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2010 - 1.8 - Exhaust advice
Hi guys. I really need some advice. I have a Ford Focus 1.8 from 2010 - it has the DURAtec HE engine.
Recently my CAT has been giving issues, and as I live in South Africa where the fuel is so dirty, it doesn't really make sense in having one as they get clogged up so easily. As I need to sort out this issue I was thinking of maybe upgrading my Focus a bit to get more performance at the same time. My mechanic suggested replacing my exhaust system and doing a software upgrade, and for added performance you can do branching on the exhaust.
I sent an email to the dyno guys and they mentioned I should send the car to redo the exhaust system and then once the exhaust is done, they can do a chip for me to do the catfooling or do software on the car.
I took the car to two separate exhaust shops. The one suggested cutting out the cat and install a new exhaust 57mm pipe with a minicat. The other suggested to remove the cat, fabricate a down pipe with catfooler and also do a 57mm Stainless Steel Performance Exhaust system. Where the latter is 1/3rd more expensive.
So my question(s) thus:
1. As I understand it, if you do a software upgrade you do not need a minicat/catfooler. However the exhaust guy mentioned that the car won't be able to drive to the dyno without a minicat/catfooler. Is this correct?
2. Would the software upgrade over the catfooler/minicat give me more/better performance, as the someone mentioned that these motors are pretty well tuned and the gains are not that great. (Is the software upgrade worth the money)?
3. What would be the difference in adding a chip over doing a software upgrade?
4. Apparently there is no branching system for this motor. So someone mentioned I should get a new manifold. Any advice on this? Would it be worth the money?
So in closing. I simply want some advice on what to do, as 1. I HAVE to do something about the cat, and 2. I would like to get some better performance. But will these improvements be worth it? Or should one rather just go buy an ST?
Thx in advance.
Recently my CAT has been giving issues, and as I live in South Africa where the fuel is so dirty, it doesn't really make sense in having one as they get clogged up so easily. As I need to sort out this issue I was thinking of maybe upgrading my Focus a bit to get more performance at the same time. My mechanic suggested replacing my exhaust system and doing a software upgrade, and for added performance you can do branching on the exhaust.
I sent an email to the dyno guys and they mentioned I should send the car to redo the exhaust system and then once the exhaust is done, they can do a chip for me to do the catfooling or do software on the car.
I took the car to two separate exhaust shops. The one suggested cutting out the cat and install a new exhaust 57mm pipe with a minicat. The other suggested to remove the cat, fabricate a down pipe with catfooler and also do a 57mm Stainless Steel Performance Exhaust system. Where the latter is 1/3rd more expensive.
So my question(s) thus:
1. As I understand it, if you do a software upgrade you do not need a minicat/catfooler. However the exhaust guy mentioned that the car won't be able to drive to the dyno without a minicat/catfooler. Is this correct?
2. Would the software upgrade over the catfooler/minicat give me more/better performance, as the someone mentioned that these motors are pretty well tuned and the gains are not that great. (Is the software upgrade worth the money)?
3. What would be the difference in adding a chip over doing a software upgrade?
4. Apparently there is no branching system for this motor. So someone mentioned I should get a new manifold. Any advice on this? Would it be worth the money?
So in closing. I simply want some advice on what to do, as 1. I HAVE to do something about the cat, and 2. I would like to get some better performance. But will these improvements be worth it? Or should one rather just go buy an ST?
Thx in advance.
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
As Amazing as that sounds @R.S.LOGAN - I would not be able to buy a new ST... I will have to look at an older second hand model
First, for legal purposes, we really can't advise on bypassing emissions. We don't know what they are in Kenya, so we will sit out on the advisement. Second, there is a gain in HP on a CAT delete and better exhaust, but not that much unless you are using it for competetion and need every edge you can get. You'll get more out of a more aggressive tune. What out for cheap chip boosters, a lot of them just make the ECU think that it's running slightly lean and adjust the injector pulses which results in actually burning on the rich side... which will further fouls a catalytic converter.
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
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