Ben's Puma

[BenKH]

Just got this yesterday, my first Puma, a 2001 1.7. Really like it so far.

Before I start modifying I'm looking on making sure the car's in near perfect condition. So the plans for the next month or two are;

- Full service
- Cambelt change
- Replace rear bushes
- Full detail/valet
- Sort rear D/S arch rust before it gets any worse, only bubbling at the moment
- Sort rust on sills, also only surface rust at the moment

After I'm happy with how the car's running and looking I'll start modifying, plans for that are

- 6000K HID kit
- LED sidelights/numberplate lights/interior light
- Smoked side repeaters
- 4-2-1 Manifold with a straight through centre section leading through to a nice 3 inch backbox. Feel free to recommend me particular brands
- K&N 57i induction kit
- Double DIN headunit
- Wire up my 12" FLI Sub I've had for ages
- Smooth off the front bumper (Plate recess and tow eye cover)
- Some kind of splitter but I'm at a loss here, no idea what's available so if anyone could help?
- Brake conversion, undecided as to go for a 280 or 300mm yet, probably whatever I can find for a reasonable price at the time
- I'd quite like to lower it also, as I always thought Pumas look too high, spoils the looks of the car, don't really want to splash out on coilovers though and I don't really want to ruin the handling of the car. I'm thinking springs + shocks but to be honest I'm after a 60+mm drop at least
- I want Escort Cosworth wheels but they cost far too much for my budget so I'm thinking Mondeo Zetec wheels in anthracite. I've also seen Pumas on ST170 wheels and they look really smart but being 17s how do they affect the ride and handling?
- Wouldn't mind a leather interior, but that'll probably be one of the last things I do

I'll probably try and get away with using a small front numberplate also

Do Ford Racing have an online catalogue where you can order parts?

Feel free to suggest any modifications or recommend any brands for any mods I've listed, cheers

 

[quest63]

Welcome aboard :thumbs:

My first mod would be to remove the sold sign the seller has stuck in the petrol cap hole in the second picture :-D

I would reconsider how much you want to drop it 60mm is up near the max that very few people go to not an at least proposition. And I would expect even that to cause probs with other things like topmounts getting eaten particularly if you dont get new shock absorbers. Plus potentially you would get drive shaft wear problems. Oh and with bigger wheels a seam under the front arches likely would shred your front tyres

As for wheels most agree that 17" is too big for a standard car, FRP'S have 17" wheels but with much bigger arches. Personally I think 16" is a great compromise and what you would need for 3000mm brakes if you didnt want to have to take a grinder to them to get clearance, iirc.

If you dont want to upset the all important Puma handling make sure you get wheels with the correct offset or correct an incorrect offset with spacers.

 

[CherryVimto]

what you would need for 3000mm brakes

Are we talking lorry brakes or dustbin lids!?

I'd personally stick to 300mm as they fit better! ;p

 

[TGPlayer1]

Three posts and this is already comedy.

Anyway, welcome Ben. If you stick to your guns this should turn out nice. :grin:

 

[quest63]

what you would need for 3000mm brakes

Are we talking lorry brakes or dustbin lids!?

I'd personally stick to 300mm as they fit better! ;p

Everyone's a critic :grin: :grin:

 

[BenKH]

Haha, picking up plugs, leads and a coil pack in a bit, going to fit those and see how it runs. Going to take it to Pumabuild for a cambelt change next when I have the money and get it on the diagnostics while I'm there as the EML has come on and the car feels slightly down on power, although what I'm doing today might sort that. Planning on an oil and filters change within the next week also.

 

[RICHARD MANSFIELD2]

Hi,welcome.
I have done a 300mm conversion, dead easy and can be quite cheap. I recall mine cost about £100 that was with second hand Mondeo callipers on ebay, new discs and pads (mintex). On the induction side do not waste your money on a kit it makes no gains at all, but having spent the money on it, it may make you feel as though it is an improvement, go for the cold air feed mod of the FRP set up with a standard filter. I would also say do not lower your Puma by more than 30mm. I have fitted ST 170 wheels if they have a 49ET you will need to fit 30mm hub spacers (H&R) I know it sounds drastic but with an et of 49 compared with standard wheels of 34ET The wheel bearings and suspension only are working on a real spacer width of 15mm. I have sent you a P.M.
Regards
Richard.

 

[BenKH]

Didn't even realise the brake conversion could be that cheap, how does a 300mm conversion fit behind 16s? In particular, the 5 spoke Mondeo Zetec 16s?

Also, does anybody have a part number or know where I can find the Puma badge that goes on the top end of the centre console, under the control panel? My Puma's missing that and it's really annoying me haha, looking to order HIDs, LED sidelights and LED number plate lights within the next couple of days.

 

[BenKH]

Some of you may have seen my thread in the other forum about the EML being on

http://www.projectpuma.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=24878" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Changed my coil pack, plugs and leads today but no joy. Me and my mate reckon the cat is blocked up which ties in with what someone suggested, any ideas?

 

[quest63]

A nice long thrashing on the motorway might clear the light.

I'm not sure whether what you changed will have any effect on the management light but have you tried an ECU reset?

since doing it?

 

[BenKH]

It isn't just the fact the light's on, the car feels a bit down on power and reluctant to rev past 4.5k-5k. Seems to idle fine though

 

[PumaJay]

Give the car is good thrashing down a dual carriage way, then disconnect the battery for 10 mins or so and that should clear the EML, if it then comes back on you know you've got further issues, have you had the car plugged into a diagnostics?

It might a nackered Lambda sensor.... thats a common fault on Puma's.

List of mods sound good, I had a smoothed front bumper on my track car it looked loads better, the only problem you might have is where to put the number plate, I had a sticker one made up and put it on the bonnet, fine for a track car but im not sure it would look any good a nicely modded Puma. Unless you just stick in the window on the dash and are prepared for some grief for the police then id reconsider the smooth bumper, the number plate looks daft if you put it anywhere other than where it should be IMO.

 

[TGPlayer1]

If it's a bit sluggish at high revs, there's a chance it's a MAF sensor or TPS. Something like that. It's fine up until high revs when the sensor maxes out and retards the ignition to keep safe.

So yeah, give it a blasting, if it's the same after, you'll need to get a diagnostics check, they can reveal more than you'd think.

Also i have a gearstick surround if you want it, i has a badge on. £10 posted and it's yours. Or you can collect if you're near Manchester?

 

[BenKH]

I've noticed it also runs very poorly when it's cold as well. But when it's warm it's a lot better, other than what I've said previously.

Will hopefully have it at Pumabuild by the end of this week

 

[paul-carter]

does anybody know where to get smoked indicator lenses ??

 

[quest63]

These?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111112811306?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[BenKH]

Decided to keep this now and spend some money getting it sorted properly. Fixed the cause of the poor running, it was the MAF sensor, changed the filters and the oil also, runs brilliantly now.

Going to get two new front tyres and the tracking done in the next week, after that I could probably do with changing the exhaust as it's got a substantial hole in the backbox and it's a bit loose. If I'm changing the exhaust I might as well kill two birds with one stone and get something aftermarket, any recommendations? Bear in mind I'm 19 and not made of money, but I don't mind a compromise between quality and price

After that the list of stuff to do is as follows;

- Cambelt change, I've got no previous proof and from seeing the state of the filters I think this car's been neglected, so I can't imagine a cambelt would have been high on the previous owners list
- Rear bushes, mine are pretty much past it, I'll give the whole of the suspension components a look at while I'm there also
- Rear arches, mine are just typical Puma really
- Some little stuff like I need a rear fog light and the cover on the side of it as someone decided to drive into my car at work and drive off, cheers. Need a new bonnet latch stay as well, the little yellow bit it clips into under the bonnet and mine's knackered

I'd love to be able to sort all of this in a weekend but money's tight at the moment, I just hope I can sort all of it out before these things get worse or anything else comes up

What's the trick to removing the torque limiter in 1st and 2nd? And if I do that, will I ruin my driveshafts? Now the car's been back at full power it likes to wheelspin a lot but I'm too mechanically sympathetic to do it all the time

 

[BenKH]

Does anybody have the Puma badge for the centre console lying around? If so I can take that off your hands

 

[BenKH]

Took a clay bar to the car earlier and it's turning out alright

Going to give it a full on all over polish/wax tomorrow so we'll see how it comes up, the paint's very badly faded, hoping I can bring some shine back. My headlights are pretty yellowed and faded/scratched so I'm going to pay some attention to those as well

After that I want to repair the rear driver's side arch, the rear driver's side foglight and a couple of other minor scuffs and marks. Then as for external modifications, 6000K HIDs, LED sidelights and numberplate lights, get the wheels refurbed in panther black, 40mm lowering springs and some kind of splitter