2.0L Duratec Varients?

[TIPPER]

Hi all, I'm hoping someone can help me out.
I'm considering dropping a 2.0L Duratec into my Elise to replace the ageing K series lump. Main attractions of the Duratec are that it doesn't weight a lot more than the K and seems to be able to be reliably tuned towards 200bhp with very good torque.
Are there any differences in the various 2.0L Duratecs around (thinking of buying used), particularly strength of bottom end and head design (which head breaths best?). To bE honest I really don't expect Ford to have gone to the trouble of turning out different heads for different applications but you never know!
Also could point me in the direction of some decent Ford forums with some decent technical input (bit more than 'cam it and fit a K&N' wanted)?
TIA.

[Chris_w666]

The best advice I can give you is find the one as fitted to the Current Focus/Mondeo/Smax and the previous generation Fiesta ST.

This engine gives 145ps as standard and was available with warranty approved upgrades from mountune giving 185ps. There are also tales of big power versions of this motor from some tuners using ITBs and cam/head work combinations.

The Duratec named engine as fitted to the focus ST170 is a good motor but was actually a tuned Zetec with a new rocker cover. From what I know it is a good engine for kit cars but lots of money needs spending to make it give over 200bhp, I saw a build sheet for one someone specced with a dry sump to go into a MK1 escort and it totalled well over 8000 english pounds.

[jack_st]

best 2.0l duratec engine to get is one out of the focus st170 good strong and light weight and its 170bhp i had one of these with 120k on the clock and it still made 173bhp on the dyno. the fieasta st engine is a mondeo plus only 146bhp.

[AMST09]

The ST engine is very tuneable
Easy enough to take to 200BHP
And with STs now pushing out up to 400bhp after being turbo'd they can go along way

[TIPPER]

Thanks guys.
About £4k seems to be the ball park for a ready built brand new 200ish (claimed) bhp 2.0L Duratec.
I'm hoping to do it for a bit less by sourcing a low miles engine and going forward from there as there doesn't appear to be any major differences with regards the actual block or head then I can probably save a few bob by picking up a Mondeo or Focus unit.
Probably sticking with the K for next year with conversion planned for the following winter.
The Mountune 185 kit looks interesting but I think I prefer the idea of improving the breathing before fitting any warmer cams and there's not a huge difference in cost.
Thanks again.

[Chris_w666]

The best advice on the duratec units can probably be had on the Caterfield forums. If you want light weight and little engine work then the Duratec ST (170) unit is the best as some tweaks can bring it to 190bhp and it is lighter but you need SC, Turbo or ITBs to go further and that involves running aftermarket ecus, the stronger engine and the one that has much more potential is certainly the proper duratec from the Mondeo etc.

Having just read your OP (I missed the bit about an elise) perhaps a tried and tested format of putting a Vtec unit in would be best as AFAIK the duratec motors are not built with lightness in mind.

[TIPPER]

Thanks Chris but the Honda conversions are fairly costly and not without their fair share of problems. There are a few Duratec conversions around now - some 2.0L and some 2.3L.
The Duratec drops in much easier from an engineering point of view and I'm not looking to go over the 200bhp mark. 180-200 reliable horses will do me fine and in a light Elise S1 will make a nice quick car without the regular rebuild issues of higher power K engines. I didn't think there was much difference in the weight of the Duratec vs K.
A decent turnkey Honda conversion is north of £10k - I should get in for less than half that with the Duratec.
Hadn't thought of the Caterham forums - thanks.

[Chris_w666]

Not sure about the weights TBH, though I suppose putting the engine in the middle means that it makes little difference. Any of the 2.0 duratecs should give you 180+ reliable horses to play with and at that power level plenty of potenation for 230-250bhp in the future.

[Neil_M]

As its mentioned, the ST170 is not a Duratec.

They have a book figure of 150PS in the Fiesta ST.

In short, I think you should see around 170brake (realistic) from some breathing mods, airfilter and exhaust.

Its a very light unit that produces a good torque plot, if not the torquiest (peak figures).

[zebedee]

Considerable time has passed... Did you ever go down the Duratec route? And what model year Duratec engine are we talking about for the 185hp Mountune kit?

[JackP1]

zebedee said:

Considerable time has passed... Did you ever go down the Duratec route? And what model year Duratec engine are we talking about for the 185hp Mountune kit?

Mt185 kits on the fiesta ST were from 2007 onwards iirc as mountunes silver mk6 ST "press car" was on an 07 plate.

You could go down this route, but i must stress that its a calibrated map on the kit, so cannot say it will run the same power setup in an elise with different induction exhaust etc.

From a "custom mod" point of view, mine runs 172bhp from K&N57i, 60mm throttle Body, Full milltek exhaust and a Remap.

If you wanted 180+ from the ST lump you'd be looking for a new set of cams ( cosworth 200 spec cams are used by lots)
More than that to 200bhp you'd want to look at changing the manifold, On the ST there is only really two aftermarket items, its the one from cosworth ant mountunes own ( but i'm pretty sure its disscontinued now so they will be hens teeth when you come across one )

Other inlets to look at are the ones from caterham themselves but i think you might struggle with space in the engine bay.

Supercharger kits are about, these see 300bhp nicely but they tend to throw a wobbler if you drive them like a tt

hth