I know that a lot of stuff has been said about this conversion.. but today I bought a 1990 XR3i EFi with a 2.0 Zetec fitted (but semi-plumbed in) as a wee project to work away on.

I'm looking to get some information about what exactly is needed to make this car 'go' from start to finish, so I can check and tick off each thing bit by bit. ...are there any links to useful sites/threads on the subject??

Eventually, it could get bike carbs... but being a late EFi model, how easy is it to wire up and get running the Zetec the normal way just now??


Cheers,
Grant

 

its not, you need to use the full zetec engine loom, the cvh loom and ecu will just not work, i tried and not matter what it wouldnt run correct, so ended up making a loom from scratch following the haynes manual diagram

 

Think you need the cvh flywheel aswell if you havnt already.
If its semi plumbed in then i take it you have the modified mounts.
Id just use the 2.0 loom as said it just makes things easier

 

Grant

If your car still has the original EFi inlet with it, you can buy a conversion plate (search on eBay) so it bolts directly to Zetec engine, then it's all plug and play. Best way though I would say is get a full 130ps set up (ie inlet, throttle body, ecu, engine loom etc) from an RS1800 or 130 spec XR3i and I think only five wires need spliced in - loads of info on xrtwo.com about this.

Is it a grey G plate you have bought by any chance mate?

 

So you can just bolt on the efi inlet onto the zetec engine with the conversion plate and use your 3i loom still?

 

Yep - the kit I bought came with two plates, one was to bolt the inlet directly to head and other to raise the top part of inlet (EFi splits into two) so the throttle body and induction pipe clears the rocker cover - will try and find pics of when I did it, think the kit was about Ł50?

Because your using the original EFi inlet all the wiring just plugged in as if the original engine was there!

 

i did a lot of research on this and I found alot of people wern't keen on the conversion plate and said its better using the zetec engine loom as with the plate your 108bhp ecu will be running the 2.0lt zetec with a 1.6 manifold,you can replace the zetec engine plug with a zetec one and make it look factory ,theres only 5 wires to get it up and running,one thing to rember with looms is you want a non pats(immobiliser) loom

 

also non pats ecu if you dont have one yet early mk5

 

definitly non pats, i had to make an extra fuse box for ignition relay and lambda aswell, not hard to wire up, but i wanted mine to look factory hence starting from ecu you plug and doing every single wire routed the neatest way, i have a cabby comming in next week that has a zetec already in it but wiring is horrendous, so rewiring the complete bay for him to make it neater and more reliable, and as for flywheel, yes a cvh efi one is needed but holes need drilling out bigger for it to fit, unless you fit the mtx75 box then you can use the zetec flywheel and clutch

 

wont the 1800 zetec flywheel fit straight on?

 

130 bhp models use a bigger flywheel, so 105 and 115 flywheels you can use

 

Wouldnt using the coversion plate just be easier?

 

easier but IMO not the best way,its only a hanful of wires,use a 1.8 inlet with a 2.0 throttle body(might have to use focus injectors in 1.8 inlet),take it has a 1.8 sump and pickup and water pump cause im sure the 2.o spins the oppisite way,just to say i have never done this my self but have probaly read every post concering it a few yrs back will put some links up tomorrow mate if can find them,

 

if the engine is in it might already have the 1.8 inlet as it has clearence issues

 

The conversion plate is deffo easiest but as said, not best for power

The 130 spec stuff is deffo way forward in my opinion!

 

Im debating a rebuild or conversion but i don't want any complications so may just rebuild

 

I've had two 2.0 Zetecs in Escorts (albeit MK6s). One had the supposedly super-duper 130PS inlet on it, and one had the plastic 115PS Escort inlet. Could I feel any difference what-so-ever? Could I heck. I think all this talk about the 130PS manifold being amazing is a myth to be honest. It only has any real advantage when turbocharging, as it can take boost better.

But, the chances are, it has an inlet already, so it probably doesn't matter. I'd definitely fit the Zetec ECU. Why anyone would bodge it with adaptor plates and the wrong ECU is beyond me really.

 

Thanks for all the information guys.. really appreciated!! I think that I will probably go for the full conversion (loom, inlet, ecu, etc..) and do it correctly to start with.

Yeah it is mate, do you know the car?? PM if it's bad news Rossatron...


Cheers,
Grant

 

I thought you could use any 1600-1800 zetec flywheel, along as it fits the ib5 box it'll fit the bc box.
So anything out of a escort, Orion or fiesta will be fine, can even use a cvh efi flywheel.
Full zetec conversion is easy. Great conversion for the money.

 

its not the inlet that is the difference, its cams and ecu, air flow meter, throttle body to get the 130

 

That's kind of my point really. I think if you had a 1.8 engine with the 130PS bits on and ran it with the cast HO manifold and then with the plastic 115PS one, I can't see the results being that different. It's all hype IMO.