Need advice about the cheapest way to haul more arse

[n00btard]

Originally Posted by Magus2727

Glad to hear you have a good mechanic.

I would find out what was done as a first step that will say what can or can not be done to help improve what may or may not have already been done.

A built SVT would be a higher HP stock motor. But if the motor just got all rebuilt then I dont see a very good reason to tare it out. the time and $ to go from ZX3 to a SVT motor may cost more $$ and take more time.

Honestly, working on cars is nothing but time and money... it sounds like your situation does not allow you either right now. I would get a tune after doing some bolt on's. Do a full SVT 3" exhaust w/ header that's CARB still right? intake, possibly pull the head, and deck the head and put in a stage 1 set of CAMS and call it good.

I've got a budget of $2500 tops for parts and a tune. I don't have to pay for labor. What's my best bet?

I don't think the CARB rules allow me to swap the CAT for anything but a stock CAT, which would keep me from doing an SVT exhaust if I have googled properly.

I could just see where I got with an intake, CARB headers and an aftermarket catback...

What kind of gains would I be looking at from a stock breathing system to something not so chokey?

[n00btard]

Originally Posted by sleepyboy

Forgot about the emissions

I want to every time I see a cool car mod that I won't be legally allowed to have in California...

[sleepyboy]

California is horrible to the car modder community even though a lot of things started there to begin with.

[n00btard]

With my current recently built Zetec engine, what could I get from bolt ons?

Intake, headers, catback and cams?

[freemind]

Originally Posted by n00btard

With my current recently built Zetec engine, what could I get from bolt ons?

Intake, headers, catback and cams?

Ported and polished SVT Head and FRIM, Big TB, SVT header, tune, 2.5" exhaust should put you upwards of 165 whp or so.

Contact member iminhell, http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/member.php?u=36222

He can set you right as rain on an all motor build.

[iminhell]

IMHO, stick with what you have right now. Spend that $2,500 on a book, maybe 2 if you can. They will get you further in life that playing with a car right now.
Yes you can make some power on the cheap, but there are always diminishing returns. For you, you need something reliable to get to school,,, nothing more. (would seem rather cheeky if a lawyer to be was caught street racering'. Fun is one thing, but I think you're far better off staying practical.

You may be able to get free/cheap labor, but don't ware out your welcome. Family friend or not, most mechanics will get tired of doing probono work.

And most of why I say not to touch it is the California thing. I don't know exactly what their laws allow, but I know enough that the are pretty strict and don't believe in automotive fun ... they'd rather you get high and frolic along the beach with your same sex partner while texting your parents on an iphone 4s.

[1turbofocus]

Originally Posted by freemind

Ported and polished SVT Head and FRIM, Big TB, SVT header, tune, 2.5" exhaust should put you upwards of 165 whp or so.

Contact member iminhell, http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/member.php?u=36222

He can set you right as rain on an all motor build.

165HP can be had with out going to all the trouble of the SVT head and everything it takes to change it over

Ford racing head , comp cams , SVT header , tune etc

Tom

[Magus2727]

Has it ever been confirmed that switching a standard zetec to the SVT exhaust is CARB legal? Its a OEM factory exhaust but does require a different cat and location of the cat.

[n00btard]

From my understanding only exact OEM replacement CATs are CARB legal in hippie-land.

Are there any aftermarket headers with anything near SVT header performance? I can get pace setter headers for $100 new and Ford Racing shorties for $150 used, but cleaned up.

[n00btard]

Originally Posted by iminhell

IMHO, stick with what you have right now. Spend that $2,500 on a book, maybe 2 if you can. They will get you further in life that playing with a car right now.
Yes you can make some power on the cheap, but there are always diminishing returns. For you, you need something reliable to get to school,,, nothing more. (would seem rather cheeky if a lawyer to be was caught street racering'. Fun is one thing, but I think you're far better off staying practical.

You may be able to get free/cheap labor, but don't ware out your welcome. Family friend or not, most mechanics will get tired of doing probono work.

And most of why I say not to touch it is the California thing. I don't know exactly what their laws allow, but I know enough that the are pretty strict and don't believe in automotive fun ... they'd rather you get high and frolic along the beach with your same sex partner while texting your parents on an iphone 4s.

By I don't pay for labor --I mean that we are bartering. Arthur is a technofobe in need of a new server. In my previous life before returning to school I was a computer engineer. Win-win. I'm doing the same thing with my in-laws for all my custom paint and body work. It takes me an afternoon to build a small business server which saves them thousands off retail, and they do some work for me in return.

I am actually doing the upgrades for what I consider practical reasons. My wife and I are both allergic to smog --my reaction has gotten so severe that I have been removed from the US Navy JAG training program for having adult onset asthma (which is ironic as there is no smog on a nuclear boat.) We need to live outside the main city center so we aren't sucking down inhalers every day until I can get back to the Shenandoah valley or rural Texas after school. I drive 4-5 hours every day +power=-traffic rage=+family time=+better grades=+better job.

I work for a law firm right now as an engineer and legal assistant. I'm not 100% certain of the laws in Cali --but I will damn sure find out before I do anything. I am not going to jeopardize my career by getting arrested --I have worked to long and too hard to screw that up by not doing research.