FAQs : Power Upgrades Ford Fiesta
FAQs relating to our Ford Fiesta Mk6 performance parts.
1. Does the performance manifold fit easily with a custom cat back exhaust? Does this fit vehicles in the UK?
Yes it does. Just needs one weld onto your existing system.
2. Just bought a 2002 Ford Focus 1.6 ....98/99bhp approx I think. Saw you do a Stage 1 kit manifold and Unichip. What gain does this give - peak and also midrange?
Yes we do a Stage 1 kit for the Mk6 Fiesta. The Focus has the same engine. The power and torque gains are very impressive. The power increases from 74 kW to 85 kW. And the torque increases by 10 Nm from under 2000 rpm all the way to the limiter. There are big gains from low revs all the way to the limiter. The Focus 1.6 is not that popular here in South Africa for mods. I know the exhaust manifold fits. I think the Focus 1.6 has exactly the same Siemens ECU as the Fiesta mk6. Then the unichip will work fine.
3. Does your Mk6 work on AU delivered Fiestas? Your Stage 1 Performance pack lifts power from 74 to 85 Kw and torque from 145 to 165 Nm. If you add the performance cam to the spec what do you end up with as a total performance package and is this based on 91 RON fuel? Does moving to 95 or 98 RON change this number or are your outputs mapped to 91 RON as per Ford's original spec?
Yes the Fiesta Mk6 in Australia is the same as ours here in SA. It's the European model. We run 95 RON fuel here which is what the power output is based on. You can run on 91 RON that also fine. Or 98 as well. It makes around 94 kW with cams fitted.
4. Will still need to install a mini cat and the lambda sensor? Gaskets….standard one at the head (Ford/oem)? Gasket/s for the downpipe joints? Will I need to lag the branches & still need to install a heat shield?
You can fit a cat fooler yes. The lamda sensor screws into that. Don't bother ceramic coating or wrapping. It's not necessary. You can fit a 180mm x 500 round free flow at the rear. It sounds nice and not too loud. You can reuse the steel exhaust gasket at the head. The branch comes with a gasket at the flanges where the primary and secondary pipes join.
5. Does the secondary pipe bolt onto the existing exhaust system or a new exhaust system will need to be fabricated & installed with the round free flow rear box?
The secondary pipe has the spring loaded knuckle attached to it with the flange bolted onto it. The flange has a piece of pipe extending from it and that just needs to be welded onto your existing system. So you keep your existing system. You can first try it with your existing rear silencer and see how it sounds. Many customers are happy with that. Then if you like you can fit a free flow silencer later.
6. I am looking at purchasing a set of cams for my MK6 Ford Fiesta 1.6 from you. I just would like to find out a little about them. The website says the idle doesn’t change but power increases. What is the duration of the standard cam compared to the SWR cam then? Do I need to chip car straight away or can I do this a little later?
The duration of the standard cams are around 258 deg. The SWR cams are 278 deg. You could fit the cams without a Unichip, but I would advise to map the car nicely for the cams. I would definitely first fit the branch before cams. You lose a bit of low down torque when just fitting cams, but with our SWR branch fitted that sorts all that out and you gain massive torque low down.
7. Would the branches on the 1.6 Fiesta be compatible with the stock backbox?
Yes it works perfectly with the back box. You don't need to change the standard system.
8 (i). In respect of the Fiesta exhaust headers, are the headers plug and play, something the average exhaust shop would do? I seem to think there is not much space behind the Fiesta engine and will require removing some of the auxiliary equipment to get to the standard header? Does it use a standard exhaust flange gasket? I would like to retain the standard silencer pipes and boxes, does your header pipe interfere with this or must I change the rest of the pipes going backwards?
Yes, any exhaust shop can easily fit it. It comes as a 2 piece so it is much easier to fit in. It comes with a quality spring loaded knuckle(flex). You can use the gasket again as it is a metal gasket. You don't need to change the rest of your system. Leave it as it is. Don't go bigger on the diameter of the pipe and leave the standard silencers. If you want you can replace the rear silencer with a free flow unit which will give you 1 kW or so extra. A 500mm x 180mm round one works well. You can always do that later, as its not necessary.
8 (ii). Was just looking at the online workshop manual of the Ford Fiesta and it seems you must lower the engine down in order to get the old manifold out? Also, I am assuming we would have to leave off the standard heat shield which I think is bolted to the old manifold?
That's why we made it a 2 piece manifold, so you don't have to drop the engine. Don't worry about the heat shield. There is less heat build up, than the old cast iron manifold. Never had any problems with that and sold to hundreds of customers.
8 (iii). I would prefer the local exhaust guys are not fiddling with taking the airfilter box, CO2 connectors etc. Is there any requirement for a torch to bend or cut existing pipes? I’m thinking to rather put her up on axle stands and do it myself, but I don’t have gas to heat or cut.
There is no heating or bending required. You would have to remove your manifold with cat. The knuckle we supply has a length of pipe on the flange which can be cut to size. You would have to cut your exhaust pipe at the right spot and then have it welded to the knuckle pipe. You will need someone to weld it together. Maybe fit everything yourself and then drive slowly to the exhaust shop and the can just measure and weld together. Save some bucks. Dont worry the exhausts shops wont mess up. They work on car exhausts everyday. The exhaust guys only work from under the car to remove and fit. So they wont touch anything in the engine bay.
Continued... Part 2 here