Hey people I know this question has been asked before, and yes I did search and read ALL the related threads, but are stock focus cams interchangable with the contour zetec? I am dead broke right now and am trying to get some CHEAP mods, and I was thinking I might be able to get some stock focus or focus SVT cams in good shape from a junkyard and drop them in. I saw about two years ago in '04 someone asked about dropping stock focus cams in, and the discussion arose as to whether or not it would work with the hydraulic lifters in contour pre '98 zetecs (which I have). Some people said yes, some people said no, and others said it would require using shims to make them fit. However, no definitive answer arose from the discussion. Has anyone actually done this? If so, what were the results? Anyone's thoughts, experiences or knowledge would be appreciated. Thanks.
you can't use FSVT cams. FSVT has VCT on the Intake, post 98 contours have VCT on the exhaust.
The stock focus cams wouldn't yeild any sort of power gain. If you had a set of SVT cams they could be beneficial. Just make sure you nab thier lifter buckets - Use what came with that cam. I was always under the impression that you needed to shim the mechanical lifters, the hydraulic ones being self adjusting (the reason they are hydraulic). Either way, the shims are very inexpensive from Ford.
how would that make any difference, the focus SVT uses VCT on the intake cam to make power. I dont think you could just bolt up that..
However me and member ZX2 were talking about using a FSVT exhaust cam and a ZX2 intake cam.
No...what I'm saying is that all zetecs have a camshaft position sensor, it's just that on some they are in different places and serve different functions. Pre 98 and 98+ zetecs use the same sensor, its just that on the VCT engines the data from the sensor is used to control exhaust. If the FSVT intake cam has VCT, my sensor should detect the position of the camshaft just the same...it just wont do anything extra with it. Am I completely missing something here? I think everything is fine with the VCT aspect of things...though I am not sure about the lifters though. If I am dead wrong about the VCT someone feel free to tell me I'm an idiot, please.
the VCT is a BIG thing IN the head, ot means the intake cam is SHORTER then the cntour intake cam.
THE ONLY way you can POSSIBLY swap cams is a FSVT exhause and ZX2 intake.
you will NOT get a FSVT intake OR zx2 exhaust to work.
VCT = cams are physicly a different size, its not just a sensor
Thanks...that VCT info clears things up A LOT. How serious are you about trying that with the FSVT/ZX2 combo? Wouldn't we get the most gains on the intake cam though? So that combo might not benefit us that much...but it's worth a try. Wouldn't problems arise from the mismatched cam profiles too? Or could we just adjust that with adjustable cam gears?
I have no idea if a Contour can use Focus OR ZX2 cams.
I only know a ZX2 can use a Focus Intake and a Focus could use a ZX2 intake if need be.
How ever since the ZX2 has more agressive stock cams, its stupid to move to a stock focus cam unless it could some how help in a boosted app.
i've got stage 2 comp cams (made for the USA focus 2.0) on a UK mondeo 2.0 zetec 1994 silvertop (like your pre-98 contour engines) and the cams just bolted straight in.
Really?!? That's awesome news for us Pre-98 guys.
Just to make sure, did your head have hydraulic lifters?
Thanks,
BP