Blacktop Zetec gearbox options and other info required.

[KiwiBirkin]

Hi does any one know if a Blacktop Zetec can bolt straight up to a T9 gearbox & bellhousing at all ??

 

Also anyone with a Birkin and a Zetec motor do you know if it uses the standard sump on your car or has it had to be cut shorter or dry sumped, im thinking of repowering my Birkin (1600 crossflow) and im starting to gather some information on engine options.

 

What sort of HP does a Zetec give you at the rear wheels in standard form on carbs and what size carbs do they run.

 

Cheers Kiwibirkin.

[pi7ot]

The USA Birkins used all versions of the 2.0L NA Zetec.

Birkin have a Bespoke branded bell housing to fit the engines to the type 9 5 speeder.

 

I fail to recall if the bolt pattern for the Crossflow is the same as the Zetec but I suspect it is.

 

 

m

Edited April 23, 2010 by pi7ot

[Croc]

G'day Kiwi

 

Caterham also use a modified bell housing to mate a zetec with a type 9. The standard transmission options for the Zetec in Fords were all for front wheel drives so I am not aware of any rear wheel transmission that bolts on other without modification. From memory I think even the Quaife, Elite, or other aftermarket boxes (including the Caterham 6 spd box) needed the modified bell housing.

 

I suspect the Birkin bellhousing option would be cheaper than the Caterham option though!

 

From memory the bog standard blacktop Zetec running FI put out 147-150 hp at the flywheel. Probably drops 30% or so to the rearwheels. With throttle bodies and other engine mods I have heard that this gets up into the 175-185hp range (flyweel hp) but someone else here maybe able to refine how they achieved this in practice.

[pi7ot]

The English Ford specialist, Burton Power http://www.burtonpower.com/Default.aspx

 

have a really nice catalog with a synopsis of several ford gearboxes including the type 9.

 

m

[RossD]

I have a Ford Type E transmission (aka Rocket) and bellhousing which is the 4 speed version of the Type 9. (I believe its from a '72 2.0L Pinto.) So the bellhousing to transmission pattern should match the Type 9. The bellhousing to block pattern fits 5 out of 6 holes on the Zetec. The one that is missing is where the starter is on the Focus.

 

The dowels are too small on the zetec for the bellhousing but that can be fixed easily.

 

The oil pan on the zetec is in the way of the starter and I plan on getting a different one from a junk yard CVH escort, or just trim up the cast aluminum part to make do.

 

My problem is trying to figure out which flywheel/clutch/starter combo will fit inside the bellhousing. I haven't tried a focus setup yet since my zetec came from an automatic, but I did mock up a '77 Mustang II's 2.3L setup and the flywheel seemed to deep for the bellhousing.

 

This is where I'm at for collecting parts for my Locost project.

 

-Ross

Edited May 13, 2010 by RossD

[KiwiBirkin]

Cheers for all the info guys i managed to find a Zetec to T9 bell housing in the UK (pretty common there) however my upgarde is on hold for a while as the wife just got made redundant and needs to get another job to fund my upgrade :smash: