Hi, please help me

W

WindyMillar1995

New member
Points
16
Location
Hull, United Kingdom
Car
Ford Fiesta 2001
My name is Ash and I got my first car a few months back, Its a Ford Fiesta flight 1.3 2001 and I would like to do some modifications but not so much that I look like a complete tool. So far I have bought a new Air cone filter, some xenon main beam headlight bulbs and also tinted my tail lights, is there anything else you reckon would improve the look of my car without spending any major money?

Cheers for any replies guys!
 
Hello Ash, welcome to Torque Cars.

Firstly, your car is an extension of yourself, so don't let others influence you too much. You are the one that has to live with it, so you should be the one who is ultimately happy with it. Now to answer your question, I would say you can get an aftermarket exhaust. I would suggest not going too big, losing back pressure, etc. I am very picky with the sound I like from my cars (really deep, growl that's not overly loud, just deep). Although, its not so much look.

You can also do a tuneup, changing the plug wires (to match or accent your car color and air filter), aftermarket shift knob, aftermarket dash panels, speaker covers (and speakers), new head unit, aftermarket pedals, etc. The list can be very extensive. It's limited by your imagination. I had a 1972 Datsun 240z that I used to deliver pizza with for a short time (I hated doing that to my car), but made an engine cut off (wired the ignition into a switch) so IF someone tried to steal my car and IF they knew how to drive a manual, they would not know how to start the car. It also looked really cool.

You can use the same concept for subwoofers if you are into bass, lights, etc. I'm rather minimalist, but as I said.... the car is an extension of you.
 
Greetings WindyMillar1995 and a Warm Welcome to our TorqueCars Forum my Friend!

Good to have you along with us :)
 
Ewock makes some valid points, but I need to correct one falacy. I agree that you shouldn't go too big on the exhaust, but not because of the reduction in back pressure.

Contrary to popular belief, back pressure is BAD. What you need is exhaust gas speed so that it helps to suck the gasses out of the combustion chamber. By going too big the gasses slow down reducing their combustion chamber evacuating effect. As gas velocity slows pressure increases so a large exhaust can actually increase back pressure!

A reduction in back pressure is good, not bad. However, it it very easy to get the balance between gas speed and pipe diameter wrong, which is why efficient exhaust design is a skilled job.

If anyone is actually interested in learning more, have a look at this page:

http://www.gomog.com/allmorgan/exhaustbackpressure.html
 
Excellent link OG... Helps alot, as I only had a basic understanding of how exhausts effect flow and pressure. Also Welcome to TorqueCars WindyMillar1995!
 
Old-git,

I've owned a '72 Datsun and an '88 Nissan 300ZX Turbo. While I kept the stock exhaust on the Datsun, I modified the exhaust on the 300ZX. From what I've come to understand, albeit i can be COMPLETELY wrong, back pressure is important and plays a role concerning turbo charged cars. More specifically, pressure upstream or pre-turbo.

I have a tendency to mix the two (pressure and velocity) and simply the exhaust characteristics of turbo and N/A cars, so my apologies.

Did a quick search to back my statements. Not sure if I can posts links yet, but... I'll try.

*Removed URL as per our T&C's*
Once you have made 10 posts buddy the system will allow you to post URL links and photos.
 
Old-git is right. I've owned a '72 Datsun 240z and an '88 Nissan 300zx Turbo. Although I kept the Datsun exhaust stock, I did modify the turbo. With turbo cars you want pressure upstream, or pre-turbine. I admit to sometimes mixing up the two. I found a link backing my statement, but... I don't think i can post links yet. Anyways, for a N/A car, you want the velocity with as little back pressure as possible. Too big, and you lose velocity. Too small, and you create too much back pressure. Its about finding a happy medium according to your power output.
 
Say Hi

Hi friends this is johny deep.I am from Dubai.i am 25 year old.
i have Honda Accord car and i am event manager as profession. i am very passionate about cars.so i am here keep in touch those people who loves a car..
 
Greetings johnydeep196 and a Warm Welcome to our TorqueCars Forum my Friend!

Good to have you along with us :)
 
Ewock said:
Old-git,

I've owned a '72 Datsun and an '88 Nissan 300ZX Turbo. While I kept the stock exhaust on the Datsun, I modified the exhaust on the 300ZX. From what I've come to understand, albeit i can be COMPLETELY wrong, back pressure is important and plays a role concerning turbo charged cars. More specifically, pressure upstream or pre-turbo.

I have a tendency to mix the two (pressure and velocity) and simply the exhaust characteristics of turbo and N/A cars, so my apologies.

Did a quick search to back my statements. Not sure if I can posts links yet, but... I'll try.

*Removed URL as per our T&C's*
Once you have made 10 posts buddy the system will allow you to post URL links and photos.
Click to expand...

A turbo increases the intake air pressure, that is its job. The denser the intake charge in the combustion chamber the more fuel can be burnt and more power produced. However, that air has to be removed by the piston pushing it out. Any back pressure in the exhaust system will hinder this process making it less efficient and therfore reducing power.

The air pressures at the intake and exhaust sides of the engine are separate but affect each other.

Increased air pressure at intake = potentially more power. Increased air pressure (back pressure) at exhaust = less power.
 
hi you could go with some splitters, lower the suspension try some new alloys and rubber think off the top of my head 16" will go under fine but 17" will need the arches rolling out. Having done the boy racer stage, i would advise you to go more "sleeper" than make the car look like its fast and in your face but it struggles to leave the line.... That said its all down to costs have a look at the other ford models as most but not all can be interchanged between the ranges. As for the exhaust 2.5" is probably the biggest you will want go to after that you will be wasting your time and fuel ;)
 
old-git said:
A turbo increases the intake air pressure, that is its job. The denser the intake charge in the combustion chamber the more fuel can be burnt and more power produced. However, that air has to be removed by the piston pushing it out. Any back pressure in the exhaust system will hinder this process making it less efficient and therfore reducing power.

The air pressures at the intake and exhaust sides of the engine are separate but affect each other.

Increased air pressure at intake = potentially more power. Increased air pressure (back pressure) at exhaust = less power.
Click to expand...

Yet its the turbine on the header/exhaust side that drives the turbine on the intake side to compress the supply of new air into the motor, correct? Thus, the velocity of the exhaust gasses combined with the smaller diameter headers (that are usually sought after for this purpose) create more pressure, thus "power", to spool the turbines faster (a garden house with a nozzle will spin a yard spin wheel faster than one without due to the pressure and velocity).


Pressure AFTER the turbine isn't wanted and is only a factor of the pressure vs diameter balance.

This is what I've come to understand, granted, you can always have too much pressure (a component blows, choking out the motor, etc).

I could be wrong though, always a possibility.


Answering the original question, a lot of your aesthetic question has been covered. It depends on your taste (sleeper, super sport magazine style, loud, subtle, etc) and your budget. Just have fun, enjoy it. You have to drive it.
 
WindyMillar1995 said:
My name is Ash and I got my first car a few months back, Its a Ford Fiesta flight 1.3 2001 and I would like to do some modifications but not so much that I look like a complete tool. So far I have bought a new Air cone filter, some xenon main beam headlight bulbs and also tinted my tail lights, is there anything else you reckon would improve the look of my car without spending any major money?

Cheers for any replies guys!
Click to expand...

Hiya fella. in my personal opinion I wouldnt do much.... if its not colour coded ... then i would do that to start. get the bumbers sprayed up if the moneys tight get them wrapped. if thats done the only things i would do my self is drop it 30-40mm Get a nice set of alloys, a "not to big" exhaust or it will look silly and with that i would stop there!! There isnt much worse then all there little engine motors looking like some kind of spacecraft.

Engine wise dont go any farther, it really isnt worth it.

Thats my 2 pence worth :D GL mate enjoy
 
I don't know how many people will agree with my advice here but I think that you shouldn't go mad on this car...if you are young and this is your first car then I'm sure the insurance isn't great and there is a good chance that you wont want to stick with this car in the long run.

just enjoy the freedom of having a car and maybe put the money you are considering spending modding this car away in the bank for a while until you are ready to get the car you really want...when you have a few years No claims bonus and had a few years driving experience then a lot more cars will become available.

I know that everybody gets excited about their first car and sure...get a few random CHEAP mods to personalize the car but I would say don't go mad, alloys aren't cheap and don't make a car alone.

If you are planning to keep this car for a long time then by all mead go for it...but at a guess I think after a year or so you will already be planning the next car :p
 
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