Ford Focus ST review @ 1000 miles

UNKNOWN_370 · 04-06-2013, 10:25 AM

I sat in the ST... Nissan could take a lesson in seating for the Z from the ST. While I find the Z seats to be very good. The ST has true sports car seats that are befitting of way more serious sports cars than the Focus. Yet most serious sports cars fail where the ST succeeds.

Interesting.

Lug · 04-06-2013, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gleonard

I can assure you from first hand experience that you're wrong...

Gets pretty close to a 350Z (from a roll only), no way it's gonna touch a 370Z unless tuned.

SS_Firehawk · 04-06-2013, 08:14 PM

Looks like the turbo is running out of breath. That much tq down low is kinda useless except for gas mileage. Definitely has promise though.

m4a1mustang · 04-06-2013, 10:15 PM

It's a fun car. I just hope Ferodo offers DS2500 pads for it soon.

nuTinmuch · 04-08-2013, 11:58 AM

I've actually been considering moving to a Focus ST in the coming months.

I'm going to have to be commuting a lot more for work, that and I'll likely be moving into a new place/getting married. All of that makes me sort of want to get something a little more practical. I was dead-set on the WRX, but I really do like the interior of the Focus ST.

I might wait until this fall, just to see if any more details about the 2015 WRX come out.

m4a1mustang · 04-08-2013, 12:09 PM

Fiancée went YOLO today and ordered the Cobb Stage 2 kit (AP tuner, intake, and FMIC) and CP-E catback and catted downpipe (so we'll run the Stage 3 tune). She is already SCT tuned now but decided to jump to Cobb for better R&D and support.

Quaife has an LSD out for it now too.

ZBro16 · 04-08-2013, 03:21 PM

Is the Ford direct injected? Didn't know if it utilized a cam-driven fuel pump or not. That's the only thing holding me back from dumping some money on Cobb's website for my MS3 (but I should keep that money for Z money... I can't help but be curious about playing with my Mazda some).

CDFP is a fairly expensive mod (labor and part - I don't feel like messing with a fuel pump, but I haven't done research on the actual process yet.) and as it stands it would be a warranty issue for me I think. There is a fuel starvation problem under boost with the MS3 if you do even a stage 1 tune - cobb recommends running safe mode on all their tunes unless you have upgraded your CDFP.

m4a1mustang · 04-08-2013, 03:34 PM

Yeah it's DI.

ZBro16 · 04-09-2013, 09:47 AM

They might just use a worthwhile CDFP on it then. The Mazda's is weaksauce (part of the reason it falls on its face on the top end - the other is air intake restriction). Unless the focus's is too new and they haven't seen any vulnerabilities with it yet, should rock pretty hard on a Cobb Stage 2.

I'll read up on it as I'm just wildly curious if nothing else. I like the ST a lot.

ZBro16 · 04-09-2013, 09:52 AM

AH - so after a quick search, the Ford does used a high pressure cam driven fuel pump similar to the Mazda. The Mazda uses one from Hitachi and the Ford uses a Bosch.

From what a guy on an EcoBoost forum said, the ST's CDFP is set at its maximum threshold just like the Mazda's is. These fuel pumps are set to push out around 1600psi under full boost (pretty nuts), and modification and tuning will require more, which puts the ST in the same modding situation as the Mazda.

I'd look into what's available for aftermarket. Sounds like with even a stage 1 tune on an intake you'll run into some moderate fuel starvation problems.

m4a1mustang · 04-09-2013, 09:58 AM

I haven't seen any fuel starvation discussion on the forums (then again I don't follow them that closely), but it seems like everyone is happily running stage 2 and 3 these days.

ZBro16 · 04-09-2013, 10:59 AM

Sweet. I'd keep an eye on it in case.

Lug · 04-09-2013, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZBro16

AH - so after a quick search, the Ford does used a high pressure cam driven fuel pump similar to the Mazda. The Mazda uses one from Hitachi and the Ford uses a Bosch.

From what a guy on an EcoBoost forum said, the ST's CDFP is set at its maximum threshold just like the Mazda's is. These fuel pumps are set to push out around 1600psi under full boost (pretty nuts), and modification and tuning will require more, which puts the ST in the same modding situation as the Mazda.

I'd look into what's available for aftermarket. Sounds like with even a stage 1 tune on an intake you'll run into some moderate fuel starvation problems.

The Ford Pushes 2200 lbs and hasn't come close to being at it's limits yet. A guy on the Mazdaspeed forum is modding his ST with a big turbo and has hit 330 hp w/o a special tune. He thinks he can hit 400 on the stock internal fuel system....time will tell.

ZBro16 · 04-10-2013, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lug

The Ford Pushes 2200 lbs and hasn't come close to being at it's limits yet. A guy on the Mazdaspeed forum is modding his ST with a big turbo and has hit 330 hp w/o a special tune. He thinks he can hit 400 on the stock internal fuel system....time will tell.

I don't understand how you modify the actual turbo without tuning properly. Hope he doesn't blow it up. Changing turbos and upping boost will likely play hell with the fuel system to some point, so I guess he will find out exactly how far it can go. Hopefully it works out for the best, but my instincts say otherwise.

Lug · 04-10-2013, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZBro16

I don't understand how you modify the actual turbo without tuning properly. Hope he doesn't blow it up. Changing turbos and upping boost will likely play hell with the fuel system to some point, so I guess he will find out exactly how far it can go. Hopefully it works out for the best, but my instincts say otherwise.

I think he used a standard ST COBB stg II solution. Basically hasn't push the hardware yet. He is working directly with COBB on the tune now, says it's quite different than the way the MS3 does things. He pushed his MS3 to 0ver 500 hp on a stock block so the guy's got a bit of street cred already.

Link to his thread and what he's found so far if you're interested....
http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/foru...rbo-st-135643/

04-06-2013, 10:25 AM	#31 (permalink)
UNKNOWN_370 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: ny'r livn in tx Posts: 8,687 Drives: well over 130m.p.h. Rep Power: 14858	I sat in the ST... Nissan could take a lesson in seating for the Z from the ST. While I find the Z seats to be very good. The ST has true sports car seats that are befitting of way more serious sports cars than the Focus. Yet most serious sports cars fail where the ST succeeds. Interesting. __________________ Favorite Quote. "I'm not gonna kill you... I'm just gonna Bash Your Face In" Jack Nicholson-"The Shining". 1980

04-06-2013, 08:14 PM	#33 (permalink)
SS_Firehawk Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Tampa Posts: 4,142 Drives: 13' Magma Red Nismo Rep Power: 7335	Looks like the turbo is running out of breath. That much tq down low is kinda useless except for gas mileage. Definitely has promise though. __________________ Old Car:GTM TSC'd 550whp / 410lbft tq @ 11.88PSI New Car: Under Construction

04-06-2013, 10:15 PM	#34 (permalink)
m4a1mustang A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Northern VA Posts: 55,385 Drives: on two wheels Rep Power: 6962	It's a fun car. I just hope Ferodo offers DS2500 pads for it soon. __________________ - Steve Zs & Coffee - Saturdays at 10AM in Fairfax, VA and Columbia, MD (Click the banner!) LIKE us on Facebook!

04-08-2013, 11:58 AM	#35 (permalink)
nuTinmuch A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,092 Drives: PG 7AT 370Z Rep Power: 18	I've actually been considering moving to a Focus ST in the coming months. I'm going to have to be commuting a lot more for work, that and I'll likely be moving into a new place/getting married. All of that makes me sort of want to get something a little more practical. I was dead-set on the WRX, but I really do like the interior of the Focus ST. I might wait until this fall, just to see if any more details about the 2015 WRX come out. __________________ nuTinmuch! -- Platinum Graphite 370Z -- Check out my Gallery thread here!

04-08-2013, 12:09 PM	#36 (permalink)
m4a1mustang A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Northern VA Posts: 55,385 Drives: on two wheels Rep Power: 6962	Fiancée went YOLO today and ordered the Cobb Stage 2 kit (AP tuner, intake, and FMIC) and CP-E catback and catted downpipe (so we'll run the Stage 3 tune). She is already SCT tuned now but decided to jump to Cobb for better R&D and support. Quaife has an LSD out for it now too. ZBro16 likes this. __________________ - Steve Zs & Coffee - Saturdays at 10AM in Fairfax, VA and Columbia, MD (Click the banner!) LIKE us on Facebook!

04-08-2013, 03:21 PM	#37 (permalink)
ZBro16 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 370 Drives: A Z. Rep Power: 14	Is the Ford direct injected? Didn't know if it utilized a cam-driven fuel pump or not. That's the only thing holding me back from dumping some money on Cobb's website for my MS3 (but I should keep that money for Z money... I can't help but be curious about playing with my Mazda some). CDFP is a fairly expensive mod (labor and part - I don't feel like messing with a fuel pump, but I haven't done research on the actual process yet.) and as it stands it would be a warranty issue for me I think. There is a fuel starvation problem under boost with the MS3 if you do even a stage 1 tune - cobb recommends running safe mode on all their tunes unless you have upgraded your CDFP.

04-08-2013, 03:34 PM	#38 (permalink)
m4a1mustang A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Northern VA Posts: 55,385 Drives: on two wheels Rep Power: 6962	Yeah it's DI. __________________ - Steve Zs & Coffee - Saturdays at 10AM in Fairfax, VA and Columbia, MD (Click the banner!) LIKE us on Facebook!

04-09-2013, 09:47 AM	#39 (permalink)
ZBro16 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 370 Drives: A Z. Rep Power: 14	They might just use a worthwhile CDFP on it then. The Mazda's is weaksauce (part of the reason it falls on its face on the top end - the other is air intake restriction). Unless the focus's is too new and they haven't seen any vulnerabilities with it yet, should rock pretty hard on a Cobb Stage 2. I'll read up on it as I'm just wildly curious if nothing else. I like the ST a lot.

04-09-2013, 09:52 AM	#40 (permalink)
ZBro16 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 370 Drives: A Z. Rep Power: 14	AH - so after a quick search, the Ford does used a high pressure cam driven fuel pump similar to the Mazda. The Mazda uses one from Hitachi and the Ford uses a Bosch. From what a guy on an EcoBoost forum said, the ST's CDFP is set at its maximum threshold just like the Mazda's is. These fuel pumps are set to push out around 1600psi under full boost (pretty nuts), and modification and tuning will require more, which puts the ST in the same modding situation as the Mazda. I'd look into what's available for aftermarket. Sounds like with even a stage 1 tune on an intake you'll run into some moderate fuel starvation problems.

04-09-2013, 09:58 AM	#41 (permalink)
m4a1mustang A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Northern VA Posts: 55,385 Drives: on two wheels Rep Power: 6962	I haven't seen any fuel starvation discussion on the forums (then again I don't follow them that closely), but it seems like everyone is happily running stage 2 and 3 these days. __________________ - Steve Zs & Coffee - Saturdays at 10AM in Fairfax, VA and Columbia, MD (Click the banner!) LIKE us on Facebook!

04-09-2013, 10:59 AM	#42 (permalink)
ZBro16 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 370 Drives: A Z. Rep Power: 14	Sweet. I'd keep an eye on it in case.

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