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Been through a few changes and unfortunately had to give up my old turbo Ka project as I just wasn't getting the time to do it. Was using my Puma as a daily drive - it gave me a few issues and I'd had it for a couple years so have recently sold it (grudgingly - I really loved that car, it was a decent example but was getting on a bit at 112k). I'd managed to save some cash and wanted a replacement of some sort - I wanted something a bit quicker, lower miles and newer, and ended up going for an ST170. I've had a 1.8 Focus before so know roughly how they handle (Had the 30mm Eibach kit on it) and always fancied the 170. It's currently at my dad's Ford place having the cam belt done as it was overdue on age (under the mileage) and it had some small rust on the rear arches, only very small but I figured I may as well have them done as it wasn't expensive and I want it to look mint! Only mods are removed resonator and Powerflow backbox. Without further ado:
It was either that or grey! Hopefully it's coming back home tonight. So far the garage have found that the thermostat was leaking and both rear springs have cracked/broken. Thermo has been replaced and I'm going to look into getting a set of lowering springs, either eibach or h&r.
It was either that or grey! Hopefully it's coming back home tonight. So far the garage have found that the thermostat was leaking and both rear springs have cracked/broken. Thermo has been replaced and I'm going to look into getting a set of lowering springs, either eibach or h&r.
Least it's in the right place to get repaired, I done the same with mine.....dropped it at my brothers work and said sort it out lol
I also went from a puma to a ST17O. I also miss my puma too even though it was a fookin rot box lol.
My ST is a bit tatty but i cant complain cause i paid 600 quid for it.
From what I read, it seemed like I was gonna be underwhelmed with the ST170 after a puma but it feels great - so much more torque at lower revs. They can be had for not a lot of money which I was surprised at, but I fancied getting a nice clean example with the hope that it'll hold some value should I need to sell it - the puma was a Ł500 car which looked like it was worth a lot more but had some scratches and small faults.
Cheers guys - I'm very happy with it. Just fitted a new head unit as it didn't come with one, went for the Sony DSX A400BT:
I shall have to have a look into getting one! I am loving the bluetooth head unit - once added as a trusted device on my phone, it will continue playing whatever I last had on automatically
Couple more little updates, a bit sad but I had to get a proper pen for the holder:
And I picked up a big box of springs H&R 30mm kit from Demon Tweeks. When the car was having the belt and arches done, they checked and both rear springs have cracked/split at the bottom and at Ł80 a pop for genuine springs I opted for these for Ł100. The colour kinda matches the paintwork too!
wont go wrong with H & R as this is the only other spring kit I would fit apart from eibach
Normally I would've gone with the Eibach kit as I know it's good stuff, but these were Ł30 cheaper and I imagine they've comparable to the Eibach stuff in terms of quality.
Engine management light came on the other day, code reader reported the good old P1518 error...
So today was spent getting it off. It proved too much of an annoyance to get the cable off the little rocker near the throttle body so ended up following the Ford/ETIS method and removing the whole inlet manifold. Wasn't too bad overall, just the odd hose and awkward bolt slowing it all down. Took the IMRC box apart and found the spring has broken free of Ford's horrible bodge job. Unfortunately nothing to hand to re-bodge it with so I'll be getting some chem metal and araldite to stick it all back together again. Everything else seems to work fine, filed the copper contact and squirted some lube on the metal gears for good measure anyway.
Well, annoyingly the problem isn't fixed. We got the spring held in place, sealed it all up, cleared the code and started the engine a few times and the EML came back on, same code, P1518. When the car starts you can see it pull the cable but after a short time it lets go and you can hear the clunk in the inlet manifold so it looks like another issue. I'm guessing resistors or PCB or whatever. We don't have the tools here to try and put it right so going to see if we have any contacts who can. I really don't want to spend Ł300 on a new control module but it seems like the easier, quicker option...
The last owner replaced them - I've got the originals and I'll technically have to swap them over for MOT time as with Xenon's/HIDS you need levelling sensing suspension or light washers which I have neither!
Been a little while - managed to fracture my arm recently so work and driving have been out the window...
Not long ago the car started to overheat on a journey home, stopped it and saw the coolant bottle was empty... Dumped in 2 litres of tesco's finest water and it was immediately coming out again. Put another .5 litre in and got it home with no issues. Turned out it was the thermostat, but it was replaced when I first got the car and the cam belt changed at my old man's place. Turns out the tech didn't replace one of the gaskets inside the thermo because he thought it looked alright thankfully a free fix.
It had the H&R kit put on it too, but this was the day I fractured my arm so I haven't been able to drive it yet
Not much has happened with the car lately, but yesterday I took it to Donington for a run around the GP circuit. Massive fun, the car did well, and the circuit is great fun. Some really interesting cars going a lot faster, but also overtaking the odd car too that a Focus has no right keeping up with
Its a good track is donny. Glad you had fun. The wife spun our ford puma when we did a track day lol.
I'm not surprised, it's a quick circuit and Puma's love a bit of lift off oversteer!
Was a great day. I guess the clutch and brakes need looking at, but in normal driving conditions everything is fine, so it might want some slightly hotter pads for track use, and the car ticked over to 70k on the way home so I assume it's the original clutch and is due a replacement anyway!
I'm half tempted to get the single mass flywheel from the states, but I'm not sure if it'll be too abrasive for daily use.
New brake bits arriving today and tomorrow - Decided to get some OE spec Ferodo discs for the front with yellowstuff pads and a set of OE spec Brembo's for the rear, so hopefully one weekend soon I'll brave it and get them swapped over.
I've still been half looking at flywheels - I've spoken with TTV but they only do clutches for <2003 and mine's a 2004 with the 240mm clutch I believe. What kits are available? I'm hoping to be able to keep the standard clutch as I don't think I'll need anything exotic
New brake bits arriving today and tomorrow - Decided to get some OE spec Ferodo discs for the front with yellowstuff pads and a set of OE spec Brembo's for the rear, so hopefully one weekend soon I'll brave it and get them swapped over.
I've still been half looking at flywheels - I've spoken with TTV but they only do clutches for <2003 and mine's a 2004 with the 240mm clutch I believe. What kits are available? I'm hoping to be able to keep the standard clutch as I don't think I'll need anything exotic
the clutches are interchangable with their appropriate flywheel. So if you buy the ttv flywheel, the smaller clutch which fits it will work in your gearbox..... Just need to make sure you stipulate to the part supplier that you have the smaller clutch (or use the reg off an early car). The slave cylinders are the same iirc
2004 Imp Blue ST170
thankfully a free fix. 
