Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Zetec Maintenance Zetec exhaust/headers

I'm going to put a Bassani type muffler on my wife's 99 SE w/the 2.0 liter Zetec motor and automatic tranny. I've heard someone suggest that you remove the center resonator. But the guy at the muffler shop said the car would be WAY too loud and have a very unpleasant sound if I did this in addition to adding the muffler. Anyone else done this ? How'd it sound ? Too loud ? How about headers for the Zetec, anyone tried any ? Good results ? Any you'd stay away from ? My wife and I are both in our 40's, so we're not looking for something too noisy and/or outlandish. Just want to pep up the car a bit and add a little zip. We're also going to drop it a bit, and add a factory style spoiler. We just put a killer stereo in it and new 17" wheels and Kumho tires. Next is to tint the windows, do some exhaust mods, lower it, install the spoiler and that's about it. It's a gas to drive so I am seriously considering a Kenne Bell chip, which has an on/off switch so we can run it in the stock configuration most of the time. I suggest you all check out the Kenne Bell product line of Ford performance parts. It's a great company who is really on top of the Ford Performance scene, Ken

You and your wife are gonna be the envy of many teenagers. I think that if you had an aftermarket muffler and remove the res, you'll like the sound. If you remove res alone it will be raspy. Optimal exhaust would be cat back or hi-flow cats, hi-flow res, hi-flow muffler; or something even more expensive. Some1 else needs to help you though, cuz I really don't know much.

Welcome to the CEG. Removing the resonator and putting a muffler will make it louder but livable (isn't that loud until you put an intake ) I am currently putting headers on my car. The reason I say currently is because it will take a lot of modification for them to work. Like I posted not a project for the faint of heart. I have never seen the Kenne Bell chip but I do have a Superchip and if it does the same thing I'd say go for it. My chip helped out the shifting a lot (firmer shifts) It also shifts more for performance (higher up in the RPMs) when you get on it. It sounds you are "putting together" a nice Zetec. Keep it up.

Why would you do all those nice things to your car and then turn them down to the "low" setting??

On/off switch! :rolleyes:

Welcome to CEG

I like the on/off switch especially for my Ford V-10. At 10-12 miles a gallon, premium gets mighty expensive especially when the stock V-10 has plenty of grunt stock. And running a chip increases the fuel and advances the timing. So it's normal that chipped engines have excess carbon build-up in the combustion chamber. To be able to switch back to stock gives you the ability to run cheaper fuel, and also allows your engine to run cleaner and get rid of some of the gunk that builds up in there. Since the Kenne Bell switch chip costs no more than a Superchip, or any other aftermarket chip, why wouldn't you want to have one ? Or you can run a performance program AND a ultra high performance "off-road or race track only" type program for the ultimate power gains since the Kenne Bell chip is basically 2 chips in one. Try it, you'll like it, Ken 1999 SE Contour Zetec, 1998 E-350 XLT V-10.

I s'pose I can see the use for cheaper gas on the V-10 but on a 4 cylinder?
Yeah, if it's the same price as the Superchip I'd get it, but I can tell you I'd only turn it off once or twice a year to run the carbon out. Even then it's not going to build up too much.
Do they have many codes for the Zetec in case anybody does mods like cams or head? From what I've read on here, you need a new burn from Diablo and Superchip when you do internal type mods. How much are they anyway?

Yea Kenne Bell has all the codes for headers, intakes, etc. My chip for the V-10 was $299 and that included the switch and 2 custom programs, pretty cheap. I think it's $50 to add any mods but I'd check w/them. www.kennebell.net and click on the e-mail me button. Ken Christley there is a pretty smart dude, I like him. I think the Zetec chips are quite a bit less. Plus for us automatic guys, the chip REALLY firms up your shift pattern. Plus you can remove the speed limiter, raise the rev limiter, etc. Kenne Bell specializes in Ford performance, they carry all kinds of cool stuff; superchargers, chips, intakes, etc. Ask for the $6 brochure (they'll send it free, it's got some pretty interesting reading. Especially when they show the dyno tests on stock Ford V-8's and V-10's that LOST horsepower when headers were added. That's right, I said LOST HP. If you're a Ford freak like I am, the brochure is great reading and great drool material.