New daily drive - Mondeo ST TDCi - Page 3 - Saxperience

Andy_K · 24th June 2013, 20:55

Not updated this in a while....

Few little bits changed on the car such as the egr valve which died. Luckily it was covered on warrantee so didn't cost me anything for ford to sort out. Car runs better than ever now, although it is due a service.

There are a couple of other little things that need sorting via the warrantee, so for now I've decided not to modify the car. I'll just keep all the modifications stockpiled do another couple of months until the warranty runs out in September, then stick them all on together

Keep finding bits for it though, picked up 2 genesis profile amps to run the stereo install, and got a set of Forge silicone intercooler pipes and a full 2.5" Mongoose stainless steel exhaust. Also just got a set of 320mm front disks and calipers off a focus ST225 eBay for cheap

Giraffe · 25th June 2013, 09:15

Daft question, but how are your tyres holding up? I keep looking at the ST220 and the only thing putting me off is tyre costs...

Andy_K · 25th June 2013, 10:37

Tyres have been fine so far. The Pirelli's that came on the car were obviously part worn, and can't remember how old they were when I got it, but I probably put 10k miles on them before they needed changing.
Got nankang budgets on now and they are wearing fine. Had 5k on them and not worn much at all. And only cost just over £200 for the set if 4 delivered which wasn't bad at all. Tyre prices aren't much worse than any other car really. The 205 55 16 (iirc) on my pug 307 were similarly priced for premium brands.

As long as the tracking/alignment is ok tyre wear shouldn't be too bad.
They are a lot if car for the money. The petrol versions are getting cheap now as well as everyone is put off by the v6

Giraffe · 25th June 2013, 10:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy_K

Tyres have been fine so far. The Pirelli's that came on the car were obviously part worn, and can't remember how old they were when I got it, but I probably put 10k miles on them before they needed changing.
Got nankang budgets on now and they are wearing fine. Had 5k on them and not worn much at all. And only cost just over £200 for the set if 4 delivered which wasn't bad at all. Tyre prices aren't much worse than any other car really. The 205 55 16 (iirc) on my pug 307 were similarly priced for premium brands.

As long as the tracking/alignment is ok tyre wear shouldn't be too bad.
They are a lot if car for the money. The petrol versions are getting cheap now as well as everyone is put off by the v6

Yep, some hovering around the 2k mark which is why my interested has peaked! But I think the standard tyres, the conti sports or something, are like £130 a pop, and that's pretty expensive. If your tyres are adequate and doing a decent job though, I may be more interested! Think the tyres on my Volvo were £77 a pop and they're doing ok, so I'd be happy enough with up to £80 I reckon. I don't really ever go for premium, just a mid range tyre is fine for me, don't drive hard enough to warrant anything more!

Andy_K · 25th June 2013, 11:06

That was my feeling as well. There is a lot of brand snobbery regarding tyres. I priced up oem tyres (Pirelli p rosso) but was getting quote of £400+ for the set. I've used nankangs before and although they aren't a premium brand, they've always been fine for me. They grip ok and wear well. I don't hoon the car round anyway. It's just a steady motorway workhorse really

Andy_K · 12th April 2014, 18:57

Update on this.

Exhaust, decat and asbo brakes are all fitted. Brakes started with grooved discs and yellow stuff pads, but the discs caused vibrations and I didn't like it so swapped for standard discs which feel much better. Got braided lines on as well.

Then swapped the chrome door handle or all black off a pov spec car and painted the chrome strips below the windows. Painted the light inserts black as well.

The grey st alloys died courtesy of a pot hole so got some zetec s rims refurbished for winter:

Andy_K · 12th April 2014, 19:01

Then these arrived:

Which are now fitted along with new summer wheels. I like how it sits now, the rear may come down a little further but it'll do for now

Brettles1986 · 12th April 2014, 19:38

Looks smart, better in silver though.

Andy_K · 12th April 2014, 20:14

Meh silvers too common round me

I did look at one in silver when I shopping for one, but the sales man was a dick so walke away.

u33db · 15th April 2014, 12:06

Nice.

I've had 5 Mk3s - 2 1.8s, a 2.2 (TitaniumX) and 2 TDCI 130s.

The last TDCI I had had an Airtec, Forge hoses, decat, lowered and tuning box...went well...maybe nearly as well as the boxes 2.2...but the Airtec was a complete ballache to fit and I've never do another.

For my current one i'll be going with the Racebits intercooler (see ST Drivers forum - they make as much power as the Airtec but smaller/easier to fit and only £150ish). Also got ST225 brakes for mine but still need to refurb some 17s before they can go on...

How's you're aux tensioner...mines rumbling like mad and I'm only on 46k!

Struggle to think of any car I'd replace mine with...it does everything well.

Brettles1986 · 15th April 2014, 12:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by u33db

Nice.

I've had 5 Mk3s - 2 1.8s, a 2.2 (TitaniumX) and 2 TDCI 130s.

The last TDCI I had had an Airtec, Forge hoses, decat, lowered and tuning box...went well...maybe nearly as well as the boxes 2.2...but the Airtec was a complete ballache to fit and I've never do another.

For my current one i'll be going with the Racebits intercooler (see ST Drivers forum - they make as much power as the Airtec but smaller/easier to fit and only £150ish). Also got ST225 brakes for mine but still need to refurb some 17s before they can go on...

How's you're aux tensioner...mines rumbling like mad and I'm only on 46k!

Struggle to think of any car I'd replace mine with...it does everything well.

My tensioner needs replacing. Horrible sound on it but I will wait a few weeks.

Andy_K · 15th April 2014, 20:59

Had my tensioner done last year at about 50k. Luckily I got a full ford warranty on the car so did it under that along with the egr valve.

I'd the airtec really that bad? I was going to try and tackle mine at the weekend.

I agree they are good cars. Not quite as quick as people make out but they are a good all rounder.

u33db · 16th April 2014, 08:08

Well you've got to bear in mind I fitted mine to a 03 plate Zetec so didn't have the luxury of the deep ST bumpers therefore had a lot of cutting of the plastics.

From what I've read you won't have that problem BUT the Airtec is a lot wider so if you're fitting it with the Forge hoses you will certainly need to trim one of them by around 10-20mm IIRC (you'll see what I mean). As well as that as the Forge hoses don't bend as easy you may also need to move the metal U bend pipes behind the fog holes outwards by one bolt hole to get clearance.

Its worth the effort though...the Airtec looks awesome and you can run flat out everywhere without the same performance loss the standard IC suffers.

Is you're a Euro 3 or 4?

If its a 3 I'd get the EGR blanked ASAP but regardless get the inlet manifold off an cleaned out...I did my last one at 43k and you wouldn't believe the build up of crap inside that and the EGR...was like a different car when cleaned out!

Chris_O · 16th April 2014, 08:19

Same problem on transits with those fucking egr valves!

Brettles1986 · 16th April 2014, 08:56

My EGR Valve needs doing.

What is the problem if doing it on a Euro 4?

I believe mine is Euro 4 with it being 06 plate. I think 05 onwards is 4

D4MJT · 16th April 2014, 09:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brettles1986

My EGR Valve needs doing.

What is the problem if doing it on a Euro 4?

I believe mine is Euro 4 with it being 06 plate. I think 05 onwards is 4

Is it fucked? Or are you just wanting to blank it off?

Brettles1986 · 16th April 2014, 09:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by D4MJT

Is it fucked? Or are you just wanting to blank it off?

Not fucked, I have this feeling it's never been cleaned and will be full of shit.

Blanking them off is supposed to make them perform better by all accounts.

D4MJT · 16th April 2014, 09:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brettles1986

Not fucked, I have this feeling it's never been cleaned and will be full of shit.

Blanking them off is supposed to make them perform better by all accounts.

gangsta

u33db · 16th April 2014, 11:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brettles1986

My EGR Valve needs doing.

What is the problem if doing it on a Euro 4?

I believe mine is Euro 4 with it being 06 plate. I think 05 onwards is 4

Euro 3 is vacuum operated so you can just blank them with no issues.

Euro 4 are electronically operated so blanking them causes the engine light to come (though doesn't affect anything).

They work better with the EGRs blanked as the exhaust gases can't mix with the oily air from the turbo and cause soot build up. Mine is actually Euro 4 and I've blanked it...the engine light is a pain but as long as you check it occasionally with a reader (e.g. F-Super) to make sure theres nothing genuinely wrong its worth the hassle IMO.

Brettles1986 · 16th April 2014, 12:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by u33db

Euro 3 is vacuum operated so you can just blank them with no issues.

Euro 4 are electronically operated so blanking them causes the engine light to come (though doesn't affect anything).

They work better with the EGRs blanked as the exhaust gases can't mix with the oily air from the turbo and cause soot build up. Mine is actually Euro 4 and I've blanked it...the engine light is a pain but as long as you check it occasionally with a reader (e.g. F-Super) to make sure theres nothing genuinely wrong its worth the hassle IMO.

Won't it fail MOT like that though?