The Ins and Outs of my Focus TDCi (2008)

[Praada]

Sorry if any of you find this thread a little dumb, but being new to Ford having come from Honda ownership over the last 7 years i am struggling with part upgrades for my model of focus.

 

I have a few questions which i hope will be answered rather than ridiculed... I know the information is on this forum somewhere but i'd much rather have all my queries in my own thread rather than piecing the information i need from multiple threads and potentially taking on the wrong info.

1) Is my car a facelift or prefacelift and does this mean that it is either a mk2 or mk2.5?  I think its a facelift but unsure. 

2) Do FL and PFL parts fit one another or must i stick to what my model is?  For example if i have a facelift (which i think i do) can i fit prefacelift front lower bumper on or must i find a facelift part?

3) I am led to believe that the engine in the 2.0 TDCi is the Peugeot 407 HDi engine with a different fuel rail which Ford then named a TDCi?  Can anyone confirm this for me please, Its a cambelt driven engine not a cam chain which i expected to find.

4) Where is the best place to buy external body parts from to upgrade the styling to ST or RS (not to make a replica as such just looking at rear diffuser and front lower bumper)

5) Can anyone recommend a Remap tuner in the Chesterfield/Alfreton/Mansfield or surrounding city areas (Notts/Shef/Derby) that have a proven and tested remap for my engine?

6) Would other owners recommend a bulb upgrade and if so, which route is better, HID or LED?  I did a HID conversion on my 07 Civic Derv but was forever being flashed by other road users due to lack of projectors in my standard headlights, i solved this with flyeyes wrap but was later made to remove that by the Police under a so called constructors act...)

7) What are the wheel stud dimensions for the Focus? I.e 5x114.3 or 5x100 etc?

I think that is all for now but I will add things into this thread as the car evolves.  It's a lovely car already but just want to put my own little touches to it and answers to the above will aid me in doing so :) Pics attached for attention and help with confirmation of FL or PFL.

[Devonboy]

Well this a Mk II note position of indicators.

[Jonanstee]

Someone please correct me if i'm wrong..

 

1. Facelift mk2.5

2.If you want pre facelift parts it can be done but there is a lot to it. E.G. to change the front bumper you would also have to change the front wings, bonnet and lights.

3. couldn't tell you

4.A google search will find you a lot of aftermarket parts. eBay is good for most parts.

5.Not from the area

6. I'd go LED

7. 5x108

[TomsFocus]

1. Early facelift model, 08 plate was when they changed over. 

2. Pretty much every bolt on panel was changed for the facelift model, however the underneath is basically the same.

3. Yes the engine is the DW10 PSA HDi used in many Peugeot, Citroen, Ford and Volvo cars.  

4. eBay is probably best bet for used ST, RS or Zetec S parts, they hold good prices though!

5. DERVTECH are good and up North, I've used their maps before as well.

6. I've got OE projectors with xenons (HIDs) on mine from the factory....honestly they aren't amazing in the dark but do look cool...   Sidelights, I tried LED but they were crap so changed to some Phillips extra white (not as white as xenon but not as yellow as originals), they've been in 2 years now.  Have to be careful using LED on these lights as the bulbs sit close to the lense and can burn it.

 

[Praada]

Brilliant, thanks guys, I read about the LEDs potentially heating but I don't want to be doing the same thing as the civic with the HIDs, they were bright but a nuisance to oncoming traffic!

I will look into the styling options available on eBay then and stick to facelift parts :)

Thanks again, sure more questions will come as i get ideas!

[Praada]

So came across my first problem at the weekend... The bonnet wont open! I ended up having a mate under the car for almost 2 hours unbolting the bonnet latch from underneath.  I am thinking about replacing the white cross part with the extended cross which will remove the tamper proof bit but stop the disconnecting issue.  Has anyone else done this and it worth a shot at £5 before spending a lot more on replacing the lock unit completely?

I also have a split in the intercooler pipe which comes up the front of the engine bay off of a T junction at the bottom where the intercooler pipes are.  I tried to seal it temporarily with Duct tape and a bicycle inner tube, but it didnt hold well at all, resulting in an engine management light and limp mode... I will get a diagnostic code later but pretty sure that the split in the pipe has caused this although it drove back from South coast to derbyshire without going into limp before i took the pipe off to tape it up?

[Praada]

Can anybody point me in the direction of where to get the gel overlay Ford badges from for the front, rear and steering wheel please? Looking for red and black :)  Tried eBay but they are cheap and can't see them staying put in the car for long!

[Jonanstee]

24 minutes ago, Praada said:

Can anybody point me in the direction of where to get the gel overlay Ford badges from for the front, rear and steering wheel please? Looking for red and black :)  Tried eBay but they are cheap and can't see them staying put in the car for long!

From what i heard Ford clamped down on these hard so they can be difficult to come across

[Praada]

Why do Ford make them as well? I guess copyright issues but i can't see why, they shouldn make their badges less prone to chips and fading then shouldnt they haha! Would you say these are of a decent quality at £26?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-FOCUS-RS-ST-MK2-MK3-FORD-GEL-BADGE-OVERLAYS-RED-ON-BLACK-SET-OF-3-/122691666641?hash=item1c90fe42d1:g:KKcAAOSwk~NZv8sY 

[Jonanstee]

18 minutes ago, Praada said:

Why do Ford make them as well? I guess copyright issues but i can't see why, they shouldn make their badges less prone to chips and fading then shouldnt they haha! Would you say these are of a decent quality at £26?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-FOCUS-RS-ST-MK2-MK3-FORD-GEL-BADGE-OVERLAYS-RED-ON-BLACK-SET-OF-3-/122691666641?hash=item1c90fe42d1:g:KKcAAOSwk~NZv8sY 

Yeah its copyright reasons. They look good to me, just depends how much you're willing to spend to change some colours haha.

They do pop up of eBay fairly often just have to keep an eye out.

[TomsFocus]

Ford used to licence DMB graphics to sell the badges but stopped a couple of years ago.  So you now have to buy them on the black market instead... 

Tbf, I've been surprised at the quality of the cheap gel badges, mine have been on 2 years now, taken jetwashes and sat in full suns heat and still look the same as new.  They came from gelbadges.com if that's still about.  I didn't want a wheel badge, just the front and rear exterior, cost £12 iirc.

[Praada]

I've bought these at £26 now sod it haha! Will post a pic up when they arrive and are on the car! I guess its just wipe original badges with alcohol solution then apply once clean and dry.  Also order heko deflectors and the new intercooler pipe and bonnet catch fix arrived ready for fitment today so happy chap today :D

[TomsFocus]

Yeah it's that simple, they probably come with an alcohol wipe.  If it's a cold day it may help to warm the badge slightly first but I didn't bother lol.  Main thing is to make sure its straight first time as they cant really be removed and re-stuck.  Good luck with the bonnet catch, such a poor design on Fords of this era lol!

 

[Praada]

Looks nice that badge mate, will be careful not to set any OCD's going hahaha straight or in the bin will be what happens  I've bought the extended cross section pin rather than a new unit, see if that works first, will remove the tamper part but its alarmed anyway so if anyone broke into the bonnet they would be getting a pellet gun from the bedroom window anyway 

[TomsFocus]

I tried fitting a honeycomb grill last year but it sat just a bit too far forward and kept pulling the bonnet lock apart.  Gave up in the end, refitted the old grill and managed to get the old lock back together.  Didn't have time to wait for a new cross to be posted so kept the short one...it still works currently but I'm nervous every time I go to open it now!  

[Praada]

I bought the cross off eBay for £4.99 and it arrived the day after