The Focus RS only hit the UK roads a few months back but already there are several big power builds underway especially for eager tuners who are wanting to showcase their specialist talents with the 2.3 Ecoboost engine.
We are yet to fully discover the limits of this engine after is has been tweaked by Ford Performance to 350bhp which originated from the Mustang range. Being in the tuning equivalent to no mans land there are always a few at the forefront willing to the push the boundries. Early reports say the engine will be good for 420bhp coming from Mustang forums in the USA so beyond this figure things start to get tricky. Big power and big torque usually means the standard internals will start to scream in pain and become fragile. As car enthusiasts no one wants to be driving a ticking time bomb so time to get the wallet out and spend the money of some shiny new internals. Unfortunately you cannot see these beautiful pieces of engineering but they do give you that peace of mind when stepping on the loud pedal.
Manufacturers have cottoned on to these early big horsepower builds and released a range of forged conrods and pistons for the Mk3 Focus RS in no time. One of those companies is well known USA manufacturer Manley. Using their extensive experience with the Mustang’s 2.3 Ecoboost they have released high quality pistons and connecting rods suitable for 1000+bhp.
Manley Forged Pistons
The Manley pistons feature very thick crowns and are made to handle plenty of power upwards of 800+hp (obviously the tune must be correct as detonation is what kills most pistons). If you are planning on upwards for 800+ Manley also offer a wrist pin upgrade which is highly recommended at that kind of power level.
Within their product offering there is a 2.3L piston P/N 637001C-4 which is for 87.6mm bore sizes. The reason they added this P/N is so that customers could “clean-up” (hone) the factory bores and still maintain a proper PTW (piston to wall) clearance. This will be an excellent option for many engine builders.
Manley Forged Connecting Rods
To compliment their piston range Manley offer a choice of two rods depending on your desired power level. The economical and proven H-Beams which are rated at 600hp then the top of the line Turbo Tuff range which is rated to 1000+hp (all at the flywheel).
No matter what power you want to get your new Focus RS to, you can be assured that there is a suitable range of forged engine internals on the market already that will withstand the extra power.
