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Zetec Engine Brace
ChrisLeary - 23/9/11 at 07:00 PM

Evening all,

I hope you're all well?

I've been wondering since I bought the 7 a couple of months ago, do I really need this engine brace fitted?



Thanks in advance,

Chris

Greenie - 23/9/11 at 07:17 PM

Hmmmmmmmmmmm.... not seen one of those before, I am on my second Seven with a Zetec fitted and never thought that an engine brace needed to fitted, not saying it should be there, but I would be asking WHY?

ChrisLeary - 23/9/11 at 07:21 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Greenie
Hmmmmmmmmmmm.... not seen one of those before, I am on my second Seven with a Zetec fitted and never thought that an engine brace needed to fitted, not saying it should be there, but I would be asking WHY?


Thats why I've taken a picture and put it on here, i've been wondering about it since I first saw it.

I unbolted the top of the brace earlier and tried moving the engine, it doesn't seem like there's too much movement, don't get me wrong, there is some, but I wouldn't say it was excessive.

It just looks horrendously ugly, if I don't need it I really would like to get rid of it.

Thanks again,

Chris

lotusmadandy - 23/9/11 at 07:34 PM

ERM.. i would say take it off.A few of us around here have zetecs
and non of us have a brace.
You can always put it back on if you find that you need it.

Andy

austin man - 23/9/11 at 08:04 PM

It may have been used to compensate for week engine mounts

RichardK - 23/9/11 at 08:14 PM

I put one on, just seemed the right thing to do



Also gave me something to run the cooling pipework and wiring down...



Cheers

Rich

[Edited on 23/9/11 by RichardK]

slingshot2000 - 23/9/11 at 08:22 PM

I expect we will see Coozer along soon. He has a brace on the Zetec in his MNR.

Reagards
Jon

loggyboy - 23/9/11 at 09:15 PM

For the sake of probably less than 1kg, is it really worth removing?

DIY Si - 24/9/11 at 07:51 AM

I don't really see what benefit would be gained from having that mount. The only thing I can think of is that it might pivot the engine in a certain way under load to avoid it bashing something. But as said, decent engine mounts will stop that anyway.

RichardK's mount however, will add a little to the chassis stiffness and makes things more convenient. It's also probably lighter.

matt_gsxr - 24/9/11 at 08:10 AM

Chris,

Limiting the engine motion will take strain of the exhaust that would be due to engine flexing. From what I remember, your exhaust has an OEM flexy bit in it, so a bit of engine flexing shouldn't matter.

How is the acceleration enrichment?

Matt

rusty nuts - 24/9/11 at 08:11 AM

Not a very well designed or made steady IMHO . Look at the chassis end , the angle and the way the end piece is connected to the tube is likely to be weak and the engine end isn't much better. As already suggested if nit has decent engine mounts take it off or at least design and make a better steady

coozer - 24/9/11 at 10:59 AM

Well, I thought it was a good idea as on a track day the engine moved over enough to let the alternator catch the chassis..

So, I made this...



Since then I've removed it as it was giving me white fingers!!! Anyway its there for whenever I take to the track.