I just sold my 1998 SVT Contour and bought a Bone stock 2003 Focus SVT w/ 21000 miles. I have to say its a nice little car but definitely not much of a motor. It doesn't have the torque like my contour did but thats expected from a smaller motor. At least the handling is excellent.

But why does the motor rev so slow? I have always read that emissions equipment kept it from allowing engine braking but why is it slow to rev up? My car revs like it has a 100 pound flywheel. It revs a little quicker when I rev match a 1 gear drop down shift but it takes way too long to match revs say from cruising in 5th at 45-50 mph and I want to drop to second to pass a car.

I was also a little surprised that it only takes a 1-2 shift to 60 mph with a 6 speed.

My SVT contour reved up way faster when I wanted to match revs. The Focus has pretty good power in the upper RPM range but I also never feel any secondaries opening like I used to in my contour. Do the secondaries just open at the perfect transition time so you don't feel them?

Do all SVT Focus motors rev like the 80 hp Suzuki Ignis I drove in Costa Rica?

-Steve

I have a ZX3 and mine revs way slow too....From previous threads I read I think I remember it has something to do with the throttle body being so small or exhaust manifold configuration. I could be way wrong. My old Accord rocketed to 5000 rpms with just a blip on the throttle, why the focus revs soooooo damn slow and rev hangs after a large run is a mystery to me...I'm sure some more inept folks will respond more efficiently, especially those who actually own an SVT.

Thanks, I did a search and didnt really find a whole lot so hopefully I get some tips to improve this slow revving motor without spending thousands of dollars.

If you get a tune (just $200-$500) it will rev far better. In addition, a Fidanza flywheel and UDPs will go a long way to fixing that.

That is actually my 2nd biggest issue with my SVTF, behind the "barstool" seating position.

Yeah the seating position is a little on the high side. At leas the SVT seat can be lowered a little bit. When I first took it for a test drive it was in a really high position. I almost didnt want to take it for a test drive before I found out there was a height adjustment.

I much prefer the low feeling I get driving hi-belt line cars like the Noble M12, Lotus Exige, and Audi TT. Plus they look a lot cooler! haha. And the Exige is way more fun to drive on the autocross course.

I'm a little surprised that a larger throttle body would make the car rev quicker. I would think that the cars initial response would be to bog a little at lower rpm with all the extra airflow. Then again its not carburated and its also not where the car has any power anyway.

Thanks for the help.

Steve

I much prefer the low feeling I get driving hi-belt line cars like the Noble M12, Lotus Exige, and Audi TT.

please don't make me laugh [hah]

Originally posted by PapoSwing
please don't make me laugh [hah]

dont give him crap about liking those cars, they are very nice. i would love to drive any of those cars, although the only one that i would want to own would be the exige even though i could never fit in one.

The funny thing is my dad owns a 225 hp TT and I really did get to drive the other two cars. I work at Lime Rock Park as the Event and Marketing Coordinator.

The Noble M12 is rediculously fast and you have trouble pulling your head away from the back of the seat when you floor it in anything below 5th gear.

The exige (I drove a white preproduction version back in september before the magazines were testing) is amazing. After 3 laps on the autocross i felt very comfortable setting into a slight drift through corners. Very easy to drive and it really is a 2 seater go cart.

Sorry to break it to you but you are more than welcome to keep laughing.

See you this race season!

Later

Steve

^^^Steve's truthing on that one.

Lime Rock Park Staff (http://www.limerock.com/about_staff.htm)

I absolutely LOVE the Noble, fantastic car.