svt focus?

Hey guys,

expanding my car search to svt foci... From what I hear it's a very reliable car, but I remember some issue regarding the clutch/pressure plate/flywheel assembly?

Are there any other issues I should look into?

I think there was a Focus thread a week or two ago that talked about SVT Foci.

Lurker reply out of nowhere.

Clutch/Flywheel was a TSB. Some cars have it done, others don't. Mine doesn't and doesn't have any issues. A LUK replacement is out there for a couple hundred. They don't seem to respond well to "performance" clutches.

The timing belt goes when it feels like it. Some people have them with 100k +, others have broke at 40k. See if it's been recently done.

Check for bearing noises. These eat bearings like a fatty at Golden Corral. There's 5 you need to check, the obvious wheels and then there's also a bearing on the right halfshaft.

They leak coolant out of the Tstat neck. Cheap fix, but annoying.

Also make sure the windows/locks work. That was somewhat common from what I can recall from my time at a Ford dealership.

Check www.focaljet.com for any other info.

I wouldn't consider any problem a deal breaker, but use them for negotiating. FWIW, I paid $7k for mine with low 20k for mileage. I love it....feels like a FWD BMW.

One nice thing about the timing belt. The Zetec is NON-interference in spite of what a lot of service manuals/people will tell you.

Isn't the trans unique to the SVT?

I believe the trans was unique to the svt version, & is the same 6spd as in the cooper s.

iceracer wrote: One nice thing about the timing belt. The Zetec is NON-interference in spite of what a lot of service manuals/people will tell you.

The cosworth modified zetec in the SVT is an interference engine. There is a member here who had a timing belt tensioner let go way under 100k and he can back this up.

The standard 2.0 DOHC zetec in everything else is non-interference.

paul wrote: I believe the trans was unique to the svt version, & is the same 6spd as in the cooper s.

Correct. Getrag 6spd.

Regular focus runs a 5spd, MTX-75 I believe.

Friend of mine had one when they were new, his only problem was the adjuster thing for the variable cam timing. Really cool car otherwise.

Have a friend that bought a 2002 new and had the cam timing problem as well. Was fixed by the dealer under warrenty. Other wise no unusual problems. I have driven a few on track at Ford SVT owners meets and have come away very impressed. Stock the car just flat handles. Put a set of 16X7 inch wheels with DOT race rubber and you'll have trouble keeping the big grin off your face. I considered buying one but wanted a trunk and got a SVT Contour.

Nitroracer wrote:

iceracer wrote: One nice thing about the timing belt. The Zetec is NON-interference in spite of what a lot of service manuals/people will tell you.

The cosworth modified zetec in the SVT is an interference engine. There is a member here who had a timing belt tensioner let go way under 100k and he can back this up. The standard 2.0 DOHC zetec in everything else is non-interference.

That's me. This is correct. My pulley (idler, actually) let go at 55k or so. Bent all the valves. It's a rare failure, but it's not unheard-of.

I love the car, but I can't cotton that sort of failure rate, nor the belt/pulley replacement intervals required to stave it off. For my money, a 2.3 Duratec ZX3/5 with SVT suspension swapped on is the way to go.

alex wrote: For my money, a 2.3 Duratec ZX3/5 with SVT suspension swapped on is the way to go.

Yep. X2

STS_ZX2 wrote:

alex wrote: For my money, a 2.3 Duratec ZX3/5 with SVT suspension swapped on is the way to go.

Yep. X2

But you don't the SVT's 4 wheels discs that way. When they were new I drove them back to back and the SVT brakes felt much better than the disc/drum setup on regular Foci.

Dunno how much trouble it is to add SVT brakes to a regular Focus but I'd look into it.

Soma007 wrote: Dunno how much trouble it is to add SVT brakes to a regular Focus but I'd look into it.

It's not that hard. It's a well documented install over at Focal Jet. I think that's the name of the Focus oriented forum.

Those brakes are very strong, it is worth the upgrade. I was very happy with the brakes, seats, and handling but not so much the acceleration or the fuel economy.

I want to see one of these with the RWD v8 (bolt in) kit. And then I want someone to deliver it to me.

Also they were covered pretty extensively in a grm a few back. Don't recall which issue.

Xceler8x wrote:

Soma007 wrote: Dunno how much trouble it is to add SVT brakes to a regular Focus but I'd look into it.

It's not that hard. It's a well documented install over at Focal Jet. I think that's the name of the Focus oriented forum.

There is a kit from Ford Racing to do the job. cost ~$900 due to the fact that you have to replace the front uprights with the SVT version. And due to changes in the front suspension I am not sure you can even do the conversion in 06 and up cars.

A much better solution is the "rally brake" kit from Ford Racing. It replaces the rear drums with the SVT/Advancetrac disc. This is the setup required for Rally Spec Focus and has the added benefit of allowing 15" wheels rather than the 16" wheels required when you put theSV T fronts on.

If I had it to do over again I would go with the "rally" kit rather than the SVT brakes I did.

I have two - one for DD and one for embarrassing M3s and Porsches at the track. For DD duty they have some stupid little issues but the Cosworth engine/Getrag 6-speed combo is sweet and very reliable. Awesome brakes. For track duty SVTs really shine on a road course (forget drag racing). I can drive it 110% and when I get out of shape the car is incredibly forgiving and comes right back in line. Very comforting at tracks like Road "concrete" Atlanta. Oh, and basic parts are cheap!

Here is a quick list of the common issues (way less than owning a BMW tho) that I've had on both cars with 80-90k miles on them: clutch master cyl, $40 OEM part; leaky T'stat plug, $1 oring; 6 disk CD player failure (1 car)

The timing belt issue is not really a "belt" problem - the tensioner fails first, in my experience. Both of mine were sloppy at 75k miles, one so much so the belt was not tracking properly, fraying the belt. So change them every 60k which is no different than some other cars req'd maintenance. Water pumps are not run off the cam belt and easily changable without doing the cam belt.

I haven't had these, but guys on the focaljet forum have: clutch noise/failure on early clutches (mine is an early one and is still good) Intake runner actuator cable clip failure

The bearing issues mentioned above, as I understand it, were not SVT issues; these were hubs on modified non-SVT Foci that were tracked - the hubs overheated from braking and some were not torqued properly. The fix was to swap in SVT hubs. I have cooling scoops on my track rat and have had no bearing problems. Probably the best thing you can do for the reliability of ANY track car is manage the heat - brake cooling, oil cooler, PS cooler, etc. Heat kills............

I have had a few friends with them, most were great, one ended up being a nightmare until it was stolen. I'm still not sure if it was really stolen.

One issue that hasn't been listed (most all of the above, except for the timing belt) happened to that one troublesome car. The issue I've yet to see be listed here is the servo that controls the intake runner change over. This is a fairly expensive part if I remember correctly.

One thing to remember is that these were limited production cars. They have some unique parts. They aren't bad per say, in fact they are really good. But what makes them special can also make them a bit more difficult to source parts for. Some people like that quality, others don't. I say buy a SVT if you want something interesting and pretty reliable. If the idea of having to potentially source a rare part scares you, then buy a ZX3/5.

There were alot of Foci built with 4-wheel discs--it was part of the Advancetrac option (traction control/abs/brake upgrage)...I had that on my 2002 ZTS.

"One issue that hasn't been listed (most all of the above, except for the timing belt) happened to that one troublesome car. The issue I've yet to see be listed here is the servo that controls the intake runner change over. This is a fairly expensive part if I remember correctly. "

I believe this part is called the DSI clip from my reading about it on the forums.

I bought a 2003 svt in January with 155k on it for $3100. I had an issue with the cluster lighting, but it was solved when I got a used aux gauge cluster. The main cluster lit up miraculously after replacing the small one.

I have installed a steeda short shifter. It still isn't the smoothest or slickest shifting tranny. The gearing leaves a bit to be desired as well. You can get up to a pretty high speed in 2nd gear. I skip gears all the time.

The stock tune leaves a bit to be desired. I think a aftermarket tune and a bigger throttle body would wake the car up considerably. There is no room for bigger than stock tires. I get slight rubbing in the front when hitting odd potholes or bumps even after replacing the front struts/springs.

All in all, these are great cars for the prices they carry. It handles excellent, is a good highway car, great practicality (5 door), and comes with nice options.

I love my SVTF. I have had mine from 31k to the 89k miles that it presently has. It has had a few small problems over the four years: Last year, the AC compressor went out, and my clutch has always had the clatter clatter rattle, which is only audible at idle in neutral.

It is a comfortable car on long distances and it turns about 3500 rpm at 80 mph in sixth gear. By small car standards the mileage isn't great; realistically, I get 25 mpg around town, driving it hard every day. The back seat is comfortable given that your occupants aren't huge, and with the rear seats folded down, it can haul quite a lot. As others have said it isn't a rocket; it came out just before the horsepower boom that occurred this decade. The 170 hp isn't meager by any means, though.

The HID headlights are great; I would definitely recommend tracking down a model that has them (they were standard on the European Appearance Package, and optional on the rest). Mine has never attracted much attention on the road, either from police or troublemakers, which I enjoy.

I'm not trying to hi-jack your thread, but I didn't feel the need to start a new one for this...

How much would you offer them for this car? The guy at the dealer claims the clutch is only 6 months old, and the brakes are new. The timing belt has not been changed

SVT Focus

That looks just like my ex GF's car. I thought the car was pretty much perfect. The only thing I didn't like on it was it was kind of big in the rear. not a model specific problem, all Foci 3 doors look like that. Ex went on to trade it on a Mini Cooper-S. I though the Ford was the better car personally.

If the clutch was replaced with less than 80,000 miles on the car, I would be wary of the previous owner's driving habits.

^^Not really - the clutch has had some issues in some cars, and a TSB from Ford addresses it.