My idea of budget is around a grand. That’s running and tuned. If you have seen some of what I do, my party trick is wiring up ecu’s. I can and have done all sorts but I’ve never found the time to learn how to map them, so take an Oem ecu and match the spec of the engine to the tune.

The focus Rs is a turbo Zetec running around 215~220 bhp. The engine has some nice bits giving it head room for more power. I’ve talked to a few mappers and most tell me a well mapped no det and no huge boost spikes 2.0 Zetec will hold 250. So a set of valve springs to make sure there is no float and a set of Arp rod bolts, the weak link on any tuned Zetec and you have one cheap as chips modest turbo Zetec.

A stand alone mappable ecu like an omex 600 starts at £650 bare. Megasqurt isn’t much cheaper these days. Add a loom, a couple of mapping sessions transport and a couple of days of work and that will look more like two grand.

How it breaks down.


2.0 Blacktop Zetec £100
ST170 valve springs £50
Arp rod bolts £50
Rs ecu £150
Rs inlet complete £150
Impreza Td04 (best I could find) £150
Exhaust manifold and Td04 flange £100
Turbo oil feed and fittings £30
Turbo return and fittings inc sump £30
Rs turbo coolant sandwich plate and pipe work and fittings £50
ST170 engine, gear box, injector wiring looms £50
Sensors £90

I could do it for a bit less or more depending on sourcing of parts. The Rs parts are just bolt on. Drill and tap a return in the sump and weld a new flange on the exhaust manifold.
Cut the st loom up and rebuild it to Rs spec.

I can do the st220 for a lot less.