Tom's Sanitary towel

[Dum-Dum]

Not sure on the yellow fogs, too many colours going on there.

[Toms306]

Not sure on the yellow fogs, too many colours going on there.

Yeah I think you're right, would've been better if the headlights were de-tango'd I think. Will give them a week (assuming the rain hasn't taken it all off) and see if they grow on me or not.

[1616six]

I still don't understand why I like this car so much.

[Toms306]

I still don't understand why I like this car so much.

Bet you like it even more now the flaps are off lol.

[RetroPug]

You've reminded me I need a sea grey touch up kit.

[C2K]

What have you done with the shock nut?

Be hammering an impact socket on there, or welding a nut on.

[Toms306]

You've reminded me I need a sea grey touch up kit.

Do you want this one lol?

What have you done with the shock nut?

Be hammering an impact socket on there, or welding a nut on.

Ruined it... I put a thread about it in the 'other marques' technical section.

[Eeyore]

looks good mate! lots of things to do but nothing that make sit undriveable like the 6!

[Toms306]

Went to Alive & VDubbin' today... Got an entrance pic with my best attempt at a smile so waiting for those to be uploaded lol. Then the ticket guy was really interested in it as he drove an ST... Not sure where to stick A&VD window sticker though...


























Fitted in quite well I think. And I must admit, the yellow fogs are growing on me!

It's pretty horrific to drive with the new wishbone though, tracking is even further out than before, though I have 'booked' in with a mate to have it done at accident repair shop this week...they should be able to sort it given the state of the stuff I've seen going into their place lol.

Also hopefully Bash can get somewhere with the leaky shock tomorrow as I doubt that's helping the handling issue atm.

The noise from the wheel bearing seems to be coming from inside the tyre rather the centre of the wheel so makes me wonder if there's something in the tyre! Will leave that for now anyway as it's not noisy and I can't feel any play in it.

Apart from that, I should be receiving a plain dash facia and standard stereo tomorrow to tidy up the interior, and will hopefully regain some funds by selling the horrible blue dash and the crappy aftermarket stereo.

I have PAS fluid ready to change - common problem on these due to being ragged and having a relatively low amount of fluid in the system means it boils quickly and turns to a black sticky mess. Been told it's easy to drain though, just put the return line in a bottle and crank the engine for a few seconds....seems less messy than Rowells method.

So just waiting on service parts now I think. Have also ordered a tool to allow me to do PCM (that's engine ECU to non-Ford guys lol) updates to hopefully cure the stupid idle issue. Gotta be honest, I don't know how anyone has put up with that for 8 years, it makes slow manourves, crawling traffic, junctions and roundabouts so much more difficult than they should be! Especially when I'm used to a diesel where I can pull away in 3rd and not have to worry about stalling it.

[ConorTRG]

What tool did you order for the PCM updates Tom?

[Toms306]

VCX Nano to work with IDS. Other people seem to have had decent results with them so thought it was worth a shot. Bit of a shame that IDS can't used with the ELM cable like Forscan and ELMConfig.

[ConorTRG]

Let me know how good it works, would be handy to have... Did you order from China?

[Toms306]

Yeah from China...should be here by the end of the year lol...

[Toms306]

It arrived today lol!! Posted on the 8th from Hong Kong!

Hopefully get the chance to set it up this afternoon.

[Dum-Dum]

Not sure where to stick A&VD window sticker though...

In the bin I reckon mate.

[Toms306]

Lol, well that's cleaner than where I was expecting!

On another note, the VCX Nano seems pretty well built - but trying to get the software to work is a nightmare. Just can't get it sorted!

[Toms306]

Turned out to be my fail lol, got it working now.

But unfortunately....I'm already on the latest software.



However I did do a GEM update...no idea what fault that was supposed to cure but anyway it has the newest version now lol.



A 'global' test didn't show any faults at all, but a PCM interrogation found this, and I had been wondering if the clutch switch was at fault. Can't seem to find a parameter check for the clutch switch but has anyone else had one fail on something modern? I had one (possibly more than one) fail on HDi's and didn't really notice tbf!

---

When you take your Ford to a VW show and get an entrance picture...

http://www.bluepigphoto.co.uk/p384083320...#h7089d441

[Toms306]

Have tested the clutch switch on Forscan, brings up the same fault code but actually works fine on live tests. Running out of ideas tbh!

I think it's just a crap ECU though, there are loads of posts online about the issue but not one is ever resolved. I understand it's a 'sporty' car so won't be as smooth and refined as the Focus. And I also get that being a modern petrol the idle wont be great as the ECU is more fussed about low emissions than anything else. But I don't know how people put up with the worry of stalling at junctions, I just floor it with a bit of tyre screech at dodgy junctions atm but that's not ideal lol.

How hard it is to write 'clutch down - 900rpm idle' into a map, rather than bouncing around trying to stall itself all the time!

[Dum-Dum]

Have tested the clutch switch on Forskin

Interesting method for testing a switch.

[Toms306]

Just had proper 4 wheel alignment done...through a mate lol, couldn't have afforded it otherwise tbh.

Surprising how much better it drives when the wheels are pointing the same way. Steering wheel is dead straight now and there's no wheel wobble up to...err...70 of course. Seriously though, this is the first time I've actually been pleased with wheel alignment, definitely worth paying extra for it done properly rather than through one of the chains imo!!

Downside was we found the camber on the nearside was well out, a small amount extra is expected with the lowering but this was one degree more on the NS than OS. Had a poke around but can't see anything obviously bent, though something must be...and it's the same side where the BJ was knackered and the wheel bearing sounds rough...all linked I guess! However, it actually doesn't notice when driving, what would a small amount of extra camber actually cause other than a bit of extra tyre edgewear over a long period? Will it affect handling noticeably on a road car?

[Paul_13]

Might be same design as the corsa c where 2 bolts hold thehub onto the strut, if it's been lowered chances are its been messed with and not set again

[Toms306]

Good idea but these don't use that system, it's a Vauxhall thing, there's no front camber adjustment on the Fez so something has to be bent.

Thinking about it though, if it was due to hitting a kerb it would push the bottom of the wheel inwards, this is the other way round.

[vincent1]

was the new wishbone genuine? could be slightly longer throwing the camber out?

[Toms306]

Wasn't genuine no, but Delphi, the same as the one it replaced (same part number and compared before fitting) and the same as the other side so both sides should be the same even if that's slightly different from standard.

[vincent1]

that should be ok then dosnt leave much else to check only the shock i guess it could be bent but you would see it i guess if theres no sign of accident damage.

[Paul_13]

Knackered top mount?

[Piggy]

My mk6 had a bent strut from a wheel impact

[Toms306]

My mk6 had a bent strut from a wheel impact

Which way though? Surely it would bend the bottom in, rather than out?

As you all say though, very little it can be, either bent strut or bent hub really? Not sure top mount can cause that sort of issue?

[Seb_Ryan]

Zafira in work the other week hit a pothole and bent strut, and inner rack arm lol, cambered on that, top was a good half inch in, was easy to see by eye lol

Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk

[Toms306]

This isn't easily seen by eye tbf, I thought it was...but it turns out both sides have loads of camber as standard, I just never noticed before as the wheels were never straight when parked lol.

The tech and I couldn't see anything obviously bent at all which is odd for what seems a fairly large amount of camber.

I will confess I hit a speedbump extremely hard the first drive in it... I take this bump at about 25 in the Focus and barely feel it (just hear the tools jump in the boot), took it at 20 in the ST and honestly thought I'd popped the tyre, take it at 10mph now! The noise and feeling was horrific lol, I'm wondering if the wheel was already toeing out with the crap tracking, if that impact may have bent the strut outwards as well. The inner edge wear on the tyre suggests its been like it for a while though so I really don't know if it was me or not. I also ruined the sidewall (fortunately on that same tyre lol!) on a huge pot hole that may have done it, which again I cruise straight over in the Focus, I really can't get on with low profile tyres lol!