Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

if emissions is not an issue for you the next bang for your buck would be a header. You wont have to worry about a higher octane with that either.

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

Right now I'd say 140whp and tq tops. The exhaust really doesn't make that big of a difference, no way near the 10hp gain off of the intake.

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

CAI alone seems to get them up in the 135 range. cai+exhaust, not a whole lot more, maybe 138 or so.

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

I agree that a header/flex combo is a logical next step, that or the timing tool adjuster thingymawhatsit...

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

not to high jack or anything.... but since the exhuast isn't as big of a gain (and from what I understand it's that rear lunchbox resontor that is a big killer - which I have already eliminated), would doing the header first be a better option instead of the exhuast piping?

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

You may see a slight gain from doing the exhaust header first. But keep this in mind: all of the advertised gains you see for headers include an exhaust. You won't get nearly as much power from a race header if it still has to push that air through the stock piping.

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

I did get 147WHP and 150Tq w/ just intake and Exhaust, but those numbers are bit unreal at this point I think. Plus it was a very cold day and I don't think the dyno was in tune. When I tried calculating correction factor by hand I ended up with roughly 141 WHP and 145 TQ, which sounds more reasonable.

If you want more power, you need some sort of forced induction or just rev higher, which means you'll need cams, retainer springs and other trickery to increase volumetric efficiency at high RPM. I will probably get headers next, sound like people have very nice results with it.

The "bad" news is that you don't see too many 2.3L duratecs cracking 200fwhp, not like Acura RSX-S guys (K20), put intake/exhaust/race headers/hodata reflash and make 200whp on a dyno and run very very solid 14s.

The good news is that people seem to run mid and low 14s with much less horsepower than 200whp, because unlike Honda K20 engine, Duratec got some torque. Which makes me wonder what this cars can do with 200+whp.

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

I did get 147WHP and 150Tq w/ just intake and Exhaust, but those numbers are bit unreal at this point I think. Plus it was a very cold day and I don't think the dyno was in tune. When I tried calculating correction factor by hand I ended up with roughly 141 WHP and 145 TQ, which sounds more reasonable.

If you want more power, you need some sort of forced induction or just rev higher, which means you'll need cams, retainer springs and other trickery to increase volumetric efficiency at high RPM. I will probably get headers next, sound like people have very nice results with it.

The "bad" news is that you don't see too many 2.3L duratecs cracking 200fwhp, not like Acura RSX-S guys (K20), put intake/exhaust/race headers/hodata reflash and make 200whp on a dyno and run very very solid 14s.

The good news is that people seem to run mid and low 14s with much less horsepower than 200whp, because unlike Honda K20 engine, Duratec got some torque. Which makes me wonder what this cars can do with 200+whp.

14.12@99 with 217whp on a street tire for me back 6 months ago.

You are right about the TQ difference cause a RSX and a Focus weigh about the same 2660-2700

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

The "bad" news is that you don't see too many 2.3L duratecs cracking 200fwhp, not like Acura RSX-S guys (K20), put intake/exhaust/race headers/hodata reflash and make 200whp on a dyno and run very very solid 14s.

On the other hand, the RSX Type-S is rated at 200 flywheel horsepower from the factory. It takes them intake/exhaust/header/reflash just to make up for that drivetrain loss! I put on a CAI and bam, I was making advertised horsepower at the wheels.

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

14.12@99 with 217whp on a street tire for me back 6 months ago.

You are right about the TQ difference cause a RSX and a Focus weigh about the same 2660-2700

With or w/o spray..?

The RSX-S will run high 13's with just half the mods/cash you've already put in your car, and then if you spray it...

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

talk total price if you're gonna talk that way.

yeah we don't have many 200whp foci. we also have like NONE that have already done full bolt-ons for crying out loud.

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

Ok let's talk total cost

I picked up Focus for $13,000 w/ tax and all...I haven't been stroking for a new RSX-S so no idea how much it costs, but say we get it for $23,000 (CarsDirect.com), $10,000 diff, how nice.

RSX-S + Hondata #4 ($580) + Header ($300) + Exhaust (450)+ Intake (150) = $24,480 and I would say 13.9 @ 100mph with a decent driver on a good day on a good track.

So w/ $11,480 in mods can a Ford Focus do better than 13.9s @ 100mph? Some would say, for $11,000 you can do 11s, but I don't know about that, cost of speed is not linear it is exponential

.

I say w/ $5,000 in mods Focus might do better, I/E/H + Pistons + Cams + Head work 3.82:1, no NOS. Well maybe it is going to be a bit more than $5,000, but still.

On the other hand I don't know how Focus would compare in road race, w/ nice torque and even floaty stock suspension it is no slouch.

Oh RSX-S being a "sports car" and Focus being "average Joe's/Moe's commuter-[censored] car" I think insuarence for Focus is way less.

It is a tough comparison, I guess it will require more statements than that to prove that Focus is a superior car, but I am very certain that RSX is not better given its $$$$. Maybe you guys can help!

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

I got my car for 8,700 bucks. So I automatically can justify putting 5,000 - 8,000 in mods in it. Sticker price was 17,750. And hopefully i'll have an awesome high 13 - low 14 second car for less than the total sticker price when i'm all done.

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

thx vitoal for the support. My honest estimate is that the duratec 2.3 can hit 200whp with CAI, MAF, TB, streetable cams, decent header (whatever Walter comes up with prolly), big flex, and 2.5 or bigger exhaust, plus tune.

2000-2500 total, assuming you get just a reflash and not PRP.

NO headwork, NO cossie pieces. those will help you get damn close to 230-250. Add pistons and we're looking at even more. Throw on some nitrous, and sky's the limit.

that'd be an additional 3k.

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

Yea Focus is a great car, what we need is more people to get into it and eventually bigger aftermarket, on the same level as Mustang and Honda.

Speaking of a Mustang

, my friend used to drag me around these Mustang club meets and everyone claimed that it was possible to pick up a brand new Mach 1 for about $22,000, I never really checked. I would bet my money on a Mustang vs. Riced out RSX-S any day. Low 13s are pretty common, and 12s are within reach on good tires.

Maybe Focus is an Ultimate sports car, maybe not...I wish I could test all those cars to know the answer.

Get a $500 beater, strip out the interior and all that doesn't matter, add 150HP wet shot nitrous and pray to bend laws of physics to make one 12.0s pass, would that be the best bang per buck? I don't know. Always wanted to try that

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

thx vitoal for the support. My honest estimate is that the duratec 2.3 can hit 200whp with CAI, MAF, TB, streetable cams, decent header (whatever Walter comes up with prolly), big flex, and 2.5 or bigger exhaust, plus tune.

2000-2500 total, assuming you get just a reflash and not PRP.

NO headwork, NO cossie pieces. those will help you get damn close to 230-250. Add pistons and we're looking at even more. Throw on some nitrous, and sky's the limit.

that'd be an additional 3k.

Don't forget the new clutch now =D

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

Get a $500 beater, strip out the interior and all that doesn't matter, add 150HP wet shot nitrous and pray to bend laws of physics to make one 12.0s pass, would that be the best bang per buck? I don't know. Always wanted to try that

Ya i already tried that. I had my 87 ranger with a 2.9 v6. I bought it for 300 bucks when i was 15 with 110,000 miles on it. I fixed the body and got it painted nice lowered it and got wheels for it. I installed a vortech t-rex inline fuel booster pump and a 150 shot nitrous express wet kit on it. I also had no cat's dual flowmasters a ram air setup, msd 6a ignition and msd coil. I was getting ready to do my 5.0 swap, so the nitrous was only put on the 2.9 as an exparamnet. I wanted to see how fast she could go, and how many passes she would take before it blew up. So me and my brother towed the ranger up to the local drag strip. I was getting 12.8 - 12.6 runs all night. I went through a bottle of nitrous and had to refill. It survied 8 time runs and the only thing that stopped me was a burned out clutch. That was a fun day because everyone wanted to know what was under the hood and when i told them completely stock 2.9 with a 150 shot everyone looked at me like i was nuts. Well then came the 5.0 swap and that old 2.9 got sold and it's probably still running under the hood of someone elses truck. But considering if i did no body work and only bought a t-rex fuel pump 150 shot wet kit and some drag radials i could have had a $1,200 12 second truck.

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

The "bad" news is that you don't see too many 2.3L duratecs cracking 200fwhp, not like Acura RSX-S guys (K20), put intake/exhaust/race headers/hodata reflash and make 200whp on a dyno and run very very solid 14s.

On the other hand, the RSX Type-S is rated at 200 flywheel horsepower from the factory. It takes them intake/exhaust/header/reflash just to make up for that drivetrain loss! I put on a CAI and bam, I was making advertised horsepower at the wheels.

hmm.
that is because
200 x .85 = 170 (15% drivetrain loss)
200 - 170 = 30
compared with
145 x .85 = 123.25
145 - 123.25 = 21.75

so first of all, OF COURSE THE RSX has to have more parts because it needs to gain 30whp, not 21whp

also. if you hadnt noticed, intakes on our cars generally gain 10whp... 10 = 21?

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

hmm.
that is because
200 x .85 = 170 (15% drivetrain loss)
200 - 170 = 30
compared with
145 x .85 = 123.25
145 - 123.25 = 21.75

so first of all, OF COURSE THE RSX has to have more parts because it needs to gain 30whp, not 21whp

also. if you hadnt noticed, intakes on our cars generally gain 10whp... 10 = 21?

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

I see you live in fullerton mtx ZX3. Come down to California Dragway at Fontana and not one RSX will run a 13. let alone below a 14.7 Even with Hondata, I/H/E. If someone will let me borrow some slicks I'll run a 13 all motor on Sat. 14.4 before on a street tire before the gears and compression.

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

^^^Speaking of california speedway. Are you going to the street legals? The next one is the 26th. http://www.californiaspeedway.com/track/CaliforniaDragway2005Schedule.jsp

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

In reference to any posts you might notice have gone missing: Sorry - we don't feed the trolls here.

>8^)
ER

 

Re: Estimated gains so far? What\'s next?

.... Low 13s are pretty common, and 12s are within reach on good tires.

Get a $500 beater, strip out the interior and all that doesn't matter, add 150HP wet shot nitrous and pray to bend laws of physics to make one 12.0s pass, would that be the best bang per buck? I don't know. Always wanted to try that

That's what happened to me with my old 160,000 mile mustang. I stripped out the interior to repaint it and stuck on a old, OLD nitrous kit. So with a 75-120hp pills I put down a high 12's and a low, LOW 12.05@113. But from the mph you can see I was traction limited. Remember this is a stock 160,000 mustang. That was with a 1500dollar car and a 200$ USED nitrous kit. I'm sure that with a 150hp pill I would have been into the 11's.

also, comparing my $8900 '05 ZX3 to a '05 $21,000 Acura is not such a good comparison. Anyways I've seen cars dyno 160-170hp and push the 13's with a few traction mods. Anyways good luck
-bix