Hi all,

I'm in the process of converting my Tiger Super Six from an XFlow to a Zetec Turbo. I'm going down the route of using an Escort RS Turbo exhaust manifold and redrilling the studs in the head to suit, but am a little stuck on the inlet manifold options. I've got a scrap seized zetec that I'm using for fixturing until I find a 2 litre at the right price locally, and have been playing around with a few ideas.

I've got an inlet manifold from a Rover T16 turbo, which has been recommended for being able to produce more power than the standard plastic zetec thing, but it seems a bit tall - i.e. there's no way it will fit under the standard bonnet. Seeing as I don't really want a hole or bulge in the bonnet, what have other people done? I know that these manifolds have been used, but can't find any details or decent pictures of how.

The only idea I have is to turn it upside down, as shown in the photo below. It will fit, but the only problem that I can see is that the injectors will be firing up against the top wall of the inlet port instead of downward against the valves. Has anyone got any idea of how adversely this will effect performance?


Rover T16 inlet manifold


Manifold being delicately held in place!


End view - the black bit nearest the camera is where the throttlebody bolts on.
Otherwise the idea looks to have merit - it keeps the inlet manifold low and out of the way, turns it around so the throttle body points at the front of the car and will clear the cambelt, engine mount and oil filter by a whisker.

The only show stopper that I can see is where the starter motor was mounted in the original Mondeo configuration - it's on the inlet side just above the sump. On the Xflow/Type 9 bellhousing, it's on the exhaust side low down. I'm intending to reuse the bellhousing as it should bolt up to the zetec - will the starter then remain on the exhaust side?

Any other help or comments welcome - especially if it stops me making any dumb mistakes!

Tom

If you're going to run it at proper boost levels (ie. change pistons to the C20LET ones) then I'd expect the charge velocity to negate any impact of having the injectors firing upwards rather than downwards.
That said, low boost will suffer, but on full chat it'll be OK.

For what it would take to get some injector bosses welded onto the top surfaces (and block up the lower ones), I'd do that.

The alternative would be to use a C20LET rather than a Zetec. £1k will see you a good one complete, and pistons and a rebuild (gaskets) will see you well on your way to that on a Zetec.

Still got a height issue with the LET but you could easily blank off the normal tophat and weld one on the bottom of the inlet.

I think there may be a problem with the Injectors Fireing upwards...

The Inlet ports are normally oval or teardrop shapes to accomodate the injectors and allow the to fire directly onto the back of the valves for low down torque and power economy.

Maybe like the_fbi suggests extra induction pressure will get round this.

What about a slightly different approach... fit the whole Escort RS Turbo head to the Zetec block. It's called a ZVH.

It's a relatively common conversion and you can then use the manifolds etc. too.

HTH,
James

quote:

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Originally posted by James
What about a slightly different approach... fit the whole Escort RS Turbo head to the Zetec block. It's called a ZVH.

It's a relatively common conversion and you can then use the manifolds etc. too.

HTH,

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use dellorto45's as found on lotus espirit turbos not cheapest option if you can find some

I was considering the ZVH option, but it seemed to be a step backwards, as garage19 says. I'd rather figure a way of getting it working on the 16v head. As for the turbo Dellortos, I'd much rather go with the EFI route - I've just built a Megasquirt for the project and am intending to use that.

Re. boost levels, I'm going to start by using standard pistons with a decompression plate to lower the CR - 2.5mm should give about 8.2:1 and that should be good enough for up to about 10psi boost from what I've heard so far.

I'm not after crazy power, but a steady 200bhp would be nice and seems fairly easily attainable judging from others experiences. The key seems to be in keeping the inlet charge temps down - effective intercooling looks to be essential to avoid detonation, melted pistons and mechanical catastrophe. I've got a Rover 800 turbo intercooler (free with the inlet manifiold), but am looking at a Pulsar GTI-R one as they are a lot bigger - about the size of a Se7en radiator grille I hope....

No-one know anyone who has successfully used a Rover inlet manifold then?

Tom

I think you're looking at a cut and shut job to modify the manifold. Have a look at this ebay item. It's got a pic of a modified one:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280055405221&fromMakeTrack=true


I'm going to be using the same manifold (but still attached to the original T16), but will also have to do a modification like this to make it lower.

Hope this helps,
Bill

Good find, that eBay pic. I think I'll do it a little differently as it looks like that one has shortened the intake runners - I'd cut the runners just behind the flange and injector bosses, invert and reweld to get the injectors firing downwards again.

I'd have a go myself but a TIG welder is out of my budget, and I have a feeling that this won't work with my trusty stick welder!

Right - next mission is to find someone with a TIG welder near Tunbridge Wells who welds in return for beer. Any ideas?

Tom

quote:

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Originally posted by djtom

Right - next mission is to find someone with a TIG welder near Tunbridge Wells who welds in return for beer. Any ideas?

Tom

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