TDCI Focus

[Franco Cozzo]

D1S globes, $203, each. Holy moly.

[Franco Cozzo]

Airtec Gen3 black intercooler has been ordered and paid for.

[prlamb]

did the lights make a big difference?

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by prlamb

did the lights make a big difference?

I'm actually waiting on $$$ to buy the HID globes now as I've spent money on an intercooler and 4 tyres for my WS Fiesta, the HID globes are $200 each, not including shipping.

In theory, they will, a halogen light puts out about 1800 lumens (the total amount of visable light), a 4300K HID globe is around 2500-3000+ depending on the quality of the globe, Phillips and Osram being the best (and are usually OEM on factory HID setups).

Spread of the light is to do with reflector/projector design, so where that light actually goes on the road is determined by this. This is the unknown here, as the factory halogen reflectors are actually quite good in this regard.

The new HID assemblies are whats called "Bixenon", what happens is there is a metal shield inside the projector assembly where the HID globe sits inside, which when it recieves power from you turning on your highbeam switch, the metal shield is dropped by a solenoid, removing the restriction to the light, so it floods everywhere, and they still also have an extra pair of H1 highbeam halogen lights.

I might actually hit up Ashdown Ingrams and see what HID globes they carry, otherwise I'm importing them from the UK.

[Franco Cozzo]

Airtec Gen3 arrived today, well packaged, amazing considering it shipped from Essex UK on last Friday.

10/10 for www.autospecialists.co.uk

I got a quote from a forum sponsor for a remap, $1950, plus extra for the new turbo back exhaust.

[Franco Cozzo]

Does anyone know where the ECU is in these cars? I need to get the serial number off it to send to Herrod Motorsport.

[marg99]

My repair manual says the Powertrain Control Module is located in the LH front wheel arch. Remove wheel remove the liner(plastic) there is supposed to be a cover with 4 torx screws which if removed exposes the unit. best of luck. I always thought they were safely inside the car but who knows?

[Franco Cozzo]

Damn, might have to get a small bottle jack, because my huge-*** trolley jack won't fit under the Focus anymore now its been lowered.

Small update on the HID front, I've got a pair of Osram 5000K D1S globes coming in the mail. I wanted their new 4300K ones, but at $268 each, and only 200 lumens more than the 5000K, I can't justify it.

[caprispecial]

[QUOTE=Big Damo]Damn, might have to get a small bottle jack, because my huge-*** trolley jack won't fit under the Focus anymore now its been lowered.

I just use a couple of wood offcuts say 250 by 35 or 45 thick and set them in front of the wheels and push or drive onto them. this gives enough height to get the trolley jack under.

[DJM83]

Damo how did you go with EP re your lights? I know of a few people having dramas with them and broken parts and basically being told to go away.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by DJM83

Damo how did you go with EP re your lights? I know of a few people having dramas with them and broken parts and basically being told to go away.

I've managed to fix it by myself, one of the clips was broken and two of the mounts inside the assembly was popped out, I popped the mounts back in and it seems to be holding. There was some snapped plastic/chrome that came out of the assembly.

Also the lens quality of the factory Ford HID projector is poor, there is a casting line through the middle of the lens, but that isn't EP's fault.

I emailed them but they wanted photos and to lodge it with Australia Post (even though it shipped via DHL) but its not something you could really show in a photo, popping the mount back in has seemed to fix the inside of the assembly moving about.

They where just sent in factory Ford packaging, which obviously wasn't enough to make it through DHL's team of butchers without harm.

I'll find out how well it worked when they're on the car, they didn't seem to happy, the customer service is fairly average from EP to be honest.

Also, here is a shot of the factory lights, want to use this as a comparison:



While I'm here, where can I find the engine number, is it stamped on the plates?

[Franco Cozzo]

HID globes came in the mail, as usual:



Cool. (Ignore the tablets and Duke Nukem)

New one is on the way, I guess the big-*** fragile sticker wasn't enough for them.

[T.M]

I'm sure this has been covered at some stage but I can't seem to find it,

has anyone on here had a Code:Red remap done on their TDCi?
Was looking at either this or the bluefin but was leaning towards the Code:Red as I was going to order some other stuff from european parts at the same time.

Anyone got one?

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by T.M

I'm sure this has been covered at some stage but I can't seem to find it,

has anyone on here had a Code:Red remap done on their TDCi?
Was looking at either this or the bluefin but was leaning towards the Code:Red as I was going to order some other stuff from european parts at the same time.

Anyone got one?

I'm interested, I think Turbodiesel in the Focus section has some work done to his.

[Turbodiesel]

Originally Posted by T.M

I'm sure this has been covered at some stage but I can't seem to find it,

has anyone on here had a Code:Red remap done on their TDCi?
Was looking at either this or the bluefin but was leaning towards the Code:Red as I was going to order some other stuff from european parts at the same time.

Anyone got one?

Yeah I run Bluefin, the reason I didn't go for Code Red is because it didn't have any Australian support. Superchips had really good service.

[Franco Cozzo]

Minor success on the HID front, managed to get the freakin' globes into the assembly, it has this odd locking ring arrangement going on there, but the assembly has pushed out of its adjusters putting in the H1 high beam globe in one of the assemblies, so annoying. The whole inner assembly popped out fairly easy and is flopping about now.

Once that is fixed they can go into the car, hopefully smooth sailing from then on.

I wouldn't have to do this if Ford just let me have the damn Bi-Xenons from factory, surely if some ****** like me can do it then they sure as hell could?

[T.M]

Turbodiesel, I see you have a K&N Apollo, just ordered one myself.

Did you need to buy any extra bits of piping or did the kit have everything you need to fit it to the TDCi?

[Turbodiesel]

Originally Posted by T.M

Turbodiesel, I see you have a K&N Apollo, just ordered one myself.

Did you need to buy any extra bits of piping or did the kit have everything you need to fit it to the TDCi?

Yeah I did, I used a few extra bits I had like a bracket mount and some silicon tube to fit the Apollo. I won't deny it was hard work getting it in there properly without moving and having the pipe somewhere that doesn't suck up water.

Yes there's a bit of zip tie there too

[T.M]

Ahh wicked. I guess that'll be a weekend job then.
Does it make much of a difference with regard to induction noise?

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by T.M

Ahh wicked. I guess that'll be a weekend job then.
Does it make much of a difference with regard to induction noise?

I had the Code:RED CAI on my TDCI Focus and it was extremely loud on the induction noise, and engine noise all throughout the revs, 2000 RPM was fairly loud, and 2500 RPM the engine would be overpowering the stereo on around 15.

Also curious Turbodiesel why you switched from Code:RED to KN Apollo?

[ConradP]

It has a nice little growl to it Surprised my mate who has an XR6.

[Turbodiesel]

I have the pipe sitting in the passenger front wheel well so it's quite whistly, unless I plant it when the exhaust drowns it out. No blow off valve needed either, you hear everything.

Petrols get a growl from intakes, this is just pure turbo chatter.

[Franco Cozzo]

I made some ground on the HIDs today, the Aussie cars have a different loom, we've only got 5 or so wires in our plug, everything on the HID assemblies work except for the low beam, so there is an open circuit on the ballast, its pin 8 on the connector which has nothing in it on our loom, which is going to the ballast, which I assume is earth for the ballast, because the other pin goes to power on the loom.

This is the connector on the HID assembly side:




This is our Aussie loom:







The high beam solenoid on the projector works, which is great, it drops a shield in the projector, so it can work as HID high beam, as well as the other halogen high beams.

I've got two options:

1) Buy the genuine Ford Europe loom side female plug, as the Aussie one has the pin holes I need to add to blocked off, buy the terminals and cut the loom and crimp new terminals on.

2) Splice into the ballast low beam earth wire, solder in some 4mm wire, bring it out the park light grommet to earth on the chassis rail bolt.

The connector and the terminals won't come cheap I'm assuming, as the terminals are the same as on a Mercedes Sprinter PSM, and they're $5 each.

I didn't have any 4mm wire, had 3mm stuff but I don't want to risk it.

Also a teaser:



Yes the new driving lights look like ****, they're dodgily spaced up with some steel tube (lol) and don't match the car, they're originally designed for motorbikes, but its function over form in this case. Baja Designs Squadron LEDs, pure white light, combination of 2 spot/2 spread in each light and only draws 44W each

They're that bright I can actually see them in the day when you point them at something at a distance, can't wait to test them out tonight.

Thinking about it, I might hide these bad boys behind the top grille, make up some brackets to mount them to that top radiator support panel and put my LED light bar on the front of this thing, would look a bit neater, and some extra light. There is always room for extra light.

[WILDB]

I don't know whether any of the South African built Focus' for other markets had HIDs as an option, which will probably explain the lack of wiring.

What a pain to find that out after all the crap you've gone through with those lights.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by WILDB

I don't know whether any of the South African built Focus' for other markets had HIDs as an option, which will probably explain the lack of wiring.

What a pain to find that out after all the crap you've gone through with those lights.

Its a bit of a pain in the ***, but it helps being an apprentice auto electrician who has done OEM HID conversions before on one other car

Done it on the old mans Mazda 323 with OEM JDM assemblies and a Subaru Impreza converting from a single H4 high/low to a H7 low beam projector H1 high beam reflector setup before where I had to convert the lighting circuit from earth switched to positive switched with relays and running new wiring.

Progressing slowly but we're getting there. Need to get me some 4mm black wire.

[Franco Cozzo]

:)

[Franco Cozzo]

While I'm here, does anyone know if XR5 and TDCI shocks and wheels are the same items? I'm probably looking at Bilstein B8 shocks to match my pro-kit springs. What difference do the shocks make over the factory ones with just the springs?

Wheels, I'd like Mondeo XR5 items but I might settle for something aftermarket.

How do we go with fitting 235/40R18 on these things? They are a lot cheaper than 225/40R18.

[DJM83]

They look heaps better Damo. I nearly ordered a set yesterday but i dont wanna go through all the drama you have.

Re tyres, ive had 235's on my factory wheels, i now have 225's again but they are as wide as a 235.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by DJM83

They look heaps better Damo. I nearly ordered a set yesterday but i dont wanna go through all the drama you have.

Re tyres, ive had 235's on my factory wheels, i now have 225's again but they are as wide as a 235.

Thanks, they kinda remind me of a nerdy guy with coke bottle glasses haha.

Any scrubbing with the 235s at full lock?

Something is broken on one of the assemblies, was damaged in the mail, it pops out of its adjuster quite easily, I'm hoping it won't do it when I'm driving.

To get the lights working I bought some 4mm black wire, used a multimeter to identify pin 8 on the assembly connector and ballast, that is the earth we needed to add to get the lights working.

I just stripped back the earth wire on the ballast, soldered the 4mm black wire to it:



Then drilled a hole in the parker light grommet and pulled the wire through it, and then loosened a chassis rail bolt with a 13mm spanner, crimped a blue crimp terminal to it and tightened it up, bingo we've got our earth we need to complete the circuit:



The hardest part was getting the damn HID globes into the projector, it has this odd globe locking ring thing happening there.

[DJM83]

Aaaahhh the old locking ring, ive heard they are a pain and are easily broken.

Nah no issues with scrubbing with 235's