Hi Peeps,

After a bit of knowledge.

My dad is currently in the market for an St170.. We've seen a few and most have been dogs tbh.. He hasn't got a great budget mind (about £2300)

We went to look at one last night, which, tbh the best we've seen so far..

BUT as always it has a few possible small faults.

1, Interior light keeps blowing fuses? (Poss faulty cable)?
2, It seemed a little jerky on cold drive, once up to temp all was fine. Now the owner said it hasn't been driven much of late, but, i'm skeptical???
3, Passenger door doen't always unlock (thinking this will prob be a faulty door solienoid)?
4, I also noted that the alarm/door locking signal seemed to be very weak, ie you had to be right next to the car, pointing the remote right at the car. (I asked about the battery in the remote and that's been changed)???


Thanks in advance,
Dave.

 

Well they're none of the issues I've come across and I've worked on a few other than my own, but I'll try and be of some use!

The rough cold running could be down to a number of things, but they have a limiter fitted basically to discourage you from leathering a cold engine - is it actually 'jerking' or does it just feel hesitant? There's also a known mapping issue whereby the car feels like it has a slight misfire at 2-2.5K revs, I think this would be evident on a warm engine too mind. I suppose it would be nice to believe the seller and put it down to having been stood but still....

The usual issues are well documented, the IMRC, broken heat shields, clutch etc - all that sort of stuff will have been covered on here I'm sure.

Is the timing belt due for renewal? I don't know how handy you are with the spanners, it's not the most difficult job but it'll be a few hundred if you pay a garage. You really don't want the tensioner breaking obviously.

The other thing that seems to affect some is rust in the rear arches - I waxoyle my '170 the same as I do the Capri and Granada!

Good luck with the search, I'm sure the right car is out there, there's plenty of them!

 

they are a good car and one or two small things you can overlook, but if there is a fair few then just walk away as there are plenty of decent ones out there to choose from all for around £2000-£3000

 

Thanks for the replies guy's.

According to Ford's the cam belt doesn't require changing until 100k or 10 years, the cars on 69k and is an 04.. So, I took that as it's not required, yet? Altohugh I have read on hear that some people change them more often. Not really a problem either way as I'll be doing it for him.

The guy has also found the issue with the interior light.. It's the rear lamp holder.. He also sorted the alarm issue, just needed to be re-programmed after the battery change. TBH he seems a really genuine guy.

I think my Dad has made his mind up now and is going to pick it up today..

We did look at another last night which was the same price, but, had 10k less miles, but 2 years older.. Although the body seemed straight it was requiring imo cam belt, new disc's and pads (F&R), wing mirror, wheel centre caps and a few other bit n bobs

Yeah I've noticed the rust on a few of the ones we've seen (about 3 out of the 10), I just walked away as soon as I spotted it.

Thanks again,
Dave.

 

Well at least that's a couple of the issues sorted for you.

Don't leave the belt until 100,000 miles, the tensioner is the weakness and imo (and experience) you're pushing your luck by then.... Funilly enough I changed mine on 69,000 miles last year.

Hope it's a goodun if you do get it, they're plenty of fun in the twistys and do go once wound up.

Post us a couple of pics when you've got it!

 

Arhh ok I see, so you'd recommend changing before this then, I'll let me dad know

Haha I don't think me dad will drive it that hard, but, he does have a go occasionally..

He's bought it, I can't get any pic's up as I'm at work

Here's the link from the for sale add
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...s/40?logcode=p

thanks again, hopefully some trouble free motoring

 

reckon as soon as a car hits 60k the belt should be changed, and if there is any issues with the clutch I would run as this alone is 600+ unless it was a steal of a price as for rust again that would put me right off

 

Exactly how thirsty are these cars to run?

 

Fairly thirsty....

Ford quote 22mpg around town, which seems accurate. I don't think I average over 30, probably 27/28 although I've never bothered working it out.

If I get a bit heavy footed, which I often do lol, it guzzles fuel, I'm probably better off not knowing what mpg it does!

 

mine is pretty good on fuel it all comes down to how you drive them really,

 

personal id get a 2.0 zetec and just upgrade the body work and interoir and you get less problems and its cheaper to run (power wise he could easly just get a st170 exhaust system and have that fitted and he'll have more torque than a st170 and only 10bhp less)

 

how exactly would it have more torque?

and don't the 170s have better brakes and suspension?

 

The '170 is pretty torquey for a N/A 2.0 and makes it across the revs, I've no idea what effect the manifold and exhaust has on a normal zetec but it can't be that spectactular surely?!

The ST170 does indeed have better suspension and brakes, as well as the Getrag 'box.... Imo if you can afford a decent ST170 (they're now pretty affordable!) it doesn't make sense to start trying to make one out if another model.

 

st170 only has 143lb/ft a std 2.0 has 131lb/ft and if you fit the st170 exhaust system it gains 15lb/ft (proven 14lb/ft gain on my 1.8 and 17lb/ft on my old 2.0)

the st170 in its factory form is a poor engine with extra faults that anit on the normal zetec-e and on the suspension its not better its just 10mm (ish) lower all zetecs have the sports suspension just the st springs are lower thats it, brakes wise yes the front are uprated all round but the rears just have bigger disc's using the same parts and gearbox wise you'd be lucky if the flywheel doesnt take it out which when the clutch goes you need a new flywheel to and it anit cheap iirc its £400 just for the flywheel plus the clutch and labour.

? from what ive seen st170s are useless untill you get them up to 4,5k and not one of them even make 170bhp std there mostly 150 to 160bhp.

 

the power figures are true and 150 to 160 is more the truth, but like any car once a decent exhaust is fitted as most do and maybe a bluefin and good cold air feed its quite east to push them over the 170hp, even in standard form they are far from useless unless you are trying to compare it with a turbo engined FRS

 

or if you compare it to a 2.0 zetec-e with the same power upgrades (cams,head,pistons,ehxuast system,intake system, which just the cams and exhaust system put the 2.0 into st170 power), but as ive said in the past the st170 engine would be great if you remove some of the junk off it (ie vvt,dmf,intake manifold) and you would get more power and less problems...

But back to the point i dont see the st170 justiefing the extra cost when you can buy a zetec model for alot less and it will be much less trouble and less costly when it brakes down (which it will since all mk1s are ten years old) and it does more mpg and cheaper insurance and if you want the st for the little extras it has over the std model there easy found and fitted for little cost.

 

I have to disagree tbh, st170s go very cheap now, when you consider better brakes suspension alloys aswell as the other bits, it would cost a fair bit to put that stuff onto a zetec focus, plus then I believe you would need to state to your insurance about the modifications to the zetec,

That's just my view and opinion, I'd rather just purchase a st170 rather then have the hastle of trying to mould a zetec into a st170, and also 170s are a lot more rare than zetecs

Also (could be wrong here) I thought I read the have 195 nm torque

 

i have to disagree for a good st170 your look at around 3.5k (2k for a high mileage one) where you can pick up a good 2.0 for less than 1k, st is only lower than the zetec thay both have sports suspension. as for the extras it would only cost £600 for everything and insurance wise it doesnt cost much extra due to you only using diffrent ford parts from the same car not using aftermarket.

ill think you'll find theres alot rarer zetec models the zetec esp the zetec one30 the zetec one50 the zetec Tone90 the zetec t-two30 and the zetec t-two30r, only the std zetec is coman...

195nm is 146lb/ft.

 

Personally id go for a tdci sport. I looked at st170's nearly two year ago and found they were expensive on insurance, fuel, tax and not even 170bhp as quoted. I went out and bought a imperial blue tdci sport.
They have the looks of a st170 and with a remap leaves st170's in a cloud of smoke. They are cheap on insurance, tax and get good mpg. Also the torque and turbo factor makes them great fun to drive.
I love mine to bits and as its still a joy to drive.
they can be had for a good price nowadays although imperial blue models are rare as only 500 were made.

 

That's fair enough but surly the zetec t
Two 30 would be more expensive? I've seen st170s go for 1500 quid. Plus still having the hastle of sourcing parts etc,

 

Hi all, and to the thread starter, I hope ur Dad enjoys the car.

I have been fortunate to own a few decent cars. Now money saving(trying to) I'm running a 2.0 Ghia focus which is great for very little money. However I also have a 52 st170 which is a much better car all round apart from only having 3 doors! The standard 2.0 is pretty quick, will return an average of 32mpg and is cheap-ish to insure.

As with the Mondeo ST220 it does suffer with low torque until you get higher up the rev range. (over 4k as widely stated). If this was better then both st170 and st220 would be brilliant.

I had planned to modify the 220 but decided to do the clutch /DMF instead, and no that wasn't by choice lol. I'm in two minds whether to modify the st170 at all other than a K & N panel filter. I was tempted by a decat & bluefin but have heard mixed reviews.

I managed to get my st170 for little money really. They really are a lot of car for their price!