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2010 3.5L Duratec swap

A

Avenger

CEG'er
Joined
Oct 17, 2007
Messages
91
Location
Quebec
Alright, just got a phone call from a friend that can supply me with a 2010 3.5L Duratec engine out of an Edge. Freakin' thing has 230km, not even broken in yet ! Best thing is I can have it for dirt cheap.

I tackled a full 3.0L swap a few months ago and it went really smooth so I was wondering what I should know before making my decision on this 3.5L ? I'm pretty sure this thing has Variable Cam Timing but what about Direct injection ?

Any stuff that definitely triggers a "No go" signal ?

I'm pretty sure I can make things work as long as the damn thing fits in there and I can bolt my clutch and the MTX75 transmision to the block.

Thoughts ?
 
yup, search for every other thread about this ... not going to happen. the engine is completely different.
 
Avenger said:
Thoughts ?
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You would be the first. Nobody really knows exactly if it will clear or how it will work on our cars. So buy it take some measurements and see if you can make it work.

As far asi was told it won't work... clearance issues on the subframe...axles would be crooked etc etc.

Like brapple has said...search...there are def a few threads about this.
 
Only the Ecoboost version is direct injection so far.

The swap could be done, but once you factor in the cost of extra custom parts, labor, etc. it would probably be cheaper to just buy a new Fusion Sport w/ the 3.5L in it . . . and certainly a whole lot faster and easier.
 
Thats true....3.5L V6, 24 valves, 263 hp @ 6250 rpm
6 speed automatic transmission--------awd :drool:
 
I still think that if your going to replace your motor with anything else besides a 3 liter, a turbocharged 2.3 duratec is the way to go. It's super light and can make tons of power. It wouldn't be overly difficult to pull it off I think. Especially if you megasquirt it. Of course your check engine light would stay on, but you would have an awesome driving car.
 
Goumba said:
I still think that if your going to replace your motor with anything else besides a 3 liter, a turbocharged 2.3 duratec is the way to go. It's super light and can make tons of power. It wouldn't be overly difficult to pull it off I think. Especially if you megasquirt it. Of course your check engine light would stay on, but you would have an awesome driving car.
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A man after my own heart. 2.3L Duratec is a fantastic foundation for more power.
 
Goumba said:
I still think that if your going to replace your motor with anything else besides a 3 liter, a turbocharged 2.3 duratec is the way to go. It's super light and can make tons of power. It wouldn't be overly difficult to pull it off I think. Especially if you megasquirt it. Of course your check engine light would stay on, but you would have an awesome driving car.
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I have been thinking the same thing with but with a built zetec and Focus svt head and cobra IRS rear end :crazy: HTperformance is throwing a built d23 with a quads4rods bellhousing and a t5 in a focus. Things off the wall.
 
Sorry guys but no 4cyl engine is gonna find its way into my car. Not that they can't perform but I feel the car would lose one of its important feature...

From what I've read, the 3.5L uses multiple PCMs and those are not gonna come with the engine I'm looking at...

I'm already running coil on plugs on the 3.0L and would probably use an MSD window switch to control VCT. Granted I would lose some functionality but as long as I enjoy driving the car and it performs great at WOT, I'd be happy. Not too scared of splicing sensors either so I'm thinking about running that engine on the factory PCM / harness. I've also heard of people rewiring the AC clutch trigger to the VCT solenoid and reprogramming the PCM to activate it at the desired RPM. Good thing I have the SCT Pro Racer Package :)

You'd end up on the dyno doing pulls with and without VCT enabled and activate it when one HP curve goes above the other.

Anyway, I'll go have a look at the engine Saturday, will bring my old clutch to see if it will bolt to the crankshaft. I'd be willing to give it my best if I can bolt my flywheel and transmission to it. Will let you guys know...
 
For the record, I will say there's nothing wrong with a 500HP 4cyl engine. My best friend has one in his Cavalier and recently went 11.5X @ 124mph on low boost...

I was, however, pretty sure I said the car would lose what I feel is one of its important feature, which is a DOHC V6... If I was to build an engine for forced induction, I'd start with the 3.0L I already have in there. What I'm after is a fun and reliable N/A setup.
 
lol, the electronics are the least of your worries. the crank centerline is different from the 2.5L/3.0L and the bellhousing pattern is different as well. This means nothing will come even remotely close to fitting without significant custom fabrication work.

Again, not saying it can't be done, but its a heck of a lot of time, money, effort, and grief, for essentially no benefit other than being able to say "yup, that's a 3.5L that doesn't make any more power than a modded 3.0L would"

Heck, it might be easier to mount one in the middle of the car with its stock trans and make it a "shogun" type setup.
 
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Yeah, read about the centerline being lower. Nothing a cowl hood couldn't fix...

What's concerning me the most is in fact the transmission / axle packaging. My friend just sent me pictures of the block and there is obviously no way my bellhousing will bolt to it. I did however see a picture of an MTX75 out of an '05 Focus that looks pretty similar. Would that be the ticket to get started ?

And for the record, my stock 3.0L with factory manifold / precats and exhaust put out 192whp / 198wtq. I would pick up at least 30whp / 30wtq with a stock 3.5L. Not saying a modded 3.0L can't make 230whp but the 3.5L would do it in stock form.
 
I wouldn't want to mess around with all the fabrication needed to put a 3.5 in. I'm not saying that it's not achievable. It's just not worth the money. The best thing you said is that you would just stick with the 3 liter that you already have. The best thing that you could possibly do is learn how to use the most of the power that you already have. All you have to do is attend one autocross, and going fast in a car will change as you know it now. A whole different world of cars will start to open up to you and you'll then deluxe that you don't need much extra power at all. If anybody doesn't believe me , show up to an autocross and prove me wrong. I triple dog dare you.
 
Avenger said:
I'm already running coil on plugs on the 3.0L and would probably use an MSD window switch to control VCT. Granted I would lose some functionality but as long as I enjoy driving the car and it performs great at WOT, I'd be happy.
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If you wired it to be on/off you wouldn't you lose a lot of the functioning of the vct?...from what I can tell the frequency of the given signal is what controls the oil flow aka pressure therefore controlling the timing, which is decided by the pcm working on a rpm map I would think. Could be wrong but that is my understanding.
 
It IS progressive so yes you would lose some of its functionality but as long as it drives fine and performs great at WOT, I'd be happy. It's not like you go above 4000RPM if you're not WOT anyway so I don't think you would be bothered by the on / off action in day to day driving.

From what I've heard, it looks like transmission / axle packaging represents the biggest challenge. Our transmission won't bolt to the block without an adapter plate. Wonder if one could use the MTX75 out of a newer Focus ?
 
I highly doubt the D35 has the same bellhousing pattern as the Zetec, that pattern has only been used on 1 v6 that i know of and that was the Vulcan. all other engines it was used on were 4 cylinders.
 
With adaptor plates you will most likely need a custom flywheel so that the input shaft goes all the way into the clutch. That's not exactly easy to get on the first go at it. Think about how much money it would cost to have two custom fabricated flywheels made up. For what it would cost to get it to work, you can build a monster 3l and still have a ton of cash to burn. Yeah it would be cool and make pretty good power, but is it all worth the time, cost, and frustration of pulling it off?
 
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