Who owns a Mondeo ST220 / ST TDCI?

Rybo89 · 17 Sep 2013 at 13:58

It isn't mine. It is my GF's brother-in-laws car (my mechanic) and i have let him put it on my drive as he has put it on sorn. I also get free Pistonhead ads, so i have put it on for him using my account.

Yeah the interior is very Alfa like and even after 130k it looks new.

Ant has always banged on about how good the MPG is on the motorway. Think he said he got 40MPG when we went to Cleethorpes with the kids. How true this is, i dont know. I averaged 29MPG in the ST.

As long as the belts an water pump has been done (think every 4 years) the engine and car are pretty solid.

If you are interested, just give the number a ring and Ant will give you all the info you need about it.

FirebarUK · 18 Sep 2013 at 01:15

40MPG from an Alfa GTA? Low 30's with pure motorway, but 40 ......

/me stares in complete disbelief.

Rybo89 · 18 Sep 2013 at 08:00

Yeah I questioned it with it being a 3.2V6, but he was certain he got up to it.

Howard · 18 Sep 2013 at 08:16

I am the quintessential hypermiler and even I think that sounds a wee bit far fetched at 70mph

Rybo89 · 18 Sep 2013 at 09:02

Don't shoot the messenger

Vita · 18 Sep 2013 at 16:49

Going to attempt to service the car today. I got 6 litres of Ford Forumla F, and a genuine ford oil filter. No sump plug as they did not have them in stock so I'll be extra careful loosening and tightening the old one back. All in all cost me £56.

I'm just worried about removing the plastic cover underneath the car, it just seems such a headache. Never had no covers to deal with when I had my other cars, it was so much simpler.

Howard · 18 Sep 2013 at 18:06

Well I did my oil and filter and another slightly dodgy rear brake caliper today.

Tried to do the gearbox oil but the hex fitting in the drain plug rounded so I need to get another plug and try to get this one out, hopefully with mole grips!

Vita · 18 Sep 2013 at 19:53

Well, I failed to get the housing for the oil filter off. I don't seem to have a spanner big enough or socket bit large enough. Silly me to not check before hand, and having drained the oil out, I'm stuck.

I'll go out tomorrow and purchase a large enough spanner. Hundreds of spanners I have, non fit. Hmph!

Howard · 18 Sep 2013 at 19:58

The TDCI has a cartridge oil filter with a removable plastic lid bit? I wish mine had that. Instead, the filter is awkwardly placed underneath, right by the exhaust manifold, which gets hot. Very hot.

Vita · 18 Sep 2013 at 20:04

Howard said:
The TDCI has a cartridge oil filter with a removable plastic lid bit? I wish mine had that. Instead, the filter is awkwardly placed underneath, right by the exhaust manifold, which gets hot. Very hot.

Yeah it's the cartridge type. I need a 36mm spanner/socket, closest I have is 32mm. I tried my old trick of using a clamp, but the housing is in such a awkward place I have no leverage and it keeps slipping off.

Oh and the plastic tray? Sorry but who thought of that? I thought I had got it off but there was one secret screw holding it. In result I had to remove the undertray closest to the bumper, but instead I yanked it down, got the drill bit in and took it out that way. Some plank had rounded it off and luckily I had a bit large enough to fit.

Oh, and there seemed to be oil on my gearbox and intercooler pipe. Can't see it leaking from anywhere.

Also, if my car is making a clicking noise while turning left is that the bushes gone or CV joint? It does make more of a clank going over bumps from the left side rather then the right.

Howard · 18 Sep 2013 at 20:09

Mine doesn't have much of a plastic undertray - it only goes about 8-10 inches back from the bumper, and yes I've tried and failed to remove it once or twice! Ford and their bright idea of using crappy small steel philips head screws which just rust into place..

Vita · 18 Sep 2013 at 20:17

Euro4 has the undertray behind the bumper and then another one which covers gearbox, sump, etc..

Honestly, this is why I hate new cars. A job which should have took me 15minutes instead is going to take me into tomorrow.

Rybo89 · 18 Sep 2013 at 20:28

Sound like a women. Get bloody on with it instead of giving us the life story about it

Vita · 18 Sep 2013 at 20:43

Rybo89 said:
Sound like a women. Get bloody on with it instead of giving us the life story about it

Meh, something to talk about, our thread only consists of you and howard.

Vita · 19 Sep 2013 at 13:35

Well all done. Whoever had done the filter last torqued it too hard. Car sounds a lot better now.

Howard · 19 Sep 2013 at 13:44

Does it still sound like a diesel?

Vita · 19 Sep 2013 at 13:48

Howard said:
Does it still sound like a diesel?

Yes it does, but it's less clattery.

My only gripe with this car is that stupid plastic undertray, getting it back on was a headache.

DogsBody · 19 Sep 2013 at 14:01

Suspension felt a bit "rattly" and loose so booked it in with garage on Monday.
All he could find was a knaxckered track rod end which he replaced, all bushes look worn (as they would at 10 years old and 75k miles) but nothing that needs replacing just yet.

Wheel bearing starting to show signs of wear on rear drivers side, but not ready to replace just yet.

Vita · 21 Sep 2013 at 16:05

On idle my car makes a strange rattely sound which goes away once you give it some revs. I'm guessing this could be the dreaded crank pulley? I can't see any play in it on idle (like it used to wobble on my Accord), car runs smooth as well.

In reverse on the morning my idle does jump, is this a pulley or something else on it's way out? In neutral/every other gear it's fine.

FirebarUK · 23 Sep 2013 at 11:33

Well, after 3 weeks of driving I'm thoroughly enjoying this car. I've been doing a fair bit of motorway miles at the moment and so far I'm averaging 27.5MPG and still climing, according to the onboard computer. It's very easy to avoid hooning it about but effortless when you need to do something fast. The seats are super comfortable too. Having driven 4 cylinder diesels for the past 10 years the power delivery and everything about the engine is a really nice change. I'm also very pleased to have found an example which seems in excellent condition considering its 8 years old. No rattles, squeaks or any build or trim other annoyances either.

I do notice that it tram lines a fair bit, particularly on poor roads. Has anyone improved on this behaviour through alignment and geometry check, with perhaps some tweaking?