[2003 ZX3 2.0L]

All right guys here is what I have. I just purchased a 2003 ZX3 2.0L Zetec Focus. What i would like to know is what is the hp on this engine stock. Next, I would like to know how i can get that engine to 200+ hp. The engine has 30000 miles on it so its fresh and can handle to horses, I just need to know how to get them. Any advice will be helpful. O and i want it to be only a engine build for now no turbos at the moment until its built.

 

[lucasfama]

Hi from Argentina. I have the same car, and it's a 135hp engine. Hmmm I don't really know if you can get more than 200hp on this car, but if there is any way to do it pls let me know it

sorry for my english, have a good day.

lucas

 

[benkap]

The easiest way to get 200+ to the wheels is with turbo. It can be done NA but, it is expensive and fiddly.

 

[lucasfama]

yeap, it's not an easy work. I think it'll be very expensive.

 

[benkap]

A turbo setup should run about $4-5k. More if you need someone else to install it for you.

Going NA you could easily spend $5-6k and still not hit the goal numbers. NA is pretty tricky.

 

[lucasfama]

haha here in Argentina it's more than that.Talking about u$s dollars of course, not Argentinian pesos. By the way, what is the price for a 2003 2.0L 4 doors Focus over there? Just to compare prices between Argentina and USA.

 

[Fucus-minded]

def turbo for the fastest cheapest way.

lucas, depends on the condition and miles...2000-6000 USD.

 

[lucasfama]

crap... I've paid about 11000 u$s here for my focus

 

[Fucus-minded]

A 2003? I hope that was in 2003-05

 

[lucasfama]

haha no my friend, here we manage other prices. quite sad just to have an idea... Honda Accord Ex '96 105000 miles is about 9k u$s :S

look at this:
http://auto.mercadolibre.com.ar/MLA-125709430-honda-accord-ex-at-cuero-techovtecfullfull-_JM

 

[focusmaniaczx3]

200whp is easy to get out of a good condition zetec for a grand or so. 100-125 shot of nitrous with all the gauges, safety cut-offs, a xcal3, and tune. You make 130 hp at the crank. Maybe 110 to the wheels.

 

[DueceCoupe]

200whp is easy to get out of a good condition zetec for a grand or so. 100-125 shot of nitrous with all the gauges, safety cut-offs, a xcal3, and tune. You make 130 hp at the crank. Maybe 110 to the wheels.

That's why I luv ya,cause We think alike.
Nitrous,fastest easiest way in addition to the standard bolt ons.
Is your Focus manual or automatic?

 

[focusmaniaczx3]

i made that post with my cell phone last night. i just wanted to add to it and give you a more in depth break down of what you need to make 200whp with the zetec focus.

all motor no nitrous, turbo, or supercharger
forged lightweight high compression pistons $400+
crower stage 4 cams or more aggressive if you can find them. will put peak power at or above 8000rpms $350+
dry sump oil pump and CFM billet gear for higher than 7400rpms
nastiest P&P head you can find. $1500+
oversize valves with stronger valve springs $500+
shave the head for as much compression as you can get $100
SVT header conversion $500
3 inch exhaust $100-$700 depending if you order the good stuff or get it made locally.
custom intake manifold or preferably individual throttle body setup. at the very least a FR intake mani with FR 70mm TB $600-$1000 depending on which setup you choose
very good tune and xcal3 $500
race gas only, the car will probably not be street legal

stock motor with nitrous
brand new bare bones zex wet kit that comes with bottle warmer, purge, lines, solenoid, and toggle switch. $500
RPM window switch $100
A/F cutoff switch $50
fuel pressure cutoff switch $50
xcal3 and tune $600

Supercharger on a bone stock engine

used powerworks supercharger should put you at 200whp.
look for a deal and get one for $2000
tune and xcal3 $700 or however much it is.

turbo kit on a bone stock engine
used complete turbo kits sometimes get sold on this site for as little as $1500. a bone stock zetec can hold 250whp easily and if you build the motor you can keep pushing the power higher with a turbo kit. you are sorely limited with nitrous, all motor, and superchargers. tuning costs the same for turbo as it does for supercharging from Tom.

im sure i left out alot of things that are needed in my lists there but you get the general idea of what it takes to get there depending on what route you decide to take.

 

[scoobygms210]

see what no ones asked here is what kind of power band do u want if u want 200 hp and a slow car most the time specially when u run out of nos go nos .. witch i thing is DUMN ! ( i would of beat u if my boodle wasnt empty.. give me and hour to go get it filled and ill race u again )???

if u want to spend a HUGE amount of money on a focus ? and go turbo build and have a huge headache for months and end up broke .. go turbo
(another thing about turbo is boost anticking lol so ur always gonna wanna go bigger and more and more !!

if u want a simple go easy to use power band that just bolts up. keeps the cars gas mileage some what and is reliable go super charged as said about all the safety things will be needed to do any of these things but ull make ur HP and it wont lag and probably make huge tourge

my English isn't the best either english is my second language but i try

 

[2003 ZX3 2.0L]

K now that you all have gave me some choices here are the details on the car i purchased it for 4300 dollars and it only has 60000 on the body and 30000 on the engine so its good to go, and its a two door not a four so I am thinking I am probably going to supercharge it. If I go that route what performance parts would you all think would be needed to push 300 to the wheels after the supercharger is installed. Everything you can think of will be helpful thanks for the feed back.

 

[scoobygms210]

K now that you all have gave me some choices here are the details on the car i purchased it for 4300 dollars and it only has 60000 on the body and 30000 on the engine so its good to go, and its a two door not a four so I am thinking I am probably going to supercharge it. If I go that route what performance parts would you all think would be needed to push 300 to the wheels after the supercharger is installed. Everything you can think of will be helpful thanks for the feed back.

for 300 whp ur probly looking at close to 4k or more in a build unless u build ur own motor and do all ur own work ?? ur lookign at rods pistons ecu probly cams and head work pretty much a full build and tune good luck with that sir

 

[focusmaniaczx3]

250whp is about the maximum you can squeeze out of a stock bottom end zetec. depending on what supercharger you choose you will have to use varying amounts of nitrous to get to the 250whp anyway. the JRSC is the cheapest and seems to be the most reliable supercharger available. it is also the weakest one out there and will only put you at about 185whp if you are lucky with no other engine mods. the others available are the powerworks, vortec, procharger, and i think im forgetting one more am i not? someone is likely to remind me. anyway all 3 of those are good for making more power than the Jackson Racing Supercharger but tend to be more finicky from what ive learned in researching them. anyway if you are going for 300whp you will NEED at the least forged pistons and rods ($800 minimum). you might be able to skate by with standard head bolts and stock head but by all means i highly suggest that you dont. you would be much better off to use all ARP hardware, port and polish the head, and get stage 2 cams. if you do that you might make 20-25whp more than you would with the stock head with the supercharger. other things that would be highly advisable would be the SVT header OR topspeed's race header. ive heard some good things about it and it is worth looking into. im pretty sure topspeed's header is quite expensive though so i would personally stick with the SVT setup and run a 3 inch exhaust with no cat. after that you will need to have nitrous to make up the difference between what you are making on the supercharger and your power goal of 300whp. also you will need a boostapump (kennebell makes them) because the stock fuel pump wont be able to kick out enough gas to keep up with the engine's much more thirsty needs after all this.

if you keep your eyes open you will see different superchargers get sold on this site for a grand or less but if you keep your eyes open you will see complete turbo kits get sold on this site for 2000 or less. in spending a grand more on the bolt on kit you now have to spend less to reach your power goal. no need for nitrous, no need for cams, no need for a P&P head, no need for SVT header conversion. and you can still hit that power goal of 300. but you would still need a forged bottom end and a boostapump.

 

[zeetec01]

the owners manual for zetecs says they crank 140hp stock to the wheels when new, after about 60,000 they usually have about 110-115hp from what i have seen on the forum.

 

[2003 ZX3 2.0L]

So I am sticking to the the supercharger setup. So I need to know all the parts I will need to make 300+ safely, that will complement the supercharger the best. And as far as a tune goes how would i go about doing that is it easier to take it to a shop or can i do it on my own with a ecu flasher.

 

[focusmaniaczx3]

Read my post above for your answer