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Budget zetec tuning
alistairolsen - 20/3/10 at 05:27 PM

I know people fit the 2.0 cams into the 1.8 zetecs? Is this because they have a 1.8, or choose it because it revs better or what?

What other simple (cheap) mods are there? I assume a decent exhaust manifold makes a huge difference to the standard power?

Cheers!

coozer - 20/3/10 at 05:33 PM

My 105bhp 1.8 with 2L cams, bike carbs and free flowing exhaust gave 155bhp on the rollers.

Zetecs are strangled by the EEC ECU and tiny throttle body on standard engines.

big_wasa - 20/3/10 at 09:20 PM

True to some extent but not that much.

Its the exhaust and inlet manifolds that restrict a standard zetec.

You will still get 150bhp from a 2.0 with the eec-iv or v by using free flow manifolds a touch more with a remap or chip. A touch more again with cams.

alistairolsen - 21/3/10 at 12:13 AM

sounds broadly similar to the vauxhall ecotec. Has anyone tried fabbing a decent plenum intake for stock sensors?

I want to keep the EFI and preferably avoid remapping it, I just want what I can have from cheap mods and the self learning in the ecu.

Danozeman - 21/3/10 at 09:12 AM

I think you can run the standard stuff with the griffin intake.

If youv got a 1.8 then 2 litre cams will make quite a difference.

MikeRJ - 21/3/10 at 10:01 AM

quote:
Originally posted by alistairolsen
I know people fit the 2.0 cams into the 1.8 zetecs? Is this because they have a 1.8, or choose it because it revs better or what?


The 1.8 was available as a 130PS version in e.g. the Escort, and the main difference was the cam profiles. The 1.8 130PS cams are almost identical to the 2.0L cams (in fact they were identical on later engines I think), and since 2.0 engine parts are cheap and easily available s/h the cams make a good upgrade for a 1.8.

[Edited on 21/3/10 by MikeRJ]