We get a lot of questions regarding the Launch Control (LC) and Flat Foot Shift (FFS) functionality on the Ford Focus as well as Mazdaspeed vehicles. Hopefully this article can clear some of the ambiguities.

The Ford Focus ST and Mazdaspeed vehicles feature 3 fuel cut rev limiters. The primary rev limit is the same as that which comes from the factory and is designed to prevent your engine from over-rev damage. The LC and FFS limiters are interconnected via a speed threshold. Below the speed threshold (typically 6 MPH) the LC limiter is activated and above the threshold the FFS limiter switches on when both the clutch and accelerator are depressed at the same time.

1. Primary Rev Limit: This is the maximum allowable engine speed. This limiter is generally set at 6700 RPM for the MazdaSpeed vehicles and 7200 for the Focus ST. It can be changed from these values if need be and this can be discussed with your tuner.

2. Launch Control: When activated this limiter is always on at speeds below the LC/FFS threshold, it works by holding the engine at your predetermined RPM via a fuel cut. Where you set launch control will affect how much wheel spin you get off the line. Most of our customers set this between 2500 – 4000 RPM. Focus ST customers with map switching have the luxury of selecting up to four different LC settings. If you are unsure where to set LC we recommend setting the values at least 250RPM apart. Typical Focus ST LC settings are something like this: 2,750, 3,000, 3,250, 3,500. To test if LC is activated simply put your foot to the floor with the car in neutral/with the clutch depressed and below 6 MPH, the engine will hold at your predetermined RPM.

3. Flat Foot Shift: When activated this limiter is always on at speeds above the LC/FFS threshold. To use FFS simply keep your foot floored to the next gear shift point. Without lifting your foot step on the clutch, the revs will drop to the FFS limiter value as you select the next gear. Next drop the clutch with your accelerator still floored. Simple as that.

How to activate these limiters:

Once you’ve received and installed your map there is nothing you need to do to activate these limiters. They are always ready and waiting for you to use them.

Focus ST: When you purchase your S-OTS+ map you will be sent a link to an online tuning form. Use this form to tell us whether you would like LC/FFS activated and, if you do, where you would like them to be set. If you have purchased a custom tune then you can let your tuner know either in the preliminary custom tuning form or via email directly.

Mazdaspeed: COBB has an excellent online utility which allows you to change the LC and FFS settings on locked maps. Follow this link to the COBB website. If you purchased a custom tune then you can let your tuner know via email or the preliminary custom tuning form where you would like FFS and LC set.

Here’s a video of Braden at COBB demonstrating LC, FFS, and map switching on a Focus ST.

This is a question we receive almost weekly and we want to clarify the differences as well as the pros and cons to each methodology. To explain these two tuning techniques we will have to first fully understand load and boost and then analyse the pros/cons of the two techniques.

LOAD: Load can be thought of as the amount of air entering your engine at a certain engine speed. Load is an approximation of your motor’s torque output calculated using the the amount of airflow entering the motor, engine RPM, and a scaling constant. The amount of airflow entering the motor (measured in grams/second or pounds/minute) is measured either directly using a Mass Airflow Sensor (MAF) or calculated using a Manifold Absolute Pressure Sensor (MAP).

By looking at load we have a much more realistic idea of how much torque the engine is producing regardless of turbocharger used, temperatures, and altitude. This is the most important difference between load and boost. While a car making 20psi of boost at 3000 RPM on one turbocharger will make a different amount of power to a car making 20psi at the same engine speed on a different turbocharger; a car making 2.0 load at 3000 RPM will make the same amount of power as another car making 2.0 load at the same RPM (given that the loads are calculated accurately). Because of this important distinction load based tunes are able to provide much more consistent torque across all operating conditions resulting in consistent and reliable vehicle operation. What you will see is that the ECU will vary the boost pressure to target the same load/torque depending on ambient conditions. In hotter weather the ECU will target more boost due to the lower air density and in cooler weather it will command less boost thanks to higher air density. To prevent too much boost in very hot conditions for example, our load based tunes do cap boost at a reasonable level.

A graphical representation below shows the torque and horsepower curves of a MazdaSpeed3 vehicle. Underneath, the load and mass air flow readings from the same car are displayed. Notice how the curves look similar in shape. Indeed load correlates to torque output and mass air flow correlates to horsepower output.

Notice how the calculated load curve matches the torque curve and the measured air flow mimics horsepower.

BOOST: Your vehicle’s MAP sensor measures the absolute pressure in your intake manifold. Boost is the measure of pressure above atmospheric pressure in your intake manifold and is usually shown in Pounds per Square Inch (psi). Boost based tuning is the old school way of tuning boosted vehicles as it is an easy way of knowing what the turbo is doing. However, the mass flow rate of air as well as the amount of oxygen entering your engine at a certain boost pressure vary greatly with ambient temperature, humidity, altitude, intake, turbo used, etc. When temperatures are cooler and you are at a low altitude the ambient air has a much higher density and thus richer oxygen content than air at high altitudes and high temperatures. Because of this a boost based tune will have higher torque in the winter than it will in the summer. Our boost based tunes target boost pressures but can also put a cap on loads for engine safety.

Now that we understand the two concepts the question still remains, which is better?

Although load based tunes maintain fairly constant torque in different ambient conditions, the motor’s ability to produce torque changes. A vehicle which is targeting 2.0 load at 3,000 RPM may demand a boost pressure in the region of 20 psi during the hottest summer day. The same car will require less boost to achieve this load figure during the dead of winter since the air density is greater – let’s say it will be somewhere in the region of 15 psi (still at 3,000 RPM). Although the motor’s torque output will remain fairly constant between the two situations the end user is sometimes surprised when they see their car is suddenly making only 15 pounds of boost. In addition, since the motor has the ability to target higher load values during the winter some feel that the car’s performance is not being maximized (although now we start to worry about connecting rods).

A boost based tune which is done in the summer can have much different results than a low boost figure. Imagine a vehicle which was tuned in the summer and was able to carry 20psi of boost without knocking. This vehicle’s tune will target 20 psi no matter what the ambient conditions may be. So, as the temperatures start to drop and air density goes up, the car will be making more and more power at that 20 psi boost figure. This increases the torque output but also puts more strain on the connecting rods and fuel octane being used due to higher cylinder pressures.

OEM tunes target loads because they want to deliver consistent output year-round (the rated engine output). Because of this the control system has nice features such as load by gear which enhances traction and driveability. While we can switch to a boost targeting strategy, some of these driveaibility enhancing features can’t be used as effectively.

We, at Stratified, choose load based tunes based on their reliability, driveability and the consistent torque delivery which is virtually independent of ambient conditions in the majority of cases. However, some cars and setups are better suited for boost-targeting tunes than others and if we know the user’s goals from the get-go we can choose a strategy that suits them best. Some of these include:

– Cars using E85 or very high octane fuel where knock is not much of an issue.
– Cars with built motors that want to maximize power output all the time and are not worried about damage/breaking components.
– AWD cars that don’t need torque by gear output limitations.
– Cars/people that want to get the absolute maximum power from their setup all the time with less concern for driveability or long term reliability.

Hope this makes the distinction between load based tuning and boost based tuning a little clearer and helps you choose the right strategy for your car. Just like with everything else, choose the tuning method best suited for you and your vehicle.

Compression tests are a very important tool in assessing your motor’s overall health. An especially convenient time to do this is when you are checking your car’s spark plugs. It’s also good to get a baseline compression test before adding parts or tuning the ST. A weak compression test result is something to be investigated further as it can be an indication of a mechanical failure (worn rings, poorly sealing valves, etc.)

On the Focus ST checking your compression is quite straightforward:

Step One – Prepare for testing:

Preparing your Ford Focus ST for compression testing could not be any easier. First drive the car so that it is decently warm. Park it and carefully pull off the coil packs and remove all four spark plugs.

Step Two – Install the Compression Tester:

You can purchase a number of compression testers and they range in price and quality. Some of the very low quality ones can give poor or erratic readings. So if you get abnormal readings on an engine running well, then it is worth trying another tester. The compression tester simply screws into your spark plug hole. Make sure the O-ring makes contact with the cylinder head in order to prevent a false low compression reading.

Step Three – Test Your Compression:

To do this you simply push both the accelerator and the clutch all the way down. Once the clutch and accelerator are depressed press the start/stop button to begin the cranking process. Wait until you’ve heard about 15 cranks of the motor then press the start/stop button again to stop the process. Keeping the accelerator down the entire time prevents the injectors from firing while testing compression. If you have a friend helping; have them watch the gauge – ideally you want to crank until the needle stops moving up.

Make sure that you allow the same cranking duration for all four cylinders to allow for consistent readings.

Interpreting the Results:

Compression numbers will vary slightly from motor to motor but for a healthy internally stock ST motor expect around 160-170 psi (~11 bar) at sea level on a mild day.

The altitude and internal engine changes (pistons, cams, etc.) will affect compression readings. With altitude, the higher you go in altitude the lower the compression will read and this is perfectly normal. Multiply sea level numbers by the table below corresponding to your altitude to get what you should expect if you are testing at higher altitudes. For example a healthy ST motor with 160psi compression at sea level will have a compression of (160*0.8617) around 138psi.

• 1000′ = .9711
• 2000′ = .9428
• 3000′ = .9151
• 4000′ = .8881
• 5000′ = .8617
• 6000′ = .8359
• 7000′ = .8106
• 8000′ = .7860

Another indicator of a healthy motor is that the compression is fairly even across all cylinders. The rule of thumb is that all cylinders should be within +/-10% of each other.

If you suspect there is a problem and repeated compression tests indicate this, you will likely have other running issues such as oil consumption, fouled plugs, misfiring, etc. The compression test can identify the problem cylinder and you can then investigate further. The next step would be a leakdown test to show you where the compression is escaping (past the rings or past the valves). This requires more equipment so the beauty of the compression test is that it is quick and inexpensive with minimal tools needed.

Record the readings in order and keep the records to track the health of the motor and catch any issues if they show up later down the road.

Happy Testing,

The Stratified Team