clubstylus

I've decided it will be a zetec, and was planning on using the 2 litre, but there seems a lot of 1.8 litre cars around. Is there any reason for this or is the 1.8 just easier to obtain?
Also whats the difference between silver top and black top engines? I remember reading that one of them the water pump runs the wrong way. Is this a problem or just a quirk of the engine? The usual comments and suggestions most welcome!! Thanks.

If you have a poke around on here; http://www.zetecinside.com/xr2/index.htm
here; http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/index.php
and here; https://www.burtonpower.com/Default.aspx

You'll find alsorts of info about this.

All looks like a lot of trouble when you can drop a Nissan or Mazda in with little bother

Matt

PeteC wrote:I've decided it will be a zetec, and was planning on using the 2 litre, but there seems a lot of 1.8 litre cars around. Is there any reason for this or is the 1.8 just easier to obtain?
Also whats the difference between silver top and black top engines? I remember reading that one of them the water pump runs the wrong way. Is this a problem or just a quirk of the engine? The usual comments and suggestions most welcome!! Thanks.

Go for the 2lt , more torque plus when you tune it the costs are the same . Black top is a manufacture indication so can effect SVA emmissions etc. If you put a 1.8lt water pump on the 2lt , all is sorted. Regarding 'Why bother ' -- well there aren't any sump conversions or handy choices for gearbox ratios for the 'Jap' beasties etc , when you fancy upgrading . Nissan , Mazda are fine but there wont be any SSC back up , so everything will be down to you. Wiring , engine mounts , cooling ,exhaust etc. At least with an SSC advised engine , all development's been done which makes for an easy fitment and free advice

Rob.

silver top engines were produced first by ford. they were in cars such as orions and escorts and early mondeo's. the heads are the same on both engines but the cam shafts are different. 2 litre cam's will fit in the 1.8 head to increase power.

the black top engine is fitted in newer mondeo's and has solid cam followers instead of the hydraulic ones you will find in the silver top.

also in the black top engines, the idler pulleys for cam belt and aux drive belt are made of plastic. these have been known to break under stress in high revving engines so can be changed for the earlier metal pulleys as found on the silver top.

to be honest i would pick a silver top as the engine will be an earlier year and you should be able to find one that will not need to meet emmisions requirements. therefore you won't need a cat!

thats the route i took.

as for the reason for 1.8 instead of 2.0? i think that is just due to availability!

hope this helped.

I have an early 2.0L. I have not run it much in the Stylus, but had it in a Westfield for a few years.

the pump is running the wrong way, but I have never changed it. I was told by someone (I'm convinced it was Raceline) not to bother swapping it. The Zetecs like to run hot & a lot are over cooled.

I assume the wait is the same for 1.8 & 2.0L, the costs seem to be, so I would use the larger unit unless you want to enter the 750 kit car series. In which case a 1.8 on carbs.

Hi,

I've been doing a whole lot of research on engine choice regarding the Zetec e

If you go 1.8 zetec, make sure it's a escort or orion unit (metal plenum and intake over the rockercover)
Main reason is that you have a shallower horizontal sump and a water pump that runs the correct way though you need the
mondeo 1.8 clutch, but most of the time you will have to put a new clutch on.
2nd downside is that it only has 105bhp standard unless you get a XR3i example putting out 130bhp

If you take a 1.8 or 2.0 mondeo zetec (plastic plenum and everything on the side of the engine) then you need to replace the sump as it is too deep and inclined(escort or aftermarket),
water pump (by a escort one) though having the correct clutch on the 1.8, the 2.0 also needs a 1.8 flywheel+clutch
The mondeo 1.8 has 115bhp standard and with the cams of a 2.0 it produces 130bhp instantly, the 2.0 has 136bhp standard.

If you mate it to a Type9, then you need a starter motor from a sierra 1.8 CVH or 2.0 DOHC, a spigot bearing CCT133 and correct release bearing or adapter.

If you need to modify the sump, don't it's all alloy, so get a scolar sump or raceline or whatever.

Now blacktop's (my opninion is to stay clear and go duratec instead then)

Only get the 2.0 if you're going blacktop.
You certainly need injection and a CAT to meet emissions.
Water pump is different from silvertop, so not interchangeable so you need to figure out some idler pulley system for the auxiliary belt.
Flywheel not interchangeable with silvertop, so aftermarket or on the lathe with it.
Clutchwise, no clue at all.
Only positive this one has are the solid followers and the 2 piece sump (part alloy part metal wich can be modified easily by yourself)

The only way to tell the difference between a silvertop and blacktop is by it's sump (single alloy compared to 2piece alloy/metal)
and off course engine number.

Silvertop zetec's used up to 05/98!!! (so watch out SVA wise)
Always check the engine number, because the car doesn't tell anything as the engine could've been replaced.
Mine had, should've been a '94 2.0 according to Vin, but after removal it was a '94 1.8 engine, luckily it was cheap otherwise I would've had a
serious arguement with the breaker, though it may have the 2.0 cams as all parts like throttle body etc are from the original 2.0 (fingers crossed)

Oh, and 1.8 are dirt cheap compared to 2.0's

In my opinion the 1.8 130bhp XR3i unit is the most interesting one as it only needs a different clutch and has high power output compared to the 2.0 or any other 1.8

And a very interesting site is http://www.zetec-cat.co.uk/

There are some differences as has already been said.
I had a 1.8 with 2.0l cams in my Tiger Cat with home made throttle bodies and an Emerald ECU which produced 150 bhp.
Have a look at http://www.toyne.org.uk/zetec-cat.html and follow the links through to Zetec resources. The guy who wrote this did a lot of research into the Zetec and along with his brother & father went from silver top to blacktop so the site has a lot of the implications of the engines.
One thing that I found was that the crankshafts are not in the same place reative to the sump so that the blacktop sump is not useable on the silvertop.

Thank you all very much, lots of info..
I have decided it will be easier ( and possibly cheaper!! ) to buy a complete car with the 2.0 litre engine, may use original injection to pass SVA and then change to GSXR650 throttle boddies ( already built ) and megasquirt ( not yet built ) at my leisure..
I assume insurance write off's get sold on to breakers yards, does anybody know where to get them and cut out the middle man and his fee?
Thanks again

Pete..