• Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

    You can register to join the community.

Good News - Pre98 Main Caps are friggin HUGE!!!

B

ButtonPuncher

Veteran CEG'er
Joined
Aug 15, 2002
Messages
536
Location
Southeast WI
Check this out...


Focus_vs_CGI_main_cap.jpg
Pre98_main_cap.jpg


The left cap is a stock Focus main cap, center is a Focus-Power billet cap, right is a massive Pre-98 main cap. How F'n cool is that?!?!?

I take back what I said about our block in the oil squirter thread. This also confirms my suspicions about the obvious turbo oil return that is molded into our oilpans.

Forget the Focus CGI block. I'm going to build this puppy up. :D

BP
 
Last edited:
Now the real question. Will Cleavet 77 bearings for the focus work on the pre98 zetec?

I think they will as i believe that the cranks are basically the same but i would like some confirmation.
 
Wow! That's good for you. My main caps looked like the pic on the left. Is that a big chunk of welded steel on there? As long as its a load bearing "chunk" you're good to go.

I believe the rod bearings have different notches in them. So, if you buy focus pistons buy the bearings for the focus.
 
Unfortunately they are probably like the stock Focus Main caps. cbman said that his looked like the Focus ones.

It depends on how late your 98 was made in the year. If you have a massive cast iron passenger side motor mount, then you probably have the beefy main caps. If you have the small timing belt cover style passenger motor mount, then you probably have the wimpy Focus main caps.

The only true way to know is to pull off your oil pan and look.

BP
 
Last edited:
LOL! That's the EXACT same thing that I thought. :laugh:

Where the bolt goes through the cap, it's just under 2.25" thick right at the edge (The lowest point on the cap). I wasn't thinking. I should have measured our stock main bolt length when I had it apart. Some pictures...


(Click on the pics for a larger version.)

Here you can see a U shaped center bearing. Pic...



I really wonder how much lighter the rotating assembly will be with forged con rods. Just look at how HUGE the con rod ends are in the above pic.


I also found out that Advance Auto has Clevite 77 tri-metal bearings for $60. You can see in the pic the U shaped bearing. I don't know if the picture is accurate and only one of our bearings is "spin-proof". I'll have to take another look at my engine. I want to measure the main bolt length and see if all of the bearings are U shaped. BTW, AZ also has the Clevite bearings in .25, .50, and .75mm oversize.

BP
 
Last edited:
your talking about how the bearing has "sides" on it right? thats the thrust bearing. there is only the one of those and even its not "spin proof". typically you will spin one of the other bearings before the thrust bearing but i have seen it happen. when it does you basically need a whole new block.
 
I meant Aftermarket Rods for the for the focus not stock parts. I think some Zetecs have the locating notch in a different position on the rods and bearings. So, if you buy rods meant for the focus then you should probablly get bearings for the focus

I think most pistons you can get are at least .007" over so you can clean up the cylinder walls.

BP, Are you getting aftermarket rods and pistons?
 
Yep. I'm probably going to go with Crower rods and Diamond pistons. I haven't figured out if I should go with 8.5:1 or 8:1. 8.5:1 would drop my base power output by 4.4%. 8:1 would drop it by 6.4%.

I'm shooting for 170HP N/A. A 4.4% drop would be 162.5HP. A 6.4% drop would be 159.1HP. That starts to add up when piling on boost.

162.4HP@30psi=494HP
159.1HP@30psi=484HP

Well, on second thought, that's only 10HP. The supercharger will make my Zetec act like a much larger motor, so it shouldn't act like a dog off the line.

BP
 
If Foci are running 10.2:1 stock compression on the SVTF, wouldn't you want to run something close to that? I thought supercharged applications usually run more compression than turbocharged. Or are you going to be able to run real high boost levels with lower compression?
 
The higher your static compression is, the less boost you can run. If you check out the turbo dodge forums, they are putting down incredible numbers. They run 30+ psi with only 8:1 compression on pump gas. It's really amazing.

You can run higher compression with incredibly careful tuning. The problem is that you are on the bleeding edge of blowing something up. You also don't have much room to work with.

The JRSC is limited to about 34.5lb/min of flow. That equates to about 15psi of boost with the FRPP head and FI cams. It will be getting help to reach the 30psi region. ;)

BP
 
You're talking about turbochargers.
I thought superchargers were a horse of a different color.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top