Thinking of a nice conversion for my mk4 escort
Nt the usual rs turbo lump, any suggestions I will be getting
A donor car once I've decided, any help???

 

really depends wat you want from the car imo i.e wat sort of power figures etc, possibilitys endless as they say.

 

I want a easy conversion, but with potential like
Turbo opportunities after conversion complete,
Also of people saying a 1.8 gti lump would be
Ideal???

 

easiest would probably the rst cvh lump, im in the process of building one myself but one with a twist. im like you with not wanting the same old as everyone else lol. the gtis a good engine but turbo charging it could be tricky. as your title what about the rs2000 lump??

 

Cvh and zvh still bit boaring??!! I'm in process of fitting
Power steering rack and just want a nice smith nippy Lump to go with,

 

lool ye but mine will hopefully be special xD. oh ryt what rack n bits you using?? go for the gti or 2000 lump. only ever heard good stuff bout the 2000s

 

Just make sure you get a mk5 RS2000 engine loom and ECU, to avoid any P.A.T.S problems

 

P.a.t.s problem??????????

 

The later RS2000s have PATS -Passive Anti Theft System, which is a bit more difficult to get around, so it's just easier to use the engine loom and ECU from a 1991/2 RS2000 which doesn't have it.

I think it's a good conversion for the MK3/4 Escort. Engines are cheap enough, 150bhp out of the box, and plenty of tuning potential, despite what people say. A couple of slight tweaks can get you a useable increase.

As far as I know (and this isn't gospel by any means), you have to modify the offside engine mount, and you can then use a normal MK4 gearbox and flywheel set up quite easily. Fit the RS Turbo box to get a limited slip diff. Use the MK5 loom and ECU, injection tank and lines. You'll need to sort alternator, but if you're converting to PAS, you may be able to use all the RS2000 stuff in standard layout.

There's more knowledge around about the Zetec conversion, but the RS2000 lump is very underrated, and 170bhp isn't particularly difficult to achieve. Even the standard engine should make a lightweight MK3/4 Escort move pretty well I should think!

 

I had one in a escort van 164.4 on the rollers only egr removed. Very god engine went like f**k!

I have a mk4 now and want to do this conversion aswell so will be keeping an eye on this thread!

 

Well I have a mk4 combi van, it doesn't have engine or loom
But has rd LSD gear box in, I'm guessing the wiring will be
The worst part!!? And guessing the engine mounts will have to be
Made unless u can source some.

 

Engine mount can be modified I believe, but I'm not sure what needs to be done!

 

My mate bought one a while back with the conversion done....






He didnt keep it long though.

 

What a squeeze lol looks really mint tho, well still
Really would like a 1.8 gti lump then turbo it!
There's more things u can do with a turbo and of what I've Hurd
( nt of anyone that's dne it tho lol) it fits straight in??

 

Far easier and less agro to just put the 2litre in from a Mondeo.Can add throttle bodies or bike carbs to give good results. Turbo a 2 litre and the only limitting factor is your wallet

The Escort GTi lump is pants and woefully underpowered with 115bhp, I think we skipped the one that came out of my brothers missus car when we did a ST170 conversion on it

 

I seen that rs2k rs turbo on ebay i think. Gti isnt good standard

 

To be honest, an st170 lump would be much better, and seriously cool

 

St170. Id say to expensive, complicated

Rs2k with a galaxy 2.3 bottom end could be done at half the price!

Thats what im going to be doing next year anyway!

 

Is the Zetec much easier? Still needs the mount messing with. The RS lump mates up to gearboxes fine, so not harder from that point of view.

If I was fitting a boggo standard engine, or a lightly modified one, it would be RS2000 over Zetec any day of the week. More power to start with, and 175bhp isn't hard at all. If I was going turbo, I'd go Zetec, as there's so much knowledge about, but for aspirated, there is little between the I4 and Zetec. People are just scared of the I4 for some reason.

 

What's the idea behind that then? Think I've heard of it but never known anyone that's done it. What gains etc?

Ben.

 

Not scared of it. It's simply not as readily available as the Zetec, more expensive, heavier, not as easy to tune, more costly to tune.

I can't think of a single reason to go I4 over Zetec after it being a bit different.

 

I disagree. Less common second hand, yes, but not necessarily expensive.

You get more power and torque out of the box, and even simple mods (chip, filter, APS removed etc) have seen them over 160bhp.

Can't see there being much difference in cams/headwork prices. There's off the shelf throttle body conversion widely available for the Zetec, but I don't think you'd have to pay drastically more on the I4.

I think a lot of the cost differences are a bit exaggerated really.

 

Throttle bodies on a zetec would cost you around 2k to buy and fit and then you'd see about 160bhp ish. Id go down the rs2k or zetec turbo route!

 

As do I disagree with your stance. The engine is trickier to fit as the engine needs to be installed on a slant to give clearance at the timing chain end of the engine with the bonnet.

And there is no getting round the weight of the I4 over the Zetec which does nothing for the handling not to mention deaden the 20bhp gain and the extra torque.

Only place I would have it is in the bay of an RS2000, everywhere else in my experience the Zetec stands head and shoulders over it as an engine swap option.

Anyway these days I wouldn't do either and would simply opt for teh ST170 motor and in fact have done on the last 2 conversions I've been involved in.

 

I4 is deffo a bit harder to fit to a mk4 than a Zetec, i've done both. Plus if you kill a Zetec its far far easier and cheaper to source a replacement engine.

I would suggest a 2.0 silvertop Zetec with 130 spec management and a decent exhaust and 4 branch - I had this before my ST170 lump and it was a brilliant conversion - totally reliable, very quick, great on fuel and sounded ace too. Could prob do it for under Ł500 if you tried too!

 

So if I go for a 2l zetec out of a mondeo that
Seems to be the best bet?? Is it better using the rs
LSD box or the mondeo box??

 

The RS Turbo BC box is a direct fit and has an LSD. Mondeo box MTX75 is tougher but a complete cunts to fit.

 

I'm guessing the ecu and loom both needed to?? Mine currently has no engine
Or loom but had LSD gear box still in. Is the loom hard to get your
Head around and where is the best place to start??

 

I've got a black top 2.0 zetec in mine running fiesta rs1800 management and it goes very well for what it is.

What's the advantages of the ST170 duratec lump over the 2.0 zetec?

Also, what management will be needed for the ST170 engine?

 

When you fit the st170 lump do you have to go after Market management ?

 

Ian he didnt buy it from a lad in darlington did he.I know a lad called john who had a black s2 and he put one of these engines in and he did the body work on it too.Im sure it got a full respray too.

 

Can anyone tell me what advantages the ST170 lump has over the blacktop 2.0 zetec and how easy/hard is it to convert?

 

Well if u go onto st170 owners club there's
A full spec, I'm sure it's basically a 130ps engine
That they've tuned up 2 170 using vvt,cams, new inlet
Stainless exhaust ect but I'm no expert on it lol