Focus ST 170 what needed to change?

[mwalley1]

Hello all,

I'm very interested in a rocket and went to RTR on Thursday!

Would be looking at a 2.0Lt engine and thought of the ST170!

But what would I need to change/get to make it fit??

Also when I'm ordering what extras do you recommend??

Thanks a lot Matt

[s t o n i c]

I put St170 into a Sonic with very few issuse. Used 6 speed box that came with engine. Get the Ford TIS manual off ebay tocover the wiring. I think this is a good engine to start with since it already has strong internals and will take additional power without too much work (read as rotrex super charger planned over winter 2011!!)

[ollieballs]

hi there im building an st170 rocket at the moment!
you will need to have a spacer fabricated for the gearbox mount, as well as a different exhaust manifold and muffler. aside from that all you need is a slightly longer set of gear linkages... these can be bought from ebay off an mgf (make sure you specify the long cable as there are 2 different ones in those)
it would be simple to use the st170 providing you keep the airbox plenum control cable system (at the back of the engine) on it... this chooses between two paths in the plenum by moving a large flap up and down depending how youre driving your car. i chose to scrap the st170 induction system in its intirety and get a set of omex throttle bodies but im going to have to find a way of making the variable inlet cam timing work with my omex ecu. all in all i have taken a harder approach.
other worth while performance mods on an st170 are:
vernier pulley retarded by 8 degrees on the exhaust cam
stronger bottom end bolts
scrap the dual mass flywheel and go for a normal or performance one
underdrive pulleys
electric water pump
if you do decide to go down this route there are a couple of st170 rocket builders near completion on the forum so just ask us if you encounter any difficulties

[ollieballs]

also i forgot to mention you need a slightly different gear selector with reversed throw... there is an early model of focus that uses these.. they link the "up and down" cable above the pivot rather than below it. i got mine off ebay for 15 quid.
i also got an oil cooler to neaten things up under the bonnet rather than having the water feed pipes going to the sandwich plate on the st170

[mattsmev]

You could also use the lighter 1.6 sigma unit...

[ollieballs]

aah matt he could!
but by the sound of things mwalley1 wants POWER! unmatched rocket power! only attainable by donning the st170 like me and the elite! just you wait hehe ;D

[mwalley1]

Sure the 1.6 is a great engine just seems a waste not putting the ST engine in one! Orders the rocket on Monday! Excited and scared about it! Just looking for a focus at the moment! Can't decided what colour to go for tho!!!

[MevST]

However dont underestimate the extra weight of the ST engine and box as they are pretty weighty ( i read more traction )

As STONIC says get a copy of the FORD TIS DVD you'll need it, or ive got a copy of all the wiring i did with some diagrams.

[Andy]

Are u taking it to the amm this year mate good to see it go round the track
Ta andy

[The Joker]

Ade makes a good point about weight. You will be carting around an extra 20Kg of engine that isn't particularly low in the car. Saying that the ST engine is a good starting point for this kit. Just bear in mind that most don't make anywhere near 170bhp from the factory and at best you will stay 15-20 bhp ahead of a similarly tuned 2.0L blacktop whatever the tune. For me the head makes this difference to the ST's power.

Ol,

The OMEX 600 will only switch the VVT at a setpoint not progressively unless you go for the 710 and then you'll need to find a patient mapper, (use one of the AUX Out from the ECU). The inlet cam will be a compromise in either position and this is why many bin the VVT with aftermarket ECU's.

[ollieballs]

i was considering using two seperate circuits to control my vct.. my ecu would switch it on/off at a certain temperature but id then use a shift light circuit to control it at different rpm's.. as i understand it the optimum setup is to have it advance at 2000 rpm and then go back to 0 degrees past 4000.. which would be a pretty simple relay circuit from a multi LED shift light (one of those in line green to red ones) the ecu would take care of the vct at different temperatures. i know the lamda and load also play a part in it so it wont be perfect but it will be a little closer to the factory setup

[dinosaurjuice]

the ford systems uses PWM on an oil valve to set the positon.... its not an 'ON or OFF' system like honda vtec. switching it on or off at particular rpms sounds like a sure way to achieve hurrendous economy and knacker the system.

but what do i know... apparently these engines have spark plugs

[ollieballs]

hah yeah i had thought of that.. but it has been done and theres a couple of videos on youtube of a feller who set up a seven style kit with a st170 engine with basically the same setup im lookng to wire in.. he managed about 200 on the dyno.. with the underdrive pulleys and retarded exhaust cam im fitting il be looking for a little bit more.. who knows... whatever i end up doing il have it set up properly... not worth half arsing it!

[ollieballs]

ive now looked further into it and it seems fords system switches the solenoid on and off in pulsed stages in order to let oil into the cam wheel to advance the pulley.. then sticks the solenoid open as you decellerate in order for the pressure inside to release. therefore what i plan to do is rig up a staged shift light with each of the led outputs leading to a 555 timer circuit which would allow me to adjust the time of the pulse given out. then some sort of switch on the throttle pedal which would open the solenoid when pressure is released from the pedal in order for the oil to escape from the pulley when the engine oil pressure is low due to decelleration. what do we all think? it may be a little overcomplicated i know.