[slowpileof-focus]

hi guys this is my first post, well ive just bought a 2000 Focus ZX3 5-speed all stock except for a k&N air filter it has 95K on it and runs well but it loses to every single car on the road my friend beat me in her 05 hyundai elantra 4cyl 5-speed and i just taught her to drive it last week! her car is bone stock and she can barly drive it! ive been racing cars for about 8 years mostly mustangs and such, but this is possiably the slowest thing ive ever been in im afraid to take it to the track cause i know ill be embaressed! why are these cars so slow? ive heard they have good flowing heads and intakes on them... i see the exhaust manifold is very restrictive but that shouldnt have this much effect on performance, what is the compression ratio? im thinking about just taring down the engine and finding a stroker kit for it making it 11:1 comp with some good forged slugs in it and a mild port job on the head, still keep it streetable but at least have some ba##s any ideas? will cams help this turd at all? what about tranny gearing? thanks guys

 

[BigRed03]

These cars are supposed to be econo boxes, but losing to an elantra?! Intake, and a full exhaust is one of the best bangs for your $$$. I dont know what emmisions is like in NY but try and get a long tube header, it will be loud but a resonator will fix that. The zetec head is (if thats the motor you have) isnt the best flowing head, the duratec head is. With a P&P and FR stage 2 cams with intake and exhaust and a tune i think there are people on here in the 140+ hp range? these cars already have some pretty low gearing (3.9s?) and people do put 4.06s in them, but then that affects highway fuel economy. A tune really helps to. SCT tuned by any of the sponsor shops will help out quite a bunch, especially with mods. Hope this helps.

 

[ILuvMyZX3]

being a 2000, it could have an SPI motor in it.
those are slower than the zetec or duratec equipped on the foci in later years.

 

[1sloho]

well there is no reason u should be losing to an elantra. and as said, these cars are supposed to be econoboxes. not gas guzzling v8's like u said ur used to driving. so im sure to u that these cars seem tons slower. well hell they are slow. like said above, a complete exhaust and intake will livin ur focus up a bit.

 

[fokuzx3]

to answer some of your questions..lower gearing isnt worth it unless your goingn to get an lsd, and that isnt worth it until you get some serious mods...you dont have the spi because you have a zx3 and no zx3 came with a spi, if you wanna go all street you can take a look at my mods and see what kinda time i have...i can stay head to head with most preludes, older 5.0 autos, firebirds, camaros, civic si's and better cars with worse drivers...but tearing down the whole engine isnt going to get you to where i think you wanna be, even with the best stuff all motor you might be lucky and break 13s, but most stay at a mid to high 14..i think the best bang for the buck mod out there for the zetec motors RIGHT NOW is the 11 psi powerworks sc selling for only $2,999.00...some might say "95k miles and boos? no way" but i have seen zetecs with the pw with more miles than you who have taken the measures needed to run right and have done fine..eaton style sc are very forgiving and give a nice smooth power band so no spiking which causes rods to snap...check it out man, and good luck [thumb]

http://focus.c-f-m.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=988

 

[slowpileof-focus]

thanks for the input guys, well the car has the 2.0 zetec dohc motor in it for sure i just double checked, but in first gear this thing feels like the timing is retarded 10+ degrees, sorry im trying to transfer what i know about v8 rwd cars to this thing, and as far as econo boxes this thing only gets about 23 mpg highway not beating on it at all.. i put a new fuel filter in it and changed the plugs but i didnt get any performance or fuel economy from either if it was a mustang i would throw some 4:30 gears in the back and go have fun, is there a way to check timing on this thing? i just picked up a new snap on timing light and im dying to try it on something!

 

[ILuvMyZX3]

you dont have the spi because you have a zx3 and no zx3 came with a spi

thanks for correcting me [thumb]
i didn't realize he said zx3.[thumb]

 

[02_zxFIVE]

maybe.... youre the one who cant drive... jsut an idea, i mean, it was an elantra[] . yes, these cars are slow, but i dont think ford had the focus in mind as a race car. its a cheap entry level econobox. a commuter car, a grocery getter, not a race car. yes, the after market is big, for people who want to take advantage, and even then, youre looking at spending big bucks for small gain.

 

[fokuzx3]

thanks for the input guys, well the car has the 2.0 zetec dohc motor in it for sure i just double checked, but in first gear this thing feels like the timing is retarded 10+ degrees, sorry im trying to transfer what i know about v8 rwd cars to this thing, and as far as econo boxes this thing only gets about 23 mpg highway not beating on it at all.. i put a new fuel filter in it and changed the plugs but i didnt get any performance or fuel economy from either if it was a mustang i would throw some 4:30 gears in the back and go have fun, is there a way to check timing on this thing? i just picked up a new snap on timing light and im dying to try it on something!

lol 23mpg, sounds like you need some sort of tune up, beating it to hell i get 25 easily..4:30 gears??? that would suck! a lil dramatic, 3:73 are perfect

 

[Chick]

to answer some of your questions..lower gearing isnt worth it unless your goingn to get an lsd, and that isnt worth it until you get some serious mods...you dont have the spi because you have a zx3 and no zx3 came with a spi, if you wanna go all street you can take a look at my mods and see what kinda time i have...i can stay head to head with most preludes, older 5.0 autos, firebirds, camaros, civic si's and better cars with worse drivers...but tearing down the whole engine isnt going to get you to where i think you wanna be, even with the best stuff all motor you might be lucky and break 13s, but most stay at a mid to high 14..i think the best bang for the buck mod out there for the zetec motors RIGHT NOW is the 11 psi powerworks sc selling for only $2,999.00...some might say "95k miles and boos? no way" but i have seen zetecs with the pw with more miles than you who have taken the measures needed to run right and have done fine..eaton style sc are very forgiving and give a nice smooth power band so no spiking which causes rods to snap...check it out man, and good luck [thumb]

http://focus.c-f-m.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=988

That PW deal was over with on teh 28th[]

 

[slowpileof-focus]

well actually i can drive just fine, we took her car to the track and i ran a 15.52 with it bone stock just removing the air filter with a 2.3 60ft time on a 68 degree day at NYIRP. ive been told the focus is 130hp 130tq but that has to be very far off considering my old winter beater 88dx civic hatch 88hp went 16.8 bone stock and i watched a bunch of focus's struggle to break a 17.9, Im a ford guy 100% of the way but im getting killed on the street and im having to listen to my buddys laugh at me all the time could something be wrong with my car? honestly the way it feels with it bogging all the way through first gear it feels like a 19 second car what would cause this? im going to run a compression check tomorrow at work and see what i come up with i put it on the scanner yesterday and didnt get any codes it looks like the head has been off of it before im thinking the cam timing might be off a lil bit i think that would explain why mine feels so slow, i went and drove my sisters zx3 auto this morning to check an alignment issue and her car feels like it will destroy mine im getting frustrated with this car

 

[fokuzx3]

^ well come to think of it the 2000s did have alot of problems, my bud shelby (gump4111) has had to replace his altenator like 8 times i think? so it might be something wrong with that, and are you sayin the elantra ran a 15.5???

That PW deal was over with on teh 28th[]

ah suck! well thats false advertising then isnt it? i bet he could still get the deal

 

[slowpileof-focus]

yeah her elantra went 15.5 with me driving and 16.2 with her driving and she killed me on the street by 4 cars easy

 

[fokuzx3]

^ good lord, 15.5?? i had no idea those things went that fast, thats like svt focus fast

 

[Godzukidan]

When you tuned it up, did you clean your intake with some cleaner. It is good to do that every time you put new plugs in. Also clean those injectors. A bone stock ZX3 with a 5 speed should run low 16's easy. With some bolt on's high 15's with a good driver.

 

[breakaway]

That powerworks blower for $3k sounds like the way to go.I was considering the Precision turbo kit(also about $3k),but there does not seem to be any support for it.Of course the S/C will also require me to upgrade my clutch and think about an LSD,so theres another $1k.But man,what a pocket rocket that would be when done!

 

[fokuzx3]

^ no, if you got the precision you would need to upgrade your clutch but since the powerworks is a steady gain it isnt as hard on your drivetrain as well as internals..the reason not alot are talkin about the precision is because its old news, they havent done ne r&d on that kit for the zetecs for years now, the powerworks is the best daily driving f/i seems like, because its pretty much basically an intercooled jrsc and few complaints have been made about them except for the dumbbutts who over boost them...i would suggest emailing mcnewsautomotive to get all the details or just call them about it, i would do a compression check on your car as well to make sure your going into this knowing you have an "in shape" engine

 

[Tbones00SE]

Check and make sure all of the recalls were done. The 2000 had plenty. Do you get any drivability issues when you are around 1/4 tank of gas? If so, definitely check to see if the fuel pump has been replaced.

 

[slowpileof-focus]

ive checked and all the recalls were done there isnt any driveabilty issues what is involved in the v8 swap i have a 3:90 posi rearend with moser axels and a 500 hp 351w ready to go in along with a c4

 

[BigRed03]

alot is involved in a v8 conversion. There are kits floating around for like 7k, but since you already have the rearend and tranny, it souldnt be as hard. You have to beef up the front a rear suspension, run your own exhaust, get the engine and tranny to fit (minor mods of the fire wall) and make a new shifter hole in the floor. Its more than I would do.....If you want to try something very few prople have done, there is an SVT contour v-6 conversion....its still FWD though.