[KnightFocus]

I own a 2001 Malibu Blue ZX3, Auto. The only mod, if you can call it that, that I've done is put a K&N filter. And of course I gained 50HP from that...

right....anyway I'm seriously looking at my options: 1.) I put money into this car with mods, even though it's an automatic 2.) swap my tranny and put a Standard Transmision 3.) V8 Conversion which would essentially mean me buying a Mustang since the kit is about $4500US + cost of Engine 4. ) just drive my car and buy another one later. Now as far as my first options which would mean me buying a Volant CAI, would that even be worth the additional 7HP??? Which option do you guys think is the best and why? Thanks all in advance.

 

[JRez]

Knight,

Welcome to the Jet

. In all honesty, you don't have to shell out big bucks to get an improvement with an automagic. The 3 things I'd do:
1.) Replace the stock airbox with an intake. Volant happens to be the most popular, but other options include the AEM Short Ram or the FocusSport Cool-Flo.
2.) Get an underdrive pulley.
3.) For improved throttle response, either bore out the existing TB or get the Focus Central one.

1 and 2 will add power, 3 will improve throttle response.

 

[David Anderson]

I too drive an auto. Your best bang for the buck is a UDP, then a CHIP, then a shorty header (keep cat and stock flexpipe for emmisons and tq purposes) and a full catback. I can promise you that you will enjoy your car. Chip and UDP are the most important.

 

[PGZX3]

chip and udp will yield the best gains for your car, a shorty header will do practically nothing. I also recommend the Volant intake, its worth the $$. Those mods would be a nice start, from there I would get a throttle body and a Vibrant exhaust, after that....well, thats up to you

 

[Greg Dantzler]

Nitrous, get nitrous. I use it on my car all the time now. My auto runs about 17.30 with cam gears(not tuned yet), throttle body, chip, and slicks. With the nitrous it runs 15.60. I use the compucar nitrous in a bag kit. Under $400 for more than a 1.5 second improvement is hard to beat.

 

[Stealth_Zetec]

i hear that a chip is the first step for any auto. apparently it moves your shift points up too.

this is just what i think i can remember, it may be wrong, it has been known...

once

 

[PGZX3]

Originally posted by Greg Dantzler:
Nitrous, get nitrous. I use it on my car all the time now. My auto runs about 17.30 with cam gears(not tuned yet), throttle body, chip, and slicks. With the nitrous it runs 15.60. I use the compucar nitrous in a bag kit. Under $400 for more than a 1.5 second improvement is hard to beat.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">17.3??? thats awful low, my car ran a 16.6 on street tires with a horrid short ram intake, shorty header, cat bypass, and exhaust, and thats with the transmission slipping and 2 bad exhaust leaks. Yes, it is an automatic...

 

[Tweekit]

I would run a 50 shot of NOS.. You will have to get a custom programed chip if you run the NOS with a chip, I dont run a chip at all and the 50HP shot will make you smile ear to ear!! I am running stock exhaust, I dont care to have my Focus sound like a 50 HP boat engine running in a garbage can of Water....your Automatic will put a hurting on all of those who fear NOS on there cars... Now if they have NOS on there stick shift.. well there is always someone faster than you.

 

[CrUziN4L]

DJ Ibe, im gonna get a vibrant too, once mOdernperformance get more in...but dont get the FS coolflow, either volant (safer for deep puddles)...or the AEM Cold Air (not short ram)...thats wat i got, and it dominates with power and sound...

yeh overdrive does kikass....its like a ghetto turbo...!!

-chris

 

[icemanZX3]

I have an automatic and here is my mods so far.

HKS Hiper exhaust
DiabloSport chip
Esslinger Underdrive pulley
Iceman intake with cone filter
bored OEM throttlebody
Level 10 upgraded transmission internals
Eagle forged rods
J/E 8.5:1 pistons
Esslinger valve springs
Esslinger titanium retainers
ARP head bolts
Garrett T3/T4 hybrid turbo
HKS Super Sequential Blow Off Valve
HKS turbo timer
HKS Intercooler
Deltagate Wastegate
Autometer gauges
Nitrous Express EFI wet kit(soon)
Port and Polish with 5 angle valve job(soon)

(still need a turbo manifold..somebody to make the piping and a Stand Alone EMS)

(all turbo parts and internals go on in the winter time)

[ 09-16-2002, 03:52 PM: Message edited by: icemanZX3 ]

 

[CrUziN4L]

iceman, keep me updated on that turbo, and how it works out, cuz once the funds start rollin in im gonna need some help wit the suggestions and configurations...lata bro

-chris

 

[zx3 focus racer]

Originally posted by FocusOnPunk:
N2O is illegal on the street.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">fyi its just NO (one nitrogen and one oxygen atom)
again just fyi

 

[FociD00d02]

Originally posted by zx3 focus racer:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by FocusOnPunk:
N2O is illegal on the street.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">fyi its just NO (one nitrogen and one oxygen atom)
again just fyi

</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Actually it is N20 (Nitrous Oxide N has a +1 charge and the O has a -2 NO would be a -1 charged ion and explode for any reason, N20 however is a stable compound and then when it enters the chambers (either the Oxygen or the nitrogen molecule) breaks off, hense the hole basic reason you are putting more air into the chambers

 

[FocusOnPunk]

are you gonna race or do you just want the car faster? because in most (if not all) places, N2O is illegal on the street. if you just want a little more HP, go with the above suggestions. if you want a quick way to be faster on the track (in spurts of course), use nitrous i guess. also, if you're even at all thinking about spending that much dough on the V8, have you thought about turbo? just ideas

 

[FocusOnPunk]

Originally posted by FociD00d02:
Actually it is N20 (Nitrous Oxide N has a +1 charge and the O has a -2 NO would be a -1 charged ion and explode for any reason, N20 however is a stable compound and then when it enters the chambers (either the Oxygen or the nitrogen molecule) breaks off, hense the hole basic reason you are putting more air into the chambers

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">what he said

iceman, what did you get from level ten, how much was it, and what has it done for you? there is a topic going in teamtech as to the code for our transmission, but levelten doesn't list it on their page. so some info would be great!

[ 09-17-2002, 12:20 AM: Message edited by: FocusOnPunk ]

 

[CrUziN4L]

i got an auto too....my parents made me get an auto for my first car cuz they thought i wouldn't drive fast and be tempted to race...lol good one!...but seriously dont waste ure money on a V8 conversion...if ure gonna stick wit the auto zx3 (which isn't bad at all) go for a chip, UDP, exhaust...and wateva, its just like a stick just witout the STICK, hell u can manually shift an auto wit a touch of a button if u wanted to (there are systems that let u do that, and then shift just like a manual)...so its ure choice, all i got to say is that i got a couple of manual cars under my belt that i raced, so no worries...oh and NOS IS NOT ILLEGAL, BUT IF U GET CAUGHT RACING WIT IT, ITS NOT GONNA HELP U!!!

-chris

 

[DJ Ibe]

I have an automatic to

...I wish I had an 5 speed though it's more fun to drive and it sound much better with an exhaust..all I did to my car is exterior modification's, in the engine I only have an K&N filter I don't think it did anything to it but anyway's, I just love my car to much to trade it in now, and I did alot of stuff to it and put alot of money into it so I was thinking to get an Vibrat Exhaust and the Focus Sport cool-flow intake that's about it for the engine though.

 

[DJ Ibe]

and one more thing, Do you guy's use ever the over drive button? I do on the highway sometime's and when I drive around 30 mph and up damn press gas a little and that car fly's lol.

 

[Greg Dantzler]

Originally posted by PGZX3:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by Greg Dantzler:
Nitrous, get nitrous. I use it on my car all the time now. My auto runs about 17.30 with cam gears(not tuned yet), throttle body, chip, and slicks. With the nitrous it runs 15.60. I use the compucar nitrous in a bag kit. Under $400 for more than a 1.5 second improvement is hard to beat.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">17.3??? thats awful low, my car ran a 16.6 on street tires with a horrid short ram intake, shorty header, cat bypass, and exhaust, and thats with the transmission slipping and 2 bad exhaust leaks. Yes, it is an automatic...

</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Okay, I have a stock air intake, a stock cat, a completely stock exhaust. The slicks actually slow me down a little when I'm not running the nitrous, plus I had a chip in that pulls about 8 degrees of timing. Add in the 3000 foot corrected altitude with the rest of that, and you have an explaination. Hope you are no longer

 

[Shiva Chaos]

I ran a 17.3 with my mods. I definitely have to tune