This short clip is meant to compare engine characteristics before and after the slight modifications I’ve made to the car. The top clip is bone stock.

Bottom clip is how the car performs after the following modifications.

Cat delete+ resonator install
2.5” custom exhaust to a thrush turbo muffler+ 4inch tip. Headers are stock.

Lindsey racing MAF kit+ tune DME at position 2 for +3% fuel

Focus 9 technology Sport DME

NGK blue spark plug wires

NGK BPRES6 spark plugs

BMC air filter.

Lindsey racing fuel rail/ marren fuel pressure damper. Regulator is stock. Injectors are stock.

Quantum systems high flow fuel pump. Not sure the change in flow but the fuel pressure is stock. 2.5 bar.

I hit the end of 2nd gear right about half a second faster than stock. In the bottom clip the engine is always about 200rpm faster through the entire rev range. Not astounding numbers but the you can feel it in the seat of the pants meter for sure. The car physically pulls harder with more noticeable torque. It’s cut off due to the format but the modified car is also about 5mph faster than the stock car through the pull.


What’s the point of me posting this? To demonstrate that while yes the 2.5 liter NA motor is very hard to pull more power out of without doing a $5,000 stage 2 head and cam and valve grind and head flow bump and intake port and adjustable cam gear and all the other bells and whistles, it’s still possible to bump their performance by a noticeable amount. Most notably by keeping the car tuned up and installing the MAF setup.

I bet with a 4to1 header a few more hp is still left to be found without doing heavier modification. Honestly if i chose to not touch a single thing else on this car id be more than happy with its performance. A car this light doesn’t need that much more power it’s already plenty quick enough to go well beyond the speed limit many public road and it pulls beautifully on the twisties.

If I had to guess the car is probably right around 130-135 hp at the wheels or around 160 at the crank. Headers cam a stage 2 head adjustable cam hear valve grind turbo valve springs and an adjustable FPR and I have no doubt these engines could push at or near 200hp at the crank. S s2 and turbo cars are now pulling price premiums of about 10 grand over a clean 8 valve car. Is it worth it? In my opinion yes. But it depends on how you’re gonna use the car. A back road/ canyon carver doesn’t need to be much faster than this. The limit of the car will far exceed the limit of the driver and if it doesn’t, it’ll still far exceed the limit of the law. Keep the car slow(ish) and enjoy winding out those gears.