My wife and I have two 2000 Taurus, both with ABS, with about 65,000 miles, one plain Vulcan 3.0, the other Duratech 3.0.. I have found that the Duratech 3.0 goes through brakes pads about 1.5X to 2.0X as fast as the 3.0 Vulcan. We mix drive both cars about equally between us. Has anyone found a similar pattern. I am curious hear about any similar experiences. Thanks
Brakes on Taurus, 3.0 V6 Duratech vs Vulcan
Oct 29, 2003
41 Replies
I'd suggest one of three things is going on.
1) You drive the Duratec harder than the Vulcan because it's more fun and easier to get to speed. 2) You each have a primary car and the one with the more aggressive driving tendencies drives the Duratec. 3) The rear drum brakes are not adjusted properly on the Duratec.For a better cross section of Taurus owners, check out
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C J
Brakes on Taurus, 3.0 V6 Duratech vs Vulcan Group: alt.autos.ford Date: Wed, Oct 29, 2003, 2:21pm From: snipped-for-privacy@spa.pam (V.B.) My wife and I have two 2000 Taurus, both with ABS, with about 65,000 miles, one plain Vulcan 3.0, the other Duratech 3.0.. I have found that the Duratech 3.0 goes through brakes pads about 1.5X to 2.0X as fast as the 3.0 Vulcan. We mix drive both cars about equally between us. Has anyone found a similar pattern. I am curious hear about any similar experiences. Thanks
At 65,000 miles, the brakes pads on the Vulcan still have some way to go yet..
Re: Brakes on Taurus, 3.0 V6 Duratech vs Vulcan Group: alt.autos.ford Date: Fri, Oct 31, 2003, 8:48pm From: snipped-for-privacy@spa.pam (V.B.)
At 65,000 miles, the brakes pads on the Vulcan still have some way to go yet..
Not necessarily. The Vulcan can come with the AX4S or the AX4N. The Duratec comes only with the AX4N (now known as the 4F55E).
CJ
Re: Brakes on Taurus, 3.0 V6 Duratech vs Vulcan Group: alt.autos.ford Date: Sun, Nov 2, 2003, 1:53am (EST+5) From: snipped-for-privacy@verizon.net (Christopher=A0Brown) Not necessarily. The Vulcan can come with the AX4S or the AX4N. The Duratec comes only with the AX4N (now known as the 4F55E). CJ
The Vulcan has the AX4S and the Duratec has theAX4N.. I want to believe what you said about how the tranny slows down. The Duratec does snap to attention when you press the gas pedal. Also it seem to run at a higher RPM for a given road speed. I guess I just have to pay that much more attention to the brake pads since they do not come with wear sensors. Damn well nearly chew up my rotors....because I had been used to the vulcan wear duration.
Re: Brakes on Taurus, 3.0 V6 Duratech vs Vulcan
Group: alt.autos.ford Date: Sun, Nov 2, 2003, 1:53am (EST+5) From: snipped-for-privacy@verizon.net (Christopher Brown) Not necessarily. The Vulcan can come with the AX4S or the AX4N. The Duratec comes only with the AX4N (now known as the 4F55E). CJ
Re: Brakes on Taurus, 3.0 V6 Duratech vs Vulcan Group: alt.autos.ford Date: Sat, Nov 1, 2003, 11:51pm From: snipped-for-privacy@spa.pam (V.B.)
The Vulcan has the AX4S and the Duratec has theAX4N.. I want to believe what you said about how the tranny slows down. The Duratec does snap to attention when you press the gas pedal. Also it seem to run at a higher RPM for a given road speed. I guess I just have to pay that much more attention to the brake pads since they do not come with wear sensors. Damn well nearly chew up my rotors....because I had been used to the vulcan wear duration.
Amen to that...I have a 99 with the Duratec and the car never seemed to want to slow down after letting off the gas. My brakes were worn out at around
20,000. I took it in under warranty about the deceleration problem, they replaced the idle air control valve and turned my brakes and put new pads on. They reprogrammed the PCM also. This helped some but I think it is just the nature of this car. It was just hard getting used to the way this car acts.
Same trannie, electronically shifted. Possibly different PCM module programming for it. They let the car coast more with little engine braking for fuel economy reasons as i have been told. Another PCM module programming issue. Computer tells the Trannie what to do, and it does it. Since the two engines have very different power bands, the shift points and feel should be different. even with the basically same transmission. Blame the computer.....
BOB
Re: Brakes on Taurus, 3.0 V6 Duratech vs Vulcan Group: alt.autos.ford Date: Tue, Nov 4, 2003, 8:55pm (EST-1) From: snipped-for-privacy@united.net (Jason=A0Carter) I think the reason is that the Vulcan has a different tranny than the Duratec. There has been some concern posted here about the fact that the Duratec tranny dosn't slow the car down as quicky when you take your foot off the gas as the Vulcans tranny does. The end result being that you have to use the brakes more with a Duratec. Eric
Amen to that...I have a 99 with the Duratec and the car never seemed to want to slow down after letting off the gas. My brakes were worn out at around 20,000. I took it in under warranty about the deceleration problem, they replaced the idle air control valve and turned my brakes and put new pads on. They reprogrammed the PCM also. This helped some but I think it is just the nature of this car. It was just hard getting used to the way this car acts.
Several years ago Ford went back to rear drums ands single exhaust on the base Taurus and dropped the base price by $1,000 for marketing purposes since competitors vehicle had rear drums.
Newer trannys by design have less hold back to improve fuel mileage for CAFE.
mike hunt
Eric
Eric Tol>
You CAN NOT get "factory installed 4 wheel disc brakes," on any Taurus or Sable sedan, at any price since the 2000 model year, base model or high-line. Wagons still come with 4 wheel disc brakes. Drum brakes sucks, especially on a car with 200HP Duratech 3.0V6, that can hit over 110 in under 13 secs.
That's why I have a wagon. Standard rear discs. :-)
CJ
The difference in stopping distance between rear drums and discs is negligible, if you take the time to look a the specs. If discs are that important to one, they can be installed with factory parts, for a relative few dollar of the $1,000 on saves on the purchase price.
mike hunt
"V.B. Merc>
Re: Brakes on Taurus, 3.0 V6 Duratech vs Vulcan Group: alt.autos.ford Date: Wed, Nov 5, 2003, 9:09pm (EST+5) From: snipped-for-privacy@mailcity.com
Several years ago Ford went back to rear drums ands single exhaust on the base Taurus and dropped the base price by $1,000 for marketing purposes since competitors vehicle had rear drums.
Keep on believing the specs that "> The difference in stopping distance between rear drums and discs is negligible
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