Sekred's White Weapon build thread # 2

[Sekred]

Sorry for anyone who viewed my first attempt and left comments.

Well I finally decided to start a build thread. It will be a work in progress to get it up to date to start with.
I brought my Australian Fiesta ST back in August or September, can't remember which month.
I had read a few road tests on the internet and was quite impressed. Most road tests usually end with something like, "it is a great car but", there was no "but" with the ST, Ford had built a great little car and got the important things right.





The first Mod if you can call it a modification was fitting a boost gauge. I tried it in the centre console first. This look ok but was hard to focus on while you were driving. I then moved it to the top of the door panel and change the gauge from mechanical to a electronic stepper motor type.





Cold air intake came next using the OEM air filter housing, the images show how it was done.









The Mountune quick shift was next, the MK1 version that ended up requiring modification to stop gear linage interference when 6 gear was selected. The quick shift kit shortens gear lever throw and feels great.



Latter I added a second 50mm hole to the OEM air filter housing. Got the idea from another poster on a different forum who added multiply holes in the same area facing the rear of the headlight



My next project was a oil/catch can separator added to the PCV system, the images show how it was carried out.

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Oil collected after 1500kms

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[MKVIIST]

Resubscribing to this one lol.

 

[Sekred]

Time to start a new post I think.

What came next?, I think it may have been replacement of the turbo compressor hard pipe. See copy and paste below.

I replaced the turbo compressor out-let pipe with a hard pipe made by my friendly local exhaust shop.
I have been thinking of replacing this pipe for a while but decided to wait and see what turned up with the new batch of silicon hoses that were coming. Didn't like any of them and couldn't wait any longer for a hard pipe set-up plus the import cost kills me here in OZ





Next project was a wastegate delay set-up. See below for another copy and paste.

Driving round with a boost gauge fitted showed what I would call lazy response from the turbo system in the way boost pressure builds.
What I noticed was even when the engine rpm was high enough to produce maximum boost, it you nailed the throttle hard the boost pressure was slow to increase .
I decided to try and do something about this slow response. I didn't want to increase the maximum factory pressure, just make it build faster.

The first thing I tried was to add some volume to the wastegate actuator line. This is not a new idea. It simply involves teeing into the actuator line and adding volume causing a delay before the actuator can responded to the boost signal. This proved to be not very effective. The OEM system response very quickly and overrides the delay.

For anyone who does not know how the OEM ECU controls boost pressure it works something like this.
An electrical controlled pneumatic solenoid fits between the boost signal line and the wastegate actuator, the ECU opens and closes the solenoid rapidly to obtain the targeted boost pressure. It is referred to as duty cycle. Not only does it control the targeted pressure it controls to an extend how quickly boost pressure builds by varying the duty cycle. That's a basic explanation.

What I decided to do because I had the parts I needed from years of collecting bits and pieces was to block the boost signal to the actuator using a separate solenoid until a certain boost pressure was reached and then allowing the OEM system to operate as normal.

I fitted a 3 port boost solenoid between the OEM boost control solenoid and the wastegate actuator.( I also decided to keep the extra volume in the wastegate actuator line) This added solenoid was in the normally open position and powered to close and block the boost signal pressure. I then fitted a pneumatic pressure switch which received its boost signal from the intake manifold through a hose fitted with a one-way check valve to prevent any vacuum leaks.

This pneumatic pressure switch was set in the normally close position and powered up when the engines was running. It sent current to the added boost solenoid and held the boost solenoid in the closed position until boost pressure in the intake manifold reached 5psi, at that pressure the circuit would open and also allow the added boost solenoid to open and allow boost signal pressure to the wastegate actuator. With me so far?.
There is one more trick to the system. Teeing into this pneumatic pressure switch is an adjustable bleed valve that allow me to adjust the pressure at witch the valve opens the circuit. For example, if I bleed off 3psi of pressure then valve opens the circuit at 8psi intend of 5psi.
I bench test the system before installing it and set the bleed valve at 2.5 turns from the fully closed position. This produced around 8psi of intake manifold pressure before the circuit opened and operated as normal.

Road testing show that accelerating slow to moderately produced very little difference to the speed turbo boost pressure increased. It was only when you nailed the throttle hard that there was a definite change. If you nailed the throttle hard in 2nd gear for example, boost pressure would rise quickly to around 20psi before the OEM system regained control and drag it back. 3rd gear around 22psi before it would pull back.

I got my first CEL when making a further adjustment to the bleed valve, another ? of a turn taking it 2.75 turns out from closed was all it took. A quick trip to the Ford dealer showed an over boost logged. Reset and cleared the fault code and adjusted the bleed valve back to 2.5 turns.

I had no further CELs till I fitted the CP-E catted down-pipe I had purchased. Straight away the first time I drove the car and gave it WOT in 3rd and 4TH gear it over boosted and caused a CEL. Adjusting the bleed valve back to 2 ? stop the CEL from reoccurring. These CELs could be reset by switching the ignition off and on. I expect I have do a further adjustment to the bleed valve when I change the exhaust from the cat back.
Eventually when I get a tune I will probably remove the system depending on how fast my boost pressure responds to throttle input.
I would not expect or recommend anyone to carry out the above modification, its not economical for a start, the 3 port boost solenoid I used retails for about $150 AUD alone. Its also really not as effective as I would like thanks to the sophistication of the way the OEM system maps boost pressure.

I only use 98 RON and keep my ears open for detonation. Modifications like the above are not without risk, detonation from over boosting can cause serious engine damage. Over speeding the turbocharger can lead to a premature failure.










As I mention above I fitted a CP-E catted down pipe which I purchased from Edge Autosport and imported to Australia.

 

[Etyrnus]

Subbed. I personally like the look of the boost gauge in the center console. Yes it's not in casual view, but it puts something useful in an otherwise useless cubby.

 

[Sekred]

Subbed. I personally like the look of the boost gauge in the center console. Yes it's not in casual view, but it puts something useful in an otherwise useless cubby.

I liked it there too, I was thinking of running a different gauge down there. Maybe a AFR or Temp gauge.

 

[Sekred]

Last Mod for now anyway was finishing the exhaust system. I decided to go 3 inch all the way. The CP-E down pipe runs a 3 inch out let so it didn't much sense to reduce this size. Back to Newcastle muffler service who made my turbo hard pipe and did a nice job at that.
I choose 3 aluminized steel because of cost with mandrel bends. The system included a large resonator and stainless steel straight through rear muffler.
The first time I took the car for a real drive was through my local suburbs and down a express way to the first exit. I got into a bit of a pissing competition with a late model WRX, I was surprised how the Rex struggle to get away from the ST.
Anyway on the return trip and nearly home I noticed I had a CEL, I wasn't happy. This was the 3rd CEL and I was guessing it was Cat related. Rather than go back to my local Ford dealer who must have my name in their little black book by now, I went out and brought a OBDII reader.
Plug it in and sure enough up came low Cat converter efficiency. Cleared the code to get rid of the light and so far it has not returned but I am sure if its happened once it will happen again, its just a matter of driving the car in the same way, plenty of WOT was what I think caused the CEL.
See images and a rather average Youtube sound clip.









[video=youtube_share;XCVQcDr2h7g]http://youtu.be/XCVQcDr2h7g[/video]

 

[Sourskittle]

I'm guess that cobb is not an option for you guys yet?

 

[rodmoe]

COBB has said someplace on the board the 3 door non NA car would be for them like setting up a whole different car.. So no plans as of now to service the 3dr cars with the AP.

I have also gotten the Cat eff code a P0420 if i recall it was weird to cuz it made no diff how I drove whether it was light throttle for MPG or WOT for smiles per gallon or SPM so I just went in the COBB ATR and unchecked that code from throwing a CEL.
Does FINSPORT or others allow you to access them down under ??

 

[Sekred]

I'm guess that cobb is not an option for you guys yet?

No COBB but we have Bluefin, Mtune, Finsport and a few more I think so basically what is available for the Euro cars. I need a tune, the boost restriction in 1st and 2nd gear is pissing me off in particular.

 

[Sekred]

COBB has said someplace on the board the 3 door non NA car would be for them like setting up a whole different car.. So no plans as of now to service the 3dr cars with the AP.

I have also gotten the Cat eff code a P0420 if i recall it was weird to cuz it made no diff how I drove whether it was light throttle for MPG or WOT for smiles per gallon or SPM so I just went in the COBB ATR and unchecked that code from throwing a CEL.
Does FINSPORT or others allow you to access them down under ??

I don't know if you would be able to do that with the Finsport soft ware, hopefully theres a way around CEL problems.

As far as what caused the low Cat efficiency to come up I'm only guessing it was because of lots of WOT. The car had been running with CP-E down pipe and stock exhaust for around a month and I had driven it up and down the same section of expressway a number of times with no CEL occurring .

 

[bigshotdan]

Whoa... so you've done just a little bit since picking up your car! Nice work...

As far as cat issues go, I had to replace the standard cat on my old ST170 because it was near death. Ended up with a Scorpion one and that threw an error I think only twice in the space of six months or so. Torque, with an OBD module, is a great little tool to have...

To clarify for the North American viewers, yes we in Oz can access all the European-based tuning companies because our cars are made to Euro specifications. No Cobb, but we can make use of Mountune, Bluefin, Finsport, Collins... the list goes on.

 

[iso100]

I'm guessing that the cpe cat element isn't as thorough as the stock one and the downstream O2 sensor is picking up on that fact.

 

[XuperXero]

Did you run O2 simulator? That's what I had to do for my previous cars in order to avoid CEL. Sometimes they require 2 simulators for 1 O2 sensor.

 

[gojagz]

Nice... subb'd

 

[ZOM835]

How much did it end up costing you to get a 3" catback made ?

 

[Sekred]

Did you run O2 simulator? That's what I had to do for my previous cars in order to avoid CEL. Sometimes they require 2 simulators for 1 O2 sensor.

No O2 simulator, I'll rather not use one. I'll see how it goes.

 

[Sekred]

How much did it end up costing you to get a 3" catback made ?

$800.00

 

[gojagz]

$800? Oh hell no. I could have a turbo-back for that much.

 

[stuntdoogie]

$800.00

$800 american?

 

[Sekred]

800 Aussie