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Project SVT - Ford Focus SVT

Part 5: Wheel Spin, Both Of Them

By Jay Chen, Photography by Jay Chen

Quaife recommends using their 75-90w Silkolene synthetic gear oil for a smooth running torque biasing diff. If not, either OEM or Mobil 1 is good, but Quaife warns against Red Line Light Shock gear oil.

All that's left is to assemble the engine and car so we can test all the new parts.

Next time, we'll install new forged pistons and connecting rods from JE Pistons, and maybe even add a clutch and lightened flywheel. Who knows, we might even get to test out all our new parts sometime in the next decade

BUILD COST SO FAR
2003 SVT Focus: $17,480
PTE turbo kit: $3,995
GT Fabrication downpipe: $450
GT Fabrication misc.: $200
FocusSport partial installation: $375
Odyssey PC680 battery: $148
FocusSport torque mount: $99
SCT reflash: $350
Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires: $692
Spray paint: $15
Mounting/balancing: $50
Progress rear bar: $199
Cosworth head work: $1,800
Quaife limited-slip differential: $1,195
Total: $27,048
Minus 2003 SVT Cobra: $34,750
Total left to spend: $7,702

Previous InstallmentsApril 2003Part 1: Starting from scratch

June 2004Part 2: Finally, a turbo

September 2004Part 3: T minus 0.7 seconds

January 2006Part 4: Another step towards resurrection

The SVT's dual-layshaft transaxle design uses two intermediate pinion shafts with three gears on each shaft. Both shafts simultaneously mesh with the ring gear on the differential, which makes removing the stock diff a matter of simply cracking the tranny open and pulling it out-without disassembling any gearing.

Although the stock differential carrier bearings can be reused, it's not worth the effort to reuse them. We ordered replacement bearings and pressed them onto the new differential.

The factory ring gear needs to be swapped onto the Quaife unit. Installing it is a little tricky since the tolerance is tight and all the bolts need to be torqued down evenly.

Most ford dealers won't even know that the SVT uses a different transmission than the MTX-75 five-speed found on the stock, econobox Focus.

By Jay Chen
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