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Is anybody ever going to do anything with these n/a engines?

7K views 49 replies 15 participants last post by  JL330 
#1 ·
Seems we've already been forgotten now that the st is out. I'd love to see 200 whp out of my car, nothing insane, but just enough to make my dd a bit more fun.
 
#6 ·
I'd much prefer a turbo, as the roots blower will actually decrease efficiency.
 
#9 ·
Once there is any kind of tuning, alot of things will suddenly become possible.

I used to be a ford guy then I got into Subaru's and now I'm back on Fords.
Subaru's have ecu tuning options for every year model year after 1996. Hundreds if not thousands of builds have happened/are happening.

With variable intake and exhaust cam adjustments possible in the Ti-VCT combined with COP & GDI a great deal of tuning adjustments should be possible. As soon as there is ANY tuning options for the stock ECU/ECM/PCM.

The other option would be to look into some kind of standalone ecu like hydra. Except that it would most likely disable any factory equipment that ford has chosen to drive using functionality in the ECU/ECM//PCM/TCM.

Its possible that now that the ST is out in the wild that tuning options for the ST will be developed that will be compatible with the NA Ti-VCT engine. I would not once ever put a supercharger or turbo on a car that couldnt be tuned for it. NEVER NEVER Never.

Its kind of a hurry up and wait thing.
 
#13 ·
Different sensor.
Different Fuel tables because NA vs Turbo means different compression
Also additional tables for factory boost control map

Doesnt matter.
Its not an actual issue unless you want some sort of mailorder chip like from the 1990's. I assure you that you dont want that.

Once there is any actual tuning option for the Ti-VCT ecu's there will be options to load different fuel and ignition tables regardless of sensors.

Once there's tuning for the Ti-VCT pretty much sky's the limit for optimized bolt on tuning and packages for bolton forced induction kits.

Its a pretty safe bet that some suit at Ford asked Cobb and SCT and Roush and whom ever else not to release any aftermarket tuning until the Focus ST is firmly marketed in north america.
 
#23 ·
Just educating everyone; gone are the days of being able to tune/flash the ECU and then reflash it back to stock if there are issues you want taken care of under warranty...the new software can and will track if the software has been altered and that is all dealers need to do to deny warranty work.

I modify my cars and understand the outcome of my decision, just want everyone else to know as well...no uproar!
 
#26 ·
I think with the state of the economy and the tightening of the belts have led to stuff that the car companies were once willing to do are gone...and I am ok with that, if I install something on my car that exceeds the OEM specs I would not want the dealer to pay for me stupidity...gotta pay to play and if you can't afford to replace parts tread lightly!
 
#27 ·
This. I enjoy turning wrenches and I'm not overly concerned with my warranty. You also can't expect me to drive 60k miles before modifying something. I have barely driven that in my life but all my cars are modded. If I break it, I'll fix it.
 
#28 ·
It is a true statement that only an idiot changes the tune on a car before the engine break-in period is over.

Having said that I bought by Focus 5spd used with 20K on it. Break in period is over. Time to program more fun into the ECU.

In a high compression direct injected engine with VVT thats been tuned for fuel eco there is no reason we cant safely make 200hp with header, intake, exhaust, and high octane. Maybe 215 with a better flowing TB, IM, and if we make it that far - larger injectors. Thats all without a supercharger or turbo kit (a turbo kit is kinda pointless with the availability of the ST)

Its really a question of what the transmission can handle. Without tuning options we will never find out.

With the old 2litre DOHC zetecs in the escort ZX2 people were cryo-treating gearboxes and diff's and finding mad ways to fit LSD in place of the bullsh$t oem glass open diff.

Transmission upgrades are pretty mandatory with any significant upgrade in power output.

There is probably a viscus or clutch type lsd that will work in the focus. There has always been aftermarket options in prior year models.

The problem as I see it is the DCT. Its new and has its own issues in part because of bad factory programming and in part (as I read it) with programming unable to deal with contaminated clutch discs from leaky rear main seals.

From the factory the DURATEC Ti-VCT is supposed to put out 160chp. A couple of DCT people seem to be ok with untuned boltons putting down 170ish whp. Lets conservatively assume that's an extra 20hp over stock. What is the slow-shifting DCT going to do with an extra 40hp over stock or 60hp over stock?

Is there a viscus LSD that will fit the DCT? I have no idea. I dont have DCT so I haven't looked into it. I may look into a viscus lsd for my 5spd

From what I've read the focus is supposed to have an electronic brake biased traction control setup to compensate for the presumably open diff by applying the brakes to just the wheel slipping to transfer power to the wheel with traction.

This sort of system is clever because its cheap and electronic and runs off of ABS computer in most of the implementations I've seen. However its electronic and may has no programming to tell if it is actually behaving appropriately when subjected to more HP than it was designed for.

Without tuning options the nightmare of insufficiently strong transmissions is a world we currently will never have to see.

Having said that, these are problems I would much rather have over the issue of no tuning.
 
#33 ·
A throttle remap would do a lot to wake this car up, even with no hp increase. For that alone I'd be intetested in a tuning device. For guys with the DCT I assume more aggressive shift points would make a big difference too for performance. It's not all about peak hp.
 
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