[jmcrides03]

basically as title states i just bought a 96 contour zetec 5 speed with 76,xxx original miles(making payments). the zetec performance forum on contour.org is a total fail and has 3 stickys and 2 other threads. what are the diffrences and similarities between the zetec in my contour and the zetec that foci have. i dont have any comparison because my focus is an spi, and like i said contour.org is disappointing lol. i wanna see what kind of parts would be interchangeable between the 2 ive got an extra CAI if i can make it work and will be watching the BST here for a zetec header, what else can i do? keep in mind this is gonna be a DD so mild mods. the focus is gonna get the bewst and be the toy

 

[iminhell]

Focus header will not work, that is unless you want to do some cutting.
The ZX2 header is closer, but also requires you use the ZX2 oil pan, which you can't use on the '96 because you have a different block ... no windage tray.

So pretty much you're screwed. Leave it as is and drive it.

 

[jmcrides03]

i geuss i should rephrase that. im sure that it would take some cutting and welding of the exhaust but is the bolt spacing on the head the same as our zetec. if itll bolt on i can get it to hook up to the exhaust

 

[iminhell]

Yes the head is the same.
The oil pan is different as is the crossmember. Both of which prevent you from being able to use Focus or ZX2 parts.

 

[mikebontoft]

intake is weird too... assuming it has the box over half the valve cover

 

[jmcrides03]

resonators as good as gone im gonna pull that off when i have it up on the lift monday maybe see what i can make work as far as a CAI im sure it could use a new air filter and i have an extra CAI for zetec foci. any ideas if i can make it work? not sure if it has that box thing you speak of mike ill have to look into it i haventdone much with it yet really just fully made the decision to get it yesterday so i just coughed up money and gave it a bath because it looked all sad dirty

 

[mikebontoft]

it has that weird box that is part of the intake tubing over the throttle body. I'm pretty sure you can fit a normal intake there.

I don't know why my phone wont let me post pics anymore.

 

[jmcrides03]

saw one at pull a part i knw what ya mean. from looking on contour.org i did find that you would have to drill a hole for a iat sensor in the focus intake but from what i found noone on there has tried almost anything with the zetec foci and posted about it. this is why contour.org=fail there zetec section doesnt even compare to our spi section its weak

 

[mikebontoft]

they are a bunch of asses anyway. Could barely carry on a conversation without "look it up in the archive, but since it doesn't work sorry too bad" etc. lol. or "just buy a contour"

 

[jmcrides03]

well i would look in there archive but its basically non existent you could find more info in a single tuner mag than on that whole forum

 

[mikebontoft]

that's exactly what I meant...... about 80% of the archive was lost a few years ago. But people are either too lazy or ignorant to answer the same thing once more. [dunno]

 

[iceberg65]

CEG is really focused on the duratec performance; very few people bothered to put any effort into the zetec; especially the pre-98 version.

You can look at newcougar.org's zetec section; it wont have much specific to the pre 98 tour zetec, but it has been discussed in a few threads. Either way it just doesn't have the userbase that the focus does (being that there are less of them and the zetec is the slower motor). TurboZetecTour is a member there with quite a bit of specific knowledge on the pre 98.

also, make sure that under thread display options at the bottom to select to "show threads from..." the begining. otherwise a lot of the threads don't show up when just browsing.

 

[iceberg65]

I'll add in a bit more here; the only direct fit header availiable for the cougar/contour zetec is this the weapon R unit. Which can be had for an amazing price right now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1998...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

The price cant be beat; it doesn't say it but this is the weapon R header; I ordered the same one through this seller 2 years ago and it shipped directly from weapon R. The fitment is fantastic but some have been prone to cracking if there is no support bracket. I had an extra exhaust hanger welded on mine after one of the primaries developed a hairline crack (easily fixed) and I made a little brace for it at the 4-1 flange. It's been problem free for over a year now. This header adds a lot of noise as well from eliminating the cat; I have 2 glasspacks and a dynomax muffler to get my car sounding how I like it.

Here's a thread of someone installing this unit onto a 95 tour.
http://www.contour.org/ceg-vb/showt...-my-header!&highlight=weapon+header+silvertop

For exhaust; the best source seems to be trubendz (or custom); I would call them though; I know with the cougar you need to specify that it's for the zetec as the v6 flange is located in a bit of a different place.

For the intake; the "sleeperZ" is a great cost effective method; it basically removes the restriction of the stock intake. 'Tours already use a decently snorkel into the fender off the air box for cool air. Its pretty much just replacing the accordion tube with a pipe, dropping in a K&N and removing the resonator in the airbox; you can also get rid of the stock snorkel and make room for a larger pipe. Yes the pre98's used a separate IAT sensor; it uses some copper threads; but wouldn't be difficult to re-locate into whatever intake you go with.
http://www.contour.org/ceg-vb/showthread.php?64-SleeperZ-Intake

heres a thread where some differences are mentioned:
http://www.contour.org/ceg-vb/showt...een-zetec-engines&highlight=zetec+differences

 

[jmcrides03]

cool thanks man you just outdid contour.orgs zete section

 

[iceberg65]

all of that is primarily from contour.org's zetec section.

The problem is that the threads there get aged quickly and default settings on the forum only show stuff that's 30 days old or less in normal browsing. There's a setting at the bottom that allows you to show everything.

They also split up the sections into maintenance, how to's and performance. I will agree that it's organization is below par in comparison to other places; but the user-base is also much smaller. So it's understandable.

 

[jmcrides03]

they shouldhave a sticky about that no other forums i use have that problem so i didnt know how to access the threads

 

[iceberg65]

newcougar.org does the same thing for me (with the dates of threads shown). Thats kinda how I figured it out since I'm moderator of the zetec section over there. I think its a vbulliten thing

Any searches still include all threads I believe.

 

[jmcrides03]

and then theres the half of the threads where someone asks a question and gets told to go look on FF and FJ because we hae done alot more with the zetec

 

[iceberg65]

exactly; it's all because of the numbers. The aftermarket doesn't directly support the contour or cougar very well at all. There are zero turbo kits that directly fit (for example)

I would actually like to see someone try a turbo build on a pre 98 contour zetec. Apparantly everything is built pretty beefy on the thing.
check this out:

The left cap is a stock Focus main cap, center is a Focus-Power billet cap, right is a stock Pre-98 main cap.

 

[jmcrides03]

if i can find a cheap way of tuning it i may do a DIY turbo build on it and enter the grass roots magazine $20XX race if theyre still doing it. that contour would be a graet candidate for it low miles andbeen babied its whole life