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I'm not looking to build a high powered one. Just want a decent one with maybe a few modifications. If I wanted something quicker I wouldn't be looking at them would I?
I've just got back with mine from the ring and have now got a bug for the whole track thing, mine is totally standard while budget tyres and pads and i thought the car did well! did the ring in 11:03 which i was told not bad for a first timer
It's alright, It would benefit greatly from a better driver
Mines far from standard though.
Originally Posted by It's Czech Mate
Despite what some clueless idiots stuck in the 80's with old fashoned iron blocked boat anchors under their bonnets the Mk5 Z-s is a fun little car
Can be made to handle and stop very well, it after all a PUMA with a uniqely stiffened fiesta shell ( these are renowned for handling with journo's and even EVO magazine quoted about the MK5 ZS, "more fun than you'd ever believe, but nobody will ever believe you" ) with a couple of cheap mods and the engine can be given a 50% increase in power for around Ł1000 give or take depending on how you source parts
Engines are a great base to tune as they are at such a low state of tune to begin with despite being capable of so much more, (rather like a cossie only coming with 204 bhp, hardly shit)
The heads and valves are good for nearly 200bhp as standard and the standard inlet will see 150bhp
Some of the earlier engines are said to fail prematurely but IME its down to ignoring service shedules and not checking the oil regularly enough
A Short Block crate engine ( alloy block, nice and light and modern ) is about Ł400 from Ford so not really expensive if you do make it go bang, obviousdly thats just the bottom end
Tuning wise a zaust and manifold will see it up to 120 bhp, actually timing the exhaust cam for power not emmisions will see a 10 bhp gain on a standard car.
Pulleys are keyless from the factory so no need to spend out on vernier calipers
the correct cams combined with the above and a remap of the standard ecu ( MSD can do this ) will see around 150bhp depending on the rest of the spec
To go further rod bolts and a look at valve springs will help when you add throttlebodies, standalone ECU and more agressive cams. 200bhp can be seen comfortably with a bit of thought
About 230 bhp would be the limit for a 'race' style engine but I think a 50% increase in power for circa Ł1k shows it comes in a very low state of tune to begin with, unlike other engines which are in a higher state of tune as standard and therefore cost a lot more to tune further ( not sure why some retards dont understand this )
They also make very good torque with a nice flat torque curve as standard and this remains on the 150bhp ones i've seen with the 'right' cams
ShawSpeed has built quite a few engines now that has created really good power. I'm running one of his race spec engines. Its going down to Track 'n' Road soon for a proper map.
For a 1.6 I don't think its bad power, but getting power out of any engine isn't excatly cheap.
Understand what exactly? That they are poor engines that need lots of money spent on them to get them producing respectable power? (even at 150bhp your 20bhp down on my bog standard iron block 4age)
Right so in the world of n\a tuning name me another engine you can get a 50% increase in power for about a grand
Yes it is 20bhp down but why cant you get it into your thick head that the engine you are on about comes in a higher state of tune as standard. What is so difficult to understand? ( also the basic architecture of that range was copied from the ford bda lol)
There's no special magic, toyota dont know anyhting ford dont and vice versa, its just what they chose to put out in a particular state of tune. If you cant understand 'states of tune' then give up posting shite as every time you post on the subject, never adding any useful information I might add ) you just end up looking like a tool only posting to run things down.
All I'll say about the sigma is it's alloy blocked, cheap to produce as its mostly keyless and capable of 230bhp+ in high tune ( similar to yours in its top tune, which would cost just as much if not more ). Hence being adopted by lots of kit car manufacturers as a replacement for the k series
I understand it's a lower state of tune. What I don't understand is how you class it as a good engine when it needs thousands spent on tuning to bring it inline with the state of tune other manufacturers offer as standard? On that basis, it's poor.
Right so in the world of n\a tuning name me another engine you can get a 50% increase in power for about a grand
How exactly is this achieved mate? As i said the kid at work has spent a grand an a half and is at about 148bhp on last dyno! Would be interesting to find out the spec. His off the top of my head is manifold, full exhaust slight porting panel filter and been set up.
Maybe Ford don't feel the need to design a better engine if people are willing to buy their cars anyway? And they are supported by lots of companys as it's a popular engine, so pleny of potential customers.
Maybe Ford don't feel the need to design a better engine if people are willing to buy their cars anyway? And they are supported by lots of companys as it's a popular engine, so pleny of potential customers.
So you think the fiesta boys are willing to spend 15-20k with the likes of those companies for their engines?
Think this thread has gone way off track ! The lad just wanted to know if the standard cars are nice to drive as from what I can see he is after a cheap fun car. Don't think he's arsed whether a Toyota engine is better than a zetec tbh
Hey, I've got a mk5 fiesta zetec s running on 421 manifold de cat straight through exhaust system, I've just bought piper fast road cams and I'm wondering what else I can do to get gains?.. Thanks in advance !
Rod bolts and remap, could do with rev limit raised then, not sure if this can be done without going aftermarket Ecu. The pipers probably ain't the best cams but not knowing the grind I may be guessing
I had a 02 plate one when it was a few years old. All my mates had saxos and to compare them was like night and day. The fiesta drove so smooth, actually braked and handled well.
I had it lowered, k&n, mid box removed and a 4" universal back box. It would piss a vtr but a vts or a 106 gti would leave it in a straight line. Race one of those through the corners and it was a pretty even race the fiesta gave you so much more confidence in the corners you could push it harder than my mates would they're saxos.
I did have a 4-2-1 manifold and decat but never fitted it so can't comment how much difference that'd make.
They go for absolute peanuts now, my brother in law keeps having them, you can pick them up for Ł100-200 with bottom end damage and then get a ropey puma and stick the 1.7 in they're good fun. They might not be the fastest 1.6 out there but they do drive nice and look smart. I'd have another to hoon about in
Last edited by kyle_st200; May 4, 2015 at 03:25 PM.
instead of spending 300odd on cams, why not puma it.. ? engines cost 150 quid and are pretty much 'bolt-in' ... 120bhp aswell standard, been out in a puma'd mk4. it was rapid in comparison to my standard zs.
instead of spending 300odd on cams, why not puma it.. ? engines cost 150 quid and are pretty much 'bolt-in' ... 120bhp aswell standard, been out in a puma'd mk4. it was rapid in comparison to my standard zs.
Back when this thread was posted it was cheaper to cam it etc, poomas are now very cheap. The same tuning applies to them too.
Can someone explain how to do the exhaust cam tinker for power rather than emissions I race one of these and would love an extra power gain ?? Many thanks nick
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