Gizza11

A suggestion what you may need to do as with any modern car is to look and see if there is any codes stored in your cpu .You will need a code reader (loads on fleabay) or some one to do it for you (not a cheap option nowadays) this may give to some inkling what may be going on it will hopefully put you in the right direction . With out the stored code (if there are any) you could be cashing your own tail forever guessing and spending soft money on the wrong thing ,as even the smallest thing could stop a modern car from starting . it realy could be anything the codes will help

Have a look and see if there is anything under disability accessory's that might fit and do the job

The Mcgard nuts you have are for aftermarket wheels and not OEM Ford aftermarket wheel seats are indeed smaller seats than OEM .OEM are 28mm.The best thing to do is do a search for OEM locking wheel nuts on Ebay .An easy mistake to make as I nearly bought a full set of new solid nuts( the cap less ones) with the small seats until I dropped on the correct ones for OEM wheels

When replacing these bolts they can be replaced with a hex heads bolt kit that are much easier to get out/off next time (if needed) they are a little shorter and tend not to round off as the Torx ones may do. As tom said the Torx can be a pain to get out and one is a real pain to access. Wire brush and a good long soak them for a bit may help had in the end to get a garage to get mine off in the end they just rounded off

Get some bigger washers on the screws that hold up the heatshield and replace the old ones with these that will re hold the heatshield up.A common problem with the heat shield on any part of the car as it gets older if yours is a 2003 I'm surprised it has still survived and still there and not dropped off long ago. Probably find if you look other parts of the exhaust heatshield is hanging a bit somewhere else too (maybe not).As you said if it annoys you a lot just take it off it won't hurt the car in any way at all as in real terms its not a major part and will still pass the MOT no problem with out.

With out being rude you just go to get underneath and have a good look, and as Tom says it could be a couple of things with out looking difficult to make a useful sensible suggestion. If you think you can't manage it your self perhaps some one you know may be able to have a look for you.

worst case possible oil pump, oil filter blocked old oil needs change, oil leaks, crankcase ventilation blocked or restricted, potentially any of theses.This needs to be rectified before possible engine damage. Or something as simple as the oil pressure switch faulty that is not so bad and easily fixed perhaps try this one first.

Even though I don't have this model I would defo have a load test on the battery as it is around 6 years old and as with all modern cars used heavily. A simple test at a garage, if the battery turns out to be o.k then that's one thing eliminated. Even a small battery drop could cause many strange symptoms (certainly does with my Mk2 ST)The fact that the radio and dash lights up is a red herring I'm afraid and doesn't mean that the battery's 100% o.k and up to the job.

Have you tried Burton engineering easy to find, have many escort crossflow and pinto parts hope this helps http://www.burtonpower.com/

Take the cats to one side and have a word in thair ear. Good luck with this one

I don't have a fiesta but the principal is the same on my focus. If you have moded car ie a remap of some sort the Lamda sensor post CAT could be/probably is mapped out ie its been switched off to stop the EML light showing on your dash (as is mine).Mine is left in place ( I have a sports CAT)but is not recognised by the ECU at all and is part and parcel of the remap. Who ever had your car before you if mapped may have taken the lamda out and fitted a bung plug instead if that is the case that is how it supposed to be as the sensor is no longer used by the ecu and is normal for some remaps.The cable should/will be some where underneath probably tucked up in the wire loom as if you wanted to put it back to a OEM map then you will need the Lamda and decat replaced for this is that it may have a Decat (a pipe that looks like a cat )but is a straight through pipe fitted in that case is the reason it won't pass the emission test.If this is the case then you could fit a sports CAT that will put you emissions right .Other wise you need to get a friendly MOTer that will look the other way when testing.Putting the Lamda back in with a DEcat will not make any difference with emissions but will effect performance .If you have no dash eml light on all the time it is more than likely to be mapped out.Some people fit a CAT for MOT then take it off again when passed and refit the DEcat.Its all to do with performance of the engine.This is of course if the Fiesta actually has apost Lamda in the first place.If all the above is correct you don't have a problem with the car until MOT time.Or if VORSA do a roadside test and that is very unlikely

With respect you can make most things fit with converter sleeves, but if this was me I would like to see the whole thing the same bore from fount to back>For example on my focus St its 3" all the way through downpipe to back box with a 200 cell sports cat. It could lead to problems in running if you do other mods later but may be not. A miss match some ware just may upset the max power you could achieve. Think of it this way some idiots just change the back box to a big bore they get lots off loud noise but the miss match actually reduces any real power they already had just for that loud sound

I don't know if it would fit, but mind the speed humps they eat front splitters and that's why I don't have one form experience.

Not sure if you need to remove starter motor but the other stuff is about right. You might as well change the tensioners etc. at the same time. Its not difficult with the right tools and equipment but if you are really unsure in my opinion get a local garage or mate who knows how to do it, as if you get it wrong it can be a problem.

By shear luck a friend of mine works for a famous windscreen company so I get it done for free every time(chip) and a discount on the screen if I buy the whole thing myself and free fitting.