How do you feel about mixed marriages...A Honda H22 engine in a ZX3, logically speaking it would seem like a good match: 70hp gain with potential for upgrade in a great handling chassis or should it be a Duratec 2.3L swap with a 20hp gain, but keeping it a pure bred.
What do you think?

well, the idea, theoretically, is a good one. You're probably still going to get flamed for it. 2 good reasons and 1 bad one. The bad one is that a lot of people here dont feel too good about Hondas, but we'll ignore that.

The real reason is getting a Ford ECU to talk to a Honda engine would be ridiculously expensive. You'd really need to swap all the Honda electronics in and re-engineer everything to work. Thats reason A. And reason B is that for less money you could do a V8 RWD conversion what would work, improve handling (maybe not grip, but handling yes) and power quite a bit.

i have no gripes about honda...except that their engines produce their tq at funny places...no low end lots of top end...(not a total bad thing just not to my liking)

im sure u can get it to work but like ^ said it'll be too costly unless u really have the time and got lots of donor parts lying around.

swap a 2.3 Duratec in and a Stage 3 Cosworth, then go kill hondas.

Hondas............ the name says it all NO WAY[mad] [mad] [mad] [mad] [mad]

I'd say just take the money you would use to do the swap and use it to modify the engine you have in there now...unless it's an spi, in which case I'd say do the duratec 2.3.

The honda engine would be different though, and to my knowledge it would also be a first.

uh well. you can pick up an h22 for about 1500 around here. you could get a AEM engine management system for around 1500. personally i would go with a stand alone engine management and you should be good. for around 4500 with stuff im sure im forgetting. and a well built h22 with good bottom end and a cammed head would make great HP gains.

however i would stick with ford and run a 3.8 v6 in it with a rear end swap. you would make more horsepower and be able to drift and what honda besides the s2000 can say that.

if you're gonna swap in a bigger ford id say go for a v8, the 302 (i think thats the one...5.0L) is supposed to fit like it was made to be there the whole time...or you could go w the 4.6 L

It's not just the engine though, it's the front crossmembers, motor mounts, the transmission, suspension geometry (different height/angles of halfshafts), talking to the ABS system, etc. etc. etc. There's a lot of custom cost there you aren't thinking about, and all of it adds up to more than the same or better gains with Ford engine tuning.

lmao why dont you just buy a honda? whats the point in this?

If you have a zetec and want more power...spend the 4500.00 on a turbo.

Originally posted by Carrera26
It's not just the engine though, it's the front crossmembers, motor mounts, the transmission, suspension geometry (different height/angles of halfshafts), talking to the ABS system, etc. etc. etc. There's a lot of custom cost there you aren't thinking about, and all of it adds up to more than the same or better gains with Ford engine tuning.

^^exactly, this is way more ambitious than just an engine and stand alone management system. I dont think I'm off-base to say it'd cost less to buy a Prelude in addition to the focus, and work the suspension magic on that to bring up the handling.

Originally posted by IMPORTKILLA35
Hondas............ the name says it all NO WAY[mad] [mad] [mad] [mad] [mad]

whats so wrong with hondas?? They make great engines and great cars.

^^^thats what I was thinking...........I had a older prelude with a H22a swap in it and absolutely loved it and it lasted for a long long time and got great gas mileage to boot............i have nothing against hondas i just want to go with something different lol

yup im not one to dis honda's their not bad cars....

keep it simple man go with the duratec 2.3L or the 302 V8 do a little overbore, add some nitrous.........(sry thinking about an 80 pinto i might buy see the thread titled "i cant believe this..." for more info)

keep it simple tho man i mean it would be cool but it would be one hell of a job to try and get everything to line up just right.... let alone engine management and trying to get it to really perform