Better performance for mk7 zetec fiesta

[Jordzy]

Good evening all!

I recently purchased a 1.4 2011 Zetec Fiesta and I am wondering if there is any way to improve its performance without remapping it?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

[Luke4efc]

1 hour ago, Jordzy said:

I am wondering if there is any way to improve its performance without remapping it?

No, it's a bit like asking "Is there any way I can gain muscle without doing any physical activity?"

[Jordzy]

10 minutes ago, Luke4efc said:

No, it's a bit like asking "Is there any way I can gain muscle without doing any physical activity?"

So what you're saying is that there is absolutely nothing else other than a remap that I could purchase to help increase the performance? What about a cat back exhaust etc? Would that do much or no? I could get a remap, but i'd get 5bhp and 7nm gains. Is it worth the money?

[Luke4efc]

1 minute ago, Jordzy said:

So what you're saying is that there is absolutely nothing else other than a remap that I could purchase to help increase the performance? What about a cat back exhaust etc? Would that do much or no? I could get a remap, but i'd get 5bhp and 7nm gains. Is it worth the money?

You fit those parts to compliment a remap. To use the gym analogy again, you've taken the steroids/protein shake, however sat on the couch watching Netflix instead.

Unfortunately there's not much you can do with your engine without bolting a turbo onto it (serious time and money then, and would probably match the value of the car). Sure you can fit a cat back, but there will be a negligible difference over the stock system, especially without a remap. The only people that will tell you otherwise are those selling it, and those naive enough to have wasted their money thinking it gets performance gains.
I think most people just fit them for the sound tbh, but everyone else just thinks they're a chav lol.

Same goes with fitting cone filters, you can actually lose power due to heat soak if you don't build a heat shield. However, fitted correctly and the map adjusted as such (your map sensor can throw a hissy fit otherwise), can get a few BHP on a more tuneable engine.

5hp is nothing lol. You'd probably gain that by doing a major service and running on V-Power.

[Jordzy]

1 minute ago, Luke4efc said:

You fit those parts to compliment a remap. To use the gym analogy again, you've taken the steroids/protein shake, however sat on the couch watching Netflix instead.

Unfortunately there's not much you can do with your engine without bolting a turbo onto it (serious time and money then, and would probably match the value of the car). Sure you can fit a cat back, but there will be a negligible difference over the stock system, especially without a remap. The only people that will tell you otherwise are those selling it, and those naive enough to have wasted their money thinking it gets performance gains.
I think most people just fit them for the sound tbh, but everyone else just thinks they're a chav lol.

Same goes with fitting cone filters, you can actually lose power due to heat soak if you don't build a heat shield. However, fitted correctly and the map adjusted as such (your map sensor can throw a hissy fit otherwise), can get a few BHP on a more tuneable engine.

5hp is nothing lol. You'd probably gain that by doing a major service and running on V-Power.

Okay thank you, i'll sit on my couch for a little while longer, save my steroids and then eventually actually hit the gym. Cheers boss

[Luke4efc]

Just now, Jordzy said:

Okay thank you, i'll sit on my couch for a little while longer, save my steroids and then eventually actually hit the gym. Cheers boss

I'd maybe consider a "muscle transplant" (basically a faster car to start with) rather than spend money on your current one, as you'll never recoup the cost when you come to sell the car.

[Neb_engineer]

15 minutes ago, Luke4efc said:

You fit those parts to compliment a remap. To use the gym analogy again, you've taken the steroids/protein shake, however sat on the couch watching Netflix instead.

Unfortunately there's not much you can do with your engine without bolting a turbo onto it (serious time and money then, and would probably match the value of the car). Sure you can fit a cat back, but there will be a negligible difference over the stock system, especially without a remap. The only people that will tell you otherwise are those selling it, and those naive enough to have wasted their money thinking it gets performance gains.
I think most people just fit them for the sound tbh, but everyone else just thinks they're a chav lol.

Same goes with fitting cone filters, you can actually lose power due to heat soak if you don't build a heat shield. However, fitted correctly and the map adjusted as such (your map sensor can throw a hissy fit otherwise), can get a few BHP on a more tuneable engine.

5hp is nothing lol. You'd probably gain that by doing a major service and running on V-Power.

to add on to this, changing your exhaust and intake to a less restrictive type will make negligable difference as the computer controlling the car will try to stay very close to the target parameters it was set to whether you have a factory restrictive exhaust or not

[Jordzy]

9 minutes ago, Luke4efc said:

I'd maybe consider a "muscle transplant" (basically a faster car to start with) rather than spend money on your current one, as you'll never recoup the cost when you come to sell the car.

I was thinking just exactly that. I'll save my steroids up (money) then get a muscle transplant with the steroids and do that up instead

[Jordzy]

1 minute ago, Neb_engineer said:

to add on to this, changing your exhaust and intake to a less restrictive type will make negligable difference as the computer controlling the car will try to stay very close to the target parameters it was set to whether you have a factory restrictive exhaust or not

Okay thank you. Much appreciated!

[pompeydave1967]

Hi

have you considered a pedal box for the car ? I’ve had many n/a & turbo cars over the years and to bring them alive I’ve fitted pedal boxes from DTUK. Most were interchangeable within similar manufacturers. Few examples were Corsa 1.4 , Astra 1.4 . Then onto Ford Fiesta 1.0t then fiesta st. 

It wont make the car faster but with better throttle response gives the impression . It does make the car more alive with instant  response so makes what would be rather dull driving good fun especially on the n/a ones.

The fiesta st was fantastic with it , wow could it accelerate better .

look for a 2nd hand one on eBay and you will be onto a winner . Also I found fuel economy better on the eco mode despite a big improvement on throttle response.

any questions just ask .

[Jordzy]

1 hour ago, pompeydave1967 said:

Hi

have you considered a pedal box for the car ? I’ve had many n/a & turbo cars over the years and to bring them alive I’ve fitted pedal boxes from DTUK. Most were interchangeable within similar manufacturers. Few examples were Corsa 1.4 , Astra 1.4 . Then onto Ford Fiesta 1.0t then fiesta st. 

It wont make the car faster but with better throttle response gives the impression . It does make the car more alive with instant  response so makes what would be rather dull driving good fun especially on the n/a ones.

The fiesta st was fantastic with it , wow could it accelerate better .

look for a 2nd hand one on eBay and you will be onto a winner . Also I found fuel economy better on the eco mode despite a big improvement on throttle response.

any questions just ask .

I’ll have a look into it! Thank you

[pompeydave1967]

No probs Jordan just trying to think back when I was in your shoes .

As others have said forget the remap route , in my early days I got a corsa 1.4 remapped and it hardly made any difference , just a slightly smoother drive and a very slightly improvement in performance...lesson learnt.

i came across pedal boxes about 8 years ago , I can thoroughly recommend them . Prob had 8-10 vehicles with them on .

nowadays my Astra has a sport switch which does similar to throttle response but not as many adjustments.

[Eric Bloodaxe]

Never got round to trying a pedal box, but they seemed very popular a few years back, particularly with the VW/Audi/SEAT fraternity. 

If I remember right I was put off as some people seemed to have run into insurance issues with them counting as a performance modification.

Not seen much about them lately, I guess they've been rendered unnecessary on more recent cars by the provision of different driving modes at the touch of a button or screen.

Back when I was a lad, a very popular mod on Minis was the SPQR throttle quadrant, which enabled the SU carburettor to reach full throttle quicker, sharpening the response (such as it was on an 850 with only 34bhp!😀) Similar principle to the pedal box, though.