Advice needed

[prackers]

1993 Westfield SEIW

Fitted with a standard 1.8 Zetec 130 engine, MT75 box, Sierra dif with LSD.

The car is currently on the road and after some minor fettling is running fine. Intended use is road with maybe some track days then see how it goes....

My intentions are to fit a ST170 engine with Haybusa throttle bodies and megasquirt and using the 1.8 flywheel/clutch to replace the st duel mass one but otherwise standard. Also under consideration is a CNC head plus cams and a proper exhaust manifold to replace the cast item.

Bearing in mind I would like to keep the car on the road for at least the next couple of months (in the hope that we may still get some decent weather!):

1: I am thinking of fitting the megasquirt alongside the standard ECU for starters, just to get some experience with it. If this is possible?

2: Then fit the ST engine as is, ie standard plus the tb's. It looks like it should be a straight swap so shouldn't take more than a few hours, although getting it running reasonably may be a different matter!

3: With the tb's I have the option of using the st plastic manifold with the st injectors (good for around 200bhp?) or using an alloy manifold and using the haybusa injectors (good for around 220bhp) OR using the st manifold and using both sets of injectors, my research so far suggests the latter may be possible but be the most difficult to set up, but would be the cheapest because I have the injectors already and options 1 or 2 will probably need new injectors eventually?

4: The ST engine comes with steel rods, forged pistons but standard crank. What kind of power/revs would be safe as is?

5: First gear with the MT75 box is way too low to the point of being almost useless, however changing it looks very expensive, 3.5k-4k? Would fitting a type 9 be a better option (<1k) or will it break running 220bhp+?

Finally do I attempt any of the above? Or just run the car as is then upgrade over the winter when I intend to do a full rebuild?

Any advice/suggestions appreciated

[nikpro]

Leave the car as it is IMO.

1.8 zetec is fine and can be uprated if required.

If you are mainly using the vehicle on the road why do you wan't 220+bhp?

155 bhp in a 600 kg car is faster than 90% of other vehicles.

Get the cars suspension/ brakes/ GEARBOX/driver up to scratch before touching a perfectly good engine IMO.