over the VR and VS Commodores, the EF Falcon producing 157 kW from it’s straight six, while the VR only gave out 130 kW from it’s 3.8L V6. The torque was also considerably higher, 357Nm @ 3000rpm versus the VR’s 295Nm @ 3200rpm. Fuel consumption is about the same on the two vehicles, despite the higher output from the Ford six.
The V8 VR Commodore produced 165 kW and 385Nm @ 3600rpm, while the V8 Falcon engine produced the same horsepower, with a slightly higher torque of 388Nm @ 3000rpm.
The EF Falcon was also capable of towing up to 1600kg when fitted with the Class 1 towpack, the Class 2 towpack capacity allowed 2300kg. The VR, on the other hand, had a 500 kg towbar as standard, with three varying packages rated at 1200, 1590, and 2100, the last two including various vehicle modifications.
EF/EL Model Guide
'EF:' The EF became available in four different guises, alongside the two XR performance vehicles. The Gli was the EF’s base model, with the Futura having quite a few more options as standard. These included power front windows, body coloured mirrors, rub strips, and brake ducts, and some minor interior modifications, such as a different cloth used on the seats, digital clock on the dash, adjustable rear seat headrests, and an interior light with additional map reading lamps. A six stacker CD player was also optional on the Futura, but not on the Gli. ABS brakes were also standard on all models, except as an option on the Gli.The Fairmont and Fairmont Ghias were the two luxury models, which introduced a different bonnet and grill, among a whole host of options. The Fairmont has a velour trim, while the Ghia received leather with velour inserts. Full leather was an option on the Ghia also. The Ghia also received a top of the line audio system, with Digital Sound Processing. To further distance the Ghia from the Fairmont, it was also given chrome interior door handles.
The XR series also received some attention of its own, receiving its own bonnet and like the ED, distinctive quad headlight front bar. They ran 15x7 inch alloy wheels, the XR6’s power increased to 164kW, while the XR8 was increased to 170kW through a free-flowing twin exhaust. The addition of spoilers and optional bodykits also distinguished the performance models from the rest. A limited slip diff was also made standard on the XR’s. The interior was also trimmed in a special “Formula One” cloth, and battery voltage and oil pressure gauges added. An EF XR6 wagon was also available in limited numbers, but no XR8 wagon.
'EF Series II:' The changes introduced into the series II EF were minor, but addressed some of the criticisms of the series I models. These included a revised rear suspension using longer rear upper control arms from the EF Series 1 XR series to reduce the rear-steer tendancies that was critisized by the motoring media. The front seats were modified slightly to improve comfort, and the passenger airbag was introduced to the range. This safety feature was optional from the Gli to the Fairmont, but standard on the Fairmont Ghia.
The Fairmont Ghia received the traditional 'Ghia' shield on the front quarter panels and door trims, replacing the previous 'Ghia' scribe from the EF Series 1.
Starting with the EF Series 2, with the Fairmont having many of the Ghia's features, Ford marketed the Ghia as a sports/luxury car by using the XR6 engine with a unique exhaust, producing 162kw. The ECU was re-calibrated to match the XR6 engine and transmission shifting patterns, suspension was also re-worked to XR6 specification.
The other noteworthy feature of the EFII was the deletion of the transmission dipstick due to high number of owners using the older 'DX-III' fluid which causes the BTR to overheat and fail prematurely.
'EL: ' 
Changes were made to the bonnet of the EL, which now incorporated a grill on all models. The front lights were also changed to a more rounded look, and the rear lights had orange indicator lenses, as opposed to the EF clear lenses. The cars also had colour coded bumper inserts across the range.
While the engines remained the same for the EL series cars, the amount of models available almost doubled. The base model was still the Gli, very much like the EF as far as standard features were concerned. The Futura also mirrored the EF in the list of features, but the introduction of the Sapphire pack did bring some extra options. The Sapphire pack was introduced to combat the new VT Commodore, and offered 3800 dollars worth of extras for no cost to the buyer. The extras offered for both models were metallic paint, 15 inch alloys, and unique Sapphire badging and stripping. The Gli also got cruise control and power windows, while the Futura also received a passenger airbag and unique seat trims.
The EL also brought the re-introduction of the Falcon S, as a special value pack. The extras included Air Conditioning, a six stack CD player, with the stacker located under the passenger seat, ‘S’ pin stripping, and ED XR8 alloy wheels.
The Fairmont and Ghia also introduced a new grill of their own, as well as their own unique wheels. Electric windows were standard on all doors, and new interior trims were added. Automatic climate control was also one of the more luxurious features introduced into the Fairmont as standard. The Ghia received a warmed over engine, the 6 cylinder producing 162kW, a limited slip diff, unique alloys, chrome tip exhaust, plus interior extras that the EF Fairmont Ghia received.
The XR6 wagon was dropped in the EL range, but the sedans did receive a revised rear suspension that made them a lot more stable. The EL XR’s also received a nose job, the front bar had a revised shape with a grill added to reflect the change in the sedan. The EL XR6 produced 164kW, while the XR8 had 170kW standard. The extra weight that the XR8 gained for the slight power increase meant that the early EL XR6’s were more popular than the 8. The changes from the EF included dual exhausts from the front to the back (XR8), new bodykits and spoilers, and smart glass window tinting.
'EL Series II:' The VT Commodore was introduced halfway through the life of the EL Falcon, and several upgrades were made to compete with it. These included the Sapphire packs and the Falcon S (as previously mentioned). Ford also began using some of the new AU colours, such as Cardinal Red and Oxford Green. One of the only other notable differences in the series II was to the XR8. Halfway through it’s life, it received the new AU 185kW engine upgrade, which was brought forward to compete with the new VT SS power output of 179kW. What To Look For
The EF headlights were changed from a glass unit in the EA-ED Falcons to plastic lenses, meaning no more cracked units. Unfortunately, the lenses tend to go yellow with age, which can be hard to remove with very fine polishing. They aren’t particularly cheap to replace either. EL’s don’t suffer from this problem. Also changed were the front indicators, to clear lenses with amber bulbs. Sometimes the bulbs can lose their colour with age. These, however, are far cheaper to replace, and no great problem. Both the EF and EL are unfortunately prone to central locking actuator failures. The symptom that it can show is continually locking and unlocking itself repeatedly, which can be an expensive problem to fix. This problem was far more common in the EF than the EL, and most EF’s retrofitted with the EL actuators usually live trouble free lives. The solenoids to normally operate with a sort of whirring noise normally, and AU solenoids cannot be retrofitted, unfortunately. This problem is not unique to Falcons, however, it’s an unfortunate problem found on many of the Falcons rivals also. The front rotors on the EF Falcons, while being wider than the previous ED’s, were also softer, something to look for is the wear of the rotors. This can be determined by the lip left behind, above and below the pads on the rotors. New front rotors are not hugely costly, but something to keep in consideration. While the EF and EL Falcons were a huge improvement on the previous E-series cars, the engines were still not bullet proof, and various problems still reared their ugly heads. The engine heads, while being a lot more durable than earlier models, could still sometimes cause problems. Head gaskets, due to engines expanding and contracting at different rates, are the most expensive problem. This can unfortunately cost up to a grand to fix. Smaller leaks from the engine, such as from the rocker cover, are not unheard of, but usually the engines are very clean and reliable. Timing case gaskets are also known to leak in the top corner, where it meets the head. The transducer is attached to gearbox to tell the speedo how fast the car is going. It is common for these to leak a small amount of oil, but are nothing major, they very rarely fail and can operate like that for the life of the car. They are mounted toward the rear of the gearbox under the car. The power steering oil pressure switch is also known to leak, with oil running up the wires and dripping onto the chassis rails in the engine bay, on the drivers side. Like the transducer, it can quite happily operate in this condition. Cars with kilometres approaching 250,000kms have been known to go through water pumps, but on the same token, have been known to go a lot further without the problem as well. The automatic transmissions are known to stick slightly when cold, being slow to change up gears. Although cured when the car has warmed up, this can be eliminated by keeping the gearbox serviced with new oil every 50 to 100 thousand kilometres. The front windows can become tough to wind up and down, cured simply by lubricating the window runners behind the door trim. Front shock absorbers are also known to sometimes squeak on the EF Falcons. This lists all the possible things that go wrong with the EF and EL Falcons, it’s not likely that any one car will have more than one or two dramas in its life. They are very reliable vehicles that carried Ford through the second half of the 90’s. They have always shown exceptional quality and reliability, and offer exceptional value for money.
Final Conclusions
Buying an EF or EL Falcon is a very safe move, it’s unlikely that you’ll be required to spend large amounts of money on the car in the near future. As always, it is recommended to have a professional inspect a potential purchase. Make sure you check out all the vehicles on the market, some excellent deals can be found with patience and determination. But you can be assured that no matter which model you go for, you’ll be getting one of the best value, most reliable, and well optioned cars that Ford has ever produced.