Cosworth 2.9V6 VS Essex 3.0V6?

[Jag-D]

So I'm toying with the idea of getting a mk1/2 Capri when I've qualified and working, but I keep coming up with the same question:

Do I go Cosworth 24V or stick with the Essex V6?

24V is likely to be better on fuel (significantly) sounds ok, goes well with around 202bhp on tap and is lighter than the Essex, but the Essex sounds better, runs on carbs (triple webbers anyone?) and comes as standard.

So what's the score?

Thoughts please?

[MX7]

Never like the Essex. Why not a later V6?

[cerb4.5lee]

Difficult decision this, my dad has a Scorpio 24v that he's had since 1994 & it is a quality engine, but I always remember pulling up next to a Capri 3.0s years ago when I had my 2.9 xr4x4 & I was in awe of how the Capri sounded with the Essex in just rumbling nicely, but I bet you could get the 24v to sound good with the right set up.

Sorry I am not much help but I love both engines alot, old school vs relatively modern, have fun whichever way you go!

[Jag-D]

MX7 said:

Never like the Essex. Why not a later V6?

Because the Duratec is a nice engine, but doesn't really do it for me and it's light on power compared to the Cosworth.

And I REALLY like the Essex TBH

cerb4.5lee said:

Difficult decision this, my dad has a Scorpio 24v that he's had since 1994 & it is a quality engine, but I always remember pulling up next to a Capri 3.0s years ago when I had my 2.9 xr4x4 & I was in awe of how the Capri sounded with the Essex in just rumbling nicely, but I bet you could get the 24v to sound good with the right set up.

Sorry I am not much help but I love both engines alot, old school vs relatively modern, have fun whichever way you go!

That's exactly where I'm at The Essex is a torquey old lump, it burbles lovely and sounds awesome with a free breathing system with triples

[Scuffers]

Both are cast iron dinasore engines, however, the cosworth at least has reasonable heads.

Latter BOB ones make half reasonable power (like ~220) but are still fugging. Heavy.

[GAjon]

The mk1 / 2 will be the Essex anyway, so I'd stay with the Essex.
But I'm unashamedly biased, as my user name may suggest.

[300bhp/ton]

Jag-D said:

So I'm toying with the idea of getting a mk1/2 Capri when I've qualified and working, but I keep coming up with the same question:

Do I go Cosworth 24V or stick with the Essex V6?

24V is likely to be better on fuel (significantly) sounds ok, goes well with around 202bhp on tap and is lighter than the Essex, but the Essex sounds better, runs on carbs (triple webbers anyone?) and comes as standard.

So what's the score?

Thoughts please?

While I'm sure there are examples of the Essex performing well, Ford made the decision to dump it.

Don't know much about the 24v lump, but if you want Ford and V6 I'd have thought you'd be better off with a 3.8 or 4.0 Cologne lump found in sn95 and s197 Mustangs. Their character will be better matching to the Essex but making very good power.

Also I'd have though a V8 wouldn't likely weigh more than the 24v lump, maybe less in fact and be more compact. So it would seem an odd way to go unless you really wanted to.

[rb5er]

Stick a nice modern 3.0 v6 duratec in it. Better power, and more economical as well as sounding lovely. You can get them pretty cheap now too,

[curlie467]

Chuck the ship anchor essex and go for a V8 or the cosworth 24v motor.

Why do you say MK1 or 2 Capri and not a MK3?

[MX7]

Jag-D said:

MX7 said:

Never like the Essex. Why not a later V6?

Because the Duratec is a nice engine, but doesn't really do it for me and it's light on power compared to the Cosworth.

And I REALLY like the Essex TBH

Well, go for it then, but I'm sure with the right modifications the Duratec could sound good. As for power, I think a Jag one is 240bhp? One of them with some nice exhausts?

[buggalugs]

rb5er said:

Stick a nice modern 3.0 v6 duratec in it. Better power, and more economical as well as sounding lovely. You can get them pretty cheap now too,

Yeah, you can always map it to idle like a bag of st too if you want to keep some essex character

[Alfanatic]

I'd go for the Cossie engine only because my experience of the Essex engine isn't a happy time for me. I never saw the appeal of that big heavy wheezy old lump, but then again perhaps the Cortinas and Sapphires were a bit heavy for it.

EDIT: On the other hand it certainly seemed to go well enough in the back of that Beetle that destroyed me going up a mountain pass one embarrassing morning.

I believe the Essex engine also has restrictive inlet tracts that will limit how much motivation you can squeeze from it.

A V8 is the obvious Capri update, though that conversion isn't as easy as it looks, but at least there's plenty of information available on squeezing the Windsor V8 in a Mk 1.

[cerb4.5lee]

I went from the cologne 2.9 to a 2.5 duratec back in 2001 swapping my XR4x4 for a Mondy ST24 & at the time I hated the ST24 all smooth & quiet & I found the engine soulless, but as time has gone on I do appreciate that it's a very good engine.

I bought a cheap V6 ghia x Mondy in 2007 & kept in 3 years & thought the engine was cracking its surprising how your opinion changes with time!

[MX7]

buggalugs said:

Yeah, you can always map it to idle like a bag of st too if you want to keep some essex character

I actually laughed!

[Jag-D]

curlie467 said:

Chuck the ship anchor essex and go for a V8 or the cosworth 24v motor.

Why do you say MK1 or 2 Capri and not a MK3?

I prefer the look of the Mk1 and Mk2. The Mk3 isn't a bad looking car at all and, if options are too limited, I would take a Mk3, but we all have our preferences.

I know V8 is, pretty much the obvious choice, but I'm not going for all out power and I really like the old school British sound of the Essex (or any throaty V/I6) and would like to stay with that.

I might be open to persuasion if there's evidence that the Duratec/Cologne engine swaps are simple enough, financially viable and sound good enough, but at the moment I aint sold

[interloper]

The reality with the Essex is that it does sound lovely (I test drove a Scimitar with a lightly breathed on 3.1 and it sounded bloody gorgeous pootling about!) but in standard tune only produces about 130bhp, which is pathetic compared to the Cosworth headed version of the Cologne V6 or a modern Duratec V6.

If you want to keep the V6 soundtrack and a bit of character the Cosworth lump seems to make a lot of sense.

[RWD cossie wil]

V6 Cossie engine sounds great on open pipes, very under rated engine.

[VinceFox]

i have a 24v capri. fk the essex, unless you spend thousands on it it's not worth using.

[Jag-D]

VinceFox said:

i have a 24v capri. fk the essex, unless you spend thousands on it it's not worth using.

Videos? I need some aural stimulation

[VinceFox]