My ST's coming up to 5 years old and it's covered less than 23,500 miles. I think when the restrictions end, working arrangements are probably going to change so I'm only in the office half time, which means it'll be covering less than 5,000 miles each year from now on.

That all means it's probably going to be a long-termer, so I've decided to show it some additional TLC outside of the Ford service plan. There's two areas I'm focusing on - engine bay and rear wheel arches. I'm going to have to post about the latter over on the Things I don't like thread ) but here I can post about today's delivery from Mishimoto .

https://www.mishimoto.co.uk/ford-fiesta-st-baffled-oil-catch-can-2014.html

I'm hoping to get a chance to give the engine bay a good clean next weekend so I'll fit this at the same time .

1 hour ago, TimST2 said:

My ST's coming up to 5 years old and it's covered less than 23,500 miles. I think when the restrictions end, working arrangements are probably going to change so I'm only in the office half time, which means it'll be covering less than 5,000 miles each year from now on.

That all means it's probably going to be a long-termer, so I've decided to show it some additional TLC outside of the Ford service plan. There's two areas I'm focusing on - engine bay and rear wheel arches. I'm going to have to post about the latter over on the Things I don't like thread ) but here I can post about today's delivery from Mishimoto .

https://www.mishimoto.co.uk/ford-fiesta-st-baffled-oil-catch-can-2014.html

I'm hoping to get a chance to give the engine bay a good clean next weekend so I'll fit this at the same time .

I should say, I've not really done many mods to my ST beyond fitting a Mk8 aerial and mats, Pilot Sport 4s and replacing consumables like brakes with original Ford parts. I'm not sure how long to expect the stock exhaust to last, but I'm also thinking of fitting a Mountune cat back exhaust when it does need changing.

https://www.mountunestore.com/products/fiesta-b299st-cat-back-exhaust

I'll probably fit a symposer delete at the same time.

https://www.mountunestore.com/collections/mk7-fiesta-st/products/fiesta-b299st-cat-back-exhaust

You see this is the problem with speccing everything I wanted on the 310R - there's nothing to tinker with on that car! 

Anyone coming to ford fare in June? Might be going there and meeting two friends from who I got my wheels from and going in a convoy there.

47 minutes ago, zain611 said:

... and going in a convoy there.

ten four rubber ducky LOL 🤣

29 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

ten four rubber ducky LOL 🤣

Now THAT was a great film. Not seen it in yrs

2 hours ago, zain611 said:

Anyone coming to ford fare in June? Might be going there and meeting two friends from who I got my wheels from and going in a convoy there.

thats me not gping if its a requirement to have 2 friends. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

2 hours ago, zain611 said:

Anyone coming to ford fare in June? Might be going there and meeting two friends from who I got my wheels from and going in a convoy there.

This is the only convoy I'll be part of this year 😅 some came from across the USA 

 

£143 for car ins for my grandad car ( Mondeo diesel) . Can't remember the last time it was that low for car insurance. ( That's the dementia kicking in probably though) 

That's the joys of being older! No other benefits,  and would rather be 20 again. 

 

I do like discovering the wonder of an electric screwdriver...where have these been all my life!! 😮

On 4/14/2021 at 3:54 PM, TimST2 said:

My ST's coming up to 5 years old and it's covered less than 23,500 miles. I think when the restrictions end, working arrangements are probably going to change so I'm only in the office half time, which means it'll be covering less than 5,000 miles each year from now on.

That all means it's probably going to be a long-termer, so I've decided to show it some additional TLC outside of the Ford service plan. There's two areas I'm focusing on - engine bay and rear wheel arches. I'm going to have to post about the latter over on the Things I don't like thread ) but here I can post about today's delivery from Mishimoto .

https://www.mishimoto.co.uk/ford-fiesta-st-baffled-oil-catch-can-2014.html

I'm hoping to get a chance to give the engine bay a good clean next weekend so I'll fit this at the same time .

Would be interested in hearing a little bit more about the arches (PM if better to keep the thread clear). I have a set of Mountune mud flaps that I bought near the end of September last year that I haven't even got fitted yet so will be getting someone to sort that out in due course and will mean that the arches will be accessible when fitting.

I've also got to sort out getting the Ford Performance alloys fitted as well so will probably be a two for one deal at the time.

That brings me onto a silly question (or at least I am being a little lazy here), while getting the new alloys fitted, when they are balanced, can the weights be hidden on the inside of the alloy or do they have to go along the inside rim? Further to this, I will most likely get the tracking and alignment done while it's up on the ramps. I don't have any noticeable issues but it's been a few years since had it done.

2 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

I do like discovering the wonder of an electric screwdriver...where have these been all my life!! 😮

 

I'm shocked you only just discovered! 😂😂😂😂😂

3 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

I do like discovering the wonder of an electric screwdriver...where have these been all my life!!

I discovered the electric screwdriver around about 1991. I became so addicted and entranced by it that I carried it with me almost everywhere, regardless of any likely need, hoping to find some screws that needed doing up or undoing!

It could even be used as a drill, to make holes to fit screws into. It took me many years to come to terms with this craving, it still re-occurs from time to time even now! And I still have the original tool, after several replacement batteries and lots of bits. I use it as often as I can.

On 4/16/2021 at 8:39 PM, Zico said:

Would be interested in hearing a little bit more about the arches (PM if better to keep the thread clear). I have a set of Mountune mud flaps that I bought near the end of September last year that I haven't even got fitted yet so will be getting someone to sort that out in due course and will mean that the arches will be accessible when fitting.

I've also got to sort out getting the Ford Performance alloys fitted as well so will probably be a two for one deal at the time.

That brings me onto a silly question (or at least I am being a little lazy here), while getting the new alloys fitted, when they are balanced, can the weights be hidden on the inside of the alloy or do they have to go along the inside rim? Further to this, I will most likely get the tracking and alignment done while it's up on the ramps. I don't have any noticeable issues but it's been a few years since had it done.

Here are some photos of the area where rust starts. You can see it if you look in front of the rear wheel at the rear of the side skirt just below where the padded wheel arch liner ends. In these photos I've removed the wheels and pulled back the liner so you can clearly see it doesn't extend beyond the area where stones impact the bare metal.

I've given the area a coat of ACF-50 for now and refitted everything but I'm planning on rubbing the area down with wire wool in a couple of weeks and then painting it with satin black Hammerite. I'm lucky that I have a black car so can get away with that.

While I had the wheels off I gave the arches a really good clean. The rears need a lot of pressure washing to get all the dirt out of the padded wheel arch liners. I also gave the inside of my wheels a good clean. My wheel weights are adhesive and right at the inboard end of the wheel barrel next to the inner rim. I think that's about as far out of the way as you could put them. I don't think you could put them on the inner rim pointing inboard as it's very narrow and they wouldn't be being pushed onto the wheel while it was rotating. And you don't want to go back to those nasty clip-on weights that damage the wheels...

stressfull start to my day in my new toy

and no, i didnt generate the air bubbles!!!! 

9 hours ago, Tdci-Peter said:

I discovered the electric screwdriver around about 1991. I became so addicted and entranced by it that I carried it with me almost everywhere, regardless of any likely need, hoping to find some screws that needed doing up or undoing!

It could even be used as a drill, to make holes to fit screws into. It took me many years to come to terms with this craving, it still re-occurs from time to time even now! And I still have the original tool, after several replacement batteries and lots of bits. I use it as often as I can.

Blimey, so they have been around for my entire life!  No idea how they've passed me by until now... 😮  

On 4/17/2021 at 7:08 AM, TimST2 said:

Here are some photos of the area where rust starts. You can see it if you look in front of the rear wheel at the rear of the side skirt just below where the padded wheel arch liner ends. In these photos I've removed the wheels and pulled back the liner so you can clearly see it doesn't extend beyond the area where stones impact the bare metal.

I've given the area a coat of ACF-50 for now and refitted everything but I'm planning on rubbing the area down with wire wool in a couple of weeks and then painting it with satin black Hammerite. I'm lucky that I have a black car so can get away with that.

While I had the wheels off I gave the arches a really good clean. The rears need a lot of pressure washing to get all the dirt out of the padded wheel arch liners. I also gave the inside of my wheels a good clean. My wheel weights are adhesive and right at the inboard end of the wheel barrel next to the inner rim. I think that's about as far out of the way as you could put them. I don't think you could put them on the inner rim pointing inboard as it's very narrow and they wouldn't be being pushed onto the wheel while it was rotating. And you don't want to go back to those nasty clip-on weights that damage the wheels...

Do try and sort that out as soon as possible. On my fiesta the rust started from there and is now coming to the bottom front of the arch

@iantt you need to get yourself one of these cars so you can do this in it 😂👌

 

On 4/18/2021 at 7:41 PM, zain611 said:

That'll be me this weekend, although I won't be washing cars...

Mrs. TimST2 has offered to take the kids out so I can have some time for car tinkering

I've got a Caterham LED headlight conversion to install on the 310R, and a Mishimoto oil catch can to install on the ST 

3 minutes ago, TimST2 said:

That'll be me this weekend, although I won't be washing cars...

Mrs. TimST2 has offered to take the kids out so I can have some time for car tinkering

I've got a Caterham LED headlight conversion to install on the 310R and a Mishimoto oil catch can to install on the ST 

Put some pictures up when you do that on the caterham 👌. I might clean my car on Sunday 😁.

20 hours ago, zain611 said:

Put some pictures up when you do that on the caterham 👌. I might clean my car on Sunday 😁.

My plan is to do the ST this afternoon and the 310R tomorrow morning.

The Caterham headlight conversion will be from this:

to this:

And the catch can for the ST looks like this:

 

Do you use the Caterham in the dark/poor weather at all?  The LED lights definitely look better, just not sure they'd ever be used!

15 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Do you use the Caterham in the dark/poor weather at all?  The LED lights definitely look better, just not sure they'd ever be used!

Not much, but returning from monthly pub meets or overnight stays for track days can require driving in the dark. Also DRLs are a good safety feature that will be used all the time.

Catch can installed (bottom left next to the headlight) and engine bay cleaned 

On 4/23/2021 at 12:59 PM, zain611 said:

Put some pictures up when you do that on the caterham 👌.

Nosecone off to make access to the headlight bolts easier...