Board logo

Engine choice?
ian.stewart - 7/6/21 at 07:27 AM

I have been out of the game for a few years now, and have a itch to build something, My car has arrived with a very tired 1300 crossflow, I know Could slot in a 1600, or Pinto, or even build a 1300 screamer, But this its all old hat, I fancy something a bit more modern, what, Im im unsure. the only criteria is it must be a 4pot FORD, produce in excess of 150hp, and cheap to buy, and what gearbox would bolt up to it, Im after something quick to build thats not going to break the bank and not hard to find
I have on my shelf of bits, Bike style Jenveys, and an Emerald 6K if needed.

big_wasa - 7/6/21 at 07:55 AM

I know you say ford but after the Zetec few engines are truly ford. 1.8 mx5 and box should fit most of what you want.

ianhurley20 - 7/6/21 at 07:57 AM

Why Ford? MX5 1.8 engine and gearbox will do the trick nicely and you can use the standard ecu (with the ign key and aerial etc) and they are cheap

SteveWalker - 7/6/21 at 09:04 AM

Zetec. After that comes the Duratec, but they don't have the same gearbox bolt pattern as the previous engines - except the ST170 (and ST150?), which while badged Duratec, is really a Zetec.

Since you'd have to change or adapt the gearbox for anything newer than a Zetec, it may make more sense to widen your range of engines and gearboxes to other manufacturers.

snapper - 10/6/21 at 02:07 AM

There are bellhousing for (proper) Duratec to T9, the ST150 is the one to go for as it has the better flowing head.
Bike carbs and you’ll get 180bhp, bike throttle bodies better and with a set of cams you’ll see north of 200

coyoteboy - 10/6/21 at 10:24 AM

Ecoboost maybe?

SJ - 10/6/21 at 12:04 PM

I've got a 2.0 Blacktop on carbs and it makes really good power, is pretty bomb proof and super simple. Only problem now is price - I only paid £85 for mine.

If I was doing it again I think I would also be looking at MX5 or Duratech, though bike engines are very tempting.

mcerd1 - 10/6/21 at 03:26 PM

quote:
Originally posted by SteveWalker
Zetec. After that comes the Duratec, but they don't have the same gearbox bolt pattern as the previous engines - except the ST170 (and ST150?), which while badged Duratec, is really a Zetec.

^^ The ST170 is an uprated 2.0 zetec with a duratec badge - but the ST150 is a real 2.0 Duratec HE with some tweaks
(ford just stuck duratec badges on everyting for a while)

but a 'real' duratec HE is actually just fords version of the Mazda L anyway - so the various MX5 options are also worth a look

but if it has to be a ford then the Duratec has a milion tuning options avalble and is probably easier to find than a zetec now - a 2.0 is 145hp even in the bog std. donor car (little more with the ST150) but with the bits you have on the shelf I'd guess ~180hp would be not too difficult a target - just depends how far you want to go 250ph+ is easy done if your pockets are deep enough...
(burtons and the like sell brand new tunned engines at 180, 200 or 260hp - not cheap doing it this way though....)

and as above if an MX5 gearbox doesn't suit then its easy to get a T9 bellhousing.

[Edited on 10/6/2021 by mcerd1]

gremlin1234 - 10/6/21 at 05:55 PM

build it with what you have, and get it tested to the non cat limits, then upgrade it after its on the road.

strangely, a lower power engine can be more fun!

coyoteboy - 10/6/21 at 06:59 PM

quote:
Originally posted by gremlin1234
build it with what you have, and get it tested to the non cat limits, then upgrade it after its on the road.

strangely, a lower power engine can be more fun!


For 10 minutes. I remember pushing my 44hp pug 205 as hard as it possibly could go. My next car was 250hp 4x4,and it was notably more fun but rapidly got boring😂

big_wasa - 10/6/21 at 07:33 PM

quote:
Originally posted by gremlin1234
build it with what you have, and get it tested to the non cat limits, then upgrade it after its on the road.

strangely, a lower power engine can be more fun!


I really agree with this. I went from a 1.8 pinto 60 bhp to a 250bhp turbo 2.0 and back to a 1.8 zetec and enjoyed the 120~130 revy 1.8 zetec the most. It felt cheeky with out trying to kill me.

pigeondave - 10/6/21 at 09:33 PM

I'll agree too, you feel more of a hero at 3/4 throttle than you do at 2/3rds in a big powerful car.

You can also make a car too fast for the road based on this. It also makes you want more.

I have never got the same feeling of speed from when i first got the Fury. I thought a power upgrade would give me that feeling but no.

As for engine, I believe that you'll be lucky to find a zetec at a normal price as the stock car guys have bought them all up.

I'd be looking ford ST as others have said.

SteveWalker - 11/6/21 at 08:32 AM

quote:
Originally posted by mcerd1
quote:
Originally posted by SteveWalker
Zetec. After that comes the Duratec, but they don't have the same gearbox bolt pattern as the previous engines - except the ST170 (and ST150?), which while badged Duratec, is really a Zetec.

^^ The ST170 is an uprated 2.0 zetec with a duratec badge - but the ST150 is a real 2.0 Duratec HE with some tweaks


I thought that might be the case, hence the question mark for the ST150.

I might get around to properly looking at another engine myself some day.

Deckman001 - 11/6/21 at 12:47 PM

Do any of the above motors have issues relating to height of the motors and any clearance issues with the bodywork bonnet lines and nose cone height?

What about any sump issues needed too ?

nickm - 13/6/21 at 06:49 PM

How about a 1.6 Zetec SE (Sigma), light as anything Fiesta Mk 4 or Puma engine loads about if you can find a 1.7 VVT its 125hp standard.
Burton reckon its good for 160hp with no internal upgrades needed.
Mine makes 135hp on Jenveys with an Emerald ECU and thats enough with a 514kg car. Original Cams and no headwork and i can still scare myself if i ask it to do to much at once !.
Caterhams choice a few years ago with 3 variants at 125/150/and 175 variants.

Nick M

geordie40 - 15/6/21 at 02:48 PM

As mentioned above the Zetec SE is a very good engine and also tuneable, mine is near 200bhp (was a race engine!!), its obviously had work done but unsure of what as don't want to tear it apart if i don't need to. I do know it on Weber ITB's with ecu and has full race cams and pulleys and also looks to have had some headwork done. It revs up to about 8000rpm!!! so a proper screamer