Tuning
The Story so farLast
on February 11 2010Way back in July 1992, I bought a Mk1 Ford Fiesta XR2, a stolen-recovered insurance write-off, which was in a very sorry state. (Note: The bodyshell originates from Wales, and is still in surprisingly good condition for its age. Its only covered 65000 miles from new, and has been off the road since 1993). When I collected her from the breakers, I found that the 1600 X-flow engine was seized. A hastily rebuilt 1372 X-flow was installed, using a Kent BCF2 and Janspeed manifold, with the 1600 XR2 gearbox, and although quick, the car just wasn't fast enough. A change in employer meant that I was fortunate enough to have my first company car for a couple of years, so the XR was pensioned off, to allow for some more serious modifications.
Her initial cross-flow powered competition debut was in September 1992. After rebuilding the XR2 and getting it through an MOT, I entered the Ultimate Fast Car sprint at Manby in Lincolnshire, run by Fast Car magazine. After several run-offs, I came away with the trophy for the 'Up to 1400cc' class, for taking first place. I'd built and raced the fastest 1400cc car in Britain!! A taste of things to come, though I felt that the car definitely needed more power. The seeds had been sown...
I've always had a few ideas about transplanting a different engine, and these web pages contain a record of what I've achieved so far. My childhood heroes were my father, who brought me up in the world of grass track racing (Hillman Imp), road rallies (Talbot Sunbeam), and spectating on forest rallying. And Jim Mensley, 1970's British Hot Rod champion who lived across the road from me, in Barrow-On-Soar, and whom progressed from Hot Rods through to the mighty Thundersaloons. He started with a Mk2 Escort in Rods, and was the the first competitor to use the revolutionary new Toyota Starlet with success. And in Thundersaloons he developed an awesome V8 powered Rover SD1, moving on to a Chevrolet Camaro (a space-framed ex-Unser car imported from the States) and eventually running a V8 Honda Legend with very good results.
As a kid I spent quite a few hours helping make tea / generally loitering in his workshop, watching his team at work preparing and reparing his race cars. And in the paddock at Hednesford, seeing Barry Lee, Pollard and the other drivers, back in the glory days when Hednesford would attract capacity crowds. Then it was cold sunny afternoons spent at Mallory Park, and Donington (my two local tracks) with the Rover V8, the Chevrolet Camaro and the awesome V8 Honda. I've always been immersed in the world of speed, and power, and although initally working with limited funds, I'm really keen to prove that I too can build a winning car.
Why tell the world?
In 1998 I decided to place this information on the WWW because when I started, there wasn't (and still isn't in 2009) that much information available for modders like myself. The situation has improved over the past couple of years, but some sites present the information better than others, and I hope that Zetecinside is probably the most informative and accurate site regarding the Zetec & Duratec engine's, and the Mk1 Fiesta.
I do hope you find the information contained herein useful. People that have provided support are reachable through the Sponsors page.
Reasons for transplanting a different engine
The venerable Ford X-flow is a very compact and strong engine. It is of an old design, but if you are prepared to spend many thousands of pounds, you can tune it to produce a healthy amount of power. I didn't want to waste money on flogging a dead horse. The Ford X-flow was not an option. Too heavy, not 16V, and not enough tuning potential, so not for me.
I wanted a 'modern', 16-valve engine, capable of running on unleaded fuel, which would provide at least 150 horsepower, with little expenditure. I looked at using a Rover K-Series engine, which is another extremely tuneable unit, but I would have to have used a Rover gearbox, drive shafts, hubs etc, which would push the conversion costs through the roof. And after some research, I opted for the Ford Zetec (formerly Zeta) engine. I installed and ran the Zetec 2.0 (with 180BHP) from 2003-2008, with many firsts in class, a 16th overall at Cadwell in 2006, and a 3rd overall at Barkston Heath. Many trouble free hours with the Zetec lead me to develop the chassis, brakes, induction system, and I could also concentrate on learning the tracks and really get to learn the cars characteristics.
From Zetec to Duratec
Speaking to Matt Downer (Mk2 Escort SBD Duratec) at the June 2008 Epynt hillclimb, I finally realised that the new Duratec engine had far more potential than the Zetec, due to its extraordinary light weight and compact size, and after making a few enquiries, I managed to find a new Fiesta ST150 2.0 Duratec Engine and IB5+ Gearbox, which were dropped in to the XR2 in August 2008. I then sold the Zetec as a complete engine, and with no going back, I started the installation of the new power unit in earnest.
The Ford Zetec engine was designed to follow the same route as all previous Ford engines, in that the flywheel housing had the same bolt pattern as all previous engines (Pinto, CVH, X-Flow etc). This meant that the Escort/Fiesta 4 and 5-speed gearboxes (BC/B5 and later IB5), as well as the new MTX75 box found in the Mondeo, would all mate to the Zetec engine. This was a real bonus, as space is limited in the Fiesta, and I didn't want to have problems fitting an unusual gearbox. The Mondeo MTX75 gearbox is very large, and would't fit in the Fiesta without serious modifications to the chassis. So I bought a second hand Fiesta RS1800i 16V gearbox, which was rebuilt by Quaife using their reliable heavy duty straight cut gearkit, and their automatic torque biasing limited slip differential, fitted together with a 3.857:1 final drive for great acceleration.
The new all alloy Duratec engine, designed by Mazda, however has a different bell housing to the Zetec, so my BC box doesn't fit on the Duratec, nor does the IB5 from later model Fiesta's and the Focus. The IB5+ (IB5 Plus) gearbox produced by Ford is a revision of their later IB5 fwd box, that accomodates the different Duratec flywheel housing bolt pattern. This box comes in five speed and reverse configuration (with syncro on all gears) and is the same shape and size externally as the BC/B5/IB5 box. So it will fit in the Fiesta Mk1 if the chassis rail is modified to accomodate a five speed gearbox.
So as of 2008, I'm leaving the Zetec world, and moving in to the 21st century with the all new Duratec engine.
Driveshafts are known to be a weak point on fwd cars, and because I need driveshafts that are a non-standard length, I've had some GpA shafts manufactured by RecoProp, and together with new XR2/3 CVs and Trilobe bearings it should withstand at least 200 HP.
The shell has been totally stripped of all trim and sound deadening, and has had new sills, and all the rust removed. It has also been strengthened, and seam welded, and a Safety Devices roll cage has been installed. The shell was resprayed in Ford Sunburst Red, the original colour for the car.
A few pictures of the Ford "Works" rally car, from 1979
I'm not going to give a complete history of the Fiesta, there's plenty of other sites out there that already provide that information. Instead, any interesting photos of the Mk1 that I can find, I'll post them here.
As driven by Ari Vatanen, and co-driven by David Richards (The boss of Prodrive!) in 1979, on the Monte Carlo. The car finished in 10th place.
This is a cutaway drawing of the Works rally car, showing some rather interesting tweaks to the front suspension, and even a disk braked rear axle.
And finally, a picture of the very first XR2 to roll off the production line.