Engine to go with my Turbocharger

[cbman]

I will be rebuilding a used engine to put in my now Turbocharged Cougar (There are pics and a dyno sheet on the thread "Turbo questions for my 99 Cougar"). I'm planning on getting 8:1 - 8.5:1 Pistons so I can run more boost, Eagle Rods, a better clutch, and probablly some porting work.
I see there are 8.2:1 Pistons with Rings on Focus-Central for $259, but it doesn't say if that's for a set or for just one piston.

Does anyone have any suggestions for clutches?

Or any suggestions on porting heads and intake manifold?
BTW, what is our intake manifold made of?

[crazyoldcougar]

i think mine is aluminum...but then again my valve covers look aluminum too...

and i have been told that it is a type of plastic...i really want to pull my covers off and refinish them...but i like your idea better...rebuild it all...

i thought i read somewhere else that a thicker/ maybe it was thinner/ custom head gasket would also lower your compression...

[james99]

for the transmission, i would talk to terry haines at hms motorsports. he can build a mtx-75 that can handle anything you throw at it and probably alot more.

[cougarprophet]

i thought i read somewhere else that a thicker/ maybe it was thinner/ custom head gasket would also lower your compression...

its on here but i dont remember where...im sure though that if u make the gasket thicker..it'll lower the compresion

[Seawulf]

For transmissions, just adding a LSD is good for most you'll want. Unless you want to do a lot of road racing or drag strips, you don't need more than that.

A thicker gasket is not considered the best way to lower compression or even recommended on the Focus forums and I wouldn't do it either. The main reason you want stronger rods is they stand detonation better and if you throw a rod the engine is toast.

The stock intake is plastic. It can be ported a little and you'd get a bit better flow. It's good to 12-15psi and up to 300whp. Porting the head is a bit trickier because I hear the coolant channels are close to the surfaces and if you port too much you'll ruin the head. You could get a scrap head from a junkyard and practice on it.

[cbman]

With 100K miles on the Clutch I think it would be a good idea to get a new one, and I might as well get something a little stronger. The Centerforce2 Clutch for the Focus is like $218 and the Centerforce2 for the Cougar/Contour is over $500. I wonder what the difference is.

Seawulf,
Do you know if the 12-15psi numbers are for the early '99 intake that is on my car. I wonder if there is anything that can be done to strengthen it. The weak points are probablly at the welded plastic seams. It would take a long time, but I could probablly wrap the intake with a spool of some type fabric and then coat it with some resin.

What a dilemma. The FR Intake doesn't just bolt on. So, I would have get the FR Head, but then I would want an LSD for that much power.
I would be looking at like $2,000.

[DROPdatSCORT]

Spec Clutches are very Nice as well

id chose a spec over a CF

and im currently running the stage 3 "plus"

[Seawulf]

I don't think there's much of a difference between a 99' intake or 00', it's the 01'+ that aren't as good.

My 00' intake did 256whp and 276wtq and so did my stock clutch without slip. That was with mild boost and nitrous so with 12-15psi I don't know how it will hold up, but TurboTom did 300whp at 18psi with the stock intake for over 3k mi before building up the engine.

The main thing I'd worry about wrapping the intake is it might trap heat inside the intake and part of the reason the intake is plastic is so it doesn't absorb heat as easily as a metal intake.

[cbman]

Well, I now have an engine that came out of a 99 contour, and I'm at the point where I need to decide what pistons to get and what compression ratio to go with. I'm going with low compression for my turbocharged application.

I know there's JE, probe (focus-central), diamond. Anyone have any recommendations?

As far as compression I'm thinking of going with 8.5:1. So, I wonder if I would have detonation issues around 15 or 16 psi of boost. If so I'll probablly go with lower 8.0:1 compression.

I'll see what information I can find from focaljet.

[james99]

wow, its good to see someone thats going all out on a busted zetec cougar. i was going to go that direction but things came up and pretty much stopped me. good luck and im sure someone will be along soon to give you a good answer for your questions.

james

[Hardrive]

8.5:1 will be fine. Just use a step colder plugs and rely on a well decent tune.

[peanuts_parts]

u can port ur intake manifold with a danmel tool, it make of plastic... Get a 65mm FC TB too, that will help..

[cbman]

I though I would take this time to give an update on my car.
Here's a pic of my recently purchased Eagle Rods, Wiseco 8.5:1 Pistons, Rings, and ARP Main Studs. The Block and Head are already at the machine shop and I'll be bringing in this stuff tomorrow.

[cbman]

Also, the place I bought the stuff off of is raceeng.com. I actually found them when I was searching for pistons on google. They gave me a discount since I purchased a bunch of stuff at once. I also got ARP Head Studs and a Cometic head gasket from them.

[james99]

how much boost you plan on running when you get everything together and running? once again, im glad to see someone making a very respectfully powered zetec cougar.

[crazyoldcougar]

i dont mean to sound rude or anything but what did the rods and pistons set you back? ballpark idea...

i see the eagle rods on ebay all the time but the guys there swear they wont fit in the cougar..
i have seen the head studs and pistons there too...

i am very curious to see the numbers you put out...with more research on my behalf, this is pretty much the same route i was heading..

[Hardrive]

They'll fit. I have h-beams in my spare block in the garage. They set me back about $425. I've had them for a while so, you could get them cheaper.

[cbman]

The the bore and strock and rod length are the same as the Focus, but some earlier zetecs had a different rod length. However, I don't think the eagle h-beam rods are the same length as stock, so the pistons have to make up for that with a different wrist pin location.
I think the rods were about $320.

[cbman]

I spent like $950 (not including head gasket) total since they gave me a discount cause I purchased it all at once. Call or email the place.

[crazyoldcougar]

nice not too bad then...think you will get it all done under 2 G's? cause that is all i planed on putting into this thing..if i do go through with the plans..not including the tranny and dyno time of course..

[cbman]

It will be over 2G's because the work is being done on a used engine i got for $400 and I'm getting some head work done also.

[cbman]

Here are some pics to show what I've been up to lately.
Should be pulling the old engine and transmission Wednesday.

[J-Man]

it's nice to see someone putting effort into the zetec. what power levels are you shooting for?

looks great man :thumbsup:

[cbman]

First, I'm going to take it easy and break the engine in.
Then, I will see what I can get out of my current turbocharger.

Eventually, I would like to exceed 300 fwhp.

[Afterhours]

That would be awesome!

Good luck with the project........and keep on taking lots of pictures...:)

[cbman]

Afterhours, I actually copied some parts of your turbo setup, like the wastegate location. So, you can take some credit for me being turbocharged, and Seawulf can too.

[cbman]

It's Alive!

My built motor is finally running. I can't wait to break it and the clutch in, and then I'll see what kind of numbers I can get.

http://www.newcougar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=25736&d=1154586450

[Seawulf]

Nice. :thumbsup: