ST170 Tuning Help

iMaex

New member
Points
26
Location
United Kingdom, Guildford
Car
Ford Focus ST170
I've always had an interest in cars/tuning but I've not come from an engineering background atall, so i've been gathering all the info I can from forums and just getting stuck into the engine myself.

I've got a 2002 reg. Ford Focus ST170 and recently I have began by fitting a K&N Induction Kit to get the ball rolling but got stuck at the first hurdle. Now I'm already wondering how far I need to go with improving stability before power, or whether I should just improve the power to a point and then start with suspension etc.

My main questions are: (Taking into account power, handling and reliability. Also note this is for a daily driver/fun track day car)
1. In what order should I apply upgrades?
2. What are the best manufacturers for each part?

Any help would be amazing!

Thanks :)
 
Thanks :bigsmile:

As I mentioned, I've always had passion for cars and tuning but not had the right background so I'm sure there's a lot of things I can learn from you guys!
 
Hello and welcome to the site mate

its depending on what you want to do 1st. most go for induction exhaust and wheels 1st
the 170 engine is nasp isnt it ? in that case look towards suspension 1st
 
Cheers. I've already got some lightweight wheels and the induction sorted. I take it De-cat will be the best exhaust right? and I read elsewhere that I'll need a 3inch if I plan to fit a turbo but I haven't got a clue if that's correct. :p

I'm going to be spending today out in the sun decluttering under the bonnet taking out any un-neccessary parts restricting airflow to the intake and stuff. So any tips for when I'm out there would be awesome too ;D Thanks
 
Suspension on any St should be more than enough to cope with some engine mods.
As long as your not after stupid power the the standard suspension will be more than up to the job.
If you want to change anything like that i'd go for replacing the bushes with poly one's and sort a front and rear strut brace.
Tyre's are key here as well.
 
thanks for all the replys :bigsmile:

1. I'm looking to spend any amount really as a whole, it's going to be an on-going project anyway that I'm planning out through May.
2. Initially I was thinking my next move was going to be exhaust system and inlet manifold, then move onto suspension and poly bushes. Would this be alright or would suspension definitely be the priority in this situation?


This is really helping btw! So cheers.;)
 
I'd recommend a sports cat instead of a decat, the MOT emissions test will never be a problem then.

A remap should be pretty high up on your list and can release a fairly substantial amount of extra power. Mate this to an uprated diverter|BOV valve, bigger intercooler and you'll be where you want to be with reliable power.

When the brakes need replacing, get them uprated to 4 or 6 pot calipers. Brembo/AP are the big daddys but I've heard good things recently about XYZ but not sure if they offer a big brake conversion for the Focus.
 
Oh and polybushes make a big difference on a car that has had a hard life, on newer cars you're unlikely to notice much with just poly bushes. I also recommend that large bushes are left as rubber on most cars.
 
I'd recommend a sports cat instead of a decat, the MOT emissions test will never be a problem then.

A remap should be pretty high up on your list and can release a fairly substantial amount of extra power. Mate this to an uprated diverter|BOV valve, bigger intercooler and you'll be where you want to be with reliable power.

When the brakes need replacing, get them uprated to 4 or 6 pot calipers. Brembo/AP are the big daddys but I've heard good things recently about XYZ but not sure if they offer a big brake conversion for the Focus.

Absolutely useless on an N/A engine.;)
 
This is all brilliant, I've got an outline of what I want to do in the next few months and as the cash comes in I'll be doing more!. One last big question, i've been told elsewhere that a remap should wait until after any turbo/supercharge installations to maximise potential, is this wrong? That's the last to my planning! :p Thanks again to everyone.:D
 
This is all brilliant, I've got an outline of what I want to do in the next few months and as the cash comes in I'll be doing more!. One last big question, i've been told elsewhere that a remap should wait until after any turbo/supercharge installations to maximise potential, is this wrong? That's the last to my planning! :p Thanks again to everyone.:D

You were told correctly about the remap! get everything done first, then the technicians will make sure that everything works in total harmony together! ;)
 
Suspension on any St should be more than enough to cope with some engine mods.
As long as your not after stupid power the the standard suspension will be more than up to the job.
If you want to change anything like that i'd go for replacing the bushes with poly one's and sort a front and rear strut brace.
Tyre's are key here as well.

It can always be better though. Poly bushes won't make a massive difference on a new(ish) car as the bushes won't be very worn.

The suspension setup all depends on what you want the car to do. For example if you ever plan to track it then you'll need a very good set of coilovers with adjustable top mounts (for camber and castor). However, if this is a daily car that is used for commuting then a stiff setup may be too much for you.
 
Ford's sports suspension is more than stiff enough for a track.
Why change to coilovers and disrupt the original superb setup when Ford's standard sports suspension is 1.stiff enough and 2.setup specifically for the car?
 
Ford's sports suspension is more than stiff enough for a track.
Why change to coilovers and disrupt the original superb setup when Ford's standard sports suspension is 1.stiff enough and 2.setup specifically for the car?

I'm not familiar with up-to-date suspension on Fords but I'm sure it can be made better, just like pretty much any suspension setup (forgetting about supercars).
 
Even supercars can be upgraded and tbh a lot of them need it, the fully independant blade system on Focus' are one of the very best setups of any front wheel drive car
from the first to the last Focus.
 

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