[petehouk]

Does anyone have any experience with an ethanol conversion kit on a Focus? For example:

http://www.flextek.com/

How would ethanol affect the fuel system on a Focus? Are any of the fuel system parts (pump, lines, etc) common with the ethanol-ready vehicles (Taurus for example) that Ford makes?

Based on the information at www.flextek.com, it looks their product only modifies the way the fuel is injected. Their product doesn't do anything to make sure that the rest of the fuel system can handle ethanol. Too bad.

Thanks

Pete

 

[chilledboost]

i am running it in my E55, my MSP and my Vr-4, but they are all force-fed. i wouldnt run it in an NA vehicle

 

[SuperFocusMan]

pretty crazy stuff.

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

I'd like to see more vehicles designed with flex fuel systems standard- if not a government required industry standard in the US. I'd also like to see vehicles designed to be E85 only with higher compression. We'll just have to wait and see what happens in the future.

If you have the extra money, you could build your own E85 only VW fairly cheaply. I'd keep the Focus around for high heat summer and winter driving though because VW's are terrible in the AC/ heat department.

 

[Egz]

I much rather have a Biodiesel car instead of a flex fuel car. But that's just me.

 

[metallicnotazx5]

flex fuel will cost you more in the long run. and your milage will drop to somewhere in the low 20's

 

[JRODSVT]

Ford Has been making E85 vehicles since 1994. The taurus and ranger started it with the 3.0L vulcan v6 and despite what GM says Ford is the leader in alternative fuel vehicles. GM may have the most models that run on E85 but Ford has more vehicles. Chrysler also had E85 on the 3.3L Caravan in the middle 90's. Ford was doing this back then for emmissions and not for an alternative to gasoline. Gas was only 80 cents back then.

and wickedgrey is correct the fuel mileage is much lower than with gasoline. you need more fuel to make the same power. The Taurus and Ranger get a 150lph fuel pump and 19lb injectors compared to 60-80 lph and 17lb injectors.

 

[faulkton]

plus have you priced e85? Its almost as high as gas! With the added benefit of not making the same mileage.

Just like gas when the demand for ethanol goes up.. so does the price... so whats the point?!

Plus how much energy is used making ethanol? I just dont see the point..

 

[pspringe]

Ford has been doing it for years, but never pushed it like GM is now, which is resulting in Gas Stations actually selling it.

 

[iantm]

I'm of the opinion that buying an old W123 chassis Mercedes Benz (77-85 240d, 300d, 300td, 300ce for those without a working knowledge of MBZ chassis codes) and doing the biodiesel conversion with mild customization would be more cost effective and fun in the long run. Also, keep in mind that the W123 is considered to be the last solid car that Mercedes has built (the decline in waulity began in the mid 80's). Yes, it's a noisy old car that will likely need some rehabilitation with the interior (unless you get a mint condition example - these seem to be fetching insane prices) - but that's room to build the car you want. Change the seat material, add a stereo, add some insulation, and you've got yourself one classic car that's almost free to drive (once you make friends with the folks at your local fast food place or Chinese restaurant).

If not for the fact that I don't have the time, money, or space to do this, I would have done this already. I'm planning to do it at some point in the near future. For more info on biodiesel, check out www.greasecar.com - you can find some already converted cars there, turorials, and other good stuff.

Had Ford brought a diesel powered focus to North America, they would tap into a very lucrative segment. The local VW dealers are selling TDI's for $2500 over window sticker with a waiting list, so the market's there. A mass produced focus diesel would be an instant hit, even if it was on the aging platform that's being updated for 2008. Let's all hope that Ford's big surprise is a diesel option in 08 instead of a disappointment akin to the 05 decontenting.

 

[Tbones00SE]

The point is that oil won't last forever and with China and India coming online as major consumer countries we are quickly reaching a point where we are using oil quicker than we can get it out of the ground. Ethanol is not the end all, be all of fuels. There is always a trade off, but you can mitigate it with a little ingenuity. E85 by itself might not get you as much mileage as gas, but if you combine it with a hybrid electric motor you could probably get substanially better mileage that equals or exceeds gas only engines. I watched an episode of coolfuels on the science channel and a guy had a BMW Z3 that was a hybrid of pure ethanol and fuel cell and he was getting 35 mpg in a sports car.

 

[shawn_carter69]

An alternate fuel source would be a great thing. I don't know that I would want ot have an early version, or at least a version that has not been produced on a larger scale. Just scares me a little.

I have been saying for years that Ford should do one of two thigs, if not both:
1. Build a diesel Focus
-AND/OR-
2. Bring the RS to North America

I would love it if they would bring the RS, and I mean look at htings like the Cobalt SS SC, It's selling, fairly well from what I can tell. I just think that those two options are something I know a lot people would love to see, and that Ford is missing out on market share with. Just MO though

 

[Egz]

I have been saying for years that Ford should do one of two thigs, if not both:
1. Build a diesel Focus

They already build a diesel Focus. Its just not here. []

http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/car-reviews/car-and-driving/ford-focus-tdci-range-1004539.html

 

[shawn_carter69]

Fair enough, like the rest of the post about bringing the RS to NA, they should with the diesel as well

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

I think we're waiting on the final conversion to low sulfur diesel- although this explanation is suspect to me since European companies have been bringing their diesels over here for years. There might be some modifications that I don't know about, but it just seems strange that VW's and Mercedes don't seem to have any issues running on US diesel. I was extremely disappointed in GM when they bought Isuzu, and then didn't start putting small Isuzu turbo diesels in S-10's. Instead, they decided to use that horrid 2.2 4 cyl that never had any power in a light Isuzu truck and really was and is a dog in the S-10. They were better off with the old pushrod 2.5. I haven't checked out GM little trucks in a long time, so maybe they've fixed it, but still no little diesel.