Zetec engine work, where oh where!

[Mike Rohaley]

I am looking for a company that is experienced with the Zetec engine. I want to get the cylinder head optimized for street and track use (flowed and possibly larger valves, mild cam).

 

 

 

I am also looking to lighten, balance and knife edge a crankshaft and balance it with the flywheel and clutch package. With the block, I want to get it lined up properly and get it bored out for larger pistons.

 

 

 

So far I have not found a shop that focuses (no pun intended) on this engine in the USA. Does anyone have any leads on where I may find someone that is capable and reasonable in price. I have found a ready to go Cosworth cylinder head at FocusSport but it would cost over $2,000.00 just for the top end to get done. I do not expect it to be cheap to do but I am not quite ready to part with ten grand to get an extra 60HP. Thanks in advance.   

[slngsht]

I think there is a company in Maryland named Quicksilver that does some work for the local Zetec guys here. Their number is 301-698-9009.

 

 

 

Here is a link to one of their ads

 

>http://www.apexspeed.com/advertisers/quicksilver/

 

 

 

I have never personally used them.

 

 

 

Let us know who you end up with.

 

 

[stevet]

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/zetec/

 

 

 

Mike, try the above - you might get more advice than you need but I'm sure you'll get something.

[Catie]

For our race engines (SCCA EP), much of the cam development and head work is done by Steve Ellis, 804-834-2411. Tell him Chris referred you. He's near Virginia Beach. Another good cylinder head shop is Ladd's Porting near Baltimore, MD. I have a set of cams for sale for the VCT motor. They add probably 10 horsepower and don't require any head work or ECU changes. Oversized pistons and knife edging add very little, so don't go this route unless you are trying to maximize everything. I'd install an aluminum flywheel and underdrive pulleys first, more bang for the buck. In order of horsepower for the money, I'd start with headers, then go with underdrive pulleys, then cams, head work, flywheel, maybe larger valves, then look at the block internals last.

[Mike Rohaley]

Thank you everyone for the advice and leads.     

[JohnK]

Mike,

 

If you haven't had any luck finding someone to develop your engine, you might try a place called Performance Engineering near Cincinnati. The owner mostly builds Ford v8s for Cobras from scratch. He has a lot of experience in this, spent years doing porting work, has a broad knowledge base, and typically does excellent work. His shop is well equiped (has both an engine and a chasis dyno), and he has a couple of good machinists working for him. He's done a number of Zetecs and the results were good.

 

Now, that said, I would be extremely careful when dealing with ANYONE in this regard. I spent a year and a half tuning Zetecs and a few other cars/engines with aftermarket electronic engine management systems on them at this shop and saw things go south for a number of reasons, and not only where I was working. Much of it was miscommunication and expectations. I would start out by mistrusting anyone I talked with about developing an engine. The people who really know what they're doing are generally overbooked and busy with big ticket clients. Be careful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Performance Engineering

 

2681 Morgan Lane, S.R. 128

 

Ross, Ohio 45013

 

513-738-5001

[Mike Rohaley]

Thank you for the contact John, and for the warning.   

[Kitcat]

Does Performance Engineering do the engine installs on Nobles (which are sold in the US via 1G racing, also in Ross, OH)?

[JohnK]

It's been a year or so since I"ve been there. Performance may be doing installs of the Nobel. Performance's main expertise has been building V8s from scratch for Cobra replicas (Superformance, same factory that brought you the S1 Se7en clone). The also do installs of the powertrain and deliver a car with a dyno tested engine and as a turnkey driveaway. This is all done for customers from Dynamic Motorsports (also 1G), which sells the rollers (assembled kit less engine and trans). It is a no-no for a kit car seller to deliver a completed car, so Dynamic sells the roller and walks across the yard with the customer to Performance, and Performance works with the customer to spec out an engine and do the install. Performance is pretty accomplished at doing this but Dynamic has used other people as fits their mood. Performance's stock and trade is big V8s. They are pretty competent at doing engine work and putting things together that make sense as a balanced package.

 

I THINK that the Ford V6s that the Nobels run are delivered to Dynamic as finished units and installed only by someone, perhaps Performance. But with respect to engine building or even tuning, I don't think Performance is into that kind of engine. It's a different beast and they don't (since I left) do electronic management systems.

 

Last I heard the Service Manager at Dynamic was a Mike Evangelo who is, in my opinion, very competent. If you're interested in technical issues surrounding the Noble, he's a very good resource. Dynamic as a company is very good at selling, they aren't much into technology.

[roll a 7]

If you want a better head with bigger valves why not buy the Ford Racing head with bigger valves (33mm intake) for around $900? Fits ZX3 motor. A short block can be had for about $700.

 

 

 

I have the Kent Focus 12 cams and like them very much. If you are going to buy cams be sure to get new cams, NOT the reground variety that may have smaller base circles---to avoid future fitment problems.

 

 

 

The Fidanza ali flywheel is good choice weighing about nine pounds versus the stock job @ 23 lbs. Your motor will rev noticeably faster when spinning up the 9 pounder.

 

 

 

I also have the jenvey throttle body setup and would recommend that. My motor should be somewhere between 202 and 215 HP. A measured 175 hp @ the rear wheels.