Engine choices - it's not easy is it?
Discussion
Some of you may have seen on another thread here, the tortous path I'm undertaking with my Royale Sabre kit car. The base problem is that I broke the CVH engine and it's beyond repair so looked at a few options. And to be honest the 1.8 CVH was marginal on power anyway so the decision to change it wasn't hard.
First off the mechanic who's going to do the job for me found a Sierra scrapper with a 2.0 DOHC but I went off that (not enough valves for my liking tee hee), so he then found me a nice 2.0 Duratec. i posted about that yesterday and others with more knowledge than me (thanks chaps) highlighted a potential problem area with gearbox and exhaust mounting. So now he's found me a 2001 Focus with a 2.0 Zetec.
The Focus was crashed four weeks ago and damaged all down the nearside so it's a write off. Engine started first click and apparantly runs nicely. So this time we really have bought it. £200 with V5 of course. It'll be on his truck this afternoon back to his garage and he's going to whip it out of the Focus, do a service on it and then I'll deliver the Sabre to him on Friday.
So again, asking all you knowledgeable experts where the problems may lie. In the immortal words of Jeremy Clarkson, "how hard can it be"?
First off the mechanic who's going to do the job for me found a Sierra scrapper with a 2.0 DOHC but I went off that (not enough valves for my liking tee hee), so he then found me a nice 2.0 Duratec. i posted about that yesterday and others with more knowledge than me (thanks chaps) highlighted a potential problem area with gearbox and exhaust mounting. So now he's found me a 2001 Focus with a 2.0 Zetec.
The Focus was crashed four weeks ago and damaged all down the nearside so it's a write off. Engine started first click and apparantly runs nicely. So this time we really have bought it. £200 with V5 of course. It'll be on his truck this afternoon back to his garage and he's going to whip it out of the Focus, do a service on it and then I'll deliver the Sabre to him on Friday.
So again, asking all you knowledgeable experts where the problems may lie. In the immortal words of Jeremy Clarkson, "how hard can it be"?
Mix and match engine and gearbox shouldn't be an issue fitment wise. The Zetec should bolt up to the Type 9 gearbox with no problems. Simple things like exhaust manifold can be easily changed as the inlet and exhaust are on the same side. The thing that would worry me is registration on a Q plate.
I presume from your comment about getting the V5 that you have yet to register the car (else why would you want the V5?), if so trying to get the DVLA to accept a Sierra donor with a Zetec engine, or a RWD Focus as a Kit Conversion may be a touch difficult. If you fail to convince the DVLA that the car is the bulk of the donor then you won't get the age related plate.
If, however, your car is already registered then you have no such worries.
I presume from your comment about getting the V5 that you have yet to register the car (else why would you want the V5?), if so trying to get the DVLA to accept a Sierra donor with a Zetec engine, or a RWD Focus as a Kit Conversion may be a touch difficult. If you fail to convince the DVLA that the car is the bulk of the donor then you won't get the age related plate.
If, however, your car is already registered then you have no such worries.
Thanks MK, no the issue isn't one regarding registration, the Sabre's already registered on an age related (F) plate. The reason I mentioned the V5 is purely because I'm not sure what I have to give to the DVLA to notify them of the new engine so thought if I have the V5 I can't be wrong.
My question was really aimed more at the technical issues surrounding swapping the engine. It's got a 1.8 Sierra CVH engine and gearbox in now and the new engine is a 2.0 Zetec, so I'm keen to know what technical problems this may raise. For instance, is the exhaust on the same side and will it just bolt on or will I need to fabricate a new system etc.
Also from elsewhere on the web I've seen this comment
"The later 'Black Top' engines found in the Focus are difficult to transplant if you keep the original ECU as the ECU has the Passive Ant-Thefts System PATS system which needs inputs from other sensors to disable the immobiliser".
Anybody any comments please?
My question was really aimed more at the technical issues surrounding swapping the engine. It's got a 1.8 Sierra CVH engine and gearbox in now and the new engine is a 2.0 Zetec, so I'm keen to know what technical problems this may raise. For instance, is the exhaust on the same side and will it just bolt on or will I need to fabricate a new system etc.
Also from elsewhere on the web I've seen this comment
"The later 'Black Top' engines found in the Focus are difficult to transplant if you keep the original ECU as the ECU has the Passive Ant-Thefts System PATS system which needs inputs from other sensors to disable the immobiliser".
Anybody any comments please?
Edited by ColinM50 on Wednesday 30th June 13:37
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