3 replies to this topic

[Dogegg1280]

Hi all, I'm in now way a boy racer for starters. I have recently become interested in improving the shed of a focus (mk1 Zetec SE, Lefthand drive) I've been driving for the last two years. In this time it has never been serviced, passed 2 MOT's and noticed it was getting horrible to drive. I decided to look at how to make it a little better and over the last few days I've changed the oil, oil filter, air filter and spark plugs. This was all after changing the bonnet as the paint had been ruined by bird crap while the car was sat in Rome for three months under a tree.

Now the car is running a lot smoother and seems to be doing better on fuel, I am looking at other ways to improve performance without it sounding like a typical boy racer car. I've looked at air induction kits as they seem to say they improve performance throughout the RPM range and as long as you don't drive like a boy racer it's good for fuel consumption.

Is there such thing as a quiet induction kit? They all seem to say they give a louder throaty sound and I'm kind of trying to avoid that. Also if anyone has any advice on how to improve performance in general it would be much appreciated.

Cheers, Mike.

[btmaldon]

You could purchase a K&N or Pipercross replacement panel filter and the air intake assembly (that takes the air from the front grill to the air box) from a 2.0 litre automatic.

The performance air filter just replaces your standard air filter. The intake on the 2.0 litre automatic is larger than the standard and allows a little more air in to the air filter box and can be bought from a main dealer relatively cheaply.

[FOCA]

A decent set of tyres can make a big difference to a car, even a pair of tyres, tyre pressures - try higher pressures (eg 38psi all round)

Reduce weight - if its difficult to raise the power to improove the power to weight ratio and a turbo or a V8 are out of the question, - get a big box and fill it with all the junk you have been hauling around you don't need, replace your spare tyre/ jack with a can of tyreweld

sounds like you don't want to spend too much money on the car and probably want to get rid of it and get a better one

[Stoney871]

Induction kits always result in a louder engine note and unless positioned very carefully result in heat soak which can actually reduce performance.
Unless you use heat shields and a very low or un-interrupted front air inlet you will get heat soak.