well, tonight i got my new motor.... it's nothing hugely exciting but already, i can see it's actually a damn good car.

late 2000/early 2001 Ford Mondeo tddi zetec, (not as highly regarded as the tdci even though it is the same engine bar the injection system, the tddi isn't quite as refined or tuneable but is 20x more reliable and still has oodles of torque)

covers all the bases i wanted, comfy, refined, spacious, economical, handles nicely and has a boot so big i could park the cinq in it

this one seems to be a damn good car tbh, better than i expected, faults i have though..... drivers window is jammed shut, handbrake is very sticky (common mk3 issue of sticky rear calipers i think), airbag light flickers on and off occasionally, 1 bulb on the speedo panel is out.....thats it drives perfectly otherwise

of course, a new car means new modding potential, so here we go with a mini project....because i know i cant leave anything alone long :laugh: so plans are to lower slightly (30mm is planned), fit the facelifted rear lights, hid headlight conversion, smoked side repeaters, wheel colour change, windows tinted out, tuning box or remap, bigger intercooler, turbo actuattor mod allowing the turbo to kick in sooner

i'll get pics tomorrow, but if you can invisage a silver mk3 mondeo for now.....you've got it :laugh:

Was looking at the impractical ST220 versions of these and marvelling in how relatively cheap they are. To buy I mean, not necessarily to run :laugh: Quite like the subtle nature of them and dynamic reputation they've got. Have heard of the tdci injector issues in the past, though a mate who's got a Focus with the same engine's never had an issue with them but as you say, the tddi should prove more solid.

I think subtlety's the key really in terms of mods, so the plans you've got sound pretty spot on. I'd just raid bits of the ST version if it were coming to visual mods though

muppet42 said:

Was looking at the impractical ST220 versions of these and marvelling in how relatively cheap they are. To buy I mean, not necessarily to run :laugh: Quite like the subtle nature of them and dynamic reputation they've got. Have heard of the tdci injector issues in the past, though a mate who's got a Focus with the same engine's never had an issue with them but as you say, the tddi should prove more solid.

I think subtlety's the key really in terms of mods, so the plans you've got sound pretty spot on. I'd just raid bits of the ST version if it were coming to visual mods though

Click to expand...

yeah, and theres plenty clutch/dual mass flywheel issues for the tdci aswell, at least the tddi is a bit more proven still perfectly tuneable aswell, the 115bhp ones can be remapped and with a few other mods, get up to to around 175bhp and enough torque to pull a small house down

forgot to add decat to my mod list all in i'll be happy with 150bhp though given the torque on offer on these things

first car i've ver had that has turbo whistle i like that alot

is there a point removing the dpf as a simple remap will take you to the required bhp... without removing the dpf/cat ect. might be the cheapest option...

Clock34 said:

is there a point removing the dpf as a simple remap will take you to the required bhp... without removing the dpf/cat ect. might be the cheapest option...

Click to expand...

yeah....simply because it might take me over my target bhp, more is more and all that :laugh:

remapping is best done with the other mods done first, been reading up on these engines alot recently and they apparently react very, very well to decatting, if i can get a pipe cheap or one made up cheap, then tbh theres no harm in it

heard a few with straight through exhausts on the ford forums too, i'll be leaving the rest of the exhaust close to standard tbh, or at least leave some silencers in there, i cant make up my mind if they sound good or gash, it depends on how far from the camera is it seems :laugh:

heres one from total ford with a straight through, way to loud though IMO although makes a decent note when its further away :laugh:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSjgKo2MBpE&feature=related

aye fair enough. not a dirty diesel fan myself. however have been on the lookout for a mjet stilo lol. so we never know

Clock34 said:

aye fair enough. not a dirty diesel fan myself. however have been on the lookout for a mjet stilo lol. so we never know

Click to expand...

same, i never thought id own a diesel :laugh: they just make too much sense these days though and now that the tuning market for them is catching up to petrol cars big style, theres very few disadvantadges...apart from the diesel clatter

clatter and smoke... two BIG down sides imo... just like a nice sounding/looking car and that de-ticks both box;s lol. but there is no denying these days there quicker than most petrols and cheaper to do!

Clock34 said:

clatter and smoke... two BIG down sides imo... just like a nice sounding/looking car and that de-ticks both box;s lol. but there is no denying these days there quicker than most petrols and cheaper to do!

Click to expand...

tbh, if you'd seen how much my cinq smoked, more or less any diesel would appear smoke free :laugh:

the clatter isn't too bad these days, have to say im pretty impressed with the refinement on the mondeo, compared to the diesels when i was growing up it's night and day. id go as far as saying they are more or less as refined as most mid to late 90's petrol cars...and this is the less refined tddi :laugh: the loudest thing in it is the turbo whistle, that's no bad thing

all in, even with the dowsides, they are a good package, too much to ignore in modern times would still love a nice v6 though :laugh:

lol yeh. i suppose. but at 10p more a liter the mpg has to be better!

Pull the breather pipe off and go for a wee spin.

Sounds like a decent project Mark.
Let me know if you need parts, as local car spares always have mondeos in.

i have issues already lol

off boost it's slower than a slow thing, and im not always even getting bost....

suspected split boost pipe or jammed acctuator

shed lol



probably certainly a boost leak... hense the boost whine...

Clock34 said:

shed lol



probably certainly a boost leak... hense the boost whine...

Click to expand...

lol, tbh i didnt pay much for it anyway, so i expected a few issues

yup, think i'll get a better investigation at some point soon, hopefully i find a tear/split in the pipe if not....i'll be concerned haha

lol yeh. sure it will be a easy spot... that said there pretty cramped iirc

haha just in from having a look my actuator hose had popped off, seemingly pulled off by the induction kit fitted not being secured as it should be

so that connected, im still quite slow off boost but when it kicks in.....jeezo it flys

when it kicks in though, i have epic turbo whistle, so im guessing it was a combination of having a split boost pipe somewhere (location of the noise suggests intercooler to EGR or EGR to inlet pipe) and actuator hose being lose, double trouble, both simple fixes

happy with that tbh

diesels dont give smoke nowadays sorry to say
with the dpf filter in mine it has never given the slightest hint of black smoke

abyss113 said:

diesels dont give smoke nowadays sorry to say
with the dpf filter in mine it has never given the slightest hint of black smoke

Click to expand...

lol ours certainly does, not often but after bin driven like miss daisy then gettin a hoof'in there's plenty reek oot the back

Best trick with Turbo Diesel's, is when the injectors need cleaning....
Great fun if somone's tailgaiting you.... drop down a gear or two & watch the black smoke come out...