Engine Destroyed In One-Off Police Falcon

[f-wolf]

Special patrol car suffers catastrophic engine failure after being filled with E10.

February 4, 2014

NSW highway patrol's FPV GT suffered engine damage after the wrong fuel was put in.

Police have rebuilt a specially modified highway patrol car that suffered catastrophic engine damage when it was filled with the wrong fuel late last year.

The Ford Falcon-based FPV GT required significant repairs after an officer apparently filled it with E10 fuel that the NSW government mandated as part of a push for cleaner emissions.

NSW Police built the special Falcon GT as part of its 150th anniversary celebrations.

The hot-rodded car has 400kW of power, well more than the 335kW maximum available to Ford customers.

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The GT was the most powerful Australian police car when it went into service, though it has now been surpassed by a 430kW Holden HSV GTS also run by NSW Police.

Fairfax Media understands that an officer filled the Ford with E10 fuel – a blend of 90 per cent regular unleaded and 10 per cent ethanol - as opposed to the high octane juice recommended by Ford.

The NSW government has effectively abolished regular unleaded and encourages drivers to use E10, claiming it is “cheaper, cleaner and greener” and that “most NSW cars that use [unleaded fuels] can safely use 10 per cent ethanol-blended fuel (E10)”.

It’s understood the misfuelling cracked the block of the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine, something that could have cost upwards of $5000 to repair.

Superintendent Stuart Smith, operations commander for NSW highway patrol says he was “extremely disappointed” that the car was off the road for several weeks.

“An individual put the wrong fuel in it,” Smith says.

“From time to time we have errors made by staff.

“Some damage has been done to the engine. It has been repaired.”

Officers primarily use the V8-powered machine for public relations purposes. The car is often displayed at events including V8 Supercars and drag race meetings.

Police in Sydney have used a range of cars for PR purposes including a Porsche Panamera, Lotus Exige and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.

NSW highway patrol has been criticised in the past for ordering high-performance versions of local sedans that cost more than regular V8 or turbocharged models.

The special Falcon is planned to go on display at the Justice and Police Museum in Sydney when it retires from duty.

http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-news/engine-destroyed-in-oneoff-police-falcon-20140204-31y86.html

[TomT]

Well the thing was tuned by pingtune so I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did.

[Never had any say Panda]

Haha.. What I actually find sadder is that they only have a couple 'flapship' HWP cars.. instead of issuing a blanket E10 rule don't you think they'd be smart enough to say 'EXCEPT THOSE TWO BLOODY CARS!!'

[FPV TRANNY]

You would think so.....

[Bulletime]

I read some of the comments on that article at lunch which was a mistake, ppl have nfi which is nothing new, then there was one guy saying the only possible explanation was that the car was being flogged, no thought in his argument to the fact that the car was obviously not tuned for e10, der.... combine that with pingtune and yeah no safety in that tune for sure.

Also found it retarded that apparently this car has been eclipsed by the hsv gts, isn't this 400 rwkw? Can't seem to find confirmation on that though...

[TomT]

The gts has been tuned by oztrack tuning here in Penrith, went to school with the owner's son, who now runs it with his old man. A lot better than pingtune I can tell you that much.

[TomT]

Excuse the double post, couldn't edit.<br /><br />Last I asked they were expecting 400rwkw from about 320rwkw. I'm pretty sure I remember seeing the gt was that too. They writer of that article obviously had no idea on rwkw vs. Fwkw.

[Kroozin]

Well the thing was tuned by pingtune so I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did.

Even though it died because of e10 somehow knew these spankers would have got intune Motorsport to tune it after reading the heading of it blowing up.

I can't believe ppl are still going there. In saying that I went there in the beginning.. Stoopid!

[Rab]

Would any car that's been tuned/built for 98 fare any better if flogged on E10?

[Never had any say Panda]

Shouldn't the knock sensors retard it to protect the engine?

I'm no expert tuner but I assume some of the factory safety measures are retained?