Caber
I have just ordered my new car from GBS (robin hood) today i have gone for there new Hood chassis, now i have to choose what engine to go for, i thing
the pinto is a bit old so thinking about Zetec or Duratech or any other sujestion or information would be helpfull i don't think the weight is to
critical as the engine sits a long way back in the chassis
Thomas
zetec 1.8, tried and tested.
Caveat Emptor!
Caber
Duratec would be the best option as far as performance goes, but they aint cheap!
Zetec can be tuned reasonably cheaply, is reliable and cheap to buy in the first place. There's also a boat load of them out there as
they've been the mainstay engine for Fords for quite some time now - everything from Fiesta to Mondeo has been fitted with them.
Red top VX.
Zetecs bolt up to type 9 or MT75 RWD gearboxes. Duratec engines need a special bell housing to fit to a type 9.
1.8 zetecs are easier to fit but I'd suggest making the effort to fit a 2.0. You may as well.
Big Block Chevy?
Originally posted by Thomas i don't think the weight is to critical as the engine sits a long way back in the chassis
Having been stuffed by a Vauxhall Red Top engined locost at the weekend, I'd second Jon's idea.
if you don't want ot mess about with CATs then go for a '95 or earlier zetec; otherwise I would recommend ya the durrtec even though it will be more expensive to buy and requires gearbox adapter, it is an alloy engine which is a good thing.
Duratec is obviously a better option, in terms of power to weight. Get the 2.0, not the 2.3.
In terms of expense, i think it is really a question of what direction you go.
The bell-housing can be sourced for 250gbp. I know of a good ECU that can be sourced new for 500gbp, but the obvious LOCOST option is megasquirt.II
for about 100gbp. Bike throttle bodies are about 100gbp on ebay.
3rd the Vauxhall XE!
quote:
Originally posted by alister667
Having been stuffed by a Vauxhall Red Top engined locost at the weekend, I'd second Jon's idea.
quote:
Originally posted by scotmac
... Get the 2.0, not the 2.3.
quote:
Originally posted by MikeRJ
quote:
Originally posted by alister667
Having been stuffed by a Vauxhall Red Top engined locost at the weekend, I'd second Jon's idea.
A CEC faster than your BEC? Don't tell Hellfire
quote:
Originally posted by scotmac
The bell-housing can be sourced for 250gbp.
I'm sorry but if you bought a Robin Hood.....
One of the best 4 cylinder engines of the lot at the present time is the Duratec. HOWEVER, you don't just get one out of the family saloon and go
racing, they need money spending on them to hold together. Rods and pistons as a minimum, cams to make power and so on.
I was at Croft on Saturday - in readiness for the Rallycross the day after - and on the Saturday track day I saw what was probably the fastest Se7en
I've seen. Balls out racer, no expense spared 2.3 Cosworth Duratec in a proper Se7en (that of course being a Caterham). On big fat slicks owner
said it made 310bhp and it looked as though it did! Nothing wrong with a 2.3 there then. Oh, and it made the 'Busa powered Westfield look a bit
pedestrian, or at least I thought it did!
Taking the Locost approach you'd do a Duratech for £8k installed, a 250 horse XE for £6k installed or a nice 180 horse Zetec for £2k installed -
if you did it yourself. The Duratec and XE will blow you ex scrappie T9 to bits! Looking at other engines, and probably the best power for your pound
has to be the 2 litre Honda V-Tech (they differ in different models) but in the S2000 don't they do 240 standard? Going rate for a secondhand
lump is about £2500 to £3000. Last forever, beat nearly everything you put it up against and bog standard.
The point I'm trying to make is that the cost of a gearbox adapter or the use of some home electronics Mega thingy is neither here nor there in
the scale of things. If you want power, your'e going to have to pay for it and don't forget the car is a complete package and the more power
you make the more the rest of it will cost.
And before you have a go about the RH, I know all about Dave Andrews' and the V12 Works car they built to race about 15 years ago (my mate raced
the bloody awful thing).
Finally those of you who haven't yet driven a Se7en, be assured that 150 horsepower at the wheels is fast! Most of those that claim big numbers
are liars. I know someone who bought a ready built Blade engined MK and after one short session was too terrified to drive it - and it had an engine
smaller than an old mini!
Build a car that you can improve upon. You are obviously a skinflint otherwise you wouldn't be on here so the Duratec thing is all talk. Fit the
Zetec (I've given up arguing for Pintos as most are too young to remember how good they really are).
I'm off now before you all start battering me
quote:
Originally posted by CairB
quote:
Originally posted by scotmac
... Get the 2.0, not the 2.3.
Why not the 2.3?
I just looked up the numbers, and i was a bit off:
2.0: 87.5 x 83.1
2.3: 87.5 x 94.0
So, neither is square, but i would much prefer the over-square of the 2.0, instead of the under-square of the 2.3.
[Edited on 27/10/06 by scotmac]
Someone got out of bed the wrong side this morning 
quote:
Originally posted by martyn_16v
quote:
Originally posted by scotmac
The bell-housing can be sourced for 250gbp.
In this months PPC in the 'Top Gear' bit it says Rally Design do duratec bellhousings now for £130 (I think, I do remember thinking that's damn cheap, less than I just paid for a redtop bellhousing)
Probably too new, there is a picture in this months PPC (new product section) claiming to be the cheap duratec bellhousing
i think youre all missing the NA 2.5 5 cyl volvo 170 bhp std , plenty of torque - its about 2 inch longer than a normal 4 cyl , all alloy engine .
adapter plates to cheap BMW328 gearboxes which are plenty strong enough are £130 .
i could have you up and running for less than a grand .
quote:
Originally posted by scotmac
The 2.3 is the same size bore as the 2.0, just overstroked. The 2.0 is basically square, and revs higher. ie, you can get the same hp out of the 2.0.
Why don't people think of th Honda engines?? i.e the D16s from the CRX, or even the B16s..1600 lightweight and more than 100bhp/litre? Can be
made to run carbs with a small rpm switch.
I know a guy who put it in a mini and it flies...he put the engine in the back :-)
Don't work in a transverse RWD as they spin the wrong way (except the S2000).
Sorry my bad..never thought of that.
quote:
Originally posted by iank
Don't work in a transverse RWD as they spin the wrong way (except the S2000).
I think iank meant to say front engined/RWD, not transverse as clearly a mid engined installation that is an ideal application for the Honda.
quote:
Originally posted by david walker
quote:
Originally posted by iank
Don't work in a transverse RWD as they spin the wrong way (except the S2000).
Can you please explain further why a fwd car with the engine/transmission assembly in the front couldn't have the wholle assembly transferred to the rear of a different vehicle? Why does the direction of crankshaft rotation matter one jot?
It's not just the S2000 that rotates in the conventional direction either.
Has anyone used the A-V-G 1.8T in a kit car?
Does that suffer from the same problem as the Honda's?
Edited to add: Hi all, new here
[Edited on 4/11/06 by polus]
polus,
Yep, it's gonna be quite a big engine in the kit car world I suspect. Lots made, will be cheap, reliable and quite tuneable
BTT, twin turbo Rover V8!!
ATB
Simon
Should work assuming you can get a suitable gearbox + bellhousing.
Donkervoort are already using it.
http://www.donkervoort.nl/cars/d8.htm
oh yes!
Thanks guys.