Westfieldman Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Which engine easy save your money and wait for the Duratec to prove its self in the mean time do some track days and learn to drive the car on the limit Some catering vans only have 135bhp as standard and badged up as sports or supersports and still go well you would be suprised how much corner speed you can carry. Paul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb893 Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 I can only repeat what i have been told by other less enraptured bike engined car owners. You could have spoken to and related the experiences of BEC owners who think bike engined cars are great... but didn't, odd that My old Megablade took us all the way to northern Spain (and back), cost not a lot to run, was extremely reliable, fun to drive on the road and a blast on the track and as Hogman says, sounds grrrreat. So I'm terribly impressed with BECs, so much so I'm building another. I've heard that Zetecs overcool, are a bit awkward to get good power out of and are unpleasantly noisey on induction, have, unless you spend money, a next to useless first gear and gives you pimples - but of course I would never relate such rumour and heresay to anyone.... oh b******* Moral of the storey: some people will have bad experiences with BECs, just as they will with CECs. However, talk to a cross section before making sweeping statements, please. (Especially if you've never owned one.) After all - we're only little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarvSurrey Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 they are westfields and whatever engine you put in them they will always be unreliable compared to a mundano...............isn't that why we by em ? of course mine is ultra reliable and never ever breaks down ,but thts another story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb893 Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Evenin' Harv. Too true. Hey, just had a thought: 175,000 miles engine life @ 3,000 miles per year = 58 years 3 months 3 weeks 5 days and 21 hours - gosh. Hope I last as long as the car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megablade Paul Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 I have experienced both CEC and BEC having just done the first 1000 miles in my Blade and have to say that it takes a few miles to get used to having so many revs, sequential box, awesome breaks etc. Now I have they are very easy to drive in traffic, will crawl along when you have to, and are just great fun on the open road. I would urge you to try both and then make an informed decision on what suits you (sir) It's all opinions and personal preferences, all I'd say is try to sift through the opinions of people who have only what other people have told them to base there sometimes, innacurate or biased opinions. I'm not saying one is better than the other, after all they're both great fun Drive one yourself or blag a ride in one and see for yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick M Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 I think there's a lot of people who have missed the fact that BECs have been rapidly evolving, and over the past two to three years in particular. Reliability issues have been overcome (and I think some of the early issues were a product of people chucking in cheap, tired engines which probably would have gone *BANG* in a bike, let alone a car...), oil systems are now much better understood as to what's needed for any given engine, gearboxes are not the weak point that people predicted, reverse boxes (a source of some unreliability) are no longer necessary with things like electric reverse set ups, switch like clutches can be re-designed with different pedal ratios, etc., etc., etc. Yes, there are still things being developed and improved but that's also true of CECs. I remain firmly in the CEC camp, largely because I prefer the way CECs deliver their power and allow easier gooning But I wouldn't be put off something like, say, the XTR2 just because it had a bike engine in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steppenwolf Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 I've heard that Zetecs overcool, are a bit awkward to get good power out of and are unpleasantly noisey on induction, have, unless you spend money, a next to useless first gear and gives you pimples - MB893 I have known you for some time now and normally hang on your every word but the above is the most bigoted post I have ever seen you make .... Zetecs DO NOT give you pimples - how dare you suggest that they do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick M Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Zetecs DO NOT give you pimples This is true. But neither do they give you goose bumps like a nice Vauxhall engine* !! *well, it's been a while since that old chestnut cropped up !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Algar - Competition Secretary Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 I would urge you to try both and then make an informed decision on what suits you (sir) It's all opinions and personal preferences, Best advice, try them all and then make your mind up. I did and went down the BEC route, but it depends on what you want out of your car, and how much you want to spend. Both routes can cost lots of money or be done cheaply, depends on you. Join the WSCC and go along to a few meetings, get a ride in some of the cars. Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markg Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 none of them have the sound or torque of a nice v8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb893 Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 most bigoted post I have ever seen you make On reflection and having read the balanced views expressed in this post I feel shamed into retracting my unwarranted comments about Zetec powered cars..... sorry spotty. I remain firmly in the CEC camp, largely because I prefer the way CECs deliver their power and allow easier gooning I'm firmly in the BEC camp - for exactly the same reasons... my impersonation of Eccles vastly improved once I started driving my Mega Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steppenwolf Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 On reflection and having read the balanced views expressed in this post I feel shamed into retracting my unwarranted comments about Zetec powered cars..... sorry spotty. I should think so too. Anyway, I got those spots through playing with the dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb893 Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 playing with the dog And there's nothing wrong with that I think the best advice given so far is try both. Then decide what you what out of the car, cost out both realistically, go to the local meetings and talk to people that actually own them. [bEC hat on] As previously stated, not all bike engines need a dry sump, so a bit of research on what the litre class engines can do would be good. [/bEC hat off] There are issues of weight to think about: if you want 'all' the home comforts then a car engine is a good choice rather than a BEC. If you are fine with the stripped out look the a BEC could be for you - for two extremes. If you've already discounted a BEC, then you're into the fun world of VX/Zetec installations. Never having owned a car with either of these engines I have no reliable opinions to give. (my previous comments where in jest - well apart from the pimples) The 4AGE engine does sound a good bet - nice power, light and rev'y (but then I would say that). Think of as CECs and BECs doing the same job, but in different ways - take your pick. Don't know what gone wrong with my short term memory or spelling this morning - two edits in less than five minutes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb893 Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 Local clubs: Surrey area Meets second tuesday of the month (1930 onwards) at the Parot pub near Dorking(?) Steppenwolf, help me out here - what's the address? If you're around the Brighton area you could always pop in and have a look at my build (Fireblade) to see what goes where. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepy Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 I too am considering swapping a X-flow to a Zetec or something similar over the winter and so I'm loking around now. Apart from the technical side of swapping, what paperwork do I havce to do. My car is a '93 pre SVA. What do I need to check out, who do I need to contact..anybody or nobody when the new lump is in? does anybody need to see it for DVLA to update the engine number or will they take my word. Do I just carry on as normal at next MOT? also, if I swap to post 95 Zetec, do I need the cat for emmisions for MOT. Lots of questions I know but they're are a few a few of you out there who have changed and also like to keep on the right side of mr plod. Thanks Sheepy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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