Hi Guys,

New here and to the Ford world.

I picked up a really tidy 04 plate Focus ST170 yesterday for a handsome price, can't believe I never considered one before, it drives great.

The car came with full history, but with a local independent garage. It's last service was last year so as a matter of course I was going to put it through a full service.

I think the cambelt is probably due as its 7 years old this year and mileage is nearlly 56K - am I correct or it the time/distance longer?

I called my local Ford stealer who quoted £252.04 for a full service, and £185.98 for the cambelt change. If I want the cambelt and tensioner doing etc though it will be £242.96.

Is this about the normal price wise, or would going to an idependent garage save me a fair bit?

Thanks in advance.

 

Definately get the tensioner changed as its the tensioner that lets go usually before the belt, ford say 100'000 till belt change but disregard that completely, 75'000 is the norm but after 7 years i would change it regardless of miles, i changed mine at around 52'000.
Get the water pump done at the same time too, the waterpump is behind the cambelt.
Price wise an independant garage will always be cheaper but they may not use genuine parts, for a cam belt i would want the real deal.
I did my cambelt myself its dead easy.

 

i was looking through the threads to see how you do a timing belt change any how too pics or ways to it please sp3no?? as my st170 on a 53 plate hasnt had a belt change, and is making a tap tap taping noise someone said its the shims or lifters and someone said its the inlet manifold.... any ideas and how to get a workshop manual for it.... cheers buddy

 

First thing you will need is a Cam locking kit, you lock the cams and crank at TDC, once this is done there is very little room for error. You HAVE to loosen the cam pulley on the end of the cam when setting the timing otherwise your VVT solenoid will throw a wobbly. DO NOT USE THE CAM LOCKING TOOL TO HOLD THE CAM IN PLACE AS YOU UNDO THE CAM PULLY, doing this will most likely result in snapping the lugs off the ends of the cam, hold it with a wrench or something on the flats between 2 of the lobs on the cam. Its quite tight down the side of the engine but take your time and its failry easy.
You will struggle to get a manual for it as there isnt one, you would have to get hold of the ford TIS disk. The procedure is almost identical to a standard 2.0L zetec apart from dealing with the VVT, i dealt with the VVt as you would on the 1.7 Pumas that run the exact same system.
ST170 has solid lifters so are a bit tappy, its completely normal, the injectors are quite noisey too so dont worry, the clerance and re-shimming of the solid lifters do not even need CHECKED till after 100'000 acording to henry ford. With your milage i wouldnt worry about it


Worth a Read
http://forums.focaljet.com/svt-headq...ols-ready.html

 

thanks sp3no.. is it fair to say i should leave well alone as the noise is fine as such for the moment as messing about will throw up codes.?