Mondeo ST 155 tdci - advice please?
Discussion
Dave_ST220 said:
Pictures on the car? Big Red off eBay?
I must take some... they've been on long enough 
I've used Bigg Red many times over the years and they've always done a cracking job. I use them direct - not a fan of eBay. Given I bought the Focus calipers second hand, I wanted them reconditioned so I knew they were safe.
Edited by Podie on Wednesday 9th June 09:13
To OP: get a ST TDCI but a remap is essential, engine is hateful left as standard. Not actually much quicker with the remap but FEELS much quicker and that's what matters. Certainly nicer to drive.
Great car overall though, ride, handling, comfort, toys etc. are all spot on.
Regarding brakes- standard items are appaling, loads of squeal, and mine have started juddering intermittently now. This is despite fitting uprated pads and disks a few months ago. How much is the Focus ST brake conversion likely to cost as I think I need to get this done asap???
Great car overall though, ride, handling, comfort, toys etc. are all spot on.
Regarding brakes- standard items are appaling, loads of squeal, and mine have started juddering intermittently now. This is despite fitting uprated pads and disks a few months ago. How much is the Focus ST brake conversion likely to cost as I think I need to get this done asap???
spoonoff said:
How much is the Focus ST brake conversion likely to cost as I think I need to get this done asap???
Braided hoses £60Focus ST callipers £200+ (going for silly money, I paid £50 a pair)
Focus ST discs £100+
Focus ST pads £50+
I also had all 4 callipers (standard rears) remanufactured, which added £300 to the bill.
Podie said:
spoonoff said:
How much is the Focus ST brake conversion likely to cost as I think I need to get this done asap???
Braided hoses £60Focus ST callipers £200+ (going for silly money, I paid £50 a pair)
Focus ST discs £100+
Focus ST pads £50+
I also had all 4 callipers (standard rears) remanufactured, which added £300 to the bill.
This may be 5 years late to this topic, but I've owned several tdci mk3 Mondeos, and here's the benefit of my experience.
DMF: these should last at least 100 k. If you buy a car with high miles (which many will be now) either check it's had one or budget. The clutch should outlast the DMF, but if you do one do both. Make sure you use good parts and someone who knows what they're doing. Replace clutch slave cylinder at the same time.
Engine: strong, camchains last at least 150k. Crank pulleys get rattly but last well, likewise aux belt pulleys (one either side of engine). Turbo hoses can split but are fairly cheap to replace.
Fuel system:2002 cars used separate injector control which can go out of phase and need reprogramming. Later ones also trip into limp mode but can be reset by switching off and on again. Injectors should last at least 150k.
Early fuel pumps have failed but I've never experienced this.
EGR valves get clogged but are an easy fix. Some sensors can fail but have got better over years. Access to software has become easier for non franchise garages too.
Gearbox: strong. Five speed better suited to engine and has better shift than early six speed. Later sixes have better change.
Suspension: rear subframe bushes can let go and become clonky, but generally only A RB bushes and links need regular replacement. Bottom front arms can suffer split swivel boots but dampers last forever. Front springs break occasionally, but are cheap.
Brakes last well, generally harder on rears than fronts, and only handbrake calipers tend to fail, and are not cheap.
Steering:never suffered a problem. Racks need to be replaced with care.
Electrics: very reliable. Only taillight bulbs can be fiddly.
Trim: much tougher than it looks. But carpets are like rice paper. Use good mats.
General: drive them hard to prevent EGR and turbo issues. Oil, fuel and air filters every 10k. These cars prefer to be driven hard, revved, they perform at their best with over 100k on them, and don't go off the boil until over 250k.
Overall: despite the inevitable horror stories, these things pull hard for ages and are a real fun and stealthy steer.
I've used these as cabs in the Isle of Man for some 13 years. My first, I would wager, was probably one of the hardest driven tdci's ever. I used it on and off for some ten years, punctuated by other cars. Whilst some mechanical issues could be an expensive headache, I never found a comparable car in terms of driver satisfaction. Finally sold it to a mate at 244,000, who changed and programed the injectors himself.
While some Skoda and VW products felt better made, none were conclusively cheaper to run. And when your daily (or in my case nightly) commute is the deristricted A18 mountain road (TT course)there is very little in the same class that will take regular thrashing at 3 figure speeds, and put a smile on your face, while still being capable of carrying four passengers and luggage in reasonable comfort.
DMF: these should last at least 100 k. If you buy a car with high miles (which many will be now) either check it's had one or budget. The clutch should outlast the DMF, but if you do one do both. Make sure you use good parts and someone who knows what they're doing. Replace clutch slave cylinder at the same time.
Engine: strong, camchains last at least 150k. Crank pulleys get rattly but last well, likewise aux belt pulleys (one either side of engine). Turbo hoses can split but are fairly cheap to replace.
Fuel system:2002 cars used separate injector control which can go out of phase and need reprogramming. Later ones also trip into limp mode but can be reset by switching off and on again. Injectors should last at least 150k.
Early fuel pumps have failed but I've never experienced this.
EGR valves get clogged but are an easy fix. Some sensors can fail but have got better over years. Access to software has become easier for non franchise garages too.
Gearbox: strong. Five speed better suited to engine and has better shift than early six speed. Later sixes have better change.
Suspension: rear subframe bushes can let go and become clonky, but generally only A RB bushes and links need regular replacement. Bottom front arms can suffer split swivel boots but dampers last forever. Front springs break occasionally, but are cheap.
Brakes last well, generally harder on rears than fronts, and only handbrake calipers tend to fail, and are not cheap.
Steering:never suffered a problem. Racks need to be replaced with care.
Electrics: very reliable. Only taillight bulbs can be fiddly.
Trim: much tougher than it looks. But carpets are like rice paper. Use good mats.
General: drive them hard to prevent EGR and turbo issues. Oil, fuel and air filters every 10k. These cars prefer to be driven hard, revved, they perform at their best with over 100k on them, and don't go off the boil until over 250k.
Overall: despite the inevitable horror stories, these things pull hard for ages and are a real fun and stealthy steer.
I've used these as cabs in the Isle of Man for some 13 years. My first, I would wager, was probably one of the hardest driven tdci's ever. I used it on and off for some ten years, punctuated by other cars. Whilst some mechanical issues could be an expensive headache, I never found a comparable car in terms of driver satisfaction. Finally sold it to a mate at 244,000, who changed and programed the injectors himself.
While some Skoda and VW products felt better made, none were conclusively cheaper to run. And when your daily (or in my case nightly) commute is the deristricted A18 mountain road (TT course)there is very little in the same class that will take regular thrashing at 3 figure speeds, and put a smile on your face, while still being capable of carrying four passengers and luggage in reasonable comfort.
Edited by shipoftheseus on Tuesday 14th April 23:12
As this thread has been revived after a long while I think I'll add a bit more 
With regard to the drooping rear bumper issue, don't waste your money of foam blocks from Ford (over £150 for the pair) but search the net for drooping rear bumper threads.
I won't put up a link as the best 'how to's' are in another site, but this is an easy fix and can be cured forever for about 20p
With regard to the drooping rear bumper issue, don't waste your money of foam blocks from Ford (over £150 for the pair) but search the net for drooping rear bumper threads.
I won't put up a link as the best 'how to's' are in another site, but this is an easy fix and can be cured forever for about 20p
ST1986 said:
I want to upgrade my breaks to focus st
where is the cheapest places to get them from
Ive found facebook groups cheaper than ebay. There are plenty of facebook Mondeo parts and selling groups.where is the cheapest places to get them from
I bought second hand calipers but brand new Ford discs and pads when I did the brake conversion.
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