Rsturbo james

hi guys thinking about going down the zvh conversion with c20 let pistons

whats involved

cheers

Maxwaxy

might as well go for 2.0 zetec if your using c20 let pistons

Rsturbo james

what full zetec

rsmark86

iTrader: (3)

its not c20let pistons in the zvh

its 86p c20xe pistons, c20let pistons are for zetec turbo route which i would do everytime over a zvh as its a cheaper option unless your staying mfi, and then its pointless because the mfi system will limit you to a max of 220bhp which a cvh can manage with ease

RS 5tu

iTrader: (2)

tbh by the time you have have had the required work to take the bigger pistons you could build a 2.0 ZT
Also as above, you want XE pistons for a ZVH ( the forged ones with "86P" stamped IIRC) LET pistons will give a too low CR.

EoinXR3

Can I just ask so I don't start a repetitive thread...

I was going zetec turbo but was going to buy a complete set up...


.. Calibra turbo pistons, bored out to 2.1, arp rod bolts, area six valve springs, focus Rs valves ang cams,rover turbo inlet cut and fiesta turbo throttle body, 440c injectors, adaptor plates, t34 hybrid turbo, KMS Management,

Does this sound like a wise buy? What would it be worth

rsmark86

iTrader: (3)

ditch the adaptor plate on the exhaust manifold and drill and tap the head, much better way as people have melted the plates.

dont run too much boost as the standard rods are limited to around 260/270bhp same sort of spec as mine and seems fine

otherwise if you can see it running then get it

rsmark86

iTrader: (3)

and worth around £1500-£1700, if it was fitted with steel rods then i would say 2k

CrOwSoN15

As said above, rods will be your weak point.

Get some decent rods or go for an ST170 bottom end with a thick headgasket, I think it's from a FRS, I've read on here it's good for 350bhp. It'll be the route I'll go for but only stage 3 T3 for response.

Also I doubt you'll get the valve springs, A6 aren't in business at the moment as far as I'm aware.

And as for the OP, go full ZT, you're using the worst parts from each engine on a ZVH.

rsmark86

iTrader: (3)

im roughly the same
silver top 2.0
devil develoments valve springs
frs gaskets
c20let pocket pistons
stage 3 t3 with external gate and screamer pipe
blacktop inlet with frst pressure reg (just need to sort injectors)
grs cooler
airtec stage2 rad
gotech pro ecu and braided loom

and im speaking to a guy who has done a few friends steels rods for a good deal on steel rods with arps and glyco bearings all in with the pins machinced for my pistons ready to go £300ish

then looking to run 1.8ish bar boost, i did have a t34.48 but wanted more response

all in a fiesta turbo

Rsturbo james

Thanks guys... my spec I was hoping for was

2 litre zetec c20 let pistons
Stage 2 fiesta efi head
T3
Ofam ecu management

Karlos G

iTrader: (4)

Ditch the ZVH idea and do this if you happy with up to 350bhp...
https://passionford.com/forum/ford-e...onversion.html

ZVH is a terrible engine unless you spend massive money and that would be a waste.

studabear

Melted adapter plates wtf

What would cause this? bad mapping?

Karlos G

iTrader: (4)

Yeah high EGT's I guess, or very very poor quality metal?!

Turbo Zetec

iTrader: (1)

Last time i checked, the 1.8mm gasket was on back order there are alternative gaskets available though.

studabear

I got sick of waiting and that was over 6 months ago, I used a cometic 1.5mm head gasket, with a brand new head so should be somewhere near the same as a 1.8mm gasket and used and skimmed head.

Turbo Zetec

iTrader: (1)

Cometic are good but pricey, the st170 gasket is the next thickest standard item at 1mm, but not everyone actually sells the 1mm version. payen only list a 0.6mm gasket, even for the st! I have heard that there may be some 1.8mm ones available soon, but i won't disclose where for fear of getting banned

rsmark86

iTrader: (3)

keep everything but replace the cvh head with a zetec, which you can pick up for £40 and spend £150 on some daddy valve springs

if t3, weather it be zvh or zetec it needs to be a .48 rear housing or you wont make more than 10psi

from what you will save not buying zvh conversion parts you will be able to buy the zetec turbo bits.

black top zetec inlet £35
efi pressure reg (you already have with the ofam/ofab?)
drill and tap the head for your exhaust manifold (free) and use all your exhaust including manifold and turbo
to fit bottom end is the same as a zetec
on ebay there is a kit to bolt your thermostat to the zetec head for £25

so in theory its cheaper to build a zetec than a zvh if your planning on ofam too

quick tips,
with silvertop's things like valve springs are £100 cheaper because use dont need new retainers (devil developments) so i would use the silver top with the c20let pistons, and frs gaskets and spark plugs are perfect

rouse motorsport do a bottom hose off the shelf to fit your cooling system and the zetec water pump, dont get the kit as you would need to use the zetec thermostat housing and its better to use the cvh one with the £25 adaptor plate

if you have ofab/ofac already get the car to at least start before changing the ecu to ofam before spending money

rsmark86

iTrader: (3)

yep, they were running ofab with zetec chip, and everything on ebay these days is shit.

dubbs44 redrilled and tapped his head in 1 hour to match mine and was free and works great, why spend on adaptor plates and push turbos closer to the rad?

as i said the only adaptor plate i will use is the one on ebay for the thermostat because it works great

QplateRST!

I wouldn't bother drilling the head out for a manifold when I did my first zetec conversion I bought a zetec flange on eBay cut my flange off my standard manifold and had it welded never once cracked or blew

As for zetec rods I've never heard of anybody bending one ? I might be wrong but at 300hp I think standard rods will be fine my old setup used to peak 26psi on standard rods

Rsturbo james

Thanks for all the information guys so can I use the standard rods with c20 let pistons..

And use a blacktop block with a silvertop 2 litre head

And a t34 turbo

rsmark86

iTrader: (3)

It's a lot of work to mix the black top block and silver top head, if you have a black top bottom end already then just source a black top head

Yes the zetec rods can be used with the c20let pistons but needs some machining to except the pins

Same spec as I have

rsmark86

iTrader: (3)

Did you run arp rod bolts for this?

Rsturbo james

nice 1 thanks mark

rsmark86

iTrader: (3)

No worries, the drivability with the zetec is so much better than a cvh

Mine at 10psi and a stage 1 t3 on ofab wipes the floor with a cvh with steel internals and Newman cam, ported head and stage3 t3 at 16psi
Mine totally left it for dead as it did to a Audi s3

QplateRST!

Unless you have a set of c20let pistons or are getting some second hand I wouldn't bother using the there are that many other sets around at cheap prices there's no need to mess around with vauxhall pistons anymore and if your going 16v turbo it's better to use c20xe pistons otherwise to run c20lets you have to deck the block

Mark I did run arp bolts with my old 16v spec

rsmark86

iTrader: (3)

How much do you have to deck the block, do the pistons have to come to the top of the bores?

Mine seems to have a gap between the piston at tdc and the top of the block

QplateRST!

Of the top of my head I can remember how much my block was decked my pistons were very very close to Beeing level with the deck of the block but my head was a virgin Un skimmed head

Rsturbo james

what other pistons are there out there

rsmark86

iTrader: (3)

[QUOTE=QplateRST!;6276229]Of the top of my head I can remember how much my block was decked my pistons were very very close to Beeing level with the deck of the block but my head was a virgin Un skimmed head[/QUOTE

Stuff it before I put my head back on I'm going to get it cc'd and checked to see what compression I have, my mate Wayne at wpe will sort me out with it
But while its out its stupid if I don't put steel rods in

rsmark86

iTrader: (3)

Je pistons and eagle rods from the states £600

Focus rs pistons and rods, aslong as your block in new/ish

St170 bottom end and black top head with 1.8mm frs gasket

Steel rods on ebay for £255.00 and I've seen woszners as cheap as £450 for the set

little bram

As for someone who has a zvh I wouldn't say it is any harder or cost more to build a zvh and as for using the two worse parts for the engines sounds abit funny to me also because a zetec bottom end can do more power and torque than a cvh can with steel rods or with out and the head isn't as bad as people say also because the plugs don't blow out when running a lot of boost and you don't have to mess on with adapter plates or rover manifolds everything will bolt on.
If you want to build a zvh and have Vauxhall pistons get them put in like you would with a full zetec then drill 6 holes in the side of the block for water pump and tensioner buy a head gaskit and then bolt it all in.
Zetecs are good but zvh isn't bad also.

rsmark86

iTrader: (3)

they aint bad but for someone aiming to fit aftermarket management might as well go zetec as they are no harder to do

the zvh would be a good route if staying mfi as it as you say only requires the water pump mods and new tensioner and sitech headgasket.

little bram

Yeah but why mess on with adapter plates and manifolds and buy valve springs when all he wants is about 270bhp. To me if he wanted more than that he would buy steel rods and pistons. Just my input tho.