Who here owns a Fiesta ST?

Kohaashi · 17 Apr 2012 at 22:05

I was running on Federal tyres which were really dodgey. Changed to Toyo T1Rs and it's like driving a different car; Feels so much more connected with the road.

Rybo89 · 17 Apr 2012 at 22:32

Berger said:
How cack is the clutch cable/pedal design.

Had a clicking noise from the clutch pedal, had a look at it, no clip or anything retaining the plastic cable end. It was moving side to side on the clutch pedal arm, almost coming off. Disaster waiting to happen!

Stuck a couple of tie wraps around it and will try and get an E clip or something for it instead, there should be a hole in the arm to put a clip through to retain it properly imo.

They had a recall on this. Guess your ST missed it.

Sure it was 06/56/07 cars with the problem and recall.

Berger · 18 Apr 2012 at 12:33

Rybo89 said:
They had a recall on this. Guess your ST missed it.

Sure it was 06/56/07 cars with the problem and recall.

Interesting to know, I have a 1.6 Zetec, but this is the best place for advice!

Will be going in the next few months when our new car arrives.

Need to try and translate the VIN to get the paint code, want a touch up pen to go over all the stone chips before trying to sell it, I took a photo of the plate mounted on the passenger side, but this doesn't seem to be it. Otherwise, look under the bonnet or on the V5 normally?

killer_uk · 18 Apr 2012 at 12:50

You should be able to get it from the registration;

http://www.etis.ford.com

Go to 'vehicle' and put in your registration (You may have to open the page in internet explorer as it doesn't seem to display with Firefox) and your VIN number should be displayed. I ordered a touch up pen from FordPartsUK with the VIN number.

Will · 19 Apr 2012 at 18:57

My ST is poorly... last few days the rear brakes have been binding, so I had it taken into a garage today thinking it needed the handbrake cable adjusting. Turns out it will need two new calipers, one is stuck again (having seized before) and the other is a bit sticky...need new pads and discs too as one side was chewed up pretty badly.

Also I am going to have to fit new headlights, one of my black painted ones has cracked somehow

On the plus side, I have an awesome painted rocker cover I'm waiting to fit...

Overlag · 20 Apr 2012 at 03:06

Nice and quiet Tuesday evening drive:

Sorry to hear about your problems Will, can't they be refurbed?? I got a sticky one too

Logsi · 20 Apr 2012 at 10:40

I do miss that sound.

That engine just loves to push.

Rybo89 · 20 Apr 2012 at 10:54

1 of my calipers seized on my ST.

I dismantled it my self with a bit of a heavy hand/hammer/monkey grips/wd40.. Cleaned it up and lubed it up correctly. Worked fine again.

Took about a hour an half of F'in and blinding but saved me about £100.

Will · 20 Apr 2012 at 11:10

If they'd just seized once I'd have no qualms about unsticking them and seeing how it goes...but they stick repeatedly and have been freed up before and then got stuck again. I am told this type of caliper does seize quite a bit! This may explain how rear calipers somehow seem to cost more than the front ones almost everywhere. A refurb would be an option but it'd take time, and like I say, I need the car for work next week...I'm going for exchange calipers.

Still a bit of a wounder though, new set of decent discs and DS2500s doesn't come cheap...the discs that are on it are a bit of a state, as are the pads (only done 5k on them so there'd be plenty of life on them).

To illustrate how badly they were sticking...over the last 180 miles I have somehow averaged 18.5mpg

peter212693 · 20 Apr 2012 at 16:31

I have read a lot of horror stories with the gearbox / diff blowing up even on stardard models! Is this as common as it seems?

Rybo89 · 20 Apr 2012 at 16:47

No.

Never heard of anyone gearbox ruining its self unexpectedly, only threads I have come across what have issues with there gearbox's are people who do track days and openly admit they do traffic light races.

Will · 20 Apr 2012 at 16:53

Gearbox failures are not uncommon, even at standard power levels...

It's not like every car suffers though, I expect many cars have a hard life and unsympathetic launches will hurt the box time after time...!

Overlag · 20 Apr 2012 at 19:11

Rybo89 said:
No.

Never heard of anyone gearbox ruining its self unexpectedly, only threads I have come across what have issues with there gearbox's are people who do track days and openly admit they do traffic light races.

My gearbox only started having issues when it got fiddled with by fitting a diff/clutch etc.

However i have heard of many standard diffs failing due to circlips holding the planet gear in failing, which normally punches a hole through the box casing.

maj · 20 Apr 2012 at 22:02

Rather random but what type of Petrol do people use? Supermarket own brand or Shell V-Power? Tried V-Power for the first time last week and noticed I got slightly more MPG than I did with the supermarket's own stuff although it ain't exactly cheap and you get less miles (in the tank) for your money compared to the the other stuff.

Overlag · 21 Apr 2012 at 00:25

No noticeable running difference really for me. Although tesco99 creates more soot in the exhaust it seems. When I'm due a trackday I always run VPower for A few tanks before and also while on track. If I was just normal driving though I would use Tesco95 as it is just a mondeo engine.

Will · 21 Apr 2012 at 09:02

I use bp ultimate most of the time, doubt it makes the car faster or more economical but I seem to get more pops and bangs out of the exhaust with higher octane fuel, and I am such a child

.

Overlag, you say you think your gearbox is on its way out...what's actually up with it?

Overlag · 21 Apr 2012 at 19:20

Will said:
I use bp ultimate most of the time, doubt it makes the car faster or more economical but I seem to get more pops and bangs out of the exhaust with higher octane fuel, and I am such a child .

Overlag, you say you think your gearbox is on its way out...what's actually up with it?

Loads more pops with VPower/Tesco99/Bp97 love it

. Also running on track cleans the exhaust out making it even noisier for a few weeks lol.

2nd gear synchromesh has gone i think so I sometimes can't get it in 2nd (1st to 2nd it crunches so bad!). It could be the clutch I guess, I really don't rate the helix organic clutch. 1st also clunks badly sometimes. Maybe is dragging.

Replaced a drive shaft and it is a faulty one which was great... Cv clicks on full lock

wheel bearing also still making noises. Just hate the drive train right now lol.

maj · 21 Apr 2012 at 21:31

Have heard good things about Tesco99 but my local Tesco doesn't have it. The BP that used to be just down the road is now a shell.

Another random question, but this time car mats. What does everyone have? Branded, non-branded? The standard cloth sort or something else? The mat for the driver could do with being replaced but may as well buy a new set. At the moment I have unbranded cloth ones but they are a nightmare to keep clean particularly when it comes to dog hairs.

Will · 21 Apr 2012 at 23:07

Overlag said:
2nd gear synchromesh has gone i think so I sometimes can't get it in 2nd (1st to 2nd it crunches so bad!). It could be the clutch I guess, I really don't rate the helix organic clutch. 1st also clunks badly sometimes. Maybe is dragging.

Second gear in mine is a bit **** too, first to second is not much fun especially when the car/box is cold. When it goes in for servicing I'm going to ask them to look at the shift arm, see if it can be adjusted or lubed to make it better. MTX75 is getting more and more appealing, so expensive with a diff as well though. The clutch is pretty agricultural too (mine is the same as yours

so I know your pain).

As for mats...I have genuine Ford ones, black carpet with blue edging.

Logsi · 21 Apr 2012 at 23:12

Even on a stock ST with around 20k mine was a bit stiff when cold. Sometimes would have to play around with the clutch and other gears to get it into first on cold mornings.