Some reflections on intakes. LR Focus

melbzetec · 11-02-2011, 04:54 PM

I've made a number of changes to intakes in recent weeks and thought I'd post some observations.

Some years back I swapped from stock airbox with a BMC panel filter, to a Pipercross Viper.

Dynoed before and after, it showed the Pipercross generated 6+% increase in power and torque right across the rev range. Seat of the pants dyno also said WOW! This was prior to the substantial modifications I have since made (cylinder head, header, cams etc etc)

12 months or so back, I played around with the Pipercross, removing the cold air intake tube, and attaching the bellmouth directly to the filter, in a short ram configuration.

Again, a back to back dyno showed that the short ram produced a slightly higher peak power figure, but a significant reduction in low to mid range torque. The seat of the pants (or Butt) dyno also found that the thing makes a lot of noise, but is lethargic when accelerating. I now only use this configuration for car shows, as it has extra bling factor(!), but for everday driving is not satisfactory, both because of noise and heat soak

Yesterday I installed a genuine ST170 system...inlet, snorkel, bottom box, with a BMC panel filter.
It certainly is an improvement for low end torque compared with the open mouth short ram Pipercross setup I put in for Small Ford Sunday (and much quieter), but, (albeit in the absence of a dyno), it still doesn't have the response I get with the full Pipercross with cold air intake. Again, it seems to lack the mid range torque the Pipercross produces

I had been thinking I might stick to the ST170 setup for that neat factory look, but am now convinced that the Pipercross with cai is the best performing combination I've had, and the most fun to drive.

Today I received a new Pipercross Viper I purchased from the UK (due to a battery acid leak which ate through the foam filter of my existing one. AAARGHH!)

The only issue is to solve the issue of a neat routing of the cold air intake tube to the stock inlet. I have never found a satisfactory neat solution (it involves cutting away parts of the battery box which substantially weakens the box) but have some new ideas involving aluminium reinforcement that may address that problem.

However, I'm now convinced that the Pipercross with cai setup I've used for a couple of years now gives the most fun, and it is the system I will stick with.

A long blurb probably only of interest to a few LR owners, but thought it was worthwhile to note down for posterity so that future LR owners can potentially reference it.

DZFord · 11-02-2011, 10:33 PM

A great resource mate - I am sure it will be very handy for current and future LR owners.

Edit: Damn!! Couldn't give you any rep points either!

Tj-zetec · 11-02-2011, 11:29 PM

Hearing you mention that your battery was leaking reminded me that the first time I pulled the battery box out of mine (I think I was pulling a headlight globe) I found a substantial amount of surface rust under there.
I'm sure you've been over every square inch or your car but if you haven't, it's a good thing to watch out for.
Surprised the hell out of me. Was not expecting rust in what was at the time a 4 year old car.

As for the CAI, the butt-dyno can not be ignored. Go with what ever feels the best.

I'm in a similar predicament at the moment. My K&N CAI in combination with the tune I'm running is making the car a bit of a temperamental SOB to drive. I don't think the K&N is a very good design. I'd switch back to the stock airbox but its a pain in the neck to install and not very good either.
I'll buy a better one when the cash situation improves a little.

Talldude · 12-02-2011, 02:39 PM

So which set up are you going with?

The St170 or the other one?

melbzetec · 12-02-2011, 09:05 PM

"However, I'm now convinced that the Pipercross with cai setup I've used for a couple of years now gives the most fun, and it is the system I will stick with."

Talldude · 13-02-2011, 10:18 AM

Ahh

fair enuff,

photn · 13-02-2011, 03:53 PM

Thanks steve, good to hear it,

ive stuck with a modified ST170 intake system on my car, then again, i have a supercharger setup.

Talldude · 13-02-2011, 04:06 PM

Silly question what are you going to do with the ST170 set up?

melbzetec · 13-02-2011, 07:05 PM

Good to hear from you Sean. How is the tuning going? Probably the most exciting build going around.

Don't get me wrong, the ST170 setup is VERY good. I've been quite enjoying the car with it on (and I think it has improved a little bit as the ECU has readjusted)

And Talldude ..... yes I am hanging onto it as they are as rare as hen's teeth to get hold of! There is nothing quite like OEM, where everything fits as it should, so I like having it as my back up

I'm attending the All Ford Day in Geelong next weekend and I am still tossing up whether to refit the short ram Pipercross or stick with the ST170 for that show (lets face it, there'll be a bunch of new RS's there. I'm not going to beat anyone. And the trip down will be nicer with the ST170 intake.

I am waiting on getting a second hand battery box to experiment with....cutting sections away but reinforcing with aluminium. Trying to keep stock battery look but allow room for a cai pipe

photn · 13-02-2011, 11:31 PM

Thanks steve, yer its going slowly , with alot of porblems. But they are getting sorted out as the days progress. And yes i agree with the ST170 airbox, in all honesty if i went back to NA, id probably have the ST170 intake on it.

Most exciting build going around? hahaha maybee for everyone else, but its nightmares for me.

Talldude · 14-02-2011, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by melbzetec

Good to hear from you Sean. How is the tuning going?

(lets face it, there'll be a bunch of new RS's there. I'm not going to beat anyone. And the trip down will be nicer with the ST170 intake.

So how much power were you making?

Just because I am planning on getting a CNC head too in the next year.

photn · 24-02-2011, 07:03 AM

I think Steve is making about 100FWKW or there abouts. not sure. i know his last readout was 96 FWKW, but his aim was 100.

Swordsman88 · 13-03-2011, 03:54 PM

Hey guys. Interesting read...just found this thread. I am doing some servicing on my sister's LR focus zetec manual at the moment and was wondering if you guys had any photos of any of the intake mods you have done (or links to threads about it). I have had problems using the search function to find anything.

The previous owner (from on here) has installed a STI170 intake (bigger diameter pipe/intake etc.) but i think its the original airbox. I don't have much experience in small engined fords so dont' know the improvement but the 2.0 certainly seems pretty punchy and torquey so maybe that is the 170 intake at work there.

Just interested in any further improvements that i could make (preferably cheaply) to help out while i have access to the car....

photn · 14-03-2011, 05:57 AM

Hey Swordsman,

Try a K&N Panel Filter -about 60bucks - lasts 1million KM,

other thing is the Resonator Delete - quite easy to do - doesnt make the car too loud,

Looking at the engine from the front bumper - to the right of the intake box is a little airbox attached to the side - simply remove that and thats the delete done. Its a little fidly, but id does just come out. No cutting required.

Try and get a Auto Air deflector for the focus, should be available from ford for a small fee.

All that should increase a little power and some low down torque and increase fuel effeciency.

Also id like to mention that when sparkies are due - ensure you get NGK Platinum, They are the best and will ensure the best available spark.

Tj-zetec · 14-03-2011, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photn

Hey Swordsman,
other thing is the Resonator Delete - quite easy to do - doesnt make the car too loud

This was the very first mod I did to my LR. It bumps up the induction noise quite nicely

I once also got bored one night and made my own deflector out of thin aluminium sheet.
Looked like this in the end:

I did have to cut the plastic panel to channel the air up to the snorkel. I did also consider making a cap to go over the top of it so all the air it caught was funnelled directly into the snorkel but I didn't do it for some reason. I think someone may have suggested that it may choke the airflow at speed... I can't remember, it was some time ago now.

It did make a noticeable increase in bottom end pull. Nothing mind boggling but the butt-dyno raised an eyebrow and nodded in approval

photn · 16-03-2011, 08:44 AM

Thats a nice looking intake there TJ, Very Nice indeed.

melbzetec · 16-03-2011, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swordsman88

Hey guys. Interesting read...just found this thread. I am doing some servicing on my sister's LR focus zetec manual at the moment and was wondering if you guys had any photos of any of the intake mods you have done (or links to threads about it). I have had problems using the search function to find anything.

The previous owner (from on here) has installed a STI170 intake (bigger diameter pipe/intake etc.) but i think its the original airbox. I don't have much experience in small engined fords so dont' know the improvement but the 2.0 certainly seems pretty punchy and torquey so maybe that is the 170 intake at work there.

Just interested in any further improvements that i could make (preferably cheaply) to help out while i have access to the car....

Hi Swordsman.

Easy to tell if you have the original box or ST170.

At the bottom of the box, where the intake comes in, the hole will either be round (Zetec) or a sort of triangulated rectangle shape (ST170). The fact is, the physical dimensions of the box are the same for both. It's simply that the ST170 snorkle fits perfectly into the ST170 box. To fit it to a Zetec box requires you to make a larger opening and seal some parts to make the ST170 snorkel fit.

Some will say that the two boxes are identical apart from that, but I have found that the top sections of the box are slightly different dimensions in the area where the MAF sensor housing mates with the box. One is a little further back. The long and short of it is that the snorkel is the most important part

Swordsman88 · 16-03-2011, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by melbzetec

Hi Swordsman.

Easy to tell if you have the original box or ST170.

At the bottom of the box, where the intake comes in, the hole will either be round (Zetec) or a sort of triangulated rectangle shape (ST170). The fact is, the physical dimensions of the box are the same for both. It's simply that the ST170 snorkle fits perfectly into the ST170 box. To fit it to a Zetec box requires you to make a larger opening and seal some parts to make the ST170 snorkel fit.

Some will say that the two boxes are identical apart from that, but I have found that the top sections of the box are slightly different dimensions in the area where the MAF sensor housing mates with the box. One is a little further back. The long and short of it is that the snorkel is the most important part

Thanks for the info. I checked the previous owner's posts (Mick K.) and it does have the original Zetec airbox. Which i'm fine with frankly. The cut and install of the ST intake was done very well by Mick so i dont' see any reason to change that.

So it seems im left with a deflector for the incoming air behind the grille and the removal of the resonator. I'm not sold on the deflector...seen them done on various other makes and models and not convinced they generator much improvement at anything below highway type speeds due to the aero ram air effect. Have they guys that fit them really experienced any measurable increase in perf?

As for resonator delete it sounds like a solid idea but not sure the increased noise will go down well with the owner. Is it noticeablly louder in normal operations or just when reving it out a bit? Also a bit wary of open intake in engine bays....fine when moving but not so good when sitting at the lights.... Will have a think about it though because it looks dead easy.

melbzetec · 16-03-2011, 11:40 PM

The other one of course is the auto air deflector from Ford.

The manual model has the intake mouth open with just a little lump in front of it to deflect leaves etc. But the automatics has a different setup with a piece covering the intake mouth and forcing the air entering the grill to only enter the intake mouth.

(That sounds like gobbledygook I know, but I couldn't quickly find pics...can anyone else put them up?)

Basically, the autos had these to help with low down torque. And the thinking is that Ford wouldn't produce and extra part if it had no effect (be cheaper to keep them all like the manual)

Others may be able to add some help here....I'm a bit tired tonight

Tj-zetec · 17-03-2011, 09:15 AM

Well I always figured the deflector worked because of all the bugs I had to pick out of my air filter every time I cleaned it

In Focus · 03-06-2011, 10:12 AM

I didn't want to start a new thread, since I'm still in the planning stage.

I'm thinking of taking the next step and doing something about the air intake, so I'll be looking for some advice from you guys here. Initial thoughts are that the LV's set-up is different to what I'm seeing on everyone's LR/LS/LT's. Or maybe it's just because I have the automatic?

Anyway, I'll look at doing some pulling-apart on Monday, which is a public holiday here in WA, but here's a shot of the closed airbox and intake. It's got a K&N cone in it at present, which I'll keep ideally, along with the airbox itself. Actually, because I'm mechanically incompetent and the car's still under warranty, I want something (a) very simple and (b) easily reversible.

I'll get some more pics, but from the hump there is an intake tube about the size of a vacuum nozzle running left across the radiator to pick up air from the left-hand side of the grille. Must be at least half a metre long and no more than 5 centimetres in diameter from memory.

My totally inexpert eye thinks it must be inefficient and ineffective, but more pics and investigation might reveal more. My initial thoughts run to something like a shorter, wider intake tube, perhaps coming from the same side of the grille as the airbox is on. Though there are presumably benefits to a longer tube (torque?) and a non-forward-facing intake (stop bugs/stones/water?) that I haven't fully sussed out yet...

DZFord · 03-06-2011, 03:33 PM

It looks like the LV has a nice little intake scoop, which is not present on the LS / LTs as far as I know.

Franco Cozzo · 03-06-2011, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by In Focus

I'll get some more pics, but from the hump there is an intake tube about the size of a vacuum nozzle running left across the radiator to pick up air from the left-hand side of the grille. Must be at least half a metre long and no more than 5 centimetres in diameter from memory.

Yep its not that yours is auto, all LV TDCIs have the same setup, that intake pipe actually breaks into two pieces, remove the second piece and you end up with an intake tube that goes just right to the upper front grille, I did that when I did my driving lights, seems slightly better. But, i had trouble getting the tube back into the airbox after i removed the second part, so I just hot glued it in LOL.

In Focus · 04-06-2011, 12:14 PM

Which part comes out, Damo? I couldn't resist taking some of the upper grille attachments off, so I knew I could actually do it come Monday (getting it back on might be the problem...) Here are some shots of what I found...

This is a side-on shot of the intake coming straight out of the airbox. Wide but fairly flat as you can see.

Same area but from above. Anyone know what the holes are for?

You can see how long it all is here. Not very wide, either. It does a downward dip in the middle. And there's another group of small holes.

The actual intake aperture, facing UP.

Anyone have any opinions on what works, or doesn't, on this factory set-up? Or what could be done to improve it all?

Franco Cozzo · 04-06-2011, 01:31 PM

See where it comes out of the airbox, you've got 6 ribs there, it goes out then to another 3 ribs? Those three ribs are a connector, it joins to the rest of the air intake. That splits up from the rest. Yours has a blue dot on it.

Thats what I've done with mine, not sure how well it would work but it seems better than just ending up under a plastic cover facing up.

In Focus · 04-06-2011, 01:36 PM

Got ya. Thanks.

EDIT: Incidentally, is there any special trick to reattaching the screws that fit in the holes showing in that shot? They have little plastic sleeves, and don't appear to actually screw into anything??

Franco Cozzo · 04-06-2011, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by In Focus

Got ya. Thanks.

EDIT: Incidentally, is there any special trick to reattaching the screws that fit in the holes showing in that shot? They have little plastic sleeves, and don't appear to actually screw into anything??

Nope thats all they do, they sit inside the plastic sleeves and go into it, pushing the sleves out slightly.

In Focus · 04-06-2011, 08:13 PM

Yeah, I worked it out. Scrivets. I broke a couple and the damn cover wouldn't sit straight. I got there in the end, and it's good practice for next time...

A couple more questions...

Did you leave that cover off after you removed the intake tube?

Did you put some sort of mesh over the shortened intake and/or a bell mouth scoop?

Franco Cozzo · 04-06-2011, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by In Focus

Yeah, I worked it out. Scrivets. I broke a couple and the damn cover wouldn't sit straight. I got there in the end, and it's good practice for next time...

A couple more questions...

Did you leave that cover off after you removed the intake tube?

Did you put some sort of mesh over the shortened intake and/or a bell mouth scoop?

I lost one of my screw things while doing my driving lights.

Nah my cover is back on because I've got wiring under there for my lights, no mesh over the intake ot bell mouth scoop but I'm thinking about the scoop, good idea!