My new ST! Oxford White 2015 content

[kevinatfms]

First impressions:

Significant increase in acceleration. Can’t tell if corner grip is increased as the tires are too fresh. Need to scrub them in some to get the funk off the outsides.
More spongy feel and turn in is definitely more vague though. Ride is much more compliant.

The biggest fail of these tires is the noise. They sound like a mud tire equipped Jeep running anywhere above 40mph. They are stupendously loud. I hope this is just its break in period. Will report back after a few thousand miles.

 

[kevinatfms]

Garage improvements before turbo upgrade. My old box setup was really bad. Latches broken, slides coming apart, rust forming and not enough space made me look for a larger box.

Before

After

The SVTP banner was a part of the swag bag. It’s pretty badass and fit the box perfectly.


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[kevinatfms]

UPDATE!

A few things have come to really set this car up for more grip.

Got a smoking deal on a MFactory Helical Limited Slip differential.



In other great news....I will start the turbo swap, LSD swap and install a new clutch starting next weekend!(weekend of Dec 29th)

I will start Friday night by pulling the transmission out to get taken to a local trans shop for the LSD install and to replace the blocker rings(synchros). They will check the gear wear and replace the gearset if needed.

While the transmission is out, we will be replacing the clutch, flywheel and pressure plate with new OEM. We will also be installing the new hybrid turbocharger, downpipe and other bits at the same time.

So the next month will be a busy one and i will post as many photos as i can.

 

[kevinatfms]

Car is on hold until i get my FRPP diff install kit. Dont want to pull the transmission without having the new bearings and stuff for the LSD install.

Turbo is ready to go. Waiting for my downpipe to come back from the cerakote painter. Should be ready this week.

With the Chump Car taking alot of my time it kind of got put on the back burner. It will get it all soon enough though.

 

[kevinatfms]

Well, finally got my FRPP diff kit. So, once the Chump Car is off to the cage builder we will set a date to get the transmission removed from the car and sent off to get the blocker rings replaced, LSD installed and to check the gears.

 

[kevinatfms]

Havent done anything with the car since the chump car is taking all my time. So, i have just been autocrossing the car as i was before. Hope to have time this summer to add the LSD to the car and start looking into swapping the turbo to the C39 i have in the garage. Been procrastinating trying to get the race car finished.

 

[kevinatfms]

Welp, scheduled an appointment to drop the car off the have the LSD installed and a new clutch fitted. Wanted to do it myself but I don’t have the time with everything going on in life.

So on the 22nd it will start.

Some pics from today in the meantime....

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[SID297]

Who are you having do the work?

 

[kevinatfms]

Who are you having do the work?

PTuning in Sterling VA. Had CP-E setup to do the work but they moved to South Carolina without telling anyone.


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[SID297]

PTuning in Sterling VA. Had CP-E setup to do the work but they moved to South Carolina without telling anyone.


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I'm planning on heading over the CP-e in the next few weeks.

 

[kevinatfms]

I'm planning on heading over the CP-e in the next few weeks.

Im a bit sour that they left without announcing it. I had talked to Mitch quite a few times about a clutch replacement and LSD install coming up and they were all set to do it along with tune the C39. I have never used Ptuning before but have heard great things. They will probably tune the C39 when i get it installed.

CP-E still makes some killer parts. I havent had a single issue with the motor mount in quite a few years. Going to procure one for my wife's Edge Sport as the stock mount is starting to get a bit sloppy.

 

[SID297]

Im a bit sour that they left without announcing it. I had talked to Mitch quite a few times about a clutch replacement and LSD install coming up and they were all set to do it along with tune the C39. I have never used Ptuning before but have heard great things. They will probably tune the C39 when i get it installed.

CP-E still makes some killer parts. I havent had a single issue with the motor mount in quite a few years. Going to procure one for my wife's Edge Sport as the stock mount is starting to get a bit sloppy.

Weird, I knew they were in the process of moving for a couple of years.

 

[kevinatfms]

Car gets dropped off Friday. Very excited to get this LSD installed and see a difference on corner exit. No more wheel spin!

 

[CobraBob]

Your ST is really advancing nicely, Kevin. Sounds like you're enjoying as much today as when you first got it.

 

[kevinatfms]

Your ST is really advancing nicely, Kevin. Sounds like you're enjoying as much today as when you first got it.

Yes sir. It has been one of the best cars ive ever owned. Almost 60k miles trouble free. Clutch still feels extremely strong, chassis feels tight and it has loads of power(for a little car).

It hasnt seen daily duty in some time and my plans to replace it at some point with something more powerful just dont seem right. The car has dealt with all the abuse i put it through, parts are somewhat cheap and its quite capable on at an autocross. So from here on out i decided that its going to stay for a while.

New plan is to build it up a bit more with the LSD, new clutch and finally install that C39 turbo i have laying around. Once i get the clutch and LSD installed but before the turbo gets thrown into the mix, i do want to get a few track days under its belt. I think the car might be more capable than my 2005 Mustang GT.

 

[PhoenixM3]

I’m probably going with the X47R. We’ll see.

 

[kevinatfms]

I’m probably going with the X47R. We’ll see.

I have a c39 sitting on my bench at home waiting to go in. Ive been putting it off since the E30 tune is just bonkers and was causing me time at the autocross. The inside wheel would spin no matter what coming off quick transitions so any more power and it would hurt me more. The MFactory diff that is now installed should make a huge difference in getting the power down. Hope to sign up for the auto-x on the 23rd and see how it does with the LSD. Then i might have the motivation to start on the turbo swap.

The one car i saw with an older X37 turbo was quite quick. He did have issues with the turbo seals though after only a few thousand miles. I heard that Puma Speed updated the seals on the hybrids. 260+whp should be immensely fun in a Fiesta ST and no worrying about turbo lag with the hybrid setup.

 

[kevinatfms]

First autocross this past weekend with the LSD installed. The LSD is very noticeable during spirited driving in a very good way. Driving around town its just a regular Fiesta ST but once you start to beat on it you feel the diff working to keep traction at the maximum.

I did have a problem with the Federal tires greasing up though. I overdrove the car for three out of my 6 runs and at the end of the runs i could feel the RS-RR's just plow into the final two corners which killed my times.

Tire pressures were 39f/37r. Rear pressure was perfect. Front pressure felt fine but the tire showed sidewall wear. We thought it was rolling over but as stated before the club hot shoes didnt see a ton of roll over when they observed my runs. I will adjust tire pressure next time to 41psi to start and see if it stops the sidewall wear.

Overall times were consistent, all within a tenth of each other. Me and a buddy who constantly compete against each other(him in a 1991 Miata) are usually within a second of each other....now are more than a second and a half apart. So the Fiesta really got an improvement with the diff.

 

[kevinatfms]

In anticipation of the first track day with this thing(eyeing sometime in July), i went and procured a few items that will more than likely help/be required to get on track.

From past experiences the first thing i better worry about is the brakes. The Fiesta has some nice discs but they arent anything special and if im going to be tracking the car in the middle of July i better start looking into pad compounds and cooling. Right now the car has some Hawk HPS 5.0 front pads and HP rear pads. I think they will last if i run 8/10th for the first track day on the car just to test everything else out. So, ill buy an extra set of rotors and a set of stock pads in case of failure. In regards to this post, i did go and find a set of brake cooling deflectors from Boomba Racing that were reasonably priced. They will deflect air from the control arm area toward the hub and rotor. Ill add some temp strips and see how well they are helping.
Got them in red for some bling bling effect.

And as far as needing a tow hook. Got a recommendation from a friend that Pierce Motorsports has a bolt on solution with a sturdy hook which protrudes out the grille area. Here is the powdercoated mount and large tow hook. Ill be installing this sometime soon.

So ill be installing them in the next couple weeks when i have time. The midget has his first birthday at the end of the month which is then turning into a week vacay at the beach so time is going to be limited. Ill post updates during the installs.

 

[kevinatfms]

Little update on the ST...sometime during the last autocross my TPMS light flashed for a fault in one TPMS sensor. So pulled the 15" wheels and reinstalled the 17" FRPP wheels for now. Will have to break down the 15's and replace the TPMS sensors.

Thats all for today folks!