Introduction to my "Mad Maxx" and a couple questions.

[Madmaxx21]

Hello all! I can gaurentee im probably the youngest member of these forums, (20) and the mods to my car will show it. However seeing cars like "Maxus" makes me feel right at home. My car is a 13 plug in hybrid, I'm a Toyota/bmw technician by day and I build nissan race cars by night. My commute is hell and I traded my fully tuned 2004 Evo for a lovely cmax and I get 50+mpg.

 

 

Mods:

 

Powered coat flat black rims

SVT racing blue powdered coat brake calipers

Intelligent automatic ride height air ride

5% tint all the way around

Smoked mirror lamps

10,000k hid projection headlights

5000k led fog lamps

 

 

My questions are, I am trying to hook up an aftermarket subwoofer to my vehicle using a line out converter. The system works lovely until I drive and the gas engine kicks on, and I get a massive amount of feedback that actually blew my subwoofer. I'm hooked directly to the 12v accesory battery and am using a normal body ground. Have tried a couple grounds and no difference.

 

My second question, has anyone tried to fit the focus ST spoiler to the cmax? I love it and think it would finalize my mods. I am currently debadging the car and adding ST and ecoboost badges all the way around as well.

 

If anyone has any questions about my mods or needs any help at all feel free to ask. I love to help.

 

[Taz]

Have you thought about a 12v DC power filter? Can you describe the feedback you are getting? Does it seem to  vary depending on the RPMs of the motor?

 

I do have a question about the HID projectors. Do you have any issues with them? I can't say I would for for 10,000k as I want more usable light but I am definitely considering some sort of lighting upgrades for the main lights and the fogs.

 

I do think your car looks pretty nice. I'd be interested in knowing more about the intelligent ride height that you put in as well. I wouldn't mind have the car a bit higher when in the city and dropping it when on the highway.

[Ephethean3]

I wonder if the feedback could have something to do with the Auto Noise Canceling system?

[fbov]

...Mods:

 

Powered coat flat black rims

SVT racing blue powdered coat brake calipers

Intelligent automatic ride height air ride

5% tint all the way around

Smoked mirror lamps

10,000k hid projection headlights

5000k led fog lamps...

On one hand, your mods are benign, except the headlights, On the other, none of them impact performance except the air ride, and that won't do much by itself.

 

Things to consider if you'd like mileage in the 100's...it is an Energi, after all.  

- front grill block on all three grills

- front air dam

- side skirts (to make the air ride a functional improvement)

- wheel fairings

- (lots more stuff here.)

 

I'd love to suggest the Focus rear spoiler, but we haven't found anything to do to the back of the car that's helpful. Several folks have added vortex generators, but no one's proven they help. I can't prove the air dam or skirts help either, but the grill bocks are well documented improvements.

 

The biggest variable is you, the driver. 50+MPG is good for a Hybrid, but poor for an Energi. You've clearly found the loud pedal has great response because electric motors have all their torque at low RPM. Our focus has been minimizing fuel use, and the mods I suggest all go in that direction.

 

Finally a word on high color temperature headlights. You made a bad choice if you want to drive this car at night. You are blinding oncoming traffic, regardless how well you aim them, and you will be blinded the first time you hit fog as high color temperature fogs are also useless.

 

What you've missed is

- color temperature

- scattering.

 

The higher the color temperature, the more light is scattered. That's why the sky is blue, and sunsets are red, even though the sun defines white light. In fog, your headlights will produce a wall of white as all the blue energy is scattered back toward you, and your fog lights will make it worse.

 

A rational approach to headlight upgrades keeps the headlights no bluer than sunlight, 5K-6K color temperatures, and the fog lights in the 2.5K-3K range. You get true white light, not the bluish "PC monitor white" you have now, and these fog lights will help you see better.

 

So, your car may look cool to you, but it screams a different message to me.

 

Have fun,

Frank

[Madmaxx21]

On one hand, your mods are benign, except the headlights, On the other, none of them impact performance except the air ride, and that won't do much by itself.

 

Things to consider if you'd like mileage in the 100's...it is an Energi, after all.

- front grill block on all three grills

- front air dam

- side skirts (to make the air ride a functional improvement)

- wheel fairings

- (lots more stuff here.)

 

I'd love to suggest the Focus rear spoiler, but we haven't found anything to do to the back of the car that's helpful. Several folks have added vortex generators, but no one's proven they help. I can't prove the air dam or skirts help either, but the grill bocks are well documented improvements.

 

The biggest variable is you, the driver. 50+MPG is good for a Hybrid, but poor for an Energi. You've clearly found the loud pedal has great response because electric motors have all their torque at low RPM. Our focus has been minimizing fuel use, and the mods I suggest all go in that direction.

 

Finally a word on high color temperature headlights. You made a bad choice if you want to drive this car at night. You are blinding oncoming traffic, regardless how well you aim them, and you will be blinded the first time you hit fog as high color temperature fogs are also useless.

 

What you've missed is

- color temperature

- scattering.

 

The higher the color temperature, the more light is scattered. That's why the sky is blue, and sunsets are red, even though the sun defines white light. In fog, your headlights will produce a wall of white as all the blue energy is scattered back toward you, and your fog lights will make it worse.

 

A rational approach to headlight upgrades keeps the headlights no bluer than sunlight, 5K-6K color temperatures, and the fog lights in the 2.5K-3K range. You get true white light, not the bluish "PC monitor white" you have now, and these fog lights will help you see better.

 

So, your car may look cool to you, but it screams a different message to me.

 

Have fun,

Frank

Hey frank appreciate the feedback. I'm not at all concerned with my fuel economy im not concerned with performance gains im concerned with making my car EXACTLY how I like it. And I love it.

 

My headlamps are actuallt 5k sorry for the mistake. My race car has 10k and that's for show. My fog lamps are same color temp. I also have projection housings on my headlamps to prevent blinding other drivers

 

I want the focus ST wing solely for aesthetic reasons.

[Madmaxx21]

Have you thought about a 12v DC power filter? Can you describe the feedback you are getting? Does it seem to vary depending on the RPMs of the motor?

 

I do have a question about the HID projectors. Do you have any issues with them? I can't say I would for for 10,000k as I want more usable light but I am definitely considering some sort of lighting upgrades for the main lights and the fogs.

 

I do think your car looks pretty nice. I'd be interested in knowing more about the intelligent ride height that you put in as well. I wouldn't mind have the car a bit higher when in the city and dropping it when on the highway.

 

The HIDs are 5k, the high beams are standard halogen for the sheer brightness. The fog lamps are projection LED bulbs. 5k also but slightly whiter. The headlamps are modded with bmw orb projection housing so I get huge light scatter with no risk of blinding other drivers.

 

The air ride is set on triggers. For city driving you could have it give you 2 inches of lift at speeds under 25mph. I have it set to dump all air when the ignition is turned off, and it's also set to dump front of car 1.5 inches under stock ride height, and rear .8 inches. to improve drag and aero on highways. The kit was around $2k and I installed it myself.

 

I will upload pictures of headlamps and try to find the kit for air ride.

[Adrian_L]

Nice to have a "petrolhead" on the forum.  When I was 20 I barely knew how to tune up my Honda 70 passport scooter.  Wish I hadn't thrown it away when it got rust in the cylinder from sitting in my dad's garden.  It would have made a great electric conversion.

 

Thinking about converting a '66 Volvo to electric.   Maybe when batteries get cheaper....

[62Lincoln]

MM, welcome to the forum. I would really love to hear more about your suspension install. I would like to find a set of coilovers that would fit our cars, I've never been happy with the factory setup. I had Ohlins on my previous car, and they spoiled me rotten.

 

Please continue to share, there will be those that don't get it, but there are some of us who understand your passion.

[Taz]

The hardest thing about buying my C-max Energi was not being able to "tweak" it as much as I might in the normal sense of more horsepower type mods. So now I am becoming more of an "eco" modder. As much as I would love to go +1 on the tires and do other mods, they won't do any favors for fuel economy and that is the main reason we bought the car.

 

OTOH for a very efficient car, it is reasonably quick. Sure it isn't Tesla quick but it is definitely not bad. I had a little impromptu run against a BMW i3 today. I SERIOUSLY considered buying one of them but ultimately ended up with Jazzy (our C-max). It was LA where you really can't go too fast so it was just a quick dig from a light. Let's call it 0-40 or so. Light went green and we both nailed it. I got a better launch than the i3 so to about 30 I was ahead, at 35 we were even and by about 40 he had me by maybe a wheel.

 

The guy was totally surprised, and frankly, so was I that it was that close. What surprised me from outside the car was how loud the electric motor is when you get on the i3 hard. I couldn't really tell it when I took a test drive. My wife and I REALLY liked the i3 but at the end of the day, the base range of 80 miles or so wasn't enough to make it worth it for us. With the range extender we still couldn't get to where we needed to be. We just end up taking too many long trips on weekends.

 

At some point I'll convince my wife to go for some lightweight wheels. Definitely wouldn't mind some suspension upgrades. I'll likely have the car aligned and dial it in for a little bit better handling. Lighting upgrades are must. My wife is pretty tolerant but I can't push too much too fast with "her" car. Our Flex she said pretty much nothing about as long as I kept it drivable. So it is lowered, lightweight wheels and tires, a few other tweaks and now it is pretty darn quick for a family grocery-getter. It will run 12.8 in the 1/4 and 0-60 is always in the low 4's. Not bad for a big brick. 

 

So in a way I'll live a bit vicariously through MadMaxx's mods as I can squeeze a few in while my wife doesn't notice.   ;)  OTOH it is sort of fun doing things to improve the economy as well. 

[62Lincoln]

Taz, the lightweight wheels are a good idea, please share once you get to that point and make a selection.In fact, most of what you listed are of interest to me (suspension, lighting) so please keep us in the know as you make your upgrades!

[Madmaxx21]

MM, welcome to the forum. I would really love to hear more about your suspension install. I would like to find a set of coilovers that would fit our cars, I've never been happy with the factory setup. I had Ohlins on my previous car, and they spoiled me rotten.

 

Please continue to share, there will be those that don't get it, but there are some of us who understand your passion.

Thank you! I'm glad that people understand.

 

The kit is a mad mixture of parts all fabricated by me and my shop. It is factory struts, aftermarket drop springs from an older euro Cmax (2011 I believe) the air ride kit makes it ride slightly higher with the air bags at ride height so the drop springs keep it around factory ride height. The air controller is a air lift wireless one air controller, key fob controlled as well as memory programmable(such as my key off air dump). The air compressor is a 200 psi air zenith, I have a 1/2 gallon air tank. The bags them selves have custom mounts since no one makes parts for our cars. They're Firestone, I can't find the automatic ride height kit anywhere it was sold on horsepower freaks and I belibe was made by air lift as well, self levels and does the memory pull from the obd system to get speeds of the car.

[Madmaxx21]

Here's my headlight spread. The camera gives them a much more blue hue then they actually are.

[scottwood2]

Welcome and I like your mods.  Very cool.  I have done the black wheels and grill on mine and I love the look.  There are pics in my profile. 

 

Still thinking of plasti-dipping more items to kind of debadge.  Also would like to get some tint too.  

 

For the suspension, I like the car a lot but I wish it was tighter.  I had a xB with Tein coils on it that dropped it and I really loved them.   Cornering in that car was really fun.  I don't get that feeling with the Max. 

 

As you look around you will see others that have done some mods too.  I have not seen much with the suspension.  A video showing your system working would be cool.  

 

Keep the ideas and pics coming.   

Edited July 28, 2015 by scottwood2

[Madmaxx21]

Welcome and I like your mods.  Very cool.  I have done the black wheels and grill on mine and I love the look.  There are pics in my profile. 

 

Still thinking of plasti-dipping more items to kind of debadge.  Also would like to get some tint too.  

 

For the suspension, I like the car a lot but I wish it was tighter.  I had a xB with Tein coils on it that dropped it and I really loved them.   Cornering in that car was really fun.  I don't get that feeling with the Max. 

 

As you look around you will see others that have done some mods too.  I have not seen much with the suspension.  A video showing your system working would be cool.  

 

Keep the ideas and pics coming.

 

Once I perfect the mounts and get permission from Firestone and the other companies im going to put together a kit and sell it through my company. The first 10 kits will be cmax forum exclusives.

 

I did my grill black this weekend because of your pictures. I have some body damage to the passenger side of my vehicle, once they repair it and paint it I'm going to remove all the badges but the ford badges and add ecoboost and blue st emblems.

[Smiling Jack]

.... I'm going to remove all the badges but the ford badges and add ecoboost and blue st emblems.

....

...

 

I am extremely curious to know why you would want the ecoboost badge(s).

[Adrian_L]

Unless you shoe-horned an ecoboost engine in there, it would be a very odd decal to add.

Edited July 30, 2015 by Adrian_L

[Taz]

I get where MM is going here. Sort of trying to make a ST version of the C-max. I totally understand it. I'll never buy another black car as too much maintenance and too little time.

 

A lot of people will have no clue and putting the Ecoboost badges will confuse a lot of them. The art of misdirection can be a lot of fun. Maybe some of you like the concept of a car that is a "sleeper".

 

In general I typically a fan of mods that are both form AND function. So I'll put better nicer looking wheels on there but almost always if they are better performing such as less drag and/or less weight. I won't put a spoiler on there just to look cool. If it helps improve efficiency AND looks good, then so much the better.

[Madmaxx21]

Unless you shoe-horned an ecoboost engine in there, it would be a very odd decal to add.

Just as taz said, to confuse people. No one in area I live in has ever heard of a cmax before but to most people the eccoboost name is familiar. I'm just trying to be different and add some flare to my car. The way the electric engine in my car whistles it sounds like it has a turbo. and once I add a cold air intake it'll have a little induction noise. Has anyone ever done a cold air on the cmax, curious if it would help anything out

[brbevil]

Here are some pics of a C-Max ST that Ford's never going to make.  Looks mighty slick.

 

http://www.carscoops.com/2014/09/fords-never-going-to-make-c-max-st.html 

[scottwood2]

Here are some pics of a C-Max ST that Ford's never going to make.  Looks mighty slick.

 

http://www.carscoops.com/2014/09/fords-never-going-to-make-c-max-st.html

OMG that looks so cool. 

 

I don't understand why Ford does not push the performance part of this car.  How about an ad showing this blowing the doors off a Prius and having some fun and still getting pretty good FE.  

 

Chevy is making special versions of the pickup.  At least 4 custom packages.  Why doesn't Ford do this too?  Many people want a unique car and would help people do just that. 

[scottwood2]

I did my grill black this weekend because of your pictures. I have some body damage to the passenger side of my vehicle, once they repair it and paint it I'm going to remove all the badges but the ford badges and add ecoboost and blue st emblems.

image.jpg

Glad my pics helped.  I like your ideas and keep the pics coming. 

[Adrian_L]

OMG that looks so cool. 

 

I don't understand why Ford does not push the performance part of this car.  How about an ad showing this blowing the doors off a Prius and having some fun and still getting pretty good FE.  

 

Chevy is making special versions of the pickup.  At least 4 custom packages.  Why doesn't Ford do this too?  Many people want a unique car and would help people do just that. 

 

For the same reason you can't get a Prius in burnt orange--it's all about marketing.  The C-max was never intended to be a young person's performance car---just look at the average age of owners on this forum. 

 

I appreciate the creativity at work in modifying from stock to make it your own, even though with this particular canvas it's fairly limited what you can do.  But having said that, if I was in my 20's again the C-max would be the last car I'd buy (I take that back--VW then Prius would be the last cars I would buy).

 

Around my neck of the woods, Japanese imports are the way to go if you want to build a toy.

[62Lincoln]

OMG that looks so cool. 

 

I don't understand why Ford does not push the performance part of this car.  How about an ad showing this blowing the doors off a Prius and having some fun and still getting pretty good FE.  

 

 

There is a German tuner called Loder1899 that sells performance parts, although it appears to be mostly cosmetic.

 

 

Edited August 3, 2015 by 62Lincoln

[scottwood2]

I will have to check that out.  Thx

[mtb9153]

Hey frank appreciate the feedback. I'm not at all concerned with my fuel economy im not concerned with performance gains im concerned with making my car EXACTLY how I like it. And I love it.

 

My headlamps are actuallt 5k sorry for the mistake. My race car has 10k and that's for show. My fog lamps are same color temp. I also have projection housings on my headlamps to prevent blinding other drivers

 

I want the focus ST wing solely for aesthetic reasons.

I've been wanting some sort of rear spoiler for the back tailgate and anybody who has been on this forum for any length of time knows I have attempted to construct my own design rear spoiler but with no success since I don't have the means to build a working negative mold in which to make a positive from.  I totally agree with scottwood2 that "Many people want a unique car and would help people do just that".  I love what he has done to his stealthy CMax.