Improving Performance

Bucknaked · 02-02-2006, 08:07 PM

One thing I never planned on doing was touching the focus. Besides rims and window tint, she will stay completely stock.

Filled up the other day, and the car is for city driving only, I got 618 k's and it took just over 47 litres. Economy for me, is great.

Had the 15,000 service a few weeks ago.

One thing I have noticed is that the performance of the focus seems to drop dramatically when the air con is on. I know thats the draw back from aircon on an underpowered car like the focus. The car does not feel as quick as it did when I first bought it. So what can I do to give the car better response. Just after mods i can do which won't involve me voiding warranty or having to get a mechanic to do. I just want an improvement on what feels like a heavy slug.

The car is 1.8l 5 speed man. SR Model Built in 04

I know that the car reviews said that in 1.8 form, the car lacks any kind of performance. I was aware of this when i bought it. I wanted economy and some euro style, for a cheap price. But what i want to do is to gain a little more responsiveness from the car without spending a lot of money. The money i would sooner spend on my Falcon.

The focus we are keeping for a few years before selling. Nothing wrong with it, love it, super reliable and fuel efficient, but I can't see me having this car long term.

melbzetec · 02-02-2006, 08:39 PM

It's funny, I've never had a problem with the aircon. I had bigger problems with the 5.6 litre Tickford....a real drop in power when you flick the air con switch. But barely noticeable for me with my Focus. I have bigger problems with 4 or 5 people in the car...THEN it struggles ( and the exhaust gets very loud)

mmmm Performance without playing with it. Sounds daft, but I'd look at oil change (Mobil 1 synthetic), get spark plugs cleaned and gapped...or replaced..., premium fuel, maybe a BMC or K&N panel filter. Clean fuel filter perhaps. And some other valve thingy that Focus engine has PsomethingC valve??????

Basically a great service and tune. Won't give more power, but maybe get it running sweetly

Just a thought

Mick K. · 02-02-2006, 08:55 PM

Re: Aircon.

I have a 2.0 Zetec manual - I turn the aircon on and it pretty much won't rev over 4000 rpm. Turn aircon off and it is fine up to 5500 peak power point and onwards. I usually only put aircon on on the highway when I am at constant low revs with cruise on. Always turn it off for hill starts or when pace is required.

I asked about this here and on the UK Forums and they said it wasn't too bad, so maybe there is a common fault with our cars? I have owned quite a few similar sized and similar engined cars (Golf, Pulsar, Laser) and none have been as severely affected by turning on the aircon.

Please let us know if you get to the bottom of it.

Cheers,

MK

b2tf · 02-02-2006, 09:14 PM

bucky ill have a 6mnth old k&n panel for $50 in a couple of weeks if you want it......

dazza_1011 · 02-02-2006, 11:26 PM

as far as a panel filter goes is there much difference in power?? ie. is it worth getting one ???also there has been people asking how it goes as far as warranty but no deffinate answer?? has anyone asked ford on this?? also how much is a new k&n panel filter??

Mick K. · 02-02-2006, 11:50 PM

I have a K&N Panel and I think it makes it breathe a bit better with a few revs on board and also there may be a slightly better sound.

MK

used · 03-02-2006, 02:07 AM

i agree, air con on and heaps of ppl in the car = no overtaking@!

Zetec20 · 03-02-2006, 10:52 AM

as a general rule of thumb, air con will take around 15% of your total engine power, therefore the more you need power, the less it will feel like you have, i tend to only have it on if it's really really fricken hot, or just wind the window down

03-02-2006, 02:28 PM

Perhaps you could do a mod with a relay where if the throttle is at WOT, to turn off aircon until your back to normal driving?

tabaccs · 03-02-2006, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackLS

Perhaps you could do a mod with a relay where if the throttle is at WOT, to turn off aircon until your back to normal driving?

I remember my brother telling me with his mazda 3 when the throttle is at WOT the airconditioning automatically turns off, then returns to normal once taken your foot off the accelerator.

whippet_zetec · 08-02-2006, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by melbzetec

mmmm Performance without playing with it. Sounds daft, but I'd look at oil change (Mobil 1 synthetic), get spark plugs cleaned and gapped...or replaced..., premium fuel, maybe a BMC or K&N panel filter. Clean fuel filter perhaps.

On my LR Zetec 2.0L Manual I have not had many power issues with my aircon on, drove home from the city the other week with 4 passengers (yeah the back seat handled 3 adults no probs, I was very suprised) air con on and the Zetec had no realy power loss other than an obvious weight in the back.

I assume you have an LR Model so For Mods, in addition to the above, and all excellent suggestions from melbzetec, you might like to look at installing the 2.0L auto air defelctor. The auto air deflector has a gap at the front that allows air straight from behind the grill into the air intake mouth ontop of the radiator, the manual air deflector does not have this cut-out and the air intake mouth sucks air from ontop of the deflector. (if you need a pic becasue my explanation was so dodgy let me know)

Todd

melbzetec · 08-02-2006, 11:40 AM

Yeh...good catch whippet. I had forgotten about the air deflector. I have attached a shot with the "different" bit highlighted

newcarbuyer · 08-02-2006, 12:15 PM

What kind of performacne gains are we talking about here? kw??? Also at what $. I am interested as I am soon to order a ZETEC.

melbzetec · 08-02-2006, 01:24 PM

This part is fo a LR Focus, not the new LS.

As far as I know, no one has ever dyno'd the result, so potential gains are sketchy.

However, it is significant enough for Ford to design two different slam panels. One for Manual, one for Auto. It would have been cheaper to stick with one design.

Reputedly, it helps with throttle response and pickup, rather than top end power.

To my eye, it makes sense as it helps take advantage of the high pressure built up in the front grill.

Price? can't recall, but certainly under $100

b2tf · 08-02-2006, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by melbzetec

This part is fo a LR Focus, not the new LS.

As far as I know, no one has ever dyno'd the result, so potential gains are sketchy.

However, it is significant enough for Ford to design two different slam panels. One for Manual, one for Auto. It would have been cheaper to stick with one design.

Reputedly, it helps with throttle response and pickup, rather than top end power.

To my eye, it makes sense as it helps take advantage of the high pressure built up in the front grill.

Price? can't recall, but certainly under $100

I would assume it is to give the auto more torque to compensate for the crappy, *** dragging power it has.
Sorry, Im a little ticked off with the car today.

:

Mick K. · 08-02-2006, 11:48 PM

More like $23 or something. You can pick up the ST170 snorkel (which provides a lot more airflow) off EBay for around AU$100 shipped too.

MK

whippet_zetec · 09-02-2006, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newcarbuyer

What kind of performacne gains are we talking about here? kw??? Also at what $. I am interested as I am soon to order a ZETEC.

The part is for the LR, and am not sure what set-up the LS has.

For me on the LR I suppose its been on that long that its hard to remember what changed...lol. I seem to recall throttle pickup was more responsive and on a hot day idling was smoother.

However if you think about it practically it can only assist your engine getting cooler air from in front of the car rather than the underside of the bonnet where hot air is.

Cost: I think it was somthing like $17 down at my local Ford Dealer.