My first mod (and first post here)

DZFord · 28-01-2009, 08:59 PM

Hi guys, just thought I'd share some pics of my first mod to my 2006 LS Focus (LX): a K&N 57i Intake. It cost me $220 including freight from the UK (eBay!), and was just a backyard job to install, no special tools required.
Other quotes for the same part:
Burson's: $490 for sea freight (12-14 weeks), $620 air freight
Repco: $242 and an 8 week wait
Autobarn: "That part number doesn't exist"

Kit arrives, in tact (Part number: 57-0595):

Stock engine, cover removed:

Original air box comes out:

Engine, without air box. The lower airbox snorkel is visible here, as well as the exposed throttle body:

The tricky bit! Feeding this cold air hose from the lower front grill, past the radiator, to where the pod filter will sit. A few tight squeezes here. Please note the dodgy cable ties included in the kit, used to hold the hose in place.

Intake tube and pod filter fitted to throttle body:

Engine cover back on:

Verdict: Little performance gain noticed and it sounds great! I'm enjoying the deeper, throaty engine sound.

Cheers,
DZ.

PS - Just had a darkest legal tint put on it today from Tint-A-Car ("Midnight Express") and it looks great on the Silver LS.

melbzetec · 28-01-2009, 09:53 PM

DZ, welcome to the Forums.

And congratulations on probably the most comprehensive first post ever made. What an excellent set of pics!

Suggestion for mod 3. Clean that engine bay!!!

Buy a bottle of Autoglym Vinyl and Rubber Care and clean away. Brilliant stuff

More revs · 28-01-2009, 10:17 PM

I'm impressed, well done, a mod I've been meaning to do for 2 years you do in one millisecond....

Mullett · 28-01-2009, 11:16 PM

I'd be knocking up a heat shield ASAP man! apart from that, nice work

-RM.

marg99 · 29-01-2009, 09:26 AM

my other car, a toyota, has an air sensor as part of the airfilter box so this sort of intake mod is not suitable for all makes. lucky focus owners can do it

DZFord · 29-01-2009, 11:01 AM

melbzetec: that engine bay does need a good scrub! The Autoglym would just be for the rubber, and not all the cheap Ford plastic right?

more revs: It took a lot longer than a millisecond! It took 30 minutes + just to get that cold air hose past the radiator!

Mullet: it really does need a heat shield, ASAP. In Melbourne's 43 degree weather, it is probably more of a hot air intake, than a CAI! Are there any off the shelf heat shields that you can buy? I've searched the forums and it looks like its easy enough to do a DIY one as well...

More revs · 29-01-2009, 11:19 AM

Be sure to run 98 RON a tank or 2 and let it calibrate itself - when the weather cools off. I would expect a noticable gain as I ran mine a while last winter with an open TB... lol but only a day. It had much better top end right to limiter...

Velociraptor82 · 29-01-2009, 07:40 PM

Hey welcome to the forums DZFord, and what a start to the mods! Nice work, getting a pod filter something i've considered myself (along with every other mod a person could possily think of. lol) but I wasn't sure on what is involed with the install. Looking at those pics you've provided, looks to be pretty simple, so i might look into it a little sooner.

What's next on your list?

Mullett · 29-01-2009, 09:56 PM

When I get back home (a couple of weeks away) I'm going to measure up and get a price on having a batch of hard-pipe CAIs built, most likely picking up infront of the passenger wheel, if we can get 5-10 people in, it won't be very expensive.

-RM.

DZFord · 30-01-2009, 12:56 AM

Next mods?

DBA Slotted Rotors & EBC Greenstuff Pads arrived today (fronts were due, thought i'd do the whole lot while I was at it):

Eibach Pro-Kit (from European-Parts):

But, I'm going to wait until I get 18's to put these on.

Mullett · 30-01-2009, 02:02 AM

what did the rotors and pads set you back?

oh, and put those springs in ASAP! You'll be amazed at the handling difference.

-RM.

BlackLS · 30-01-2009, 03:34 AM

Well done mate! Welcome

819_FLY · 30-01-2009, 08:42 AM

Im looking at a pod filter setup, but considering putting it where the resonator for the airbox is and open up the foglight moulding (drill and file out the diamonds) as a source of airflow. Then should be a bit easier to shroud off with some aluminium to make a nice air box design. Just gotta get off my *** and do it first hahahaha.

Welcome.

zetec · 30-01-2009, 10:10 AM

Oh SNAP!!! DZFoprd earns more respect in 3 posts than most of us do here in 3 months!!!

Eibachs and EBC's. Seriously good taste.

I can only begin to imagine the rims you have lined up for this one day!

More revs · 30-01-2009, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zetec

Oh SNAP!!! DZFoprd earns more respect in 3 posts than most of us do here in 3 months!!!

Eibachs and EBC's. Seriously good taste.

I can only begin to imagine the rims you have lined up for this one day!

Totally agree, I hang my head in shame for using the Focus for a shopping trolly... Although it did get a wash 3 days ago if that counts for anything.

DZFord · 30-01-2009, 10:59 AM

The rotors worked out to be about $112 each, when packaged with the EBC pads, which were only marginally discounted at $165 for the fronts and $155 for the rears. I ended up getting the whole lot from Hightek Brakes in Morabbin, I cannot recommend these guys highly enough and they did price match the cheapest quote I got. You're better off ringing around all the smaller Brake & Clutch shops out there. The big companies over-quoted on the rotots: Bursons about $160 each, Repco ~ $150, Autobarn > $200 and Supercheap did not stock them at all. The smaller Brake shops gave a first quote of $120-130, but then again, many tried to push RDA rotors down my throat.

I figure spending $450 on slotted rotors is worth it, when Ford quoted me $500 just for the front stock rotors and pads...which only lasted 33,000 km!

Velociraptor82 · 30-01-2009, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DZFord

The rotors worked out to be about $112 each, when packaged with the EBC pads, which were only marginally discounted at $165 for the fronts and $155 for the rears. I ended up getting the whole lot from Hightek Brakes in Morabbin, I cannot recommend these guys highly enough and they did price match the cheapest quote I got. You're better off ringing around all the smaller Brake & Clutch shops out there. The big companies over-quoted on the rotots: Bursons about $160 each, Repco ~ $150, Autobarn > $200 and Supercheap did not stock them at all. The smaller Brake shops gave a first quote of $120-130, but then again, many tried to push RDA rotors down my throat.

I figure spending $450 on slotted rotors is worth it, when Ford quoted me $500 just for the front stock rotors and pads...which only lasted 33,000 km!

Geez and my brakes set me back 4k.......

DZFord · 30-01-2009, 08:39 PM

4k on brakes?! Do you do track days? What brakes do you use?

Mullett · 30-01-2009, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DZFord

The rotors worked out to be about $112 each, when packaged with the EBC pads, which were only marginally discounted at $165 for the fronts and $155 for the rears. I ended up getting the whole lot from Hightek Brakes in Morabbin, I cannot recommend these guys highly enough and they did price match the cheapest quote I got. You're better off ringing around all the smaller Brake & Clutch shops out there. The big companies over-quoted on the rotots: Bursons about $160 each, Repco ~ $150, Autobarn > $200 and Supercheap did not stock them at all. The smaller Brake shops gave a first quote of $120-130, but then again, many tried to push RDA rotors down my throat.

I figure spending $450 on slotted rotors is worth it, when Ford quoted me $500 just for the front stock rotors and pads...which only lasted 33,000 km!

You won't regret it, the DBA rotors on my MR2 lasted 40,000km before I sold it without noticeable wear or warping, including trackwork with very aggressive 800deg pads. I was quoted $120ea+GST for the front rotors from coventries in DBA Gold, I haven't priced the pads yet. For street work Bendix ultimates are good enough, but I wouldn't take them to the track. Well. I did once...and they melted. 1 lap to warm up, one hot lap, then the brakes went away :P

-RM.

Velociraptor82 · 31-01-2009, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DZFord

4k on brakes?! Do you do track days? What brakes do you use?

PPM racing: includes front and rears. rotors (355 front, 330 back), pads, calipers (6 front, 4 back), braided lines and performance fluid.

nah I don't do track days (i've thought about it but i'm just too afraid of slipping up and wrecking the car) I mostly just did it for show. But I tell ya what. when the brakes are warmed up and you hit them hard. the car will stop soo fast your face will be planted in the front windscreen. hahahahahaha

Velociraptor82 · 31-01-2009, 11:31 AM

Oh yeah and having aftermarket rear callipers means the removal of the handbrake...

819_FLY · 06-10-2009, 12:11 AM

Just a question does the Intake kit that you use, have a port/spot where the oil return line runs back into the intake system, I notice this with mine when I took out the airbox, I just was wondering about this...

DZFord · 06-10-2009, 01:33 AM

Wow, this takes me back to my first post 9 months ago now. Seems like longer than that!

I'm not sure what you mean exactly by 'oil return line.' My setup came with a rubber vacuum hose extension for the original oil breather line, which runs into the side of the K&N intake tube (which has a pre-cut hole)

819_FLY · 06-10-2009, 08:30 AM

Yeah I actually meant breather hose hahaha sorry. Cool just wanted to clarify that little detail up, I'm most likely considering running a catch can instead of going back into the intake when I finalise my filter set up. At the moment my setup isn't really all what is to be desired.

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