SVT Focus problem!!

[Masshole]

ok my friend has an 03 SVT Focus, and the cheap bastard bought just a conical filter instead of the whole friggin intake itself. now the problem he is having is when hes going on the on ramp and when hes cornering and hits the gas the car spudders out and dies out. it only happens when he is cornering at decent speeds under acceloration.

i have an idea, i think its the vaccum line that is now just hangin there doing nothing now but we plugged up the line and still does it. any ideas on whats wrong???

[Masshole]

ok quick update..... we put his stock air box back in and it still does it. :lol:

[Larry03gt]

Have him change the fuel filter.

[Masshole]

Have him change the fuel filter.

well he finally bought a CAI, but its still doing it. so he now plans to get a tuner pack to see if things will change. but ill tell him bout the fuel filter idea. thanks Larry.

[jcp123]

Yeah, it almost sounds like fuel starvation, though I wouldn't have thought cornering would affect it on an EFI vehicle. Does it still sputter if he nails it on the straights?

SVT Focus ECU tuning was always a bit rough around the edges, though I haven't heard of this. I don't think a tuner will fix it, but a good one (esp. a Diablosport Predator with Tom's kustom tune - ask for details) will take care of some of the lower RPM stuttering and pick up a little low-end torque that the SVT's are in dire need of.

[Masshole]

Yeah, it almost sounds like fuel starvation, though I wouldn't have thought cornering would affect it on an EFI vehicle. Does it still sputter if he nails it on the straights?

SVT Focus ECU tuning was always a bit rough around the edges, though I haven't heard of this. I don't think a tuner will fix it, but a good one (esp. a Diablosport Predator with Tom's kustom tune - ask for details) will take care of some of the lower RPM stuttering and pick up a little low-end torque that the SVT's are in dire need of.

well after it sputters on cornering, he has to completly back off the throttle and wait till he's going straight and then its fine. its only under high speed cornering.

and why he thought of gettin a tuner kit was maybe it tripped a code iin the ECU itself and maybe he can reset it and also re-tune the car as well while at it.

but he hasnt noticed it sputtering yet after putting the aftermarket CAI on. i think his problem was the fact he left a vaccum hose sitting there doing nothing. i think it needs a curtain level of pressure to keep things on the up n up.

the intake sounds badass on it too.

[MichaelsLilGray]

All the hoses are important. If it isnt leading to anything it can throw off everything from your idle.. to your Air Control. (HVAC) . If the new one solved the problem.. and you used the hose. It was the vacume line. .... Speaking of which.. was it a return line? or just a everyday ity bity red...green line?

[Masshole]

All the hoses are important. If it isnt leading to anything it can throw off everything from your idol.. to your Air Control. (HVAC) . If the new one solved the problem.. and you used the hose. It was the vacume line. .... Speaking of which.. was it a return line? or just a everyday ity bity red...green line?

well he had only bought a regular conical at first. so there was nowhere to attach the hose too. his idle was fiine. it was just high speed corners while under throttle.
and idk... the hose was black. lol it was just an air hose that goes over this little nipple on the factory air box. and now on the new CAI.

[MichaelsLilGray]

As you like to say.. it helps to have the correct parts on the correct car :nanana: Glad to hear he fixed it.. Keep us informed

[MichaelsLilGray]

BTW it doesnt always affect the Idle .. it can effect all kinds of stuff.. For instance... Throttle Responce... Bank's Burning to rich.. All kinds of stuff.. thats the lungs of the car your dealing with.

[Masshole]

As you like to say.. it helps to have the correct parts on the correct car :nanana: Glad to hear he fixed it.. Keep us informed

he should never have wasted the $45 on a stupid conical in the first place. :lol: it would have been fine it he had the air tube with it.

as i said earlier.. the intake sounds sick. nice deep tone from the engine now while under full throttle :gt4her: :gt4her: especially with a 7k redline :lol:

[MichaelsLilGray]

I wish mine went 7 k.. mine peaks at 6450 =/

[Masshole]

unlike yours... his makes the power at redline. yours your just over reving and loosing HP in the process.

[MichaelsLilGray]

Dont have to tell me twice =P I just dont like peaking out =/

[Masshole]

Dont have to tell me twice =P I just dont like peaking out =/

thats why i love high RPM cars. where the fun in shifting at like 5k or so.

my old notch made 362rwhp @6200 and still made 341rwhp @7k. which was redline for my motor.

[MichaelsLilGray]

I feel the most power in mine at 4.5 to 5k Your right i do over rev but.... you get caught up in the moment LOL

[Masshole]

I feel the most power in mine at 4.5 to 5k Your right i do over rev but.... you get caught up in the moment LOL

with yours being stock it shouls never see more then 5500rpms. unless your trying to wake the dead then redline that *****!!! :lol:

[white35th]

thats why i love high RPM cars. where the fun in shifting at like 5k or so.

my old notch made 362rwhp @6200 and still made 341rwhp @7k. which was redline for my motor.

Mine does 440 at 6500 :woot1:

[Masshole]

Mine does 440 at 6500 :woot1:

Cause you have extensive motor work down dont you?

my old notch had a DSS 331 stroker with a nice choppy F-303 cam :D

[white35th]

Cause you have extensive motor work down dont you?

my old notch had a DSS 331 stroker with a nice choppy F-303 cam :D

I have stage 2 vt blower cams but they do not sound as good as the pushrod motors with cams:mad: I miss the lumpidy lump.

[Masshole]

I have stage 2 vt blower cams but they do not sound as good as the pushrod motors with cams:mad: I miss the lumpidy lump.

of course. two different styles of motors. but with push rod motors.... its harder to keep it emissions legal and still make sick HP numbers. modular motors its alot easier.

[white35th]

of course. two different styles of motors. but with push rod motors.... its harder to keep it emissions legal and still make sick HP numbers. modular motors its alot easier.

Thats why I have one of each:snicker: and I don't care about ******* emisions!

[Masshole]

Thats why I have one of each:snicker: and I don't care about ******* emisions!

i dont kno how it is down in TX, im not living there yet but up here..... cops check up on things like this. especially Mustangs. they hand out tickets like we hand out candy on halloween :lmao: unless its 20 years or older then it dont matter about emissions here. and all AWD cars are exempt as well.

[white35th]

i dont kno how it is down in TX, im not living there yet but up here..... cops check up on things like this. especially Mustangs. they hand out tickets like we hand out candy on halloween :lmao: unless its 20 years or older then it dont matter about emissions here. and all AWD cars are exempt as well.

It depends on the county. Smith don't sniff. :chuckle: I don't know if there is a ticket that is emission related. Any of the local law want to chime in.

[Masshole]

It depends on the county. Smith don't sniff. :chuckle: I don't know if there is a ticket that is emission related. Any of the local law want to chime in.

up here its so strict. its very hard to find someone that'll pass you if it wont pass. cause theres a law up here and its made to revoke the license of the person doing the test as well as they'll pull the license from the place that did the test as well. stickers here cost $29.... i paid $129 cash under the table for mine :lol:

[jcp123]

Man, I'm glad the car I drove in CA was before smog stuff...although they're clamping down out there too, and hard I hear. I plan on moving back to CA someday, so I'm looking long and hard at even older cars so I don't have to bother with all the eco-freak laws.

[Masshole]

Man, I'm glad the car I drove in CA was before smog stuff...although they're clamping down out there too, and hard I hear. I plan on moving back to CA someday, so I'm looking long and hard at even older cars so I don't have to bother with all the eco-freak laws.

two states i will never live in.... 1 is california because there to tight on smog regulations, and 2 is new york. i heard its a law you must have cats on at all times or you can get a ticket or your car impounded. and i say that because about 6 years ago a friend or mine got oulled over on 95 in the bronx.... his car got impounded for not having cats the cop said.

so jcp123.... what problems are you havin with your SVT Focus that makes you think about gettin rid of it???

[jcp123]

two states i will never live in.... 1 is california because there to tight on smog regulations, and 2 is new york. i heard its a law you must have cats on at all times or you can get a ticket or your car impounded. and i say that because about 6 years ago a friend or mine got oulled over on 95 in the bronx.... his car got impounded for not having cats the cop said.

so jcp123.... what problems are you havin with your SVT Focus that makes you think about gettin rid of it???

California is do-able if you know the loopholes (and there are definitely a few). I don't think CA has passed any new smog laws, they're just getting tighter on enforcing the ones that are already on the books. Technically, my '68 was supposed to have a couple of little smog devices (the old NOx box and something-or-other else)...but it was never required to be smog tested. As long as the DMV got its check, they didn't much care about me, and it was about 1/10 the cost to register my car as it was my Dad's brand new car.

I'm lucky since I prefer classic cars anyway, so it's no problem for me to dig back and get something pre-'62 they can't touch AND look cool doing it.



The SVT's clutch is really giving me fits. The Getrag 6-speed clutch had a bad pressure plate design from the factory, which has been causing early failures in 9 out of 10 SVT's and a high rate of failure in Mini Coopers for which the tranny was actually first designed. Mine started slipping at 41k, which is about average. To make a long story short, $469.50 in parts and $400 labour later, I got the car back, and sheared the flywheel bolts the next day. Shop is taking care of it, but it's still a hassle with the parts and the wasted time. Maybe it's heat of the moment, but I can't help checking out that '58 Chevy Biscayne 2-dr post with a GMC 292 I've seen in an ad...

[Masshole]

The SVT's clutch is really giving me fits. The Getrag 6-speed clutch had a bad pressure plate design from the factory, which has been causing early failures in 9 out of 10 SVT's and a high rate of failure in Mini Coopers for which the tranny was actually first designed. Mine started slipping at 41k, which is about average. To make a long story short, $469.50 in parts and $400 labour later, I got the car back, and sheared the flywheel bolts the next day. Shop is taking care of it, but it's still a hassle with the parts and the wasted time. Maybe it's heat of the moment, but I can't help checking out that '58 Chevy Biscayne 2-dr post with a GMC 292 I've seen in an ad...

my friend had 54k on his.... and he just put in his third clutch. finally went after market thid time. so he hopes for better results this time out. but then again tho, he loves poppin his clutch at like 5-6k tho, so idk :lmao:

[jcp123]

my friend had 54k on his.... and he just put in his third clutch. finally went after market thid time. so he hopes for better results this time out. but then again tho, he loves poppin his clutch at like 5-6k tho, so idk :lmao:

They're just now getting the new pressure plate design in the aftermarket and even the Luk stock replacement clutches. They're slow coming onto the market and expensive, but they should last him a lot longer...

[Masshole]

They're just now getting the new pressure plate design in the aftermarket and even the Luk stock replacement clutches. They're slow coming onto the market and expensive, but they should last him a lot longer...

yea he had to wait cause there wasnt nothing for the getrag 6-speed. only the basic 5-speed. now he wants pullies, cam gears headers and a cat-back. i told him "bout time kid!!" lol

[jcp123]

yea he had to wait cause there wasnt nothing for the getrag 6-speed. only the basic 5-speed. now he wants pullies, cam gears headers and a cat-back. i told him "bout time kid!!" lol

he might want to swing by Focus Fanatics and/or FocalJet before he puts a whole lot of money into the exhaust.

[Masshole]

he might want to swing by Focus Fanatics and/or FocalJet before he puts a whole lot of money into the exhaust.

im going to be talkin to him later tonight. ill tell him bout it :mick: