1000 Miles On two Tanks (Average Speed 71 MPH)

LoganK · Mar 23, 2012

Richs10 said:
Any if anyone doubts we had serious smog problems in the 60's and 70's, just Google "Los Angeles Smog in 1970's". How soon we forget.

Thanks for the tip, I did just that. Pretty interesting site as the number one hit.

Regulators focused first on reducing unburned hydrocarbon emissions from engine crankcases, the source of one-third of total vehicular emissions, according to Arie J. Haagen-Smit, a Cal Tech professor who discovered the composition of smog.

"Clearly, catalysts were the top measure," said Stuart, executive officer of AQMD from 1976 to 1986. "Without that, we'd still be choking all over the place."

kelscar · Mar 23, 2012

dan50 said:
As is not too uncommon, the discussion has veered a bit. I think the original reference to Nancy Pelosi was her preaching the gospel of global warming, etc. while flying more-or-less by herself in a jet aircraft, as apparently was her privilege as Speaker of the House. It's hard to argue this is not hypocritical, but it is also not typical of the population at large.

While modern aircraft are exceptionally efficient, I think it's true that an economical car, especially one with more than a single passenger, is more efficient on a fuel/passenger mile basis.

Thank you Dan. This is the way I was seeing it also.

darkangelism · Mar 23, 2012

Would swapping the catalytic converter with one with a 2.5" pipe help, on his he swapped the default 2.25" exhaust for a full 2.5" system, with a cat delete, but using one from a bigger car that has a 2.5" would make that not be a bottleneck, but probably would still pass smog tests.

st falcon · Mar 23, 2012

I wonder what folks think about a 15 year old vehicle that has a cat thats probably so clogged up it might as well be a stright piece of pipe?

FocusBoy58 · Mar 23, 2012

darkangelism said:
Would swapping the catalytic converter with one with a 2.5" pipe help, on his he swapped the default 2.25" exhaust for a full 2.5" system, with a cat delete, but using one from a bigger car that has a 2.5" would make that not be a bottleneck, but probably would still pass smog tests.

Everyone keeps yelling at me in this 2012 forum that this is a whole new engine... Infact it isnt... its a higher compression direct injection version of last years 2.0 duratec. Every header Ive looked at over the past 3 weeks works the only difference is 1-2" of piping from the flex after the catalytic convertor. There is alot more good parts from last years engine that will work but I will keep my lips sealed since that will hurt business for these big companies making "parts" for this "new" motor.

ALSO FACTORY EXHAUST PIPING IS 2" not 2.25" please everyone get this right your factory is 2".... Full 2.5" from the header back on last years 2.0" netted 20+ whp on the race focus with No cats and Ive seen similiar gains. When I get a chance to drive to North Carolina and dyno this car at top speed because noone would believe a bolt on 2.0 2012 focus can have 190whp.

Reason fswerks, Top speed and Focus power arent coming out and saying that is they will be flamed by this young ford focus crowd and possibly lose 2012 focus business, where all the ones that have been around these car for 12 years have seen that there is no changes being made to most of this cars chassis and power plant except for this years amazing motor.

Also yes if you can modify a header back exhaust with 2.5" cat and full 2.5" exhaust you will see nice gains without being a "global killer" like me.

suss6052 · Mar 23, 2012

st falcon said:
I wonder what folks think about a 15 year old vehicle that has a cat thats probably so clogged up it might as well be a stright piece of pipe?

If the cat was plugged the car wouldn't run at all. I've seen this happen, when the catalyst fails because of contamination then it usually chokes off the flow of exhaust gasses all together. If no gas can get out then the car can't breath in fresh gasses and therefore the car stops running. If the 15 year old car is still running fine than the catalyst likely has not failed, nor would it be the same as putting in a test/straight pipe in its place.

st falcon · Mar 23, 2012

suss6052 said:
If the cat was plugged the car wouldn't run at all. I've seen this happen, when the catalyst fails because of contamination then it usually chokes off the flow of exhaust gasses all together. If no gas can get out then the car can't breath in fresh gasses and therefore the car stops running. If the 15 year old car is still running fine than the catalyst likely has not failed, nor would it be the same as putting in a test/straight pipe in its place.

DARN! I was hoping to be relevant today...[limp]

darkangelism · Mar 23, 2012

FocusBoy58 said:
Everyone keeps yelling at me in this 2012 forum that this is a whole new engine... Infact it isnt... its a higher compression direct injection version of last years 2.0 duratec. Every header Ive looked at over the past 3 weeks works the only difference is 1-2" of piping from the flex after the catalytic convertor. There is alot more good parts from last years engine that will work but I will keep my lips sealed since that will hurt business for these big companies making "parts" for this "new" motor.

ALSO FACTORY EXHAUST PIPING IS 2" not 2.25" please everyone get this right your factory is 2".... Full 2.5" from the header back on last years 2.0" netted 20+ whp on the race focus with No cats and Ive seen similiar gains. When I get a chance to drive to North Carolina and dyno this car at top speed because noone would believe a bolt on 2.0 2012 focus can have 190whp.

Reason fswerks, Top speed and Focus power arent coming out and saying that is they will be flamed by this young ford focus crowd and possibly lose 2012 focus business, where all the ones that have been around these car for 12 years have seen that there is no changes being made to most of this cars chassis and power plant except for this years amazing motor.

Also yes if you can modify a header back exhaust with 2.5" cat and full 2.5" exhaust you will see nice gains without being a "global killer" like me.

Thanks for the information, considering that the header and a hi flow 2.5" cat is not that expensive, under $500, I can probably get the other pieces of piping custom made, I might try this and see how it turns out, I really want to hit 200whp once tunes are available. If there is enough room for both the header and the cat.

KaputtEqu1pment · Mar 24, 2012

I've been getting about 450 miles out of my tanks lately, but i'm driving around 60mph on hilly state highways with premium no eth gas.

-sokO · Mar 24, 2012

That's basically the only thing missing from this car, 40-60 extra hp.

jsmichael · Mar 24, 2012

I've also benefited by running with premium fuel (93 octane) vs. regular fuel (87 octane) and getting ~36 MPG vice 34 MPG. And even if the increase in MPG doesn't fully offset the added cost of the premium fuel, I find that the engine performs better, and that may make a difference when you have to punch the accelerator to avoid a collision or merge into traffic.

got3fords · Mar 24, 2012

FocusBoy58 said:
It has gradually gone up but the biggest gas mileage adders were modifying the exhaust system. Full Race systems open it up so much that i went from 31-32 at 75 to 40+

I have been averaging 38 - 40 MPG commuting in 60/40 traffic on regular. Not so sure your mileage is so great.

FocusBoy58 · Mar 24, 2012

got3fords said:
I have been averaging 38 - 40 MPG commuting in 60/40 traffic on regular. Not so sure your mileage is so great.

do me a favor do 75+ and show me your mpg you get... Not sure you realize you wont be close...

darkangelism · Mar 24, 2012

Did the oem header have a cat on it? i think the old duratec's did and that is what made the header not street legal

FocusBoy58 · Mar 24, 2012

yes the cat is on the lower side of the header.

darkangelism · Mar 24, 2012

FocusBoy58 said:
yes the cat is on the lower side of the header.

thanks

kelscar · Mar 24, 2012

So, if you remove the CAT do you get an image of a burning planet on the instrument cluster instead of the green leaves?

sleepyboy · Mar 24, 2012

kelscar said:
So, if you remove the CAT do you get an image of a burning planet on the instrument cluster instead of the green leaves?

No but that would be kinda cool [giddy]

FocusBoy58 · Mar 24, 2012

kelscar said:
So, if you remove the CAT do you get an image of a burning planet on the instrument cluster instead of the green leaves?

[headbang] lol i just looked and nope their still leaves. It says im a Eco Champion Go figure [80?]

brent375hh · Mar 24, 2012

FocusBoy58 said:
It has been beat to death but the 2012 forum is so new so they haven't seen 1000+ threads flooded with this stuff. Its personal preference when it comes to cars especially these little cars where they have better chances with no cats to pass emissions then that big 6.6l...

Yes no cats is bad but its much worse if say I drove a truck as my daily.

In the larger scheme of pollutants thousands of cars like mine even hundred of thousands could be without cats and have no MEASURABLE effect on anything there's just far worse out there.

With you all the way. It's my "personal preference" to pour my used oil down the toilet. Look at all the cars that leak oil anyway. I figure if it is just cool guys like you and me me doing it, what will it hurt? Used tires and Strohs cans, I throw them in the ditch! Hey we rock!

1000 Miles On two Tanks (Average Speed 71 MPH)

LoganK

kelscar

darkangelism

st falcon

FocusBoy58

suss6052

st falcon

darkangelism

KaputtEqu1pment

-sokO

jsmichael

got3fords

FocusBoy58

darkangelism

FocusBoy58

darkangelism

kelscar

sleepyboy

FocusBoy58

brent375hh

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