Evening

Having had my cambelt slip and ruin valves etc I'm struggling to decide if I should get it rebuild or swap powerplants... I'm looking for reliability and a minimum of 160bhp at flywheel.

Existing spec:

Pinto; stage 3 head, road/rally FR33 cam, gsxr1000 TB's on bogg bro manifold, VEMS ecu (like megasquirt), 205 bottom end with 1300 miles from new(!) and rs2000 sump.

Work needed (or specified by me) to engine builder:

8 new valves, convert to unleaded, replace cam as it now has a flat spot, new followers due to damage, HD clutch and cover, steel lightweight flywheel, crack test pistons and rods following valve impact, balance bottom end while its apart, fit new rings and ARP bolts.

I've already bought the ARP bolts, flywheel, and clutch part for approx £400, looks like engine work to complete + other parts is going to be £700-900 (I'm awaiting the call...).

If I call it quits on the pinto now I've probably spent £100-150 in labour so far.

I can sell the stripped head for about £100, the bottom end 205 block is probably worth another £100, sump £80, flywheel and clutch could be used on another build or possibly exchanged. ECU and TB's again could be used on alternative engine and the manifold and a set of bike carbs sold for about £150.

An engine swap would be cool and keeps playing on my mind, I'm looking for a pretty much bolt in affair, car is a Sylva Stylus so engine mounts from a Fisher Fury will fit...

Is it sensible to spend nearly £1400 to have the pinto fixed or is it the ideal time to swap? If so what and approx cost/effort?

Help.

Alex

The price of your used bits sound a little high. Standard 2.0 zetec with your carbs should be good for 165bhp pinto rebuild will be less work but £1400 sounds high on a pinto rebuild.

As a first reaction you'll be spending loadsa cash to update an engine which, correct me if I'm wrong, doesn't have any further potential AND it's an old engine.
If you can come out of it without losing too much money it's probably best to buy a more modern engine with more potential.
That's providing the rest of the mechanicals - drive-train etc are up to it and whatever you choose will fit.
With my Lancia engine I have few doubts that if I blew it up big time and despite the fact it's supercharged I'd bin it for something more modern/available.
I detect there's a move to fitting MX5 engines as they are readily available (read cheap) and produce good power.
HTH.
Cheers, Pewe

It's got to be a Duratec surely?

You can probably re-use some of your Pinto bits - I'm sure people on here have managed to adjust Pinto exhaust manfolds to fit the Duratec install for example.

From what you list, a new inlet manifold, new engine mounts and a few clutch parts should see you back on the road with comfortably over 160 bhp from a new, lightweight and reliable engine.

I'm seriously considering an s2000 engine as I would only need to sort exhaust manifold, prop and engine mounts at a cost of approx £2k engine.

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Originally posted by se7ensport
I'm seriously considering an s2000 engine as I would only need to sort exhaust manifold, prop and engine mounts at a cost of approx £2k engine.

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Originally posted by stevegough

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Originally posted by se7ensport
I'm seriously considering an s2000 engine as I would only need to sort exhaust manifold, prop and engine mounts at a cost of approx £2k engine.

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With all due respect - why are you asking us - this is surely a no-brainer....

...On a more practical note, what does fitting an s2000 mean in terms of gearbox, clutch, bellhousing, engine management / S.U carbs / other costs? If the engine is 2 grand, what will the whole job cost?

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At the end of the day.....its your call!

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Originally posted by se7ensport
I'm seriously considering an s2000 engine as I would only need to sort exhaust manifold, prop and engine mounts at a cost of approx £2k engine.

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Originally posted by BaileyPerformance
We did a Honda VTEC in a autograss car, jenvey throttle bodies, MS2, power output was very disappointing (around 200BHP).
The S2000 engine is a slight improvement on the VTEC, but not much. A good second hand S2000 engine will set you back £1500, the stock ECU is a pain to get running out of the car, so its megasquirt or omex.

On the other hand, a good blacktop zetec will set you back £250 MAX. A set of 45 jenveys and a megasquirt, high pressure fuel pump, regulator and filter £2000. The whole conversion around £2500.

The zetec will make at least 170BHP totally STOCK, pair of piper cams you are looking at 190bhp. Standard engine will rev to 7200 all day.

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Hi Alex.

I have been through a shortlist of engines to put in my Stylus recently.
Honda F20 (S2000) was on it, but it ain't going to be cheap, especially as it is a tall engine, I think it would be tricky to fit resulting in either a bonnet bulge or dry sump required. It's also not that light an engine.

If you want to do this on a budget, I think Zetec is your choice - there is experience of fitting these to Stylus on the forum too.

I'm going to be fitting a Zetec SE, but purely because I want something small and light, and fancy doing something different, I know it's not going to be a cheap exercise.

Or if you want to buy the Vauxhall lump out of mine (Phils old yellow car), that'll go straight in, you can have engine mounts, manifold, ECU & TBs, the lot! For less than your pinto rebuild is going to cost.

Dave

what about a bmw 328 engine, you can easily run on the standard ecu, its lighter than a pinto, makes 200bhp as standard and intake mods take it to 220bhp.

Oh, you can get them for £400 or less too

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Originally posted by DH2
Hi Alex.

I have been through a shortlist of engines to put in my Stylus recently.
Honda F20 (S2000) was on it, but it ain't going to be cheap, especially as it is a tall engine, I think it would be tricky to fit resulting in either a bonnet bulge or dry sump required. It's also not that light an engine.

If you want to do this on a budget, I think Zetec is your choice - there is experience of fitting these to Stylus on the forum too.

I'm going to be fitting a Zetec SE, but purely because I want something small and light, and fancy doing something different, I know it's not going to be a cheap exercise.

Or if you want to buy the Vauxhall lump out of mine (Phils old yellow car), that'll go straight in, you can have engine mounts, manifold, ECU & TBs, the lot! For less than your pinto rebuild is going to cost.

Dave

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Originally posted by franky
what about a bmw 328 engine, you can easily run on the standard ecu, its lighter than a pinto, makes 200bhp as standard and intake mods take it to 220bhp.

Oh, you can get them for £400 or less too

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Originally posted by se7ensport
I know Phils car well; there is probably some of my nuckle skin still knocking around the engine bay

Which engine type is in it now?

I'm heavily researching the S2000, bonnet bulge is least of my worries at the moment as wiring seems to be the real kick in the wallet/nuts, I'm giving your engine some consideration as it would be an easy fix, would you include the gearbox? did you know that it's an opel box rather than type 9.

If you ever decide you want to sell the red hood please let me know, I'd hoped to get first refusal on it but it went with the car.

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there is a few s2000 engines kits around now and up to now have not heard anyone be dissapointed!
not cheap though! ask me how i know that.
new clocks
new ecu,
air intake
exhaust manifold
wiring,
remote oil filter kit
new belt (once a/c removed)
evap system bypass
the list goes on. and you wont do it for £2k not a chance

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Originally posted by se7ensport

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Originally posted by franky
what about a bmw 328 engine, you can easily run on the standard ecu, its lighter than a pinto, makes 200bhp as standard and intake mods take it to 220bhp.

Oh, you can get them for £400 or less too

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Interesting suggestion, looks like a long engine once bellhousing is attached, what has your experiece been with transmision location and general engine spacing?

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Originally posted by daniel mason
there is a few s2000 engines kits around now and up to now have not heard anyone be dissapointed!
not cheap though! ask me how i know that.
new clocks
new ecu,
air intake
exhaust manifold
wiring,
remote oil filter kit
new belt (once a/c removed)
evap system bypass
the list goes on. and you wont do it for £2k not a chance

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Originally posted by franky
They're not that long, the gearbox and housing are very short so the engine can sit really far back. Lots Of 4 pot cars have gearbox/bell housing on show, you don't on these! They sound great too.

It will need a new manifold but it's not the end of the world, you could have it in and running for £900 with exhaust. Also you can keep the factory diagnostic port for chasing faults/servicing

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I can get you some Monday. The ecu is on the engine loom, on the engine connector 10 wires will get it running.

Having had 2 pinto engines in my car i was after more power......... having looked at zetec and duratec engines and discounting them on cost grounds to get the spec i wanted i bought a nissan 200sx sr20det car and used the engine gearbox wiring loom and ecu

Total cost of the conversion was £3000 the car cost £1600

but with buying the car selling the bits i did not need plus the pinto set up from the car the final cost to date is £300

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Originally posted by DRC INDY 7
Having had 2 pinto engines in my car i was after more power......... having looked at zetec and duratec engines and discounting them on cost grounds to get the spec i wanted i bought a nissan 200sx sr20det car and used the engine gearbox wiring loom and ecu

Total cost of the conversion was £3000 the car cost £1600

but with buying the car selling the bits i did not need plus the pinto set up from the car the final cost to date is £300

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to get standard ecu and clocks to work you need a modifry wiring harness, (yellow jacket) to caliberate speedo unless your running s2000 diff and same size tyres.
just to let you know i got a quote of around £1000 for wiring alone with honda clocks and aftermarket ecu.
i then changed to a race technology dash 2 which cost a bit but simplified the wiring a lot.

Rover V8.

ATB

Simon

volvo 2.5 5 cylinder , 170 hp - can get them upto 210hp on throttle bodies , and you can buy an adapter to go to a type 9 .

which you already have ?

ecu could be more expensive altho if you get the original ecu , it can be remapped quite easily .

Having measured the transmission tunnel the S2000 won't fit without widening by a couple of inches; not something I really want to do as the car is fully trimmed and wired, doesn't rule it out but certainly detracts from the appeal.

Volvo could be interesting if I can re-use type 9 box, my current ECU would easily run the engine and quite probably the S2000. I'm ruling the V8 out, I had a 2.8 V6 in a kit previously; there is such a thing as too much torque