soooo....

i'm crazy, and i have a 2.5L Duratec V6 in my focus (it's from an SVT contour, but the block is the same as the 2.5L in the X-type).

i want to go AWD.... and it looks like the X-type's system would be best (the earlier version with the viscous coupler)

anyone have very accurate measurements or diagrams or links to them that i could check out?

that would be great.

thanks guys!

 

oops no editing... thought i'd include some pictures though.

 

Focusguy, if you are intending to bump up the power of the Jag V6, hope your pockets are deep!!!! While the motor is more than capable of going over 300hp, the transfer case is barely able to hold its own against the factory 200 hp (later 227 hp). Replacing the transfer case normally costs about $3000 each time it goes out which is normally caused by the case cracking into pieces due to excessive stress from hard launches (I am assuming you are doing this because you want to be able to race the car and have better traction). So, while I am sure it can be done with nothing more than a little bit of tweaking of the engine mounts (if that even), for an upgrade, you are going to need a lot of work to keep it all going.

With that being said, if you were to spend some money on having a weld shop add in some aluminum gussetting to the transfer case, it may hold up to the additional power you are most likely planning (or just the hard accelerations of the factory motor). But, that is where having some engineering done to improve its strength will be key. A lot of the cracking occurs on the tailshaft area heading towards the rear driveshaft. But, that is simply the weakest point.

If you are going this far, I would probably say to go with something from say a Subaru Imprezsa/WRX/STI. Those will easily handle any power upgrades and in the long run, will probably cost you less. Or, you can simply take the money that you would be dropping into the Focus and get your hands on an AWD Fusion.

Your call. Just pointing out potential problems. A member here has dropped the Lincoln 3.0L engine into his Jag which would suggest to me that the motor mounts are the same and getting the engine into the engine bay will be no problem since as I recall the 3.0L engine is an option for the Focus.

Good luck. Not wanting to sound negative, but if you look around here, you will see lots of posts about the TC issues. Upgrading is always fun, but it needs to work for it to be fun. I've done my fair share of upgrading on Fords as I have managed to slip 37's on an Expedition with only a 4" lift (no other methods of height adjustments).

 

good info, thanks very much.....

the Focus only came with 2.0L and 2.3L inline 4's here in the states... so the swap i have done was no easy feat.

i understand your pointing towards the EVO/STI stuff but i'm very doubtful that it'll work for me without some VERY serious modification (although that adjustable center diff would be a dream) especially cause those cars are longitudinal layout and mine is transverse...

i'll take a look nonetheless, thanks for the tip.

so the problem isn't the actual viscous coupling, it's the housing? if i had accurate enough diagrams/had one i could design a new housing that would be much stronger and have it machined (advantages of being a college student, access to the CNC mills). i'll look into that as well.

also very true and i understand the "if you're gonna drop the money" comment but unfortunately no one would touch my car with a 10 foot pole lol. so she's mine til she dies (or longer) and i can't really part with the car anyways (yes i know i'm silly) so maybe i'll just forgo this upgrade path.

again your information has been wonderfully helpful, and if i ever do this it won't be for a long time as I have yet to get the car back on the road with it's current engine and drivetrain configuration.

has anyone strengthened the transfer case before? or would i be the first looking into it.

also if you have any more info on how exactly it works (i mean i know it's tied to the passenger side front half shaft, right? it's not actually integrated into the transmission is it?) that would be wonderful... as perhaps i can design something more robust from the ground up. whatever gets done to the car will have to be custom anyways so i might as well over-engineer it and maybe use one of those fancy adjustable center diffs from an STI.

 

As Thermo said, the weak point in these cars is the transfer case. You might get away with cryo-treating it, but who knows how long that will last.

As far as the rear subframe, you might find the following a shortcut:
http://www.kugelkomponents.com/focus/focus.html
It for V8-Focus conversions. It uses a Ford 8.8" solid rear axle. One thing to keep in mind the solid rear axle would suffer compared to independent.

Another link you might want to look at:
http://www.contour.org/ceg-vb/showth...529-Awd-gt-1wd
It is a gentleman converting his Contour to AWD.

AWD answers
1.I am using the jag gearbox, transfer case, and rear diff. The only control that I have over front and rear bias is left foot braking with throttle, and handbrake with throttle. These are both driving techniques for an advanced to expert driving level.
2.I know it's a 42:58 torque split because automotive journalists asked jag of the split. Jag replied with 40:60 because they wanted to still "seem like" a rwd vehicle. So 40:60 or 42:58. Whatever. I've seen both on the internet. The center diff/ transfer case is a viscous coupling.
3.I know the front diff is open. The center diff is a viscous lsd. I don't know what the rear is.
4.Absolutely not! The jag rear subframe doesn't even come close to fitting in the contour. The front suspension of the jag is essentially the same and offers no added benefit.
5. I'm using the jag awd fuel tank.

As a former Sport Compact enthusiast, I will simply say you will never get back what you dump into it. This conversion will easily cost more than the value of the car. If you ever try to resale it, you will get almost nothing for the addition. Your insurance policy might not cover the modifications unless its added to a rider policy.

I'm not trying to discourage you, just telling you about the economics of the swap. With that being said, god luck, and keep us updated!

 

thanks for the input gents...

maybe i'll see if i can get my hands on a TC and try to design a new housing.... maybe in steel???

yeah i know i'll never get the money back out of my car, i'm already at that point because i put a contour motor in my focus and did all the work myself instead of having it professionally done. so at this point i'm looking at keeping it and driving it til it dies.

by the time i'm ready to do this AWD conversion i'll probably buy a beater car for daily driving so that i'm not without a car again like i am right now cause i'm finishing up the engine swap.

if i go for it i'll definitely post on here so you guys can see how it goes.

thanks again for all the help!!!