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Zetec vs. Duratec

Focus SVT Zetec with a properly done turbo can put out both great hp and TQ. New Cams/gears, rods, intake manifold, LC pistons, Lightning injectors, MSD coil/wires, colder plugs and a big front mount and you're looking at very decent numbers for a fairly reasonable price.

Hell a powerworks SC alone will put you well over the 220hp mark with no other work done on the regular Focus Zetec, add a few small things and you'll push 250hp

Unfortunately that Zetec and the one you get in a Contour are not identical, alot of small changes took place meaning alot of the parts don't bolt up properly. I've seen a couple JRSC Zetec Contours, but not much over that. The Contour never got the never ending aftermarket the Focus did.

Personally, assuming it's in good shape, I'd take a duratec over the Zetec in the Contour. My Focus has a bit done to it, including the exhaust and intake, and I have to say, despite being a bit faster than my old Duratec MTX Tour, it sounds like ass in comparisson. Duratecs are heavenly with nothing more than an intake, add the exhaust and its golden.
 
Honkeytonk Monkey said:
Personally, assuming it's in good shape, I'd take a duratec over the Zetec in the Contour. My Focus has a bit done to it, including the exhaust and intake, and I have to say, despite being a bit faster than my old Duratec MTX Tour, it sounds like ass in comparisson. Duratecs are heavenly with nothing more than an intake, add the exhaust and its golden.
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A man after my own heart. (Although I take offense to the 'gay purple' comment in your sig :laugh: )
 
PurpleMystique said:
They have their place, and that place is generally not modification. If you want to modify your Zetec, first off make sure it's not an ATX (I will personally come and kick you in the nuts if you think modding an ATX Contour is worthwhile, unless you have circumstances that would prevent you from driving a manual, I understand). And secondly don't try and convince yourself that the Zetec is somehow secretly a superior platform. Admit that it's inferior, but you're modding it because of either a desire to be unique or current circumstances.
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Come over here and kick me.:nonono:

The Zetec isn't the inferior car....it is cheaper. So everyone getting into Zetecs didn't have to money to waste on a SVT which means less money to mod with.

My Zetec ATX lasted longer than most Duratecs. If you don't believe me, go look how many Duratecs needed to be replaced (which started the whole 3L swap). :rolleyes: Ideally I would have chosen a ZETEC MTX but I worked with what I had. But I still would have gotten a Zetec.

For about $5k will get you 200/200 on a Duratec.....I only spent $3k for my small supercharger setup on low boost putting out 160 at the wheels with the ATX sucking out more power. With another $2k wonder what would have happened?:troutslap:

But like Button said it is a matter of opinion.:shrug:
 
striker2 said:
Hence my original statment
For about the same amount of money you can have about the same amount of power out of either one. however it takes quite a bit of knowledge, skills and tools to be able to do so to the zetec. if you have that knowledge (the average CEGer does not) then you can spend about 4-5k (including initial purchase) on a MTX zetec and make it have at least 170hp easily(standard duratech) and over 200hp with FI. Plus with the zetec you dont have the issues that you do with the duratech (i.e. water pump, IMRC, moosing, throttle hang, etc.) since most of CEG doesnt have the knowledge to do that they choose the duratech.

so if the question is which one should you buy and you have the knowledge and tools to do so then i say go with the zetec. if you dont have the knowledge and just want more power now then go with the duratech.
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Well, my 95 doesn't have the mechanical IMRC so it never had that problem. The water pump, I believe, didn't explode like the death star for that year. No moosing or throttle hang either. And isn't it cool to say that our engines were designed by Porsche instead of Ford?
 
Loco4G63 said:
The Zetec isn't the inferior car....

But like Button said it is a matter of opinion.:shrug:
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So is that your opinion? Every situation is different. Different people get different deals on different parts, making individual examples not very helpful. I *could* happen to find an SVT with a blown engine at a junkyard for $1000 and I *could* rip a 3.0 out of a rolled '01 Sable for like $300, giving me 200/200 for $1300 at the simplest level.
 
PurpleMystique said:
So is that your opinion? Every situation is different. Different people get different deals on different parts, making individual examples not very helpful. I *could* happen to find an SVT with a blown engine at a junkyard for $1000 and I *could* rip a 3.0 out of a rolled '01 Sable for like $300, giving me 200/200 for $1300 at the simplest level.
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Just because a car has a smaller engine doesn't mean that it is inferior....THAT is my opinion.
 
pre98zetec said:
sure they do, that's why you can have a 400whp honda with only 205ftlbs of torque?

and you comparing simalar modded zetecs vs duratecs is retarded, the motor that started out with more HP will have more hp at the end, Mod a SVT zetec (170hp) vs a non-svt duratec and then get back to us.
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Just perusing the posts, but I gotta ask this question.....There is a SVT zetec? ..... and would it be similar to the non SVT version with just a different head and exhaust, or ???? :shocked:
 
Aussie Ford said:
Just perusing the posts, but I gotta ask this question.....There is a SVT zetec? ..... and would it be similar to the non SVT version with just a different head and exhaust, or ???? :shocked:
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SVT zetec came in the Focus SVT. I beleive you guy's never got it. It's basically a post-98 Contour Zetec, with VCT on the intake cam instead of exhaust, dual stage intake manifold and a couple other things.

But I do beleive you guys got the Zetec-R there, 220HP N/A version. I may be wrong, though.
 
striker2 said:
Thats cause they're pushing 20lbs of boost out of a turbo that was designed for only 10lbs. they dont have enough airflow to make more torque.



so i guess you dont like either of these:
KerryKools exhaust -SVT exhaust on a zetec

My exhaust -custom exhaust on a zetec
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Ok so that's what makes a horse race :cool: For a four banger I think that sounds pretty nice. How about a PM to tell me just what it was you did?
 
Loco4G63 said:
Come over here and kick me.:nonono:

The Zetec isn't the inferior car....it is cheaper. So everyone getting into Zetecs didn't have to money to waste on a SVT which means less money to mod with.

My Zetec ATX lasted longer than most Duratecs. If you don't believe me, go look how many Duratecs needed to be replaced (which started the whole 3L swap). :rolleyes: Ideally I would have chosen a ZETEC MTX but I worked with what I had. But I still would have gotten a Zetec.

For about $5k will get you 200/200 on a Duratec.....I only spent $3k for my small supercharger setup on low boost putting out 160 at the wheels with the ATX sucking out more power. With another $2k wonder what would have happened?:troutslap:

But like Button said it is a matter of opinion.:shrug:
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I've actually seen duratecs with higher mileage than zetecs. Though I think both are good engines you just have to take care of them. Duratecs do have more maintenance things that have to be replaced sooner/more often than zetecs.

I understand your point on cheapness of a zetec at one point, but now, duratecs including svts are very cheap and there is no reason not to go with one.

I've seen vortech superchargers for sell for $1500 for duratecs. They'll put out a lot more than 160hp. Well heck, my svt cost less than your supercharger did and puts out more than 160hp stock.

It appears you're trying to argue zetecs as the cheaper way to go and they're really not. I might would go with a zetec for big power numbers because of the aftermarket. But I wouldn't being using a cdw27 platform.
 
I believe Kremit put down more than 160whp stock, too.. so it would still have been the cheaper route to that power level.
 
Ray said:
I believe Kremit put down more than 160whp stock, too.. so it would still have been the cheaper route to that power level.
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It is not cheaper because he had to get another car. Like I said before you work with what you have. I put down 160 WHP with an ATX. With a MTX numbers would have been the same as modded 2.5 SVTs. Like I said, supercharger only cost me $1900 plus everything to have it run right.

Kremit, there is a reason why you can get a Vortec for the SVT for $1500....it is unreliable.
 
Loco4G63 said:
Just because a car has a smaller engine doesn't mean that it is inferior....THAT is my opinion.
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I'm happy for you. That doesn't pertain to the OP's question.

pre98zetec said:
hector put down 160whp , with his atx thats prolly 220hp.
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Do you have any data to back this up? Do you really believe he lost 60hp due to the drivetrain? Typical losses for an ATX are about 20%, meaning he should be at about 190hp or so.
 
Loco4G63 said:
It is not cheaper because he had to get another car. Like I said before you work with what you have. I put down 160 WHP with an ATX. With a MTX numbers would have been the same as modded 2.5 SVTs. Like I said, supercharger only cost me $1900 plus everything to have it run right.

Kremit, there is a reason why you can get a Vortec for the SVT for $1500....it is unreliable.
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My SVT cost less than my zetec did. At this point in time, duratecs/SVTs are cheap enough to start out with them for modifying. Obviously it's not always best to just work with what you have. Sometimes you have to get another car, right?

And for a little bit of money you can make the vortec reliable.
 
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