New car, having the mod bug...

[Smokinhot]

Ok, most of you know i just bought a '14 Focus ST. I signed up for the 1/2 mile run and i really want to do a few things before hand, but i have a dilemma deciding if it would throw a red flag and void my warranty.

One thing is the tuner, i seen a few that give decent gains. FRPP offers their's with a 3/36k warranty back. Ok, not bad. Another one is COBB APv3 which is like a handheld hpt. Both offer about a 40hp/80-90tq gain, but APv3 has many good functions...

The BIGGEST one i'd like to do is an intercooler upgrade. Is there ANY WAY they could get me on that? The only care if there is an issue and it could point to that, right? Otherwise they could care less?

There is potential with the car, and i want to be somewhat of a competitor to the slower cars at the 1/2..

The typical air intake and exhaust i doubt they would care about. I think the intercooler and the tuner would give me a good shot.

Click to read more...

 

[willizm]

Get the Cobb AP. Before you bring the car in for any servicing just uninstall it. As for the IC it all depends on how much of a douche the ford service person is. Honestly I'd do both myself and wouldn't worry about it with the exception of removing the tune for servicing. I did that all the time with my bimmers and they didn't care.

The f150 I have now has a tune and I'll do the flash tune shuffle when needed.

 

[GOON]

I think if you did Intake and cat back you would be fine. Even better if intake was frpp with frpp calibration. From what I have read about other ecoboost engines, ford can tell if the ecu has ever been flashed, even if it is now back to stock. As far as an intercooler goes, if you could install/remove without leaving any sign something was changed you would be fine.

 

[10sec]

^^^^ Agreed. Just do mods that are easily reversible so you can put old girl back to stock before it needs to go in for service. Couple hours of your time to save the hassle at the dealer is worth it.

 

[EmersonHart13]

Can't the dealer tell if it was flashed back and forth?

 

[10sec]

Yes, at least when I owned my Evo X they could tell it was flashed and voided the warranty. Really, if you want to keep a warranty you have to leave the car alone. They will spend more time looking for reasons to void the warranty than they will to fix the broken part. Again, that's how the Evo X dealers are, I'm not sure if the same happens with Ford. I'm sure it does though.

 

[willizm]

Plenty of people out there mod these ecoboost motors. Find out from them what they have had to go through at the dealership for servicing. When I had my bimmers the dealership had the means to check for a reflash, but never did it nor did I hear many others having the same experience. I suppose you can say this is a difference of what is probable and what is possible.

Also, I think it all matters on which dealership you bring it to because some will turn a blind eye more than others would.


It's mentioned in this thread that if ford wanted to check they would have to mail your ECU or buy a $10k flash tool to check. Unless you have rods sticking out of your block I don't think they are going to go to that extreme for servicing.
http://www.focusst.org/forum/focus-...uned-vehicle-even-after-reflashing-stock.html

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

your only option with the ecu is to buy a new one and tune that with your OEM in the trunk for dealer service.

the new systems not only tell em how many times its been flashed, but also how long ago the battery was "disconnected"

the IC is a non issue, your able to modify the behicle and they cannot deny the warranty unless they can prove your aftermarket part was installed wrong/caused the damage

its a law.

just don't fuckup and leave packing peanuts inside it or leave a coupler loose and youll be fine

the ecu reflash is what will get you in this case...because its easily proved that modifying the oem programming can damage parts...

those of you digging newer junk and wanting to mod it before its 100k warranty runs out better get used to the idea of spending 1-2k on a spare ecu or buy the car at a discount with nothing other than the federal emissions warranty and see if you can save yourself a couple grand....

 

[GOON]

Originally Posted by cinch1985
So will this void the warranty like the 2013 mustang guys were having problems with.

Technically, any modification you do to your vehicle can void your warranty, however, below is a snippet of what we typically recommend for people to do if concerned with their warranty.

The days of being able to return a vehicle to stock and no one be the wiser are probably gone for good. As computers increase in capability, so do the memories of those computers. I would say the best advice is to be open, and honest with your dealership. I am not saying Ford will for sure honor anything, but just go into it knowing these are the risks but this is where our unparalleled experience is paramount. The EcoBoost engines are pretty awesome pieces, but in the hands of a tuner that is inexperienced with DI engines there can be issues. We have been dealing in the performance calibration world for EcoBoost ever since it has been available, and we are now using that knowledge to improve the 2.0L version.


If you are overly worried, then leave it stock. me personally? With the right tune, there is nothing to worry about.

That's from livernois on svtperformance (very reputable ecoboost tuner)

 

[The Beast]

I wouldn't mod it and I work at a ford dealer until your warranty is up. God ford bid your motor blows and they won't cover it under warranty

 

[syP]

find a mod friendly dealer?


We are mod friendly (ie... ctsv). We tend to look the other way when something breaks because guess what? NO ONE makes money if we turn away work

 

[Smokinhot]

Sutton Ford has a racing division in house. I guess i need to make some friends! Lol
[MENTION=2612]Pressure Ratio[/MENTION] and [MENTION=789]UWISHU1[/MENTION], didn't you know someone there?

I really want the Cobb AP, but if they will back the FRPP pro-cali and intake i'll go that route for now until the warranty is done.

I really don't plan on ever going to a dealership unless i have to.

 

[Smokinhot]

Thanks guys

 

[10sec]

Damn you and your awesome car You should bring her out to our turning track days. The fun you will have even with it being completely stock will make you grin for the rest of your life. Just sayin...

 

[Smokinhot]

I'll make it out sometime. Have to get my fix of straight line runs though lol.

 

[10sec]

pffft its FWD, slow junk.

 

[Thirdgen89GTA]

Ok, most of you know i just bought a '14 Focus ST. I signed up for the 1/2 mile run and i really want to do a few things before hand, but i have a dilemma deciding if it would throw a red flag and void my warranty.

One thing is the tuner, i seen a few that give decent gains. FRPP offers their's with a 3/36k warranty back. Ok, not bad. Another one is COBB APv3 which is like a handheld hpt. Both offer about a 40hp/80-90tq gain, but APv3 has many good functions...

The BIGGEST one i'd like to do is an intercooler upgrade. Is there ANY WAY they could get me on that? The only care if there is an issue and it could point to that, right? Otherwise they could care less?

There is potential with the car, and i want to be somewhat of a competitor to the slower cars at the 1/2..

The typical air intake and exhaust i doubt they would care about. I think the intercooler and the tuner would give me a good shot.

Don't get the COBB AP3. Not because the COBB AP3 is bad, but because for just about the same Price you can get a COBB AP3 that gives you access to both the COBB and the FSWERKS OTS tunes if you buy it from fswerks!

I haven't bought one yet, but FSWEERKS on the ST forums consistently produces some of the best tunes other than Torrie. But with Torrie's tunes you are locked into the XCT which isn't as nice as Cobb's unit.

They shouldn't be able to get you for the intercooler as all the intercooler does is keep the intake charge temps down. There are a few DIY threads on focusst.org which will give you damned good gains for about $400 total in comparison with buying one from the big name kits.

How you liking it?

Ford made a change to the front suspension in 2014 so 2013 springs and shocks will not work, you need 2014 stuff.

Knowing the weather lately you probably are just now beginning to get a chance to enjoy the car as the stock F1s hate this weather. They don't start to grip until its 60-70* and they are warmed up. Around 30F they get hard and traction is not often found.

 

[SMRTSS1]

No matter what you do you run a chance of voiding your warranty, especially with an evil non mod friendly dealership. Regardless you have a cool little car, the more I see the ST's the more I like them.

 

[Thirdgen89GTA]

Sutton Ford has a racing division in house. I guess i need to make some friends! Lol
[MENTION=2612]Pressure Ratio[/MENTION] and [MENTION=789]UWISHU1[/MENTION], didn't you know someone there?

I really want the Cobb AP, but if they will back the FRPP pro-cali and intake i'll go that route for now until the warranty is done.

I really don't plan on ever going to a dealership unless i have to.

The FRPP upgrade MUST be performed by a Ford Technician, and even then your warranty is technically voided. FRPP picks up the remainder of the warranty if the failure is traced back to their tune. So in a sense you are covered, in a sense, not.

Bar none, a Tune + FMIC upgrade are the highest initial gain mods you can do. The FMIC keeps the ST's tiny turbo outlet temps down because the stock turbo is already at its limit.

It may make about 19psi @ 5000rpm, but it tapers rapidly to about 14psi around 6000rpm. So increasing the boost level doesn't do much on the top end since the turbo is simply out of breath.

The FMIC helps alot because the stock FMIC isn't large enough to handle the heat output from a maxxed out K03 turbo. Which is what the ST uses, a somewhat custom K03.

No one has broken the 300whp barrier yet, but there are builds out there that have broken 400lb/ft at the wheels.

Most tunes put the car about 250-260hp and 350-370lb/ft torque to the wheels.

 

[Shibby50]

Mod it and beat the shit out of it.
Otherwise it's like you got a hot girlfriend and won't bang her till she's old or you're married. Same thing in my mind.

 

[Thirdgen89GTA]

Mod it and beat the shit out of it.
Otherwise it's like you got a hot girlfriend and won't bang her till she's old or you're married. Same thing in my mind.

Can still beat the shit out of it stock. Sure, its not fast, but its extremely fun to toss around. Auto-X, Road Course, its ready for that kind of stuff.

And once they hit about 3000 miles and the engine has losened up they get some killer mileage around 60-65mph. Used to average 35mpg, or if I bumped up to 75mph about 30mpg. The car is geared too short to get much better. It reaches top speed in 6th gear about 5700rpm. Its rev limited to 147mph in 5th.

No, I haven't tried for top speed yet. I have stretched 4th out about halfway which is around 130.

Dyno from my car last october at Boomba.

 

[boostedguy05]

don't mod this. finish the Camaro!

 

[Thirdgen89GTA]

don't mod this. finish the Camaro!

Sad how this applies to me as well with my GTA. Its very tempting to toss a tune on the ST.

 

[Smokinhot]

Don't get the COBB AP3. Not because the COBB AP3 is bad, but because for just about the same Price you can get a COBB AP3 that gives you access to both the COBB and the FSWERKS OTS tunes if you buy it from fswerks!

I haven't bought one yet, but FSWEERKS on the ST forums consistently produces some of the best tunes other than Torrie. But with Torrie's tunes you are locked into the XCT which isn't as nice as Cobb's unit.

They shouldn't be able to get you for the intercooler as all the intercooler does is keep the intake charge temps down. There are a few DIY threads on focusst.org which will give you damned good gains for about $400 total in comparison with buying one from the big name kits.

How you liking it?

Ford made a change to the front suspension in 2014 so 2013 springs and shocks will not work, you need 2014 stuff.

Knowing the weather lately you probably are just now beginning to get a chance to enjoy the car as the stock F1s hate this weather. They don't start to grip until its 60-70* and they are warmed up. Around 30F they get hard and traction is not often found.

Yea, i knew about the FSWERKS OTS tunes on the APv3. Its just a toss up on the tune. I just don't want to get hammered on it.

I seem those DIY intercooler builds, which was going to be the route i would go. I wouldn't go beyond the basic bolt-ons. Just enough to make a fun daily.

 

[Smokinhot]

Oh, and i'm loving it... But i'm seeing the potential and want that tune bad lol.

The camaro is going to get worked on this summer. But first, i have to finish/fix the truck and do a few this to the car.

I have to get a new lower motor. They may have changed it, But i still get bad wheel hop.