About that engine...
Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 11:04 am
Following on from this thread, in which a Plus 2 S130 is offered for sale without engine as a candidate for a Zetec conversion:
lotuselan-for-sale-f2/elan-plus-s130-for-sale-t41145.html
..I thought we could talk about the merits or otherwise of swapping out a Twink for a Zetec. Probably, this has been done before, but what the heck.
My first thought is about the soaring value of the Twink engine. Whenever I see engines or parts (notably, cylinder heads) for sale, they seem to be asking for astronomical figures. So I wondered if, given a healthy Twink and gearbox, it might be cost effective to swap it out for a Zetec unit. Sacrilege, perhaps, but the Twink does you no favours compared to a modern engine, being leaky, relatively thirsty and (due to its age) prone to failure. As for emissions, well... let's not go there, eh?
I wonder what a Zetec equipped Plus 2 is really like to drive. I like the idea of it being reliable and giving the owner the confidence to take it on long trips. I'm not really a fan of the Twink sound in particular (it is just like any other 4 potter to me) and would like a quiet cabin at all times, especially at speed. Must be getting old! I'm also interested in boring stuff like fuel economy (again, for long trips).
Imagine if you did this: parted out the engine, box and its ancillaries and sold it all on a well known auction site. Would it cover the cost of a Zetec conversion? Let's assume the Zetec is coming from a donor car like a 1.7l Puma. These engines have a special low friction liner in the bores and are very rev happy (I used to own one). You can pick one up for very little money and this would give you the basics; engine, ECU, loom, intake, etc.
What else is needed, and at what cost?
lotuselan-for-sale-f2/elan-plus-s130-for-sale-t41145.html
..I thought we could talk about the merits or otherwise of swapping out a Twink for a Zetec. Probably, this has been done before, but what the heck.
My first thought is about the soaring value of the Twink engine. Whenever I see engines or parts (notably, cylinder heads) for sale, they seem to be asking for astronomical figures. So I wondered if, given a healthy Twink and gearbox, it might be cost effective to swap it out for a Zetec unit. Sacrilege, perhaps, but the Twink does you no favours compared to a modern engine, being leaky, relatively thirsty and (due to its age) prone to failure. As for emissions, well... let's not go there, eh?
I wonder what a Zetec equipped Plus 2 is really like to drive. I like the idea of it being reliable and giving the owner the confidence to take it on long trips. I'm not really a fan of the Twink sound in particular (it is just like any other 4 potter to me) and would like a quiet cabin at all times, especially at speed. Must be getting old! I'm also interested in boring stuff like fuel economy (again, for long trips).
Imagine if you did this: parted out the engine, box and its ancillaries and sold it all on a well known auction site. Would it cover the cost of a Zetec conversion? Let's assume the Zetec is coming from a donor car like a 1.7l Puma. These engines have a special low friction liner in the bores and are very rev happy (I used to own one). You can pick one up for very little money and this would give you the basics; engine, ECU, loom, intake, etc.
What else is needed, and at what cost?