davew Posted May 13, 2003 Share Posted May 13, 2003 Do most people do a rebuild before installing the engine, I'm looking at a 2.0l zetec from an M reg Mondeo. I am going to be doing the usual mods but is a full rebuild necessary if it all looks ok? What signs should I be looking for on inspection? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilwillis Posted May 13, 2003 Share Posted May 13, 2003 Zetecs are good for 175000 miles as long as they've been reasonably well treated. My strategy was to fit it, run it, and see how long it lasted before I did a rebuild. I was lucky and got a good un. The best way to buy one is to get to the car before it's been ripped apart, and ask to see it running. Look for the obvious signs like rattles, blue smoke etc. If it's not in the car look for rust where rust ought not to be, take out the plugs, and check em for oiling. Have a good look over it for oil leaks etc. You'll soon know when you start it up whether it's sound or not. Bear in mind it'll take a few moments for the hydraulic tappets to re-fill, so they do rattle for a while when first run. Most importantly, check the serial number with Fords Technical Support Line, and verify the age of it if you want to use carbs - it needs to be pre May 1995, and not just for SVA these days it seems HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neo Posted May 13, 2003 Share Posted May 13, 2003 tuff one this actually if it was me i would go this route, unless i could be sure of the exact miles on the engine, i would rebuild it, or if it had more than 75,000 miles on rebuild it, but its up to you, but even if i did'nt rebuild it i would still remove the rocker cover and sump for inspection in case any nuts or bolts had fell into the engine and to check the condition internally, worth the price of a couple of gasket IMHO as its alot of chew on once its in to take it out again, its the same old phrase again mate, pays your money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S8ight Posted May 13, 2003 Share Posted May 13, 2003 if its out the minimum i would do is, new shells, rings, hone the bores and possibly oil pump. after all do you want to fit it and run it up to disover any nasty noises ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Wood Posted May 14, 2003 Share Posted May 14, 2003 This engine will likely have a few miles on it. I would be tempted to do as S8ight recommends, especially if you are looking to get good power out of it and / or tune it at all. I got an 82,000 mile L reg engine 3 years ago when I did my build and after 3 years in the car I found low compression on one cylinder. Never found a specific cause (probably valves not sealing as well as they should) but I can testify that it's a lot of work to pull it out, rebuild it and put it back in, at a time when you'd rather be driving it. I'd at least take the head and sump off and have a look. If you're going to those lengths, get a set of bearings and rings. It's not much more work to change them once the engine is apart. Have the bores checked for wear and honed, the crank polished and the valves possibly re-cut but certainly ground back into the head. Assemble it all with new gaskets. It doesn't get particularly expensive to do this sort of work until you need a rebore and new pistons. You will at least end up with an engine you know will work for a good few years. Then again, another school of thought is that you might as well get all your teething problems over with before you spend money on the engine in case something goes wrong! Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesD Posted May 14, 2003 Share Posted May 14, 2003 Word is bottom end on Zetec's is generally sound, worth changing the shells as mentioned though as a precaution. Take the rocker off and check the cam lobes for wear. I did not recon mine as it came out of a runner, thought for £150 it was worth the gamble. If you look at it this way you will probably want to do some engine work in the future, flowed head or cams...maybe worth waiting till then for a rebuild, see about getting it on the road first. JD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted May 14, 2003 Share Posted May 14, 2003 ......but certainly ground back into the head Do you mean lapped in? Grinding and lapping are fairly different, IMO........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westfieldman Posted May 14, 2003 Share Posted May 14, 2003 No you grind a bit off the back side of the valve as it is over engineered This is what I have done to mine Dunnel sump [or simalair a must] Arp rod bolts a must New main bolts New bearings mains and big ends Mine needed a rebore so new pistons 0.5mm over New relife valve in the oil pump Polished the crank Lightened cast flywheel and new bolts Bottom end balanced Head 40 thoug removed and valves ground back lapped in etc. New stem seals 2ltr valve springs 2ltr cams 45 webbers 36mm chockes don't know the jets Itg filter through the bonnet Westfield exhaust mainfold [colator modified] 2.5" teckcraft exhaust Seehere for the results Paul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilwillis Posted May 14, 2003 Share Posted May 14, 2003 If I did all that before I put it in the car, what would I have to do next winter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 14, 2003 Share Posted May 14, 2003 Got my 2.0l Zetec from a breakers (about 60k) for £175. Changed the water pump & cam belt and Dunnell-sumped it That was all. Lazy - true - seems to be ok though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich C Posted May 15, 2003 Share Posted May 15, 2003 Did exactly the same as Haxsaw (wish mine only cost £175! I took the view that if you bought a Mondeo etc as normal tin top then you would not rebuild the engine at 60-70,000 miles Rich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilwillis Posted May 15, 2003 Share Posted May 15, 2003 Glad I'm not the only tight b******* here then Yes, cam belt change is a must, but mine still has the backwards water pump. If anything, mine runs too cool, so IMHO, you can stick with the original water pump without worries. I'm fitting a raceline sump when the bank manager gets over his heart attack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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