Crossflow vs Zetec

[MBEARDEN]

I still have not found a car but a couple of questions have come up...let's say I buy a crossflow car and in a few years want to upgrade to a Zetec or maybe Duratec motor. How much trouble would this be...cost? and would the used crossflow have much value?

Would it just be better to buy the Zetec or Duratec now? I have found several nice crossflow cars but the lure of the newer and more powerful engine is pretty strong. This will be a weekend car.

[Kitcat]

One of my favorite topics. I was determined to get a Zetec but wasn't able to afford anything more than the $22.5K I spent for my X-flow, 4 years ago. Overall, I'd say an X-flow is 95% of the Zetec or Duratec experience. The only time the higher hp engine seems especially relevant is at the track

 

If you want a weekend car, I can't imagine the engine being that critical. My car makes great sounds, feels like it is doing 90 mph when its doing 60 mph, has a comfortable "touring" suspension, nice seats, heater, top, etc., just like a fuel injected car.

 

I get worse mileage than FI cars, 20 mpg at 70 mph, 11 mpg at the track. Again, if it is an occasional car, mpg is less important. I drive 2-4K miles a year. So a more fuel efficient Zetec wld save very little $.

 

But as noted the hp advantage is relevant at the track. Tho as noted elsewhere on this forum, I was able to hang w/the zetec and duratec cars at the NJMP racetrack 2 months ago, and even got the occasional point by, depending on where we were on the track.

 

But my se7ens lust is leading me to more track days and fewer blats. So, for my new track oriented use, hp is very tempting. I started a thread on the sevensnet a few weeks ago. I spoke to many people, including X-flow and Zetec engine builders. What I learned was it is possible for $3-6K to add a few ponies to a X-flow. For $10-15K its possible to make about what a mildly tuned Zetec makes. And that a 300 hp supercharged Durate goes for around $7.5K. In other words, the newer the tech, the cheaper the hp.

 

And converting an X-Flow to a Zetec is very expensive and even more so for the Duratec as its intake/exhausts are on opposite side of X-flow, Zetec. Different springs, fuel pump, ancillaries, different bell housing, you name it. The consensus was, its possible, but its cheaper to sell the car, X-flow and all, and buy a new car, with the desired engine. At least for someone like me w/no tools, time, space, or mechanical talent. This site has lots of skilled mechanics who cld do it and if you are one, then the cost drops since you are not paying someone else to do the job.

 

So my conclusion was since I "Need" more power to hold my own at track days, I shd sell my X-Flow and buy a new, much more powerful, track oriented se7en. Which is my plan. In fact I have made a deposit on a used Duratec powered Birkin w/2x the hp of my X-flow and will be putting my X-Flow up for sale here, assuming the Duratec deal doesn't fall thru. Let me know if I have convinced you that I have the perfect car for you:).

 

Mike M.

Edited August 9, 2011 by Kitcat

[locost7018]

Also xflows are probably a lot smaller so will the engine bay be big enough. I know on my Locost with a 1300cc xflow the bay is too small for almost any other engine. Russ

[Croc]

In fact I have made a deposit on a used Duratec powered Birkin w/2x the hp of my X-flow and will be putting my X-Flow up for sale here, assuming the Duratec deal doesn't fall thru.

 

Now you will be unstoppable on the track!

 

Sorry for the hijack. :leaving:

[Kitcat]

Something tells me that the Mighty Cosworth Duratecs will still be leading the pack:).(At least until I add the supercharger, wh/mite not take long:)).

[yellowss7]

Bad news for you big hp Duratec owners. NJMP just put a power to weight limit on the trackdays. No cars with more than 400 hp to weight ratio's can run on the track so you guys with the big HP will either have to detune them or add suffient weight to meet the new regs. :rofl:

 

Tom

[RossD]

I would argue that swapping from a xflow to a Zetec can be cheap if you don't mind doing your own work:

 

*The only reason to swap bellhousings is the relocated starter on the Focus Zetec. If you ignore that, you will just have one bellhousing bolt not lining up with the block. (I believe, the Zetec (ZX1) from an early Contour/Mystique has the standard xflow starter location)

 

*You'd have to figure out an oil pan modification by adding wings or just buy an ARE drysump system with pump.

 

*If you kept the wet sump, you'd have to knock off the portions of the ally cast sump on the Focus' Zetec to allow for the standard xflow starter location.

 

*Reuse xflow starter, flywheel and clutch parts.

 

*There are manifolds for DCOE for the zetec and then you could keep the fuel system intact. Or run a factory Ford EEC or megasquirt. Either way (carbs or FI) you'd need a computer system to run the ignition so you might as keep it FI.

 

 

I bet you could get a Zetec running in place of a xflow for around $1500-2000. The nice thing is while you're saving money and finding parts you are still driving the xflow around.

 

Guestimations:

$250 junk yard Zetec (what I paid)

$656 drysump system with pump (http://www.drysump.com/price.htm)

$200 for Megasquirt and misc wires (http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/megasquirti-programmable-efi-system-pcb22-kit-black-case-p-128.html)

$105 electric high pressure fuel pump (http://www.jegs.com/i/MSD+Ignition/121/2225/10002/-1)

 

Total: $1211

Add in all the odds and ends and we get to $1500 to $2000

 

(Modify your wet sump oil pan yourself and save a portion of that.)

 

 

 

I would agree, however that a xflow to Duratec swap would be quite expansive as you would need a new bell, clutch, flywheel, and the intake and exhaust are on opposite sides...

Edited August 9, 2011 by RossD

[supersportsp]

If I am upgrading to serious power, this is where I am going. http://www.h1v8.com/page/page/1821906.htm

 

http://www.h1v8.com/i/7%20install/top_engine_bay1.jpg