If you have a Fiesta Zetec S engine, this guide will help you understand its tuning parameters, so you can work on it in your home garage with peace of mind. Zetec tuning involves some intricate know-how of Ford performance engines. Car techies have noted the Zetec’s unique turbo performance characteristics since it’s debut on the market in 1992.
Tuning For Different Engine Sizes
The 1.6-L has been the hardest size to tune, classically. This is due to the 26mm inlets, and 28mm exhaust ports, as wellas the 1.6-L struggling to get up over 100bhp, and with it being incompatible with the 1.8 or 2 liter valve heads, all of which have caused many car enthusiasts interested in modifications to the Zetec engine to question why they would work with the 1.6-L at all. The 1.8 and 2.0-L are much better suited to taking on modifications, tunings and adjustments. Of course, your best bet is the 2-liter Zetec for maximum torque and power output capabilities.
A Question Of Horsepower
How much horsepower do you want? 550+ bhp can be achieved from a standard Zetec E engine, provided you have the time, money and effort to sink into it. There are many stages in between the standard 100bhp and achieving 550+, involving various parts swaps, such as rods and pistons, block size, forced induction and such. Your Zetec engine will be virtually unrecognizable from its standard factory issue, and the drag race-ready, compression-raised motor with a compression ratio of 10:1, and ultimate rev capability at the final stage of turbo tuning.
Throughout the varying stages of Zetec upgrade, you’ll need a plethora of equipment and technical capability.
For the 120-140bhp level, you’ll be utilizing filters and exhaust equipment. For the 120-150bhp level, you’ll need to tweak the camshafts, chips, and throttle body. For 180+bhp you will need to improve the induction and exhaust flow utilizing throttle bodies, management and injectors. 200+ bhp output requires higher lift cams, uprated con rod bolts for revving up to and beyond 7,000 RPMs. The 240bhp+ level requires a steel crank and rods, uprated bolts, and greater outputs for raised torque.
Forced Induction Upgrades
Forced induction engines have differing parameters from those not using forced induction. For going beyond 240+bhp, unrestrictive exhaust systems, CGI (Carbon Graphite Impregnate) blocks, heavily modified heads, decompression plates, custom inlet system, a strong-mounted turbo damper, and tubular intake manifold are all requirements for going truly “drag ready” when doing Zetec tuning.