I’ve had the windows tinted on pretty much all my previous cars and think it’s one of those ‘no-brainer’ modifications that, if done right, always looks good.

It’s also a wise thing to do as there are other benefits such as keeping the car cooler in hot weather, and (importantly as I ferry my kids around) the fact that a good tint will block UVA rays. There are also security implications, as it’s harder to spot stuff inside the car, and if glass is smashed the film will offer a degree of resistance, and prevent the interior from being sprayed with glass shards.

I’ve also seen enough bad DIY jobs to know that it’s not something I’d ever recommend having a go at yourself, which is why I got on the phone to Greg at Screentech Bristol. With over 20 years’ experience in the business he was able to offer valuable advice on what tints to go for to prevent falling foul of the law!

As it stands it’s technically illegal to retro-tint the windows front of the B-pillar. However I wanted the fronts to be given a light tint, and was advised to go no darker than 70% VLT, any darker and I’d run the risk of attracting unwanted plod attention.

For the rear I wanted it noticeably darker, but not too crazy as I’ve still got to see out! I’ve driven cars with ‘Limo tint’ and it’s just dangerous in low light conditions, plus it would make my car look like a van! Greg recommended using high quality Solar Gard window film as it’s great to work with and offers excellent UVA protection and heat rejection properties (keeping the car cooler in summer).

He got to work with his team to strip the doors and carefully apply the film to the Mondeo. Their attention to detail was first class, and the end result is fantastic: it properly improves the appearance of the car, and is very similar in look to the OE tint that Ford offers on its newest cars. Definitely recommended, and well worth the outlay!

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It’s all too easy to over-modify a car, and certain models seem to fall foul of it more than others. It’s mainly cars that don’t have many aftermarket parts available to choose from, and cars that are often owned by… how can I put it… older gentlemen!

Yup, I’m talking about Mondeos. I’ve seen more than my fair share of ‘modified’ Mondeos with yards of convoluted tubing, tasteless alloys, and more recently, chintzy eBay special headlights. I’m determined not to fall foul of it with mine. Which is why I found myself down the workshop, armed with a couple of cans of paint, and a hot air gun!

Strip the lights, paint the shiny bits black, then reassemble. Easy.

I’m not the first person to make a set of ‘black-eye’ lights, and I was surprised at how easy it was. Just remove the plastic lens, then unscrew the reflective surround from the body of the light, give it a key, a lick of primer and then a top coat of matt black. The finished effect looks far nicer than the low cost would suggest. While I was at it I also borrowed some black vinyl from one of the guys on Fast Car mag (cheers Glenn!) and added it to the lower portion of the bumper, ‘RS style’.

Half way through the process the hot air gun I was using packed up, and I discovered that it’s bloody tricky without one! But I persevered and, despite mechanic Matt commenting that it looked like I’d “driven over a bin bag”, I’m chuffed with the result. Subtly improved without looking overdone or tacky.

The load-lugger is looking a lot more ‘ST-spec’ now.

I also took the time down the workshop to carry out a couple of jobs including replacing one of the handbrake cables (£58 – ouch!) and fitting the set of Maxxis tyres I’d ordered a while back. Swapping the mismatch of cheapo tyres that were on the car for a brand new set of MAZ1s was a revelation.

Not only is it quieter (the old tyres had feathered and made a right racket) but it also feels so much  more confident in both wet, and the dry, with the wet weather grip being the most noticeable, and very welcome improvement! Definitely a set of recommended rubber!

First up is a set of Maxxis MAZ1 tyres! My current rubber is a mix of cheap and nasty tyres that I prized off the original rims, and they’re far from ideal. The other guys on the team have had Maxxis tyres and rate their grip and durability, so I’ll be fitting them shortly.

I’ve also got some more mundane components in my ‘to do list’. While the Mondeo TDCi engine isn’t exactly the quietest in the world, it’s a whole lot quieter when the aux belt tensioner and pulleys are in good order – if they’re not it sounds like a tired taxi! Which is exactly what mine does.

A belt change was in order to stop Dan‘s Mondy sounding like an old minicab.

To rectify it I got on the phone to Euro Car Parts and ordered a new belt, tensioner, and a Torsion Vibration damper (crank pulley). It seems that a tired pulley will knacker a new tensioner in a matter of months, so fitting one, but not the other is a false economy. As ever with Euro Car Parts the items were all in stock and literally delivered the very next day!

Fitting it is not exactly straightforward as there’s next to no room down between the tensioner and inner wing to be able to release the not inconsiderable tension. Lucky then that I’d done my homework and discovered that Sealey produce a tool especially for the job. I’ll let you know how I get on in the next update.

Dan’s new brakes are top banana, but he keeps finding problems elsewhere…

Last month I fitted the Focus ST calipers, EBC discs and Greenstuff pads. They’re all bedded in now, and the results are fantastic. Really nice bite, plenty of pedal feel, and as of yet nothing in the way of fade. It’s a conversion with no downsides!

Well, other than the fact that the removal of the rear calipers must have damaged the fragile handbrake cables.

As a result the handbrake’s not exactly efficient at the moment, and I’m looking into whether it’s actually the cables or one of the calipers! Oh… and I’ve got a noisy rear wheel bearing! I wonder if this car will ever actually be fault-free…

To complement the calipers I’ve gone for some EBC discs and pads. I’ve currently got EBC front discs and pads and they’ve been great, so carrying on the theme was a no-brainer. The front discs are now pleasantly large 320mm and with accompanying Greenstuff pads. And while I was at it I fitted rear EBC discs and pads too.

You can’t miss those new calipers behind the rims…

And, er… it now has pink braided brake lines! I mentioned in the last update that I’d told the guys at hosetechnik.com to “surprise me” when ordering a pair of hoses, and they certainly did! Despite the colour they’re really nice quality with swivel joints so I don’t have to spend an age twiddling the caliper to fit them. I should really fit some rear hoses too, and will get round to it at some point in the not too distant future. If you’re looking to upgrade your hoses then check out their website, they have a huge range and can also make up custom lines to your specification.

Running through the hoses is some of Motul’s finest RBF600 fluid. If I’m honest it’s probably too posh for my humble Mondeo, but brake fluid’s one of those things where it’s never a good idea to skimp, and it certainly does the job.

So how does it work? Well, at the time of writing this, the brakes have only been on for a couple of days, but even before they’re bedded in the difference is immediately obvious. The stock calipers may have stopped the car but they never felt confident, or particularly capable, but the much larger ST calipers and the EBC Ultimax discs with Greenstuff pads bite much harder and offer so much more stopping power with so much less pedal pressure. It’s a massive improvement over standard, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they fare under more ‘spirited’ driving conditions.

As mentioned in the last update, Focus ST225 front brakes bolt straight onto Mondeo Mk3s, so I’ve been amassing components. I got hold of a set of Focus calipers courtesy of Rob Ottewill (cheers Rob!) although I did need to source a caliper carrier and a pair of slider pins which had gone awol after being removed from Rob’s car. I called the local Ford dealer Tarnock Garage, and ordered the missing parts. The carriers are eye-wateringly expensive, so if you’re considering doing the swap, make sure you get them included!

The Mondeo awaits its ST brakes.

I’ve also got a set of EBC Ultimax discs and Greenstuff pads on order, and a set of hoses from www.hosetechnik.com. When I called Hosetecknik they asked me what colour I wanted them (there are over 10 options) so I rather foolishly said, “Surprise me!” I look forward to seeing what colour they’ve chosen for me…

Dan got roundly ribbed in the office for his family-man bumper protection kit, but it’s water off a duck’s back!

In other news I was sent a sample of a new Richbrook bumper and bootlip protector. It’s a handy bit of kit, and it’s worth considering if you regularly use your boot, and want to protect your paintwork.

By this time next month I plan to have the brakes all on and working. Looking forward to my increased stopping power!

As much as I’d like to own a fast Ford, something with an ST or RS badge, the practicalities of my life mean that my car choice is more function than form – but that doesn’t mean to say I’ve got to settle for leaving it dull and standard.

I’ve been gradually improving my Mondeo (in between trying to fix it) but there’s understandably not a huge amount out there for them. There is more about for the ST Mondeos, so I thought I’d see what bits intended for the ST model would fit to mine.

Practical Mondeo needn’t be a boring school-run chariot.

Forge Motorsports have long been offering high quality silicone hoses for a massive range of cars including the Mondeo TDCI – but their kit is intended for the 2.2, and 2-litre six-speed models. I knew that some of the hoses would fit my five-speed and that some wouldn’t, so I called Forge to see if they’d be interested in finding out! They also do a nice-looking intake hose so I added one of those to my order!

As you’d expect, fitting was very straightforward; a bit of washing-up liquid to ease them on and in no time I’d got most of the hoses fitted and looking nice and blue (red and black are available too). The hose from the EGR valve down fitted (which is the one that likes to split for a pastime), as did the two large hoses at each side of the intercooler. The three smaller hoses didn’t fit, but to be honest two of the three non-swappable hoses on the car are really small and barely noticeable anyway. Forge doesn’t currently offer a five-speed kit, but if you’re interested give them a call!

Forge hoses were a doddle to fit.

In other news I’m shortly going to be undertaking a brake swap as Focus ST brakes are a direct replacement for the current set-up, enabling the much larger calipers and discs to bring the big estate to a halt much more swiftly than the current brakes. I’ve tracked down most of the components that I need, so I’m hoping to have them on by the next update.

As you can see from the photos, I’ve managed to fit the Kenwood DNX-5240 which was in the Fiesta ST into my Mondeo. It wasn’t a small task, and if I’m honest, I did get that ‘why did I even start this’ feeling part way through!

I’ve seen Double DIN headunits fitted into Ford’s 1.5 DIN slot before, but invariably they’re not fitted particularly well, with the cage showing and just looking a bit half-finished.

With that in mind I set about removing the centre console (a collection of bolts and screws and a hefty ‘yank’ from the top and out it comes). I then set to the fascia panel with a mini-drill. I completely removed the top and bottom ‘lip’, and as the fascia aperture has rounded corners I needed to remove as much from the corners as I dared. After a lot of trial-fitting I finally got the cage to squeeze in – but as soon as I did I discovered that the cage wouldn’t sit flush. So it was back out with the drill and a cutting disc and I trimmed off the top and bottom lip on the cage. After a good few hours of fiddling, trimming, fettling and swearing I got it all to fit.

As there was no way the outer trim surround would fit I’d previously painted the edges of the cage in black. So with it fitted back into the dash there was no cage to be seen. Well after I’d got it back into the dash that is! There’s a lot of wires back there. Not only is there the regular Ford, and Kenwood harness, there are also the patch leads to convert from Ford to Kenwood, plus the Kenwood KCA-iP200 iPod/iPhone control connection, and the Autoleads PC99-x50 and PC99-KEN harnesses which make the standard column stalk work. But it does all fit (just) and now I’ve got a great looking, easy to use touch-screen DVD/Sat Nav headunit… Result!

It’s not all fun and games though, as there’s one feature that I had on my previous headunit which I really miss – hands-free Bluetooth. While there is a version of the DNX which comes with a Bluetooth/Parrot function, this one doesn’t. Arse.

All is not lost as a Kenwood KCA-BT200 (or KCA-BT300 for the very newest headunits) will not only perform a sterling hands-free service, but it’ll also wirelessly stream music from my phone, which is great news. I’ve ordered one, but it’s yet to come at the time of writing…

I’ve been asked, understandably, why I persevere with a car that is clearly cursed? Well, there are several reasons – the first being that I refuse to be beaten. Secondly, underneath its many issues there is a cracking car trying to get out! When it works well, it really is good. Finally, there must surely be a limit to how many things can actually go wrong with it!

As I type this, (touch wood) it’s working really well, and it looks like I’ve actually managed to wade through most of the issues. The engine’s back on form thanks to Delphi and apart from a rather embarrassing incident with a knackered hub pinch bolt  all is well in Mondeo-land. So well in fact, that a spot of modification is in order.

Now don’t worry, I’m not going to wind the boost up or anything daft, but I have fitted an ITG foam air filter. It’s a simple and beneficial mod that aids with the car’s breathing. ITG have also seen noticeable mpg improvements in their tests. Combined with the fact that I’ll never have to pay for an air filter again, it makes a lot of sense. ITG aren’t the first company you think of when it comes to aftermarket filters, but when you check out their CV (BTCC, Le Mans, F1, WRC to name but a few) their products make a lot of sense!

It comes ready-oiled, and fitting is an utter doddle with just a handful of screws to remove the airbox lid. It’s not the kind of mod that’s going to make itself immediately apparent, but it should work well with the de-cat, and any remap I go for in the not-too-distant future. I’ll also be keeping an eye on the mpg to see if there’s any of improvement.

I’ve also liberated the Kenwood DNX 5240 which we’d fitted to our now-departed Fiesta ST. Getting a double DIN headunit into a DIN-and-a-half slot isn’t going to be straightforward – and I’ve yet to see a successful fitment. The main issue is that, while you can get it physically in the slot (with a little help from a Dremel), you can’t get the trim-ring, which hides the cage, to fit. So I’m going to have a go see if I can find a workable solution.

I’d convinced myself that I’d never get to the cause of the Mondeo’s ills, but I have! For those who have missed out on my epic saga it started about a year ago, and involved the engine feeling very down on power, and pumping out big clouds of diesel-smelling smoke on start-up. It has foxed two different Ford main dealers, two independent garages, two diesel specialists and countless people whose brains I’ve picked over the last 12 months. I’ve blanked off the EGR, had the turbo rebuilt, changed the intercooler, tried a different map, removed the EGR, had two new injectors, stripped the boost system twice, had it on a dyno, and a bunch of other time consuming stuff all with no resolution.

I suspected the injectors, but a specialist had given them a clean bill of health. Not convinced that the specialist was correct I contacted Delphi (the manufacturers of the injection system) to see if they could shed any light on the situation. Thankfully they were very concerned that I was potentially having issues with their injectors, and even more concerned that there was a chance I’d had the car misdiagnosed. As a result they invited me to their headquarters in Warwick for a full and thorough inspection.

To rule out a bent con-rod, or other internal issues they carried out a compression test on the car, which was all clear. They then carried out a plethora of tests on the injection system using their Delphi Diamand diagnostic equipment. It was immediately apparent that somehow the injectors weren’t actually coded to the ECU!

The injectors were removed and subjected to a full-on range of tests on the purpose built test rig. It transpires that my car had a mix of two 2002 injectors, and two 2007 injectors, the latter being very faulty! It’s worth noting that although I was dealt with at the Delphi HQ, they utilised the same techniques and technology that’s available to all authorised Delphi specialists. If there’s one thing I’ve learnt during this saga is that specialist knowledge is key to solving common rail diesel problems, and should you experience issues don’t cut corners and try to get if fixed ‘on the cheap’!

With four new injectors plumbed and coded in it’s no lie to say the car is transformed. There is boost where there was no boost and it feels exactly like it should, and a lot quicker than I’d got used to. I just wish I’d have gone to Delphi when all the troubles started. But, for now at least, I’m more than happy with my new found power, and am very thankful for Delphi’s thoroughness and professionalism.

After going as far as we can to find out why the Estate is down on power, the only option was to get the car on a set of rollers and see if we could see/hear anything untoward with it under load. I headed to Bristol-based Interpro and met with Mark to get the car on the rollers! There were a number of nice looking Cossies in its workshop in various states of modification, which was nice to see.

Unsurprisingly the Mondeo was down on power, down to a miserable 95bhp, and clearly struggling. With the engine under load, and Mark leaning over the engine bay he couldn’t hear anything untoward, and nothing that would suggest there was a boost leak. After a couple of hours of diagnostics, rolling road runs and head scratching I’m no nearer. Mark ruled out a boost leak, and suggested it may be a fuelling related issue. I made a call to Simon Quantrell the Service Operations Manager at Delphi and he’s confident that it’s not related to the fuelling (more on that later) so I’m still in the dark.

The flip side is that the car’s still perfectly usable, and will cruise at normal motorway speeds all day, so it’s not like the car’s parked up all day every day. It’s just not as quick as I know it should be!

After my chat to Simon I’ve booked the car into Delphi, where I’ll be going for a full diagnosis. Fingers crossed it pinpoints the issue. To help find out if it is a boost problem I’ve bought an EGR bypass valve, which includes a take-off for a boost gauge, so I can monitor boost pressure. I just need a boost gauge!