Ford Focus Mk2 [ST] Estate Sleeper - Build Thread

[CHR15 G]

Sf_Manta said:

I haven't personally, but a friend of mine had some knocked up for an Opel Manta, and the prices were not at all bad considering they were custom at around £70-80 a spring, but this was 6-7 years ago. Maybe worth giving them a call at the end of the day.

Thanks, that's does seem very reasonable! I will talk to them

[CHR15 G]

BenWRXSEi said:

CHR15 G said:

I was possibly thinking a single wheel trim on either side, for the complete 'I don't car about/maintain my car' look.

Generic Halfords ones, held on with cable-ties

Perfect!

[CHR15 G]

rohrl said:

A decent starting point would be to find out how much stiffer the normal estate rear springs are than front springs and go from there. If the rears are 20% stiffer than the fronts then get some springs which are 20% stiffer than the ST front springs.

I'd have thought that the spring makers will be able to give some pretty good advice from their own experience.

That does sound like a sensible place to start, and as you say they should know a bit themselves!

[CHR15 G]

jamiebae said:

Sounds good then, effectively you're re-shelling a Cat-B and repairing with used parts. Given you're not planning to go nuts with wheels, body mods, fancy paint and so on it shouldn't be super expensive, and will be much more usable than an Impreza too. (Usable meaning being able to drive it without every chav and his mate wanting a race)

Exactly.

Haha, that's me, I tried to race an Impreza just this morning (on a private stretch of road...)!

[CHR15 G]

Almost ready to try to start it for the first time, but first a quick summary of what's been changed:

Fuel tank
Fuel lines
Front subframe
Engine
Gearbox
Complete front suspension
Drive shafts
Front brakes
ABS unit
Radiator
Intercooler
Exhaust manifold
Cat
Brake master cylinder
Brake pedal
Front brake pipes
Clutch master cylinder
Clutch pedal
Clutch pipes
Accelerator pedal
Engine bay wiring
Engine bay fuse box
Interior fuse box
Heater pipes
Screen wash reservoir and pipe work
Engine bay heat shield
Dash clocks
Steering rack
A/C pipe work

What's not changed:
Rear subframe
Fuel filler
Rear brakes (they're the same as the ST!)
Rear car wiring harness

What we haven't changed yet but might still:
Dash wiring
Steering column
Ignition barrel
Door locks
Bonnet lock

Original plan was to also change over all of the ST dash wiring, steering column and ignition barrel. But, as we had got to the point of the new engine being in and everything being mechanically connected back together (ie all pipes and electrical connectors physically fitted together), we thought we might as well turn the key and see what happens!



Nothing, is basically the answer! Although the LCD display on the dash lite up and the immobilisor light flashed, nothing at all happened when the key was inserted and turned. We got side lights, rear lights and interior lights to come on though, which shows that there is power and that the rear loom from the estate is compatible with the ST front loom.

Not the result we were hoping for, but we didn't think it was going to work! Next will be to change over all of the ST dash wiring.

[jamiebae]

I guess the immobiliser in the ECU of the ST isn't being disarmed by the key chip from the diesel. I had a similar issue when I tried to start a Transit Connect using the key from a different Transit I also had in my pocket - key turned but nothing happened.

[Fastdruid]

CHR15 G said:

Nothing, is basically the answer! Although the LCD display on the dash lite up and the immobilisor light flashed, nothing at all happened when the key was inserted and turned. We got side lights, rear lights and interior lights to come on though, which shows that there is power and that the rear loom from the estate is compatible with the ST front loom.

Not the result we were hoping for, but we didn't think it was going to work! Next will be to change over all of the ST dash wiring.

Not totally unsurprising as there is an immobiliser which is in the key, if you'd used the emergency key (ie the one without a chip) while holding the ST key up to the ignition it might have started.

Not sure which key you have but rather than swap the entire lot over you might get away with just changing the blade over (I'm presuming here that the ST has a conventional steering lock and not a push button).

[JonoG81]

jeez you certainly aren't hanging around with this project, good luck getting the issue sorted and it fires up first time and runs sweet

[Hudson]

CHR15 G said:

Thanks for the tips on the block mod. I've heard about it but don't know much about it. I'll probably do a precautionary belt change when I'm up and running anyway, so sounds like it will be good to do it then.

So I've already made a bit of progress on the project, but need to catch up with it on here. First up is the donor ST! I've found a written off car with fairly major body damage, but very little mechanical damage which is all concentrated on the LR suspension which I don't need anyway as it's different on the estate. Side airbags have deployed, which again I don't need, but none of the dash ones that I do need!

It's got a Puma Speed induction kit with a K&N cone filter, ProAlloy intercooler, full Milltek exhaust and an RS clutch. The previous owner (who crashed it) has assured me (with no proof) that its 350bhp, so I'll take that as high 200s which I'm still happy with. Anyway, pictures...

It's been on the magic rollers, limit of the standard turbo so far is 345bhp and that's using the latest Collins map, which they insist you have the block mod done for.

Also by full exhaust do you mean downpipe and cat as well?

[CHR15 G]

JonoG81 said:

jeez you certainly aren't hanging around with this project, good luck getting the issue sorted and it fires up first time and runs sweet

I'm afraid it is articfially fast as I've got a bit of catching up to do with pictures and writing, although hopefully that just means that there's less waiting around between updates!

[JonoG81]

CHR15 G said:

JonoG81 said:

jeez you certainly aren't hanging around with this project, good luck getting the issue sorted and it fires up first time and runs sweet

I'm afraid it is articfially fast as I've got a bit of catching up to do with pictures and writing, although hopefully that just means that there's less waiting around between updates!

Ah, fair enough then, I look forward to your next update

[CHR15 G]

JonoG81 said:

CHR15 G said:

JonoG81 said:

jeez you certainly aren't hanging around with this project, good luck getting the issue sorted and it fires up first time and runs sweet

I'm afraid it is articfially fast as I've got a bit of catching up to do with pictures and writing, although hopefully that just means that there's less waiting around between updates!

Ah, fair enough then, I look forward to your next update

It won't be long, there's exciting bits to come!

[wjb]

Top work.

[CHR15 G]

Fastdruid said:

CHR15 G said:

Nothing, is basically the answer! Although the LCD display on the dash lite up and the immobilisor light flashed, nothing at all happened when the key was inserted and turned. We got side lights, rear lights and interior lights to come on though, which shows that there is power and that the rear loom from the estate is compatible with the ST front loom.

Not the result we were hoping for, but we didn't think it was going to work! Next will be to change over all of the ST dash wiring.

Not totally unsurprising as there is an immobiliser which is in the key, if you'd used the emergency key (ie the one without a chip) while holding the ST key up to the ignition it might have started.

Not sure which key you have but rather than swap the entire lot over you might get away with just changing the blade over (I'm presuming here that the ST has a conventional steering lock and not a push button).

Realistically it was never going to work, but it was worth trying as it didn't cost us any time! It's a mismatch of engine ECU, dash and keys from both cars, we did try both keys though.

The Ford PATS system requires both the dash pod (via the ignition barrel) and the engine ECU independently verify the code on chip in the key, ie you need a matching set of ECU, dash pod and key.

[Shadow R1]

CHR15 G said:

Realistically it was never going to work, but it was worth trying as it didn't cost us any time! It's a mismatch of engine ECU, dash and keys from both cars, we did try both keys though.

The Ford PATS system requires both the dash pod (via the ignition barrel) and the engine ECU independently verify the code on chip in the key, ie you need a matching set of ECU, dash pod and key.

I had a new key coded for my focus mk2, during testing it left 2 codes stored one for the ecu and the other for the dash unit, both saying keycode mismatch.
So i think your on the right line with the above.

[CHR15 G]

wjb said:

Top work.

Thank you!

[Atomic GTI]

Good effort, i think this will turn out really nicely

[Biker's Nemesis]

Booked marked this the other day thinking it there would be a couple of updates every month or so...

Great job so far.

[pingu393]

Bookmarked to MyStuff .

I love a good project.

[CHR15 G]

Hudson said:

It's been on the magic rollers, limit of the standard turbo so far is 345bhp and that's using the latest Collins map, which they insist you have the block mod done for.

Also by full exhaust do you mean downpipe and cat as well?

I'd be happy with 300bhp to start with. But it does sound like I need to get the block mod down.

I believe the down pipe and cat are Milltek, but I would need to check.