jammerrs

jammerrs

little bit more work done to her now at 118k.

made up a cool little breather system, and painted the rear axle and boot floor.

still have the sills to go at next time i have a day off.

I have finally bought myself a set of winter wheels, to which I'm going to mount some yokohoma w.drive v902's in original 215/45 size.

more pictures to follow once the tyres are mounted

Andrew Damzen

Hi, congrats on your ownership of a ST170.

STeve

iTrader: (11)

FAO off andrew damzen, why would the OP want a snorkel when if you actually read his thread its shows he has a K&N cone ??, and all other faults you mention are common knowledge as for the facebook group you mention many times each to their own as pf was here long before that group and will be around long after its gone and our stand dwarfed the 170 one at this years ford fair, so if you want to willy wave be carefull who its too

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

It will give a RS a run for its money???? Naaaa i doubt it.

Andrew Damzen

Sorry i didn't mean to cause offence. I joined to help people. Your right this group was, i'm wrong.
Thank you for the nice welcome. Have a nice weekend everyone.

STeve

iTrader: (11)

me and glenn both own 170s so we know exactly how fast or slow they are lol, and no you did not cause any offence it was simply a chuckle moment

Andrew Damzen

Well from my 2.0 Si it was a step up lol, i don't know about real speed i guess, never owned an RS.
Yeah i should downplay the car, their rubbish lol.

OH well! Back to my fantasy world of loving my car lol.

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Im not slating the st cause there a bloody good car but om just saying a focus rs would nack the st.

jammerrs

Well I missed the first response, as good as the st is, quick is decided upon where you are and what your doing.

Daily driving and playing traffic light grand prix it's not bad at, but flat out speed is not it's forty.

However, I do love it.

Next mod on the list is some uprated wiring for some 100w main beam bulbs I have just bought.

Painting the sills and suspension components on the front especially is still a priority for the next sunny day but does mean i need to stock up on paint.

Also I need to start thinking about a service as its nearing 120k. Spark plugs are also needing to be changed, i also did ht leads at 102k. Should I be replacing them again? I believe the book states 20k for those?

If I do I think i'll go magnacor 8.5mm uprated leads. I'm not sure you can get 10mm think for the ST.

jammerrs

Today I painted the sills on the car, black hammerite was the choice of paint. I tried to upload photo's but photo bucket seems off?

Current shopping list for service parts is:

Castrol magnatec 5w30 a5 oil
Halford oil filter
Denso iridium spark plugs
Comma gearbox oil - unless someone can suggest an alternative?
Magnacor red 8.5mm ht leads

I will also get a rocker cover gasket so i can paint that to and possibly a spare rocker cover to paint

atm

Genuine ford plugs for these all the way mate. But each to their own

jammerrs

A garage i took it to also said that

He also didn't diagnose the problem first time so i quickly brushed it off

But more and more people say that, how can they be better?

jammerrs

119,700 miles.

I get a call on my dinner 'James, i think something has leaked out of your car'

Damn, its the coolant, it had dropped about 2 litres from the thermostat, onto the gearbox and into a puddle on the floor.

After many swear words and a friendly phone call to euro car parts the parts arrived. The car was gingerly driven home and we began changing the thermostat housing upper and lower and a new thermostat to.

It took 6 attempts to get it to seal but eventually with various combinations of greases and sealants it has sealed. I also had to drill the thermostat probe hole - even though euro car parts only list one part for it.

So a quick heads up for anyone doing this job - you may have to drill out the thermostat probe hole and you will need form of sealant as its a naff fit.

Tim Wharton

Just a note on key programeing
The procedure above is corect for programing the remote key function if you have more than one key you need to press a button on all the keys other wise progrming one wiil blank the remote function on the others
The programing for the patts part involves the use of two programed keys to programe a further one
If you only have one key programing an other involes the use of a computer to plug in to access the correct codes ie your ford agent or a key programing specialest

Cheers Tim

atm

Nice little project

jammerrs

119,900

I appear to have had an on going issue leaking a tiny amount of coolant after replacing the thermostat. Its definitely the seal from the block to the thermostat thats causing issues.

I have also replaced the oil and oil filter. Halfords oil filter and castor magnetec a5 5w30 again.

What a pain in the arse changing the fuel filter is

But its all swapped now, and had definitely done its job. What was caught in the pre filter side was brown and thick, nothing at all like petrol

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Why was the fuel filter a chew on.

jammerrs

Hi glenn.

It just has very tricky clips me or my dad had never come across before. whilst upside down with the car only up on a small ramp dark and damp it was very difficult to work out.

Once off the car the job couldn't be simpler. I think knowing how to do it now it would be a far more simple job.


121,500 miles.

Winter tyres are now on. Yokohama w*drive v902a's. They look very purposeful without being over the top. My mum was vredstein snowtrac 3's which work brilliantly through the winter but carrying a fiat 500 that only does a 3rd of my milage a year at most with a very steady lady driver. I just don't feel something as aggressive as those would be as good for the other 90% of British winter that isn't snow!

We shall see!

Finally has anybody got the puma speed axle spacers on? 12.5mm specifically and lowered like i am. The measuring says they will be fine but can anybody confirm? Also is there a in depth fitting guide anywhere?

STeve

iTrader: (11)

12.5 is fine even when lowered on OE wheels, I ran them myself no bother and only removed them when I fitted et40 alloys

jammerrs

1-PD, fantastic, thank you

Forgot to update at 121,000 miles i fitted some denso iridium spark plugs. A little after the oil change due to struggling to get hold of them.

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Your catching up to mine. Mine has 124k miles on

STeve

iTrader: (11)

OE ford plugs are the best you can get btw and only £20 a set

jammerrs

Tinker time

122,800ish miles

So for a while I've been after a new gear knob for the car, the standard one has a small nick in it which was frustrating as it rubbed on your hand.

Since my dream for the car is to look like a 'gentlemen's racer' a kind of well refined, modifications only for performance kind of approach. This meant the gear knob needed to fit the bill. I tried to find a nylon gear knob that i liked the shape of but struggled to find one with the correct gear pattern (japanese cars don't appear to have reverse left and up) so I've decided to go for a metal one. Hopefully I will be able to get some suede and make a sort of gear knob condom to improve the look.

Anyway far to much text for a gear knob so pictures!







Through my reading of gear knobs it appears that this is one part where heavier is better.



Finally photos of it fitted. As you may notice it sits quite a bit higher than standard which makes it far comfier and the shape is a big improvement






Finally a update on the yokohoma v902a's i have. They appear to be a brilliant tyre in wet and cold conditions although braking distance is reduced over the Toyo t1r's I have on my summer wheels. Warm and dry grip is reduced to. I'm almost upset at the lack of frost to really try them out!

STeve

iTrader: (11)

yokos are a good tyre but wear way too quick for my liking and the price tag can also cause heart failure as for the T1R is great tyre in the dry but lacks so much in other weathers so gave up on both brands lol, good to see your still having a tinker

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

I could do with a decent set of tyres cause mine are shite. The wheels just slin and putting the power down coming out of corners the car just goes straight.

jammerrs

1-PD - fortunately these cost £200 for 4 which I am very happy with and then £40 to get fitted.

Glenn - I really struggle on choosing any tyres!

Just thinking out loud.......

Do i get t1rs again so they match front to back? ---£150

Goodyear Eagle f1s? All the reviews look good but whats the dry grip like compared to toyos? Wet grip and cold weather grip is of little significance when you have winter tyres to. ---£150

Or, Toyo R1R's? although I only get 4/5000 miles out of the t1r's so I'm presuming i'll get even less from R1R's? ---£230

Do I go with a proper premium brand? Continental/Bridgestone? They just seem to do high end road tyres and not really grip focused tyres so I get a feeling there would be no benefit with say continental sport contact 5? --- £200

I have no problem wearing out tyres quick but below 3000 miles I would struggle to deal with as they wouldn't leave much milage for fun since I do approximately 1000 miles a month.

EDIT: I would probably get a spare 2 wheels for the R1R's if I got those and get another set for spring/autum use

STeve

iTrader: (11)

so much of tyre choice comes down to how you drive and what use you need from them, I am lucky at moment to have so many sets of wheels to choose from for my 170, bad weather tyres rainsport 3s win every time but for track tyres I would use the nankang NS2R very good rep indeed and way cheaper than toyos, but to use for both I do like the feel of continentals and never had issue on any car they have been fitted too, toyo are overated in my book but again nankang ns2s are hard wearing and a good commuting tyre

Pitbull69

I have Eagle F1s on my 170, had continental sport 3s on before, and I would say the F1s are hand down better in every way, much more confidence in my car. Only thing I couldnt tell you is how long they last. But so far very impressed with the tyres.

jammerrs

Yes I realise tyres are very subjective, I just want something with maybe a touch more dry grip than the t1r's which if they got on a 3rd set of wheels I can still have a 'normal' set of fronts too.

Cheers for your help people

jammerrs

Just rolled over 123456 miles

However, not everything has been hunky dory in camp st170. Twice now the car has not started, after being left for a while it starts straight up like there's never been an issue.

This had the mechanics confused, my dad confused and my poor girlfriend having to deal with my bad moods when it wouldn't work

So a plan has been hatched and begun unless anybody has any more ideas. Ive replaced the cam position sensor, the crank position sensor is next. Oh but before all this I thought it might just be being upset so I treated it to a new rocker cover and have painted it red , just need to order a gasket now so its all ready to replace once I get chance.

Bit of boring back ground for anybody that has an idea about the starting issue -
*the light for the immobiliser goes out so it doesn't seem to be immobilised although I can't find much info on what the immobiliser does when activated
*the car turns over with as much 'omph' as usual, so not a battery issue
*the fuel pump primes
*and what it causing it not to start, there is no spark. I put a spark plug on the end of a lead and there was nothing
*coilpack and leads have been replaced in my ownership

Quick question fellow owners - will a standard strut brace for a 2.0 16v fit? specifically looking at the omp brace but can't find much info. And does anyone have experience with a lower brace for these cars?

Cheers

STeve

iTrader: (11)

many have had issues with strut braces as many only fit with relocation of fusebox, but tbh a focus does not need one as it already has a heavy duty one running side to side behind the dash

jammerrs

124,671 miles.

Just a quick oil and filter change.

Standard halfords oil filter - because well I work there so they are cheap.

Now I did debate buying some mobil 1 oil. Then quickly stopped worrying about my decision since both are 5w30 so stuck to my preferred Castrol magnatec.

Oil coming out was still a nice golden colour and it took a full bottle and the old oil filled the bottle back - perfect!


A quick update on the previous none starting problem - I replaced the crank position sensor and its been great ever since. The old sensor had a build up of crap and muck on it which I presume stopped it from working.

The red rocker cover was a success.

Rubbed down with wire wool and degreased with 'gunk'
Painted with halfords high temperature red.
Then finally coated with high temperature lacquer as the high temperate red is a matt finish.
A quick rub over with t-cut made sure it looks as good as it can given my painting abilities before it was fitted.


One last thing I've recently tried. Doing some reading on fwd handling, it appeared my approach of stiff front and back in even measures may not of yielded the best results. So I've backed off the front dampers 2 clicks which in theory allows more body roll to weight up the outside wheel. More weight = more traction = power on earlier. The article also suggested that having the inside back wheel lift off the floor on hard cornering improves handling by ensuring full weight transfer onto the outside front wheel.

Now being as my car is simply used on the road I don't think I need to worry too much about trying to achieve the rear wheel picking up. But with tyre pressures of 32psi all round and back down those 2 clicks on the front it definitely rolls more in the corner and is slightly comfier so it all appears to be good and is certainly not slower. Combine this with recently finding out the steering wheel can be pulled closer to you means I can not wait to get the summer tyres on and give it a proper shake down!

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Your mileage is catching up to mine. Im on a 127k now.

jammerrs

Well I have done almost 30,000 miles since buying her!

I might catch you in milage but yours is far cleaner than what mine is!!