looking forward to this.

 

Subbed

 

Pictures!

Here are some pics from last night's test fit. Photobucket wouldn't work last night so I'm doing them now.

It's a tight fit, but it should work. I'll have to strap down an AC line out of the way just a smidgen, and probably re-route the heater hoses since they rest on the compressor housing of the turbo. Plan is to run a short intake pipe behind the battery and under the fuse box to be hidden from sight [giddy]

First shot is the test fit of the manifold on my built motor. Sorry about the angles and all the crap in the shot, it's tucked away in a corner for now.


^^^ This is the motor that has the cracked valve cover and will get the aluminum one I ordered.

Here's the test fit in my daily driver ZX3... I'll eventually get some heat shields to make it look super OEM.


Alternator clearance for the downpipe. I have ample room in there. The shiny bolt head that's horizontal is the turbo outlet. I'm probably going to be able to use a mazdaspeed downpipe and only have to shorten its overall length.


Here you can see my predicament with the heater hoses. It would work like this as the inlet pipe would go right between the two hoses, but it doesn't look very clean. Also, the blue hoses are my relocated EVAP solenoid.


That's all I have for now! Aluminum valve cover should be here Tuesday or sooner, so that's when I'll update. I don't think there will be many updates until I get the build car.

Also, that manifold is cast iron and ugly with surface rust when you get it... Solution? either VHT flameproof paint for headers, or the high temp rustoleum grill paint. Wire brush the manifold, spray on a few coats (3-4) then bake it in the oven for a little over an hour. I started at 300* for 20 minutes then cranked it up to 450* for the last 40 or so minutes. This process is called curing. It bakes the paint in to the material so when you put it through it's first heat cycle on the car it doesn't burn or melt off. It will make your house reek, so open the windows!

 

WOW! Looks good, so what all have you removed from up on the firewall?

 

I believe just that evap solenoid, which I relocated under the fuse box. This was done because my last turbo setup was top mount.

I will also have to move the plug location for the O2 sensors, but that's no big deal.

 

Are you going to be running a cat? or just a wideband and front 02. I'm super interested in this since you've proven proof of concept. Keep up the good work!!

 

The Cat will depend on which car I get. I won't be putting a Cat in the downpipe, and probably won't have a rear O2 sensor. I will have front O2 and wideband, so in that case, it WILL look stock-ish. If I don't get the ST I have my heart set on, I will just use the Cat in the stock exhaust and just chop the lunchbox off the end [] This will keep noise down, but still let me hear the car enough to enjoy it.

 

Do you go to any local meets?

 

Not in nearly a year, no. I used to attend a car meet in Katy at FAST automotive, then the Best Buy/Home Depot parking lot on Fry & 10.

 

I'm talking ff houston meets.

 

I went to one over a year ago. We went to skyzone SW houston around 59 and 8

 

Sub

Sent from my ASUS_Z00AD using Tapatalk

 

Yup, I remember you. I remember before you put any turbo on you brought it a meet in Stafford. I think you said it's got a turbo in it, but in the back hatch area lol

 

I was a little disappointed to see that you're just going to retrofit the OEM Mazdaspeed FI system on a Focus. Its super cool and I wish you the best of luck, but the thread title really had me thinking you were going to actually do a Mazdaspeed conversion on a Focus, which I think would be awesome.

By that I mean, full powerplant, drivetrain, subframe, etc... Basically everything that makes it a Mazdaspeed, just installed on the Focus.

 

Unfortunately, budget will only allow me to go this far... If all goes well, I'll find a 2005 ST to put this in, then I'll at least be the same displacement! Something that got me thinking is the 6 speed... The 6 speed in the SVT won't work on the Duratec cars I remember hearing, but the mazdaspeed has a variation of the Duratec in it, so maybe the bolt pattern and associated parts are similar enough to make it work with minor headache... Maybe the next thing will be to look into that.

As for subframes and everything, I doubt the under structure is similar enough to fit.

I'll try to modify the title of the thread, I just couldn't think of something better to call it. Maybe "MAZDASPEED" OEM Turbo install on Ford Focus.

 

What you have is fine. I wouldn't sweat it.

Sent from my ASUS_Z00AD using Tapatalk

 

Awesome! I hope it works out well for ya!

 

I've wondered about this before... Actually I think an mk2 guy had an entire engine and turbo setup but never went through with installing it. But I think the trans has been done, I know cobb did it to an mk3 too.

Definitely subbed!

 

I believe the MK3 and the Mazdaspeed have more structural characteristics in common. So I can understand having swapped in a 6 speed. In fact, people argue that the FoSt is basically the same as the Mazdaspeed 3.

Either way, I have one W2 in, and am expecting my second soon. Then I just have to file them. Buying the car is the next step!

 

Just got my aluminum valve cover in from a donor car in New York. I'll put some pics up later of it. I've got it wire brushed now, and the question is... What color should I paint it?!?!

I was thinking of the purple color that massive uses, but that will ruin my sleeper look. Maybe just silver/aluminum colored. Or an iridescent silver? Black would just be boring. I want a cool color, but nothing super loud.

 

I'm thinking maybe that "hammered" paint color. The kind that looks like hammered brass, but do it in silver.

 

I'd go for the shiny aluminum look. I would say wrinkle red but you didn't want something loud.

 

I'd do either hammer black with silver highs or hammer silver with black highs

 

Look up silver vein powder coat. That'd be neat with or without a topcoat

 

This is super similar to the hammered silver color.

I'm going to prime it in flat black tomorrow. If I like the look of that well enough I may leave it. I don't want bare aluminum for corrosion reasons... I like a clean looking engine bay, and corrosion on my 99% rust free car is not okay [giddy]

 

powder coat it, its like 75$

 

I like to think I'm fairly handy with a rattle can, and at $10/can for high temp engine enamel... Hard to beat.

I primed it flat black and it looked too boring. Went over with a gloss silver/aluminum and it's still wet. I like the clean look of the silver. We'll see how it looks when it dries as that can change a color. If I like it I'll do a few more coats.

 

So I'm satisfied with the silver/aluminum color I went with on the valve cover.

Next question... I found an 05 ST with 175K on it for just $2K. Is it worth my time to consider that car for the project? I do have another 2.0 sitting in the garage if something catastrophic happens to that, but I'm worried about the gearbox. Clutch will probably get replaced, so no worries there. Anything to look out for in these high mileage Foci? My daily is about to roll up 50K and it's an 05, so I'm not familiar with high mileage woes.

[cheers]

 

STs are GREAT! Always depends whats wrong with it. If the motor hasn't been run low on oil it should be fine. Trans otherwise should be soild. it is a MTX-75 after all. I love all that low end. Honestly as a project that would be great

 

I'm thinking it will be the car too. Interior looks like it was a smoker's car, but that will just take some cleaning and leave it with the windows open.

One thing I haven't mentioned about this project is that I plan on taking it on a 4000 mile road trip this summer if it's done. Houston to Denver, to LA, to Phoenix and back to Houston. Plus it will get romped on when I get to each of those cities. Especially LA. And I need to get home in it.

 

Small Update!

I'm sticking with the silver/aluminum look on the valve cover. Looks fresh but OEM enough to pass. I'm going to have to invest a fair amount in an adjustable wastegate for the turbo (stock 15psi) so I can run lower at first. Minor setback.

Major setback: my daily needs a new driver's LCA and a few other suspension goodies. So that is going to be a financial and time drain. Suspension is clunking badly and arm is bent enough to show up on an alignment machine. Replacing almost everything up front.

Now back to the task at hand... Still waiting on tax refund, but it's not looking promising. So if it's less than I'm anticipating, I'll just "MAZDASPEED" the daily! [cheers]

 

Update:

Just ordered a Steeda competition rear sway bar. I hope it's as aggressive as everyone says! Sometime next week I'll be ordering an Eibach front sway, new control arms to replace my slightly bent one, and things I need to fabricate the turbo inlet and filter!

Slowly but surely... [cheers]

 

Okay, so my Mazdaspeed 3 down pipe came in the other day. The box was seriously mangled, but the part itself was fine. I'm thinking it may fit just fine with no modification, but we'll see. the flange may not be the same, and mating the 3" down pipe to my 2" exhaust may be an issue. (I have another 2.5" exhaust, but it's straight pipe) Anyway, I'm just waiting on a few special hose couplers to come in and a few fittings for the oil and coolant for the turbo, as well as an aluminum barb for the oil pan. Next I'll have to order up injectors and an adjustable wastegate actuator since my stock block can't take the 15psi of the factory actuator. After that, it's a tune with Tom, and we'll see what this build is made of. I'll be happy to break 200whp.

 

turbo + 2.5" straight pipe would be hilarious. go for it!

 

I'll probably slap it on once for grins. Should hear the turbo in there like a little jet engine on startup. I'm crossing my fingers on some sweet backfires and maybe some tailpipe flames [hihi]