Hi peeps, not been around for a while and certainly not been on the road. After moving my car from storage to work on getting it ready for the year, a smashed bell housing and engine lug lead me to go down the mx5 engine route. Changed my pedal too pushing them into the engine bay like a Caterham (Long legs) while ive been at it.
My question is: What should i be awear of that will be different. The MX5 engine has a return fuel pipe the Zetec not. I geuss im going to have to sort that. Anyone else done the same swap how did you get over it. I dont want ot have to take the tank out and fit a return welding stuff thats had fuel in aint good and makes you jump even if you fill it with water. Ideas!

[Edited on 16/3/16 by dewbries]

Good to see you posting on here again Dad!

All zetecs are fuel injected. So unless you have converted to carbs you will have a fuel return.
Only exemption is a stock ST170 which uses a dead head system with a modulated pump.

If your removing a 1.8/2.0 zetec E and replacing it with an MX5 engine your making a step backwards, zetec is stronger and has more gearbox options.

Cheers BaileyPerformance. Yes have been running bike carbs . Car started out with CVH then two Zetec engines and now MX5.

We map loads of MX5s, mostly turbo or supercharged. They are good engines, but do have weak rods and are poor conpaired to a stock zetec in N/A form.

For example 1800 MX5 on jenveys 140-150bhp

2000 zetec on jenveys 175bhp.

ST170 over 200bhp on Jenveys.

I was under the impression an mx5 engine can be taken to a good 230-240 bhp without the need for internal strengthening?? I thought zetecs needed ARP con rod bolts to go that far?

Turbo/supercharged ofcourse

Also wasn't running a 2.0 zetec. Was a 1.8 Silvertop zetec

[Edited on 16/3/16 by JSArmstrong]

No.

A stock 1800/2000 zetec is stronger then an MX5 engine.

ARP bolts have no effect on the amount of power and engine will withstand, only the RPM it will withstand.

Both engines have same rev limit, 7200rpm.

A totally stock silvertop 1800 will take 220-240bhp all day, we have done this, and are in the process of turbocharging a Westfield zetec at the moment.

Stock silvertop rods are very strong, we ran 462bhp for 3 months until eventually one bent.
At 350bhp they will last forever, in comparison the MX5 rods are made of cheese.

We've mapped 60+ MX5s, keep power below 240bhp all is well, 250bhp it's on the ragged edge of bending a rod.

We have seen 300bhp out of a stock 2.0 zetec, but that's pushing it.

Thanks again BaileyPerformance.

Never intending going anywhere near the figures you work with in regards to BHP, might hit 200 if im lucky and my numbers come up.

Gone down this route because of the colplete package nature of the engine and box I picked up and have been able t sell loads of stuff to fund the change dew to the damage I found. How on earth, and when it happened I have no idea but in sort the gear box ended up hold on by the skin of its teeth.

All good advise and thanks will keep it in mind.

If we can help with anything let me know.

We are very popular in the MX5 tuning world :-)

quote:

---

Originally posted by dewbries
might hit 200 if im lucky and my numbers come up.

---

No velocitykendal just getting it back on the road for now in a running state.

Are we talking about the mk 1/2 1.6 or 1.8 engine? If so you won't get anywhere near 200bhp, even with headwork, cams and ITBs. You'd be lucky to get into the 160s. The Zetec is a much better platform for getting towards 200 naturally aspirated. This is why forced induction is so popular amongst those with MX5 engines, they don't respond particularly well to n/a tuning AKAIK.

Was considering eventually going down the blower route but money is running out with the other mod's i am doing. Just going to settle for standard set up this summer, want to get back out on the road again. The car's mainly been in the garage for a couple of years (other projects on the go like a 5 month stint walking 1700 miles around Britain).

I'm now more concerned as to wether my fuel pump is up to injection, solid state Facet pump and how to get return into tank without having to remove the thing and weld new connection. Was thinking feeding in through filler pipe.

VelocityKendal where you based is your name a give away?

It"s a Mk1 1.8ltr.