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Not sure what's happened but my last thread isn't opening so here it is again:
Ive been hovering around here for a while now, seen some great projects and looks like a great community so thought i would share my project. Im in the process of taking a 1.7 Puma engine, interior and brake setup from a donor and squeezing it into a 04 Ford KA with engine failure.
I have always repaired/modified on my own cars in the past but i havent done an engine swap before so a whole new adventure! After i have finished the swap and got it all working i will be porting and polishing as well as skimming the head, fitting uprated cams, 4-2-1 manifold and a remap so hopefully have around 160-170 hp in a car weighing 900kg!
Here are some progress pics so far:
The car when i bought it, bought car with a misfire and i expected engine failure soon. Turned up all insured and it wouldnt start...
Started stripping
Fitted extended bolts and spacers for these:
Will have to get a better picture, 16" Gti alloys refurbed with decent tyres. £80
Started stripping engine bay
Gearbox separated, plan to bolt it up to the 1.7 lump. Loose top end but a gain in acceleration...and with the safety on the KA il be happy with 100-110mph
Donor engine and mount
Cleaned up and painted the calipers, 260mm brakes should do well on the KA
Picked up some apex springs until i can afford to go for coilovers
Will hopefully be coming to a few Ford shows when i get it all finished, as long as i dont get turned away at the gate (i know KA's arent the most respected cars!)
as long as i dont get turned away at the gate (i know KA's arent the most respected cars!)
Cheers,
Will,
FKOC always have a stand at Fordfair and other shows, sometimes they arent right in the middle but there is a presence. Anyone that rags on Ka's is obviously compensating. They are great cheap little cars and are easy to modify to something fun.
Look for the facebook group there is a good community there of people whom a lot have done conversions.
My great girlfriend helping me with the wiring. Hoping to fit the Puma dash in the KA, seen it done before but nothing about a straight swap so we'll see...
My new mid-engined 1.3 Puma...was a pita trying to get that in the car without a crane
Nackered now, lots of parts to buy and an early night...i hate wiring
Few updates from this weekend, replaced the ball joints on the wishbones and got the engine out of the Puma
Craigk47 has told me that the KA gearbox wont mount up to the Puma engine but also offered to swap the bellhousings on mine, great bloke! That's probably the route I'll go
Two new sachs shocks to go on, part way through swapping the springs on
Just bought a port and polished head with FRP cams, will be picking it up soon hopefully. Does anyone have or know where i could get hold of a FRP timing tool?
Dont think people are too interested in my project lol . Lots of great projects on here
Quite quiet this weekend, got oils filters and clutch parts ordered. They sent me Valeo instead of Luk so thats got to go back. Gasket kit cost £98!
Neighbors around my garage have complained to my landlord that im making too much noise and about my Puma being parked outside the garage so this weekend laid low doing some intake manifold porting:
Hopefully getting the gearbox done this weekend and picking the head up which i have a mate helping me rebuild
Craig has been an absolute legend this weekend, he has swapped the bellhousings between the Puma and KA. We've gone for standard Puma ratios as its easier and will be a good test against his Zetec S ratio'ed box
As a warning to others thinking to attempt this conversion: *The standard KA box will not fit onto the Zetec SE*. Found this out the hard way! You can obviously use the standard Puma box but you'll have to create a custom mount for the gearbox as well as the drivers side engine mount
Also picked up the Puma ported, polished and lapped head with genuine FRP cams which will get skimmed and rebuilt hopefully this week
Valves have been disassembled from the old head as the parts i got with the new head were very mismatched. Got the new head skimmed and lapped all the valves. Its now all back together and the head will be torqued down and the FRP cams installed and timed up this weekend
The fez I'm playing with the gearbox mated up on 5 bolts so I went with it.. (I'm sure the ka box is the same as the fiestas) Did none fit at all?
The race is on pal I too are getting ready for ff
Iirc the 1.25, 1.4 and 1.6 fiestas run Zetec se engines (same as the the Pumas). Kas (1.3 + 1.6, sigma and 'duratec') are all a different engine so the bellhousing is different
Iirc the 1.25, 1.4 and 1.6 fiestas run Zetec se engines (same as the the Pumas). Kas (1.3 + 1.6, sigma and 'duratec') are all a different engine so the bellhousing is different
Yes but the 1.3 ka has the same engine as in the fiesta..
Cheers Guys! Haha, yeah she wasnt all that pleased i asked her to help with the wires! It will get easier im sure
I've heard great things about the Zetec KA's, wanted to do one but more on insurance and worried about space. What was your power like, did you do much tuning?
Unfortunately i have woes. The head i was sold has some faults, i havent managed to get it finished yet. Found it was pouring fluid out of the valve seats, spent something like 20 hours relapping and testing them due to scores in the seats ect.
About to put it on, tightening the cam followers and one of the threads is stripped. Probably why he sold the head to me, strange how someone can be so nice to your face then screw you over
Bit of a problem as the stretch bolts and headgasket cant be reused so il have to get it repaired in place. A mate has arranged for me to get it Helicoiled so hopefully its not too dear...wish me luck!
I didnt tune it up at all. Didnt really need to. Ran standard engine and standard ECU. The car was brilliant fun with the 2.0 engine and made me laugh like mad when you surprise people.
Thats cool mate, makes me feel better about my bad news:
Hit big problems, ive measured the FRP cams i bought and they are the same measurements as my standard Puma cams. So if anyone has or knows of any cheap Puma uprated camshafts please let me know :'(
Well getting the engine together and timed has been a bit of fun . Ive now helicoiled the stripped thread in the cam follower bolt hole, now im working on putting in and timing up the cams but very new to this so its slow going
Started on some other bits to ensure i dont loose intrest (great advice from a mate) so clutch is done and ive reassembled the rear end. Its now lowered 40mm with 20mm spacers...Looks mean. Il get the gearbox on and size the engine up into the bay so i can start fabricating mounts
Can anyone help? When trying to time up the Puma 1.7 lump ive found that the timing bar fits the exhaust cam but not the intake cam. Can someone please advise?
Looking well so far mate, don't be expecting your initial power guesstimate, I'd guess more around 150-155bhp, you'll need headwork to hit 160 and definitely ITB's with something like SS4 or LM4 cams for 170bhp. Be a rocket in a KA though!
Looking well so far mate, don't be expecting your initial power guesstimate, I'd guess more around 150-155bhp, you'll need headwork to hit 160 and definitely ITB's with something like SS4 or LM4 cams for 170bhp. Be a rocket in a KA though!
Cheers mate, i'd be happy with 150-160. Got a worked head but standard cams so we'll see
Resolved the timing issue. Engine and ancillaries are now assembled so engine will be going in for test fitting tomorrow
Nothing has been easy, engine is now in but its sitting too far forward and too high. Im going to space all three mounts down and tilt it back
Im having issues with the bonnet closing, the radiator fitting (will require custom mounts) and the exhaust manifold but hopefully this should be resolved with bringing it all down
Here is a rough cut of the mount and the current engine position
Cool project, should be hell of a laugh on B roads, ka's are excellent handling cars, with a bit of power to go with it I bet it will be a hoot to drive.
Cheers mate, im praying it will be worth it at the end!
If i get bored of the power my plan is to supercharge or turbo charge but space may be an issue. Got a turbo from an old motor that should be good for 200hp
My daily is a Volvo 850 T5 with around 300bhp and im used to that now
Cheers mate, im praying it will be worth it at the end!
If i get bored of the power my plan is to supercharge or turbo charge but space may be an issue. Got a turbo from an old motor that should be good for 200hp
My daily is a Volvo 850 T5 with around 300bhp and im used to that now
I'm sure it will be! Especially if you go down the forced induction route.
Booked a few days off work and got alot done! Manifolds are on, fuel system is done, suspension and axles are pretty much done, ordered up everything i need for the engine piping.
For anyone attempting this project its alot eaiser to use the MK1 KA powersteering and cooling reservoirs
Few pics:
KA is on the ground now for the first time in 7 months, really chuffed with how its turning out. Have had some problems though, gear linkage hits the rear gearbox now the engine is repositioned. Its not that bad, i can get all the gears but i may raise the rear of the engine a bit. Also the CV joint closest to the gearbox was hitting the exhaust manifold, couldnt work this one out as its a Sportex unit and should fit fine. For now ive spaced it away from the head using a manifold flange and i will be wrapping it so i dont burn anything!
17-04-2015, 09:15 AM
Ford KA 1.7 Zetec SE Conversion
. Lots of great projects on here
. Ive now helicoiled the stripped thread in the cam follower bolt hole, now im working on putting in and timing up the cams but very new to this so its slow going
