Hi - picking up a chassis/part built kit etc for a striker hopefully in the next month or so but before I get cracking over the winter just wondered what peoples thoughts were on the best engine for a striker?

I know RAW offer a Zetec/4age option, and certainly want to be able to tinker/upgrade over time but wouldn't want to go to the expense of a brand new engine

There is then the other options of going BEC I suppose....

welcome peoples thoughts/comments

many thanks

Matt

Not got an engine to recommend, but I believe the Striker is quite small so you'd need to consider that when picking the engine/gearbox etc. Be a shame to pick something that doesn't fit!

Ford zetec se / sigma. 1.6 is easiest to fit but 1.7 puma engine is nice. Small light weight but will need bespoke bell housing for type 9 (don't think rx8 box will fit in striker) and 1.7 needs crank spigot bearing hole boring out and vct controller. Lots of tuning parts and fittest to caterham and Westfield. If you go down this route I have a bell housing available.

On the 1.6 you can put heavy duty rod bolts and valve springs and it will rev to 8.5k but will need inlet and exhaust freeing up to make use of this.

Or if you want a challenge the new 1.6 ecoboost would be fun but probably expensive.

[Edited on 14/10/16 by Ugg10]

Whats your budget?

thanks for all comments, yes going for striker based on

a) smaller than most and by all accounts handle really well

b) a colleague has built and retained one already using mr2 as donor car so I've got someone on the end of the line if needs be!

project comes with Type 9 already and I was considering the zetec as gives me scope to easily upgrade in future as I go, budget wise a grand should get me going with a half decent zetec should it not?

Hi,

I've got my second striker now, type 9 just fits in the tunnel, so anything that bolts to that really!
The engine bay is surprisingly spacious for the size of the car.

I started with an xflow, and upgraded to a 2.0 blacktop zetec.
I ran this on standard ECU and wiring, and certainly all in cost much less than a grand.

Good little engine, 130hp in standard form which i can assure you will propel you plenty fast!
Upgrades are possible although if you want any decent power (170+) i think there's quite a bit more involved and some dollars!

I'm currently running another crappy engine so plan to upgrade also.
I'll either go for the zetec again, or otherwise been tempted by the ecoboost thread recently posted, but that's a bit more of a budget!

Cheers,
Andy

Oh, and get some photos up!!!!

A grand would get you a second hand 2.0l black top, you then need fuel pump (if it has an injection one ok), return pipe to tank if not there already, you will need an exhaust (probably half the budget), gearbox should just bolt on, sort the plumbing and radiator out, for that budget you will be running stock ecu and electric but you can go for a plenum inlet like the ones from kit spares or pepper performance if you want to keep injection. You may just about squeak a nodiz ecu and bike carbs if you make your own manifold. Also need mounts. Black top need water pump rotation sorting as well either by belt routing with an idler or pump mod. New clutch, fluid etc all add up. £1k fir a swap is very tight.

Also, you need to check you brakes are up to the task, if the car was originally a low power cross flow then doubling the power will test brakes, diff and suspension.

Is the car already registered? If so you will need to keep to the emission on the log book/mot.

Brilliant stuff, thanks guys - will get some photos up in due course!

Trying to express the cost of mine is hard depending what you include, but I went for a brand new Zetec, and adding up the bits specfic to that, ignoring what would be needed with any other car based engine
New Zetec £600 (closer to £800 these days), a good used one should be less than £200
ARP bolts, Engine mounts, sump, alternator, pulley and mounts etc £100 (sump and alternator mounts I made up myself, but ive included material costs)
weber alpha kit (2nd hand but new) £900, but follow the guide on here an the OEM ecu can be used.
Flywheel, clutch, mounts, starter, cables, (all new bar the flywheel) £100

Totals for mine are £1700, but take out the new engine, weber kit and it could be way under £500.

Things like fuel tank and manifold would be extra but any engine would require them.

What about an MX5 (mk1/2/2.5) engine 1.8 with 5 speed box, if you get bored with the 140hp then there are many super/turbocharger kits available.

The MX5 gearbox is much bigger than a type 9 so may not fit.

Rover k series.
Good enough for lotus and caterham.

thanks again for comments, think MS5 will be a tad tight, useful comments re k-series and also options re Zebec new vs second hand

keeping an eye on an eBay semi-started 1.8 zebec with motorcycle carbs fitted, also comes with module for ignition as well as some other parts, current bid £300 kit car project kit car engine bike carbs

if theres any immediate alarm bells that would be great!

Depends on your use. I would be going for either turbo bec or turbo duratec ST.

I have a 4age so I planning on a SC conversion and hoping for 250-280.

Wouldn't be looking to track it for a while so no need for 200 plus bhp (not that I'd complain mind)

A silvertop/blacktop 2.0l with stock internals on bike carbs and a decent exhaust will probably make around 165hp with a decent amount of torque. A 1.8 will probably be around the 155 mark with the 130 cams (or 2.0l cams). Injection may give you a little more (5hp) but may be a slightly more progressive drive. 2.0l on plenum inlet, decent exhaust and stock ecu will probably be just shy of 150hp at a guess, any more and the ecu will struggle to work out the fueling.

There is a way of getting one of the stock ecu to run spark only iirc and if require I have the setup for 2.0l and 1.8l silvertops with 40/45's to do this. The specific ecu's were homologated for formula ford with these carbs I think. But getting a set of 40/45s is not cheap these days. Note the later type V ecu's need all of the PATS kit with them to make them work (key, encode, barrel) and the ecu, keys etc., fuel rail, TPS and MAF should come from the same engine as the different models/years seem to cause incompatibility issues if they are not matching (assuming you are using the oem kit to get it running). If you are looking to go oem bits then getting an old running mondeo/focus may be easier.

Is the car already road registered, if you are needing to go through IVA pretty much all Zetecs (unless you can source a healthy pre '95) will need injection and a cat. If already registered you will need to check the emission on the log book as this will determine whether you can use carbs and no cat.

many thanks Ugg10 - hadn't considered possible impact on IVA etc

excuse ignorance, but based on your comment below i would struggle to get through IVA with Zebec & motorcycle carbs?

The short answer is yes. If the engine is post 1995 then you have to meet the emission standards for when the engine was built which means injection and cat this is then put on the new kit car v5 and tested to that at mot time. So, on your budget I would suggest a 2.0l black top on a pepper performance or kit spares plenum using all of the OEM bits (including lambda sensor in exhaust manifold) you can get a sports cat to go in the exhaust. So as I said may be best to buy a running mondeo/focus as you have all of the bits there.

http://www.pepperperformance.com/rwd-zetec-plenum-chamber/

http://www.kitspares.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=628&search=plenum

There is a way of using a rover t16 plenum as well, often used by the zetec turbo boys.

http://danstengineering.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=398

This is worth a read if you are going down the oem route.

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=179921

If you want a zetec, I bought a complete Mondeo and used the whole lot from that, I.e. Engine, loom, ecu, inlet etc. All fits in the striker.
Only obviously bits you'd need are clutch, starter motor, exhaust, and a few other little bits, but can be done nice and cheap if budget is of concern.

Vauxhall 2.0XE?

running circa 150-180bhp easily, you can run Megajolt / MBE/ Nodiz/ Emerald ECUs or a 1.6 Cav dissy, with a set of TB's or 40/45 Carbs..

possibly becoming old hat engines now but they offer plenty of tuning potential & go pretty well in standard Guise

mate with a type 9 box with adaptor bellhousing too

[Edited on 21/10/16 by BDMStriker]

[Edited on 21/10/16 by BDMStriker]

quote:

---

Originally posted by pekwah1
If you want a zetec, I bought a complete Mondeo and used the whole lot from that, I.e. Engine, loom, ecu, inlet etc. All fits in the striker.
Only obviously bits you'd need are clutch, starter motor, exhaust, and a few other little bits, but can be done nice and cheap if budget is of concern.

---