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I spent many, many hours, thinking about the different ways to achieve many of the solutions shown on this page. Just to re-iterate that I'm not a mechanical engineer by trade so some of the solutions probably could have been made simpler, or done in a different way.
However, like I've said on this site before, I've been working mostly off my own initiative, but with some feedback from visitors Emails.
And at the very forefront of my thoughts, safety has been my number one priority. If it doesn't look right, then its usually unsafe too! And I can't have the car falling to bits around me when I'm pulling 7250 rpm in fifth, travelling at speeds in excess of 100 MPH!!
Here are the 10 steps required to install the Zetec engine in your Fiesta Mk1
| Obtaining & preparing the engine |
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Change the sump and oil pickup pipe |
| Change the water pump |
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Change the flywheel/clutch |
| Modify the chassis rail |
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Modify engine cradle |
| Relocate engine cradle |
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Create a new engine mount |
| Create an engine steady bar |
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Relocate the brake servo |
But which Zetec engine do I need?
There are four different 16V Zetec engines used in the late model Fords (1990->), the Series 1 Zetec, Series 2 Zetec-E and the latest Series 3 Zetec-R, not to mention the Yamaha developed all alloy Zetec-S engine. We're only concentrating on the non-Zetec-S variants.
So how do I tell them apart?
The Series 1 Zetec has DOHC 16V cast in to the top of the cam cover. This engine is prone to the sticking valve problem, common amongst most series 1 engines. Symptons are a rough idle and difficulty starting when cold. The valve problem is overcome by using the 5W30 grade of engine oil.
The Series 2 Zetec-E has 16V Zetec cast in to the top of the cam cover. This is the engine which this project is based upon. There is very little external difference between the Series 1 and 2 engines so the modifications listed should apply to both engines.
The Series 3 Zetec-R has either 16V Zetec or Zetec-R cast in to the top of black acrylic coated and more rounded cam cover. This engine is quite different to the earlier series 1 and 2 engines, and I'd expect compatability problems when following the modifications listed on this site, if you decide to use this engine. Check out the following link to Mark Stewarts web site which gives more detail on the different types of Zetec engine's available. His site can be found at www.mwstewart.co.uk
1800 or 2 litre ?
Only the 2.0 engine features oil cooling jets which spray oil over the base of the pistons and of course the 2.0 will ultimately produce more torque/power when tuned. But using a 2.0 engine pushes up the costs a little as its more expensive to buy 2nd hand usually, and requires a change of sump and oil pickup pipe.
Identifying your 2.0 Zetec engine is quite easy, though not obvious when the engine's covered in manifolds and grime. First, the engine number starts with the initials NGA. If you look on the front of the engine, the engine number is etched in to the block next to the gearbox bellhousing. The other identification mark is a large 20 cast in to the block. This is at the top of the front of the block, and is obscured by the exhaust manifold.
So just what are the 10 steps to installing a Zetec engine?
1. Obtaining & preparing the engine
When I started the project in 1998, I had all manner of problems obtaining a 2.0 Zetec from a Mondeo (Ford Contour in the US). Eventually I asked my local breakers yard, and they came up trumps within a week or so with a low mileage 2.0 unit from a rolled Mondeo.
Once we collected the engine, it had to be stripped of the manifolds (headers), emission control equipment, starter motor, power steering pump, alternator etc, until we were left with a basic engine sitting on its sump. This shot shows my rebuilt engine, after the rocker cover was powder coated, and a few bits had been changed like the sump, oil and water pumps etc. More of that below...
2. Change the sump and oil pickup pipe
The 2.0 Mondeo sump is the wrong shape to accept the Fiesta/Escort gearbox. The gearbox on the Mondeo is known as the MTX75, and is physically much larger than the Fiesta gearbox, and accordingly has different mounting points, so you must replace the sump with the 1.8 Zetec Escort sump.
This is a picture of the 2.0 sump, which doesn't fit on the Fiesta gearbox. However the picture illustrates the difference between the two sumps, most notably around the area where the flange bolts on to the Fiesta/Escort gearbox.
You must use the 1.8 Escort/Fiesta oil pickup pipe, as the 2.0 pipe is the wrong shape for use with the 1.8 sump. The 2.0 pickup pipe would hit the inside of the 1.8 sump, and therefore you wouldn't be able to fit the 1.8 sump without first changing the oil pickup pipe. From experience at race tracks, the Zetec does not suffer from oil surge problems, like the old Crossflow did. So theres no point in fitting baffle plates etc in the sump, unless you're running a single seater, which experiences much higher G-forces than a saloon car, in which case a dry sump is probably the best solution.
3. Change the waterpump
Why? Well the difference between the 1.8 Escort/Fiesta water pump, and the 1.8/2.0 Mondeo water pumps, is that they spin in opposite directions. You see, on the Mondeo there's a serpentine drive belt driving the water pump and ancillaries, and when you use a triangulated drive belt setup, the water pump is driven in the opposite direction (see diagram). So if you are not using the serpentine drive belt setup, you must change the 1.8/2.0 Mondeo pump for the Fiesta or Escort Zetec 1.8 water pump.
The two pictures below show the two different arrangements for driving the water pump. The serpentine system, as used on the Mondeo, and the triangulated system, as used on the Fiesta.
Key to pulleys: A = Alternator, W =Water Pump, C = Crankshaft
 The Serpentine system (Mondeo)
 The Triangulated system (Fiesta)
4. Change the flywheel/clutch
The 2.0 Mondeo flywheel has to be changed for the 1.8 Zetec Escort unit as the Mondeo flywheel is too deep and too large a diameter to fit inside the Fiesta type IB5 or BC gearbox housings. Burton Power and Raceline both sell lightened and balanced flywheels.
The clutch and drive plate used are AP Racing heavy duty 220mm race items, for the Fiesta.
5. Modify the chassis rail
Basically, because the Zetec engine is slightly longer than the X-Flow, the chassis rail has to be modified to allow clearance for the crank pulley and cam timing belts etc especially for when the engine is trying to move around in the engine bay. The chassis rail is a box section, so you have to cut out quite a lot of metal, but I replaced it with 1.5mm steel. I've used Vibratechnics engine mountings to try to hold everything in place, and this does indeed prevent the engine moving too much. However all the vibration transmitted back through the shell causes the poly windows to rattle, which is alright when you have a crash helmet on, but would probably be a bit too uncomfortable for road use. Therefore the Vibratechnics engine mounts should probably only be used for competition use.
 Not a difficult job, about 30 minutes with an angle grinder and cold chisel and it was ready for welding.
6. Modify the engine cradle
On the Escort/Fiesta 1.8 Zetec alloy sump, there are a series of strengthening 'fins' which sit right in the way of the engine cradle support bracket, preventing you from bolting the sump to the bracket. You could just cut the fins off the sump, but I decided to keep them for extra strength. Therefore the support bracket (shown) had to be slotted to allow it to fit with the fins retained. I used an angle grinder to slot the bracket, and had the bracket/engine cradle plastic coated to protect against corrosion.
Here's a picture of the support bracket and cradle affixed to the engine/gearbox. The use of the 1.8 Zetec sump does however introduce another unique problem. The sump features a 20mm thick flange, which helps strengthen the sump. (go back to look at the picture of the 1.8 sump (above) and you'll see the flange at the top of the picture). However, because of the 20mm flange, the engine cradle is now offset away from the gearbox by 20mm, because the support bracket previously bolted directly on to the gearbox on the Fiesta Crossflow installation, whereas we're bolting the cradle to the gearbox, through the sump flange.
I decided to keep the flange, and relocate the engine cradle by 20mm to offset the offset! However, I've heard of a few people who simply decided to remove the flange altogether, therefore saving the effort of slotting the support bracket, and offsetting the cradle mounting points. Its up to you what you decide to do. If you're in a hurry, and you're not worried about losing some strength where the sump bolts to the gearbox then remove the flange. If you want maximum strength, retain the flange, slot the mounting bracket and relocate the cradle mounting points like I did [Step 7 below]. Its entirely up to you.
7. Relocate the engine cradle
If you decide not to modify the sump, then you'll have to relocate both the front and the rear engine cradle mounting points in the chassis. You must use steel tubes inside the chassis rail to support the tremendous weight and compression from the mounting bolts. Otherwise the chassis box section will crush when you tighten the bolts.
Simply move the mounting holes by 20mm, and fabricate some inserts like the ones shown, and weld in place.
8. Create a new engine mount
Normally, the front of the X-Flow 1.6 or 1.3 engine is connected to the chassis rail at the end of the block. Because the chassis rail needs modifying to clear the cam belt pulleys, the original mounting point has to be removed when the chassis is modified. Also, theres no place for an engine mount at the end of the Zetec block anyway, so I had to make my own additional mounting point. I looked around at Mk3 Fiestas 1600 Zetecs to see how they mounted the engine, and after some thought, decided to use the Fiesta Mk3 RS1800 Alternator mounting bracket (cast iron which bolts to the front of the Zetec engine) and a Fiesta Mk3 Gearbox mounting rubber mounted to the chassis, as shown in the pictures.
 I welded a 5mm steel plate at a 45° (approx) angle to the chassis rail, and then using cardboard as a template material, made a bracket to support the engine on the mounting rubber. Once I was happy with the template, I used 1.5mm steel to make a test bracket (the silver one in the picture), and once that was proven to work, I made another bracket, this time from 5mm steel.
9. Create an engine steady bar
 The engine is probably going to want to leap out of the car under extreme driving conditions, so now is a good time to fabricate an engine steady bar. I've welded a mounting bracket to the front bulkhead, and the engine mounting runs from the bulkhead to the side of the engine block.
10. Relocate the brake servo
 If you decide to retain the braking servo, then you'll certainly have problems with clearance. The ignition coil pack sits on the end of the engine, and the servo gets right in the way. Either relocate the igntion module, or relocate the servo brackets. I had a spare 1300 brake transfer bar which was longer than the XR2 bar, so I moved the mounting brackets to the right, and used the longer bar. I'm not running a servo, but an adjustable bias box from a Vauxhall(Opel) Corsa (from WWW.TAS.UK.COM), however it still mounts on the servo brackets so I still had to relocate everything. If I had to do it over, I'd do away with the transfer bar altogether, and fit a full adjustable bias pedal box in the cockpit. Note that master cylinder reservoirs are not allowed inside the car. They present a fire risk, and are strictly outlawed in motorsport in the UK. So reservoirs must be located inside the engine bay.
So thats it then?
Well, sort of. The engine will now fit in the engine bay, but theres still more work to do.
On the Mk1 Fiesta theres a two piece drive shaft thats supported by a bearing on the back of the engine. You can't fit the bearing to the same place on the Zetec engine, because theres no place to bolt it to. So my advice is to upgrade now to the Mk2 driveshafts, which are tubular and theoretically stronger anyhow.
 The alternator was a challenge to fit. I bought a Powermaster 'Denso' race alternator. Its probably the smallest alternator you can buy at 93mm, and space is at a premium down the front of the engine. I also had to buy a special mounting bracket from Brise (the suppliers of the alternator) to fit the alternator. Apparently an alternator from a Formula Ford racing car will fit, again using the same mounting bracket that I've used. Maybe its the same as the Denso type I've used.
And then theres a problem with the alternator pulley fouling the TCA Tie Bar. The Fiesta Centre sell a Tie Bar kit which you can use to replace the existing Mk1 tie bar, and it gives you plenty of room where the alternator sits, so it's a worthwhile modification in the circumstances. However, the handling is less than ideal with the kit on the car, as the tie bars are too long and you end up with no caster angle on the front suspension.
You'll have to get an exhaust manifold built. I've opted for a 4-2-1 manifold, supplied by Ashley Performance Exhausts. They kept the car for a week to hand fabricate the manifold and system. I told them I wanted as quiet a system as possible, and they obliged by fitting a Golf GTI 16V silencer, and the car now only registers 94db at 4000 rpm, which is very, very quiet. Nice! The pipe diameters are 2.25" for the final system, 1.85" for the two collectors, and 1.5" for each of the four branches on the manifold itself.
As far as cooling goes, I've used a Fiesta Mk3 RS1800 radiator, with some custom silicone 45mm -> 32mm x 150mm reduction hoses to connect the engine to the radiator. These hoses aren't off the shelf items, so you'll need to contact www.raceparts.co.uk to manufacture them. I have heard of the Mk2 Fiesta XR2 radiator being used, though I've not seen how the plumbing is routed.
There's no other traps to fall in to. Its not a job for a weekend by any means. Indeed I started my transplant in 1998, but theres a lot of other jobs I've had to contend with, like fitting bigger wheels, bodykit, roll cage, fuel system, injection system, uprated brakes, new wings and sills, respraying the car, keeping the web site updated etc etc.
And finally, just in case you'd forgotten (I know I had) what it looked like, this is how a standard 1600 Crossflow powered XR2 should look, alongside my 2.0 16V Zetec conversion.
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