2004 Focus ZX3 Commuter

[MisterMundane]

Howdy folks, figured I'd start this thread to document my progress, from stock, to hopefully +5-10 mpg!

Quick specs:
2004 Ford Focus ZX3
2.0 Zetec 5 speed manual
Base model, no options at all, not even AC
Steeda short ram intake (was on the car when bought)

EPA Ratings
30 MPG highway
25 MPG combined
22 MPG city



Other than that she's basically stock when I bought it.

This car was to take on commuting duties, rather than using my 15 mpg truck to do 140 miles a day I bought this car.

Averaging around 28-30 mpg depending on season (I'm in Canada, so winter it takes a hit with our -40 temps at times.

I have decided to go for greater mpg just to see what I can get out of it.

So first off, a few pics.





Alright, so there she is.

First thing I did was adjust driving habits. Obviously. Instead of doing ten over, I do 5 under. I just leave home a bit earlier.

Second things was weight loss. I started gutting the interior this past week. Pretty much done as far as I'm going to go.

Few pics of that process











Top speed performance gutted a focus and weighed parts they took off, going by their weights, and.my sub, amp, tools, I removed 200 lbs of weight!!!


Also today I removed the intake snorkel, which directs air from the grill right up to underneath the intake filter. So that should help especially in colder weather.

Going to be doing coilover suspension soon to get the car lower to the ground, may do a front belly pan

Also just ordered an ultra gauge em plus today! So I should have that on about two weeks (damn cross border shipping times)


I'll keep this updated as I go.

Oh, I also use fuelly, so when I'm on a real computer I'll toss my stats in my signature. Have been using it since day one on both the truck and the car. I love seeing how each day, weather type, and driving style effects my mileage. It really does help.

[MisterMundane]

I should also add that I just finished the gutting process, so I don't have any updated numbers, will see what it does for the next few tanks. But judging by the gas gauge, it's using less. Usually I fill up everyday, from 5/8's of a tank (using 3/8 or so a day) today when I arrived in the city (I fill up when I leave the city, to stay consistent) I have used less than normal. But, I'm no fool and won't judge one fill ups mpg as the norm. I will see what it does over a few days.

[dirtydave]

welcome to the forum! whats the normal driving route like?

[MisterMundane]

Normal route I take everyday consists of about 90% highway. Flat, no hills, speed limit of 60 mph. Since I've started trying to achieve better mpg I've been trying to limit myself to 55 mph


BTW, all my mpg figures are in USMPG.

[dirtydave]

wait till you get that ultragauge that will give you a good bump if you watch it closely.

pump the tires up! fill em to what the tire says! 44PSI im guessing.

not sure gutting the interior will gain you anything at 90% highway.

get a kill switch in that thing! you can probably go 65MPH to 55MPH pulse and glide and get the same mileage as a steady 55! do 65-45 P&G and smash that!

shift 1-3-5 keep it in high gear as much as possible!
belly pan will help alot too.

[MisterMundane]

Interior gut was more so just because I wanted too really. Will handle better, more room for hauling stuff etc.
I cant wait for the ultragauge. Pretty excited to get that. Should help a lot.

As for shifting. The focus 5 speed is pretty short, I'm doing 40 mph @ 2000 rpm by the time I hit 4th. Shifting around 2500 rpm.

5th I wish was a little taller. 55 mph I'm sitting at 2100 rpm.


Just filled up, 32 mpg. Same weather conditions and route as before gut, driving habit change and snorkel removal yielded 27-28


Going to do a grill block off tonight before work maybe.

[dirtydave]

I shift to 5th at 35MPH.

2200 is not bad at all. I am sitting at 2200 at 45MPH. ~2900 at 60MPH.

you should make a garage entry for the car!

[MisterMundane]

I shall do that once I'm on a computer!

I'll try the 1-3-5 shifting method as well.

I don't want to make it get 50 mpg every trip, as I do live in the country so when I'm out on the backroads (gravel roads) I'm having way too much fun to care about mpg lol. But for my commute I want as good as I can get, without sacrificing the cars fun factor

[dirtydave]

There are other ways to have fun. think about all the other stuff you could buy with the saved gas/$$

[MisterMundane]

Haha my kind of fun is blasting down grab roads at insane speeds. Sliding corners, etc. I'm a rally driver trapped in a non rally drivers life lol.

Any $$ I do save on gas goes into my truck, or my quad, or my snowmobile