Fiesta ST180: The Road to Stage 2
Discussion
Hi All,
I have admired many other threads on here and have decided to start my own which details the modifications I am making to get my ST ready for a custom stage 2 remap in the near future. I decided on a slightly different process to chart my journey, that is, to describe them in the form of a Vlog. I hope they are informative as much of my knowledge has been gained from members on here (e.g. Kaveney, JACKO etc.) and the other ST forums.
As many of you will know, the ST is tremendously engaging, exciting and special car. It really doesn't need much doing to it, apart from a little more power! Stage 2 appears to be the sweet spot in terms of enjoyment and usability. I have fitted all of the essential stage 2 hardware and will be taking it for a custom tune in the next couple of months. Then, I will save up for a LSD as I know that makes the most difference to traction out of corners. I will keep this thread updated with the latest developments.
Details on the essential stage 2 hardware I have installed are in this Vlog:
https://youtu.be/q0gtIRrMbNg?si=fBzzPK8VVtlnJ4Te
Details on fitting good tyres, roll restrictor, quickshifter, transmission oil change, brake maintenance, rear spring isolators are here: https://youtu.be/stXS591iTU0?si=9J5oCKRc25V8doBy
I have admired many other threads on here and have decided to start my own which details the modifications I am making to get my ST ready for a custom stage 2 remap in the near future. I decided on a slightly different process to chart my journey, that is, to describe them in the form of a Vlog. I hope they are informative as much of my knowledge has been gained from members on here (e.g. Kaveney, JACKO etc.) and the other ST forums.
As many of you will know, the ST is tremendously engaging, exciting and special car. It really doesn't need much doing to it, apart from a little more power! Stage 2 appears to be the sweet spot in terms of enjoyment and usability. I have fitted all of the essential stage 2 hardware and will be taking it for a custom tune in the next couple of months. Then, I will save up for a LSD as I know that makes the most difference to traction out of corners. I will keep this thread updated with the latest developments.
Details on the essential stage 2 hardware I have installed are in this Vlog:
https://youtu.be/q0gtIRrMbNg?si=fBzzPK8VVtlnJ4Te
Details on fitting good tyres, roll restrictor, quickshifter, transmission oil change, brake maintenance, rear spring isolators are here: https://youtu.be/stXS591iTU0?si=9J5oCKRc25V8doBy
The Fiesta recently went for an engine health check along with a cambelt/waterpump change using genuine Ford Parts. I managed to also get fitted Hel braided brake lines and get some Motul RBF660 fluid. All work done by H-Sport Performance in Bath. Vlog here: https://youtu.be/gGex1_7AAmU?si=51I5l3fVvlobjq-R
This week I carried out an oil change service using genuine Ford Parts.
Vlog can be found here: https://youtu.be/KbEf_G7vjYY?si=EOUtiuQMtgYT1rU4
Vlog can be found here: https://youtu.be/KbEf_G7vjYY?si=EOUtiuQMtgYT1rU4
Update...car has had a TRS Stage 1+ Custom tune from H-Sport Performance, Bath last week. It absolutely transformed the car!
The video below summarises my experience and includes dyno runs and graph (stock vs. remap).
https://youtu.be/9jfuAKfpXbc?si=nV890jTDdGb89ecS
The future plan is:
- Suspension mods: Eibach Springs, Bilstein dampers, Uprated arms, full geometry with corner weighting etc.
- LSD
The video below summarises my experience and includes dyno runs and graph (stock vs. remap).
https://youtu.be/9jfuAKfpXbc?si=nV890jTDdGb89ecS
The future plan is:
- Suspension mods: Eibach Springs, Bilstein dampers, Uprated arms, full geometry with corner weighting etc.
- LSD
J4CKO said:
I can recommend the whiteline rear ARB as a bang for buck suspension upgrade, combine that with the rear beam bushes and the rear end will feel totally different, in a good way, for under £300.
Good news on the remap, does wake them up a bit !
Thanks JACKO - really appreciate the insight on the rear ARB. I will definitely buy that and get the rear beam bushes done in the next month as I work to transform the handling. Good news on the remap, does wake them up a bit !
Yes the remap makes the car how it should have been from the factory! I know you are running a big power ST180 and that must be really thrilling to drive!
Mines fairly moderate compared to some at just over 300, could have gone for more but it’s a 1200 kilo fwd hatch with a 1600 cc engine and I think it’s about right, a lot will go big power with not much in the way of supporting modifications. They need to be a balanced package to work well, power is very compelling but it needs to be in conjunction with doing other things and sounds like you are doing that.
Took it out yesterday, the brakes are so much nicer, very reassuring, not that the standard ones are bad, just the power, modulation and feel from these is a lot better.
It’s very easy to ruin a car for the road with tuning, anything track specific can do that as race cars are generally hard work, mine is maybe a bit too loud even with the extra silencer I added but overall it’s great to drive and a lot of fun.
It’s nice seeing what each mod does, be interesting to drive a standard one back to back with mine now.
Took it out yesterday, the brakes are so much nicer, very reassuring, not that the standard ones are bad, just the power, modulation and feel from these is a lot better.
It’s very easy to ruin a car for the road with tuning, anything track specific can do that as race cars are generally hard work, mine is maybe a bit too loud even with the extra silencer I added but overall it’s great to drive and a lot of fun.
It’s nice seeing what each mod does, be interesting to drive a standard one back to back with mine now.
J4CKO said:
Mines fairly moderate compared to some at just over 300, could have gone for more but it’s a 1200 kilo fwd hatch with a 1600 cc engine and I think it’s about right, a lot will go big power with not much in the way of supporting modifications. They need to be a balanced package to work well, power is very compelling but it needs to be in conjunction with doing other things and sounds like you are doing that.
Took it out yesterday, the brakes are so much nicer, very reassuring, not that the standard ones are bad, just the power, modulation and feel from these is a lot better.
It’s very easy to ruin a car for the road with tuning, anything track specific can do that as race cars are generally hard work, mine is maybe a bit too loud even with the extra silencer I added but overall it’s great to drive and a lot of fun.
It’s nice seeing what each mod does, be interesting to drive a standard one back to back with mine now.
I couldn't agree more. To keep the essence of the car, it is better to focus on all the different performance aspects (power, suspension, brakes, short-shifter etc.) that make this car so great on A & B roads. Your thread is an excellent example of working to improve the whole package, so I often I use it as a resource along with Kaveney's thread and SparkPlugSteve's YouTube channel.Took it out yesterday, the brakes are so much nicer, very reassuring, not that the standard ones are bad, just the power, modulation and feel from these is a lot better.
It’s very easy to ruin a car for the road with tuning, anything track specific can do that as race cars are generally hard work, mine is maybe a bit too loud even with the extra silencer I added but overall it’s great to drive and a lot of fun.
It’s nice seeing what each mod does, be interesting to drive a standard one back to back with mine now.
The stock brakes are great, but one thing I notice on a hard drive is they are prone to heating up a lot - so I think a BBK might help with better heat dissipation. It's great to hear that you have had a positive experience with your EBC kit, and that is likely what I will end up doing sometime in the future.
martin mrt said:
You’ll enjoy it, I have a Stage 2 ST with lots of other goodies fitted to it and it’s an absolute hoot to drive
fiesta_STage3 said:
Bookmarked. Congrats Amir, enjoy.
Troka said:
Nice car mate. I actually came across a few of your vids when looking to purchase my own, just a couple months ago.
Good luck with the upgrades
Thanks guys - really appreciate your comments and support. I am really just standing on the shoulder of giants of the Fiesta ST world! The guys who have modified there's in the last 10 years have produced some real insight on what should be the modification pathway in terms of bang for buck performance. I am happy to keep following their tyre marks!Good luck with the upgrades
Been out in mine today, the brake are bedded in so now the braking matches the performance, it’s weird as never thought the standard brakes were that bad but the EBC ones are next level, and that’s not justifying spending a load of money of them as if indie. Think they were all that, I would tell you.
J4CKO said:
I can recommend the whiteline rear ARB as a bang for buck suspension upgrade, combine that with the rear beam bushes and the rear end will feel totally different, in a good way, for under £300.
Good news on the remap, does wake them up a bit !
Hi JACKO,Good news on the remap, does wake them up a bit !
Whiteline rear ARB arrived yesterday and before I fit it I wanted to ask if you knew the torque settings for the 4 bolts? There is none mentioned in instructions.
I fitted a Whiteline Rear ARB about a month ago...my thoughts on how it transforms the car can be seen here: https://youtu.be/k-ruSeDIaXk?si=GEbycT3mp6Jv2VfA
Another worthwhile modification was the fitting of a new pro sport metal gear knob. It is slightly bigger than the standard ST knob, and feels really sturdy in the hand. It's only a little heavier so still retains the weightiness of the original knob. As one of the contact points of your body parts with the car, I actually feel it is an incredibly important modification to do.
Old knob:
Old vs new:
Weight difference:
Available from here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284827313553
Another worthwhile modification was the fitting of a new pro sport metal gear knob. It is slightly bigger than the standard ST knob, and feels really sturdy in the hand. It's only a little heavier so still retains the weightiness of the original knob. As one of the contact points of your body parts with the car, I actually feel it is an incredibly important modification to do.
Old knob:
Old vs new:
Weight difference:
Available from here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284827313553
OK new video out today on the recent fitting of the GFB diverter valve. In summary, this is another excellent 'bang for your buck' mod for the ST180.
Video here: https://youtu.be/W7zxWezL0ck?si=QUPnLiRn6dukSzky
Some other recent changes include brand new Ford Spark plugs which I gapped to 0.65mm as per tuner's recommendations for cars running stage 1 and above. The stock gap is closer to 1mm. Car is running really smooth and responsive.
A common problem on this car is the header tank cracking with age. One day I noticed some boiling and hissing noise when switching off the car. When I check, the filler neck had small cracks and was leaking pressure. I ordered a genuine Ford one and replaced along with an updated radiator cap.
Another cheap modification was an accelerator pedal spacer. This raises the accelerator pedal a good amount so as to make heel and toeing very easy. The stock pedals are a little awkward, but this little mod makes downshifts very satisfying!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224055227499
Video here: https://youtu.be/W7zxWezL0ck?si=QUPnLiRn6dukSzky
Some other recent changes include brand new Ford Spark plugs which I gapped to 0.65mm as per tuner's recommendations for cars running stage 1 and above. The stock gap is closer to 1mm. Car is running really smooth and responsive.
A common problem on this car is the header tank cracking with age. One day I noticed some boiling and hissing noise when switching off the car. When I check, the filler neck had small cracks and was leaking pressure. I ordered a genuine Ford one and replaced along with an updated radiator cap.
Another cheap modification was an accelerator pedal spacer. This raises the accelerator pedal a good amount so as to make heel and toeing very easy. The stock pedals are a little awkward, but this little mod makes downshifts very satisfying!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224055227499
Some more updates from the last month.
As the car is now 10 years old and my intention is to keep it for a long time, I decided to underseal the car to prevent any corrosion in the future. The approach I took was to wire brush all the loose flaky rust off of the subframe and rear axle. Next was to pressure wash the underneath of the car. I then let it dry for 24 hours and the applied Jenolite Rust Converter. This is an excellent product that converts all rust into a non-rusting surface which goes black after 3 hours.
Once that was dry it was onto the first coat of Bilt Hamber Dynax UB. This sprays on in a brown color and the first coat provides an initial bond to prime the surface. The second coat was done a week or so later and that provided a second 'thick' skin which should protect from the worst of the winter salt.
A couple of before pics:
I also used Dynax S50 for the chassis rails and any nooks, crannies and crevices. The long lance and 360 degree spin pattern means that S50 can get into all the very difficult areas.
Some after pictures:
It's a time consuming but satisfying job. I have done it very much like an amateur who was wriggling around under the car while it was on jack stands. It was a dirty job cleaning all the rust off, so I wore goggles and a mask. Hopefully, in the future I only need to top up the Dynax UB every 12-18 months or so and that will be much easier to do. Will get some better pics in the future when car is on a garage 4 poster ramp.
As the car is now 10 years old and my intention is to keep it for a long time, I decided to underseal the car to prevent any corrosion in the future. The approach I took was to wire brush all the loose flaky rust off of the subframe and rear axle. Next was to pressure wash the underneath of the car. I then let it dry for 24 hours and the applied Jenolite Rust Converter. This is an excellent product that converts all rust into a non-rusting surface which goes black after 3 hours.
Once that was dry it was onto the first coat of Bilt Hamber Dynax UB. This sprays on in a brown color and the first coat provides an initial bond to prime the surface. The second coat was done a week or so later and that provided a second 'thick' skin which should protect from the worst of the winter salt.
A couple of before pics:
I also used Dynax S50 for the chassis rails and any nooks, crannies and crevices. The long lance and 360 degree spin pattern means that S50 can get into all the very difficult areas.
Some after pictures:
It's a time consuming but satisfying job. I have done it very much like an amateur who was wriggling around under the car while it was on jack stands. It was a dirty job cleaning all the rust off, so I wore goggles and a mask. Hopefully, in the future I only need to top up the Dynax UB every 12-18 months or so and that will be much easier to do. Will get some better pics in the future when car is on a garage 4 poster ramp.
Update 2: At the same time as above undersealing tasks, I also decided the change the rear beam bushes to purple polybush ones. I was getting a creak from the suspension on hard cornering to the right which I thought might be the bushes. There were no other handling anomalies. With the new bushes, the creak still occurs, but it's milder and occurs only at higher cornering loads.
This was one of those jobs that looked easy, but turned out the be a nightmare, taking me longer that it needed too. Getting the axle unbolted from the chassis was easy, but in the absence of a press, drilling out the old bushes took forever. In the end, I gave up and contacted a mobile mechanic. He was a great guy and a fast Ford fan (currently owns a Sierra XR4i), so he came the same day and whacked the old ones out. The new ones push in very easily. Then it's just a case of bolting the axle back to the chassis (the torque for the 3 bolts on each side holding axle to chassis is 125nm).
The polybushes make a HUGE yet subtle difference to the feel of the car. As soon as I pulled out of my drive, I could tell straight away that there is firmness to the rear as you can feel bumps/coarseness of the road through the seat. However, the general NVH isn't any different or noticeable. The handling is now even more precise than before with a lot of the stodginess taken out of the rear. The car turns in even sharper and you can feel what the back is doing more than before. All the changes on the car have been incremental allowing me to feel the difference of each one. I think changing the bushes to the firmer ones have enhanced the effects of Whiteline RARB. The rear feels like it's now sitting on a strong pair of muscular legs!
The next steps are:
1) Budget for some KW variant 1 coilovers and change the drop links to adjustable Superpro (or similar) ones to account for lowered cars
2) Consider getting a full geo-setup with corner weighting to ensure the car is as balanced as possible.
3) Upgrade rear brakes to Focus ST170 items by fitting the carrier and discs from the ST170.
4) Fit a limited slip differential.
5) I want the car to look standard so no cosmetic modifications other than to change the alloy wheels to a different type (e.g. Bola B10's).
I am unsure whether to fit wheel spacers or not. I do not want to mess up the handling or put any undue stress (either direct or indirect) on any component of the car, but I would like the wheels to come out of the arches a little. Any opinions on that will be greatly received.
The car as it is, feels truly sublime through the corners and general driving. It is such a pleasure to drive and If I stopped now I would be happy....but I have that damn bug!
This was one of those jobs that looked easy, but turned out the be a nightmare, taking me longer that it needed too. Getting the axle unbolted from the chassis was easy, but in the absence of a press, drilling out the old bushes took forever. In the end, I gave up and contacted a mobile mechanic. He was a great guy and a fast Ford fan (currently owns a Sierra XR4i), so he came the same day and whacked the old ones out. The new ones push in very easily. Then it's just a case of bolting the axle back to the chassis (the torque for the 3 bolts on each side holding axle to chassis is 125nm).
The polybushes make a HUGE yet subtle difference to the feel of the car. As soon as I pulled out of my drive, I could tell straight away that there is firmness to the rear as you can feel bumps/coarseness of the road through the seat. However, the general NVH isn't any different or noticeable. The handling is now even more precise than before with a lot of the stodginess taken out of the rear. The car turns in even sharper and you can feel what the back is doing more than before. All the changes on the car have been incremental allowing me to feel the difference of each one. I think changing the bushes to the firmer ones have enhanced the effects of Whiteline RARB. The rear feels like it's now sitting on a strong pair of muscular legs!
The next steps are:
1) Budget for some KW variant 1 coilovers and change the drop links to adjustable Superpro (or similar) ones to account for lowered cars
2) Consider getting a full geo-setup with corner weighting to ensure the car is as balanced as possible.
3) Upgrade rear brakes to Focus ST170 items by fitting the carrier and discs from the ST170.
4) Fit a limited slip differential.
5) I want the car to look standard so no cosmetic modifications other than to change the alloy wheels to a different type (e.g. Bola B10's).
I am unsure whether to fit wheel spacers or not. I do not want to mess up the handling or put any undue stress (either direct or indirect) on any component of the car, but I would like the wheels to come out of the arches a little. Any opinions on that will be greatly received.
The car as it is, feels truly sublime through the corners and general driving. It is such a pleasure to drive and If I stopped now I would be happy....but I have that damn bug!
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