Hi all,

I have a 2003 Ford Futura on dedicated gas. Yesterday I took the car to a mechanic simply for an lpg tune. I bought the car only a couple weeks back and wanted to make sure all was up to scratch with the lpg system. Until I took the car to the mechanic everything was running perfectly. But I wanted to play it safe as I plan to do some traveling.

Anyway, the mechanic said I needed one new PCV valve. Only $14 dollars, great. Then he tells me I need a new drive belt and new belt tensioner as the one is the car is nearly snapped in half. Fine, do it. I want the car up to scratch. $408 later I leave thinking the car is now in great shape.

On the way home the car starts surging. The revs go from about 1500-2000. I get home and call the mechanic, he says the computer might be "relearning" the changes they made. Fine. Today I drive the car, it cuts off in the middle of a freaking intersection. Just turned off for no reason at all. And it's still surging like crazy. I bring it back to the mechanic and tell them to fix it. It was fine before they touched it. The lpg mechanic looks it over, drives it, it stops on him and is surging on him as well yet he says he can't find a problem with it. Says I need to go to Ford to have them test it with their freaking computer because no one else can check the dedicated systems as thoroughly as Ford can... I check around and other mechanics confirm this so I've made an appointment with Ford but they can't see me until Monday.

Basically I am wondering if anyone else has had this problem with this model car and what the issue might be? Also have I been ripped off and should I find a different lpg mechanic?

Thanks for any help or advice you can offer.

Hey,

Yeah i have a 2003 Fairmont V8 on LPG and Petrol, when its running on gas it does this sometimes. When i took it to the gas guy we looked at it on the computer and the MAP sensor was showing the fault, your car will run without it but it wont run the best. It could also be a vacuum line unplugged somewhere.

A map sensor basically measures the air pressure in the intake and based on this will adjust the air fuel ratio, if it doesnt work properly it will just run on a generic tune.

I got quoted $140 for a new one from ceventrys at trade price, they are very simple to fit, should take a mechanic no longer than 2 minutes. And if this is indeed your problem it will most likely show up on their diagnostic gear.

Hi,

They ran a diagnostic test and said no faults were showing up. That's why the said I had to go to ford because my car is only gas and made that way by Ford that only Ford can scan some parts of the computer system in the car.