After researching for what seems like months now, I havent been able to determine if an American car ever had the older style Zetec block with the starter location below the center line of the crank like the Kent/Pinto engines.
Can anyone with a Pre-'98 Contour/Mystique comment on their starter location on their car? How about on a Escort ZX2? or a Focus?
The starter on the ZX2 is located up high.
Thanks, Iceracer. I guess it would probably be helpful to ask the question about all of the (different?) Zetecs: '98 and Newer Contours, Cougars (are these different from the Contour/Mystique), Ford Escape
Datsun1500 wrote: 2000 Focus was up high
All Focus Zetecs were this type.
Thanks guys.
Any Contours or Escort ZX2s?
In reply to Rza:
I Have a 96 MY Zetec 1 in my Birkin. This is an 2.0L ex Contour install. The block has the starter down at 7 o clock looking forwards, with a Birkin type 9 bell housing.I'm using a Euro sourced type 9 5 speed. Flywheel is Euro market Ford Mondeo 1.8 L. The starter location is on the hot side of the engine. A lot of kit car/7 guys relocate it to the cool side. All you need is the appropriate bell housing. m
7Pilot, thats exactly what I was looking for! Thanks! I believe I have the correct bellhousing and Type E (Four speed version of the Type 9) and possibly for a Type F. Now I just have to find myself a pre-'98 contour. 
There are a lot of variations of the Zetec, even in USA. The Contaur and ZX2 are similar but not the same. Mostly in the head. Focus again shares the same differences. The Focus SVT is a lot different, again head and intake/exhaust. Ford Racing has a nice 170 hp Zetec with ITB's. It's for midget racing.
Well I'm looking to put it in my Capri. Hopefully megasquirt it and start from there. The main differences I am looking for is to have the starter below the centerline of the crank (bellhousing purposes) and no variable cam timing (megasquirt purposes). I dont have emissions testing here in Northern Wisconsin, so no worries there. Does the ZX2 have the lower mounted starter?
Thats what I'm aiming for since I believe I have the transmission to bolt right to it. I originally wanted a duratec 2.3 since the badging would still be correct but a zetec would be cheaper by a lot.
Why no variable cam timing? I run VVT on my MS'ed 20 valve 4AGE. Just takes a transistor big enough to handle the coil flyback or a smaller one driving a relay.
Well I was just trying to keep it simple, since I've never had any experience with MS.
If you've never had any experience in MS, VVT or no VVT ain't gonna make any difference. It's like one extra wire when you hook it up and one extra setting in the software, besides the transistor and/or relay I mentioned. In other words, you'll be so overloaded with everything else, one more thing ain't gonna matter.
That's good to know 
. I'm just going to have to jump in and buy a zetec and some MS parts for the winter time. Now I just have to wait and see if I get a x-mas bonus...
In reply to Rza:
ZX 1...2.0 liters hydraulic lifters Ford Contour to 1997. Hardly any aftermarket support in North America. Heavy aftermarket support in Europe, especially the UK.
I bought kent cams in the UK. raised the CR from 9.5 to 10.2 by shaving the head. I sourced Focus Sport adjustable Cam pulleys. Use ARP rod bolts for high rpm robustness.
ZX 2...2.0 litres, solid lifters Exhaust valve timing variable.
It has a bump for the sensor on the valve cover above cyl #1. Found in Contour late 97 up, Ford Escort ZX2 Coupes, Mercury Cougar.
ZX 3....2.0 litres, solid lifters. Has the heaviest aftermarket support in North America. Ford Focus ZX3.
m
canoe
Cheaphandbags is really digging deep. Sheesh.
That canoe bastard commented on a TON of Reader's Rides too.
2002 SVT Focus starter is high.
I actually ended up buying a zetec from a '00 Focus. It bolts up nicely to the Ford of Germany (FOG) Type E four speed from a 2.0 liter '72 Pinto I have. It's the four speed version of the Type 9 in the Merkur and the bell to gear box patterns match. The starter is high on the engine but I was planning on using the pinto's location and just blocking off the opening in the bell at the zetecs starter location. Not sure if I'd be using the zetec or pinto flywheel as I dont have either to test fit. I have a 2.3 lima flywheel that bolts up to the engine but is too deep for the bellhousing. The allignment dowels are different sizes and will need to be fabbed or just drilled out to the larger size; I'd get some fabbed. The pilot bearing 'recepticle' on the crank needs to be honed. Other than those couple things, looks pretty doable. Its all for sale now that I've given up on building a Lotus Seven and have sold the Capri. I plan on just buying a Lotus in a couple years...
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