[yellow2000sr]

Picked up a car to mess with for my first ever project focusing on 'economy'.

I've had I think 9 Escort ZX2s with the Zetec engine (modding, parting out, etc) and figured I'd give the Focus a try a few years later.

Just purchased it Jan 4th from a service center. It was the owners sons car and had a 3/4" thick folder of maintenance records since 2007. It now has 140k miles.

My first recorded drive of 107 miles after filling up got me 29.34mpg as a base number about 50/50 back road/highway driving. This was with the front brakes dragging and driver side dragging enough that it pulled left. Tires were also at 30psi front and 28.5 rear. There was also oil on spark plug tops from leaking valve cover.

Could hear the brakes dragging as well and would slow between shifts.

Now coasts amazing and will roll on the slightest grade.


'Maintenance' & MPG Mods:
40psi F, 35psi R
Windshield wipers
Rear wiper
Hatch Shocks
Motorcraft Dbl Platinum Plugs gapped to .060 (up from .050)
Foam under hood to fill gap to fenders
Removed roof rack cross bars
Pulled front calipers and polished the pins, cleaned pin seals, and greased.


Ordered:
Timing belt
Coolant hoses
2.25" 45* mandrel bends
Vibrant res to replace 'lunchbox' rear muffler
2.25" in to 2.5" outlet tip


Coming Soon:
Fix slight steering leak near rack
New steering fluid
Check toe settings and adjust if needed to 0 rear and only slight toe-in front.
Belly pan(s)
Push out and brace front bumper to match wheels on the bottom
Side skirts
Front air damn/extension on bottom of bumper
Front lower grill blocked on outer thirds with ABS
Upper grill blocked with Lexan
Wiper cowl/hood extension?
Remove intake snorkel that pulls air at hood front so it pulls air from engine bay?
Foam front of hood to grill gap.
Remove roof rack main rails and cap off roof holes