2005 Focus ZX4
 

I am a newbie by post, a very inspired ecomodder by threads read, I have recently bought a 2005 Focus Se Fleet (SE badge, but more like an S model with a/c), unfortunately it has the automatic, but no cruise, neutral coast gives me .2-.3 gal/hr, my fuel log is up, averaging around 32.5MPG or so, I have done the lower air dam and a masking tape (temporary) grill block for both upper and lower, I have to save some more money as I have run out, I would like some input as to if I need to do better on the grille block or the lower air dam for now.

PS. The roll of masking tape fits nicely on the shifter for those quick modifications or repairs!

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...3&d=1432933966

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...4&d=1432933966

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...5&d=1432933966

Admin, how long before I can have my signature to the bottom of my posts?

Everything looks good to me!

Grill Blocks - you should keep an eye on engine temps. If they start to rise, you should cut away some of the grill blocks.

Suggestions on FREE mods - remove side mirrors, pump up tires to max sidewall PSI, cover the windshield wipers

air dam
 

From research,it's been shown that an air dam directly below the furthest point forward on the nose,or slightly ahead will have the best drag and lift coefficients.
Here's a 'straight-down' version,it's too low for the street but good design
http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/...2/HPIM1956.jpg
Here,on my truck you can see where the air dam is a little ahead of the nose,which gives it a bit of 'splitter' behavior as far as how the flow field is directed to the sides of the bodyhttp://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/...ntitled-11.jpg
Both styles have the same Cd.If you let any air under the nose the drag goes up :(

Kingster, it seems like all of the magic happens once you have five posts. Just one more!

Pretty sure Focus-AK has about as much of the lower grill blocked with no cooling issues but every car is different. I hope you have a gauge that reads engine temps from the computer because the gauge on the dash is just a glorified idiot light. I still haven't blocked my lower grill but it's on my to-do list when I find time to work on the car. Been thinking about exending the air dam like you did too but was worried about it not being "ideal". I guess it's better than nothing but could be better, but extending thr factory dam is just too easy lol

Roger on that. Max ambient so far this spring has been 60, but on my UltraGauge the coolant temperature runs about 190-195, sometimes a peak at 206 on a long hill. I'm quite amazed by that. There is a stock pan from bumper to just past the radiator, but there must be enough turbulent circulation into the engine bay from behind that, onto the backside of the radiator to bleed off some heat.

Welcome to Ecomodder and the Aerodynamics sub-forum. I also have a roll of duct tape on the shift lever. Apparently you not concerned with preserving the stock appearance, so that's good. How would the yellow duct tape compare with round-cornered aluminum rectangles and pop rivets? Sprayed with black Plastidip?

The rule is the opening only needs to be 1/6th the size of the radiator itself, given an ideal intake plenum. Part of it is the shape of the duct (and you have that pan), but the other part is not bleeding air around the radiator, so seal it up.

Probably instead of air circulating up from the bottom, radiator air is being pulled by a venturi effect at the bottom of the engine bay. Small, efficient intake and large inefficient exhaust.

Yay...My 5th Post.....back on topic, my coolant temps hover around 205-210F, still running stock airbox, I am not going to block completely on grille due to the fact that we can upper 90's temperatures and humidity in the upper 90% range also, so a/c is a must for when I can't stand it anymore.

I still need to do my 0-degree toe set

I need to do a tire balance (smooth at 60mph and below, but vibrate a little bit above that)

Waiting on the sherriff elections to get over (Free Coroplast)

Still gotta save the money up for the smooth wheel covers

You can save $50-$200 if you make the smooth covers out of coroplast. That is what I did and they work as the aluminum ones, and they're lighter. Just a thought :)

Do you know how far out/in your toe is set now? I'm thinking a should get my car aligned just to see where it's at and if there is room for improvement but don't want to spend the money since my tires are wearing evenly and the car tracks straight.

I don't know as of yet, I haven't spent the money on the alignment, even though I get things done at cost as I work at a Ford dealership, I am still a cheapskate, my car drives straight but I have a loose inner tie rod, I also work at NAPA and even at my pricing I still haven't bought the part to replace it because I have other priorities that require the money first, I run a rental house and a farm house and about 100 acres of farm land including the 7 days a week I work in the parts business of the automotive industry, unfortunately I have to travel about a quarter of a mile of dirt road and the paved roads around it for about 3 miles aren't much smoother, so therefore, the bad tie rod end is a major annoyance, in due time I should be able to get that fixed.

Let's hope it doesn't become more than an annoyance.

The last time I borrowed someone else's car, back in the 80s, just after I'd been on the freeway 'blowing out the carbon' (it was a Trans-Am) I was on an empty 2-lane road when the tie-rod gave way. As soon as the steering was gone I locked up all four wheels and let things sort out with no further input from me.

You might check that the cotter pin is still in place. Just sayin'.

Tie rods
 

I notice when it takes a little more steering wheel turn to turn left versus turning right

On another note, I love making the car take right hand corners a bit fast on the wet roads because right now it is balanced (tire grip, weight, etc.) that it will literally drift into the other lane, but of course I make sure the coast...(no pun intended) is clear before I play!

Great picture and explanation. I think I will give it a shot with a roll of plastic garden edging.

Removed Grille Block
 

So I removed the upper and the lower grille block (yellow tape), I was needing the a/c more than the fuel mileage at this point as we are seeing temperatures in the low to mid 90's here in Missouri, and have had to run on defrost so that the windshield would stay clear due to all the rain we have been having in the Ozarks, I think I have crossed the low water slab about 5 or 6 times in the last 6 weeks, (short way to work and lower speeds). :(

I have been going the (northern) route on the high side of the waters, which entails 55 miles to get to work after dropping the kids off at the sitter and 55 miles home vs 40 miles round trip.

On a good note, we have to select a new Sherriff so I will have plenty of coroplast heading my way (Hopes all of it). :D

Magnets:

So I am thinking when I do my permanent grille block that I will use magnets to hold them on, any recommendations on where I should start looking?

Old computer hard drives.

hmm, I do have a few of those lying around, I will have to try that out

So I scrapped the magnet idea, I am going with L-brackets to hold on the coroplast on the bottom, I ziptied some coroplast to the upper grille and painted it all yellow and painted the oval black, on the lower I am going to use moulding tape to adhere L-brackets to bumper cover and then attach lower blocks to those, as far as the lawn edging attached to lower valance, I have taken that off and will be using L-brackets to attach lawn edging where the factory screws attach lower cover to bumper cover, waiting on the brackets to come from BFE (China) so I won't get to complete said mods till close to Christmas

UPDATED -- So I finally got the L-brackets and saved the money to buy some lawn edging after losing my second job, I got the new lower air dam installed and I like the way it looks, however I need to add some filler to offset the contour of the lower part of the bumper, I have it about 1.25 inches off the ground with me in it, 20% of my drive it will scrape, but that number goes to about 60% with the rest of my family in the car, so I am debating on letting it just wear off the lower lip or cut it off for another 3/4" of clearance.

I think that is too low, try for 2 inches of ground clearance.

Hey another member from the Ozarks! Of course, Ozark Missouri is really flat compared to the moutains down here in Harrison ��