What Car – Engine donor edition

I am in the planning and part collection stages of a Midlana build. For those that aren’t familiar with the car it is a home-built Lotus 7 inspired car that uses a FWD engine and transmission mounted in a mid-engine configuration. www.midlana.com The prototype uses a Honda K-series that weighs about 400 lbs ready to run (including transmission), but Honda’s can be expensive and I have no experience with them...not that it’s ever stopped me before

The engine must fit within these dimensions: Width 45” including motor mounts, Height: 24” (a little more OK), Length: 20” not including the differential. I am looking to purchase a wrecked car to pull the drivetrain and some donor parts from and then part the rest to make back some money.

I’m looking for an engine that puts out around 200 hp stock or with easy mods, and can put out 300 hp with more work. Other criteria include a cable shift manual transmission, engine sits to right of transmission to offset driver weight, good aftermarket support and “easy” stand alone ECU or megasquirt information available. Stock LSD and a rear-mounted exhaust manifold would be nice too. Lighter is always better!

So far my candidates are the following:

SRT4/PT Cruiser turbo engine. It ticks all the boxes, but SRT4s or manual transmission Cruisers can be hard to find. Iron block (heavy?)

Duratec 2.3. A bit low on power stock, but there are lots of shiny Cosworth parts that can fix that ($$). Cheap buy-in for a wrecked Focus or Mazda.

VW 1.8T. Meets the power requirements and is plentiful. Lots of info out there on swapping them into older cars. Some issues with sludge. Iron block (heavy?)

Any others I should consider, or reasons to eliminate any of the above? Older engines are OK too if they will continue to have good parts support. Thanks for your help!

bgkast wrote: SRT4/PT Cruiser turbo engine. It ticks all the boxes, but SRT4s or manual transmission Cruisers can be hard to find. Iron block (heavy?)

FYI the T-350 from a first gen neon/stratus will bolt up to the later 2.4. Don't know how much power it can handle, but it has a relatively inexpensive LSD available also. They also can be had with a cable actuated clutch.

Svt zetec and the 6 speed forom a focus svt?

Will an Ecotec fit? 2ZZ-GE?

FWD SR20DET 200hp stock 300hp pretty easy

Exotec is a good suggestion, readily available, cheap, and stock power levels go from 130ish to 260, and more power is very easy on the turbos.

i think the SOHC VTEC 3.5L from my wife's '03 Ody would be pretty entertaining if it was pulling about 2500 less lbs.

Thanks for the suggestions.

If I recall correctly from my focus days isn't the SVT ZTEC just about maxed out at the stock hp level, or are there easy gains that I'm forgetting about?

I like the 2ZZ-GE, but from my quick and dirty research it looks like it will be hard to control the VVTL-i cams with an aftermarket ECU like megasquirt. Am I missing a solution?

Is there a particular Ecotec that I should focus on? There seems to be a wide range of engines in that family.

Did the SR20DET come in any US cars? It looks like the SR20DE did, any internal changes to the turbo version or can it be easily turbocharged?

Thanks again, Keep the suggestions coming!

I vote sr20det/ve or vq30de if you want something that has the power stock.

Forget the PT they are overpriced junk

The sentra ser, nx2000, g20, 200sx ser came with the motors and the 1.6 (there are cheap turbo motors on the sr20 message boards if you are looking for them). If you want to turbo the USDM versions it's not hard you need ECU reflash, injectors,fuel pump, turbo exhaust mani, intake/intercooler plumbing, bov/recirc valve, clutch/pressure plate, reroute of some coolant and oil lines, and drill a hole for the oil drain. You don't even have to crack the motor aside from the oil pan to get the shavings out. Power wise the motors will out last the trans which are the weak point/gamble over around 250whp. A few of the newer transmissions will hold the power (due to a redesign) but a little harder to find or more expensive. All and all a much cheaper set up than the honda camp.

vq30de is a fairly common motor that is close in weight and size to the sr20det (depending on the setup). It is a little bigger but it will have more power potential than the K20 and sound better

4g63 is another good option or 3sgte

If the already developed and validated Honda package is going to cost 1k more than the yet-to-be-determined package, then I would say that you are pursuing a road to false economy.

If we were talking 4k difference, I might endorse your plan.

EJ25 Turbo.

Honda D16Y7 and add a turbo. You can get them all day for peanuts and they take boost well. Honda B18 non-vtec engines are also quite affordable and take boost well. Both are very well supported platforms.

I agree with the turbo D series Honda vote. I'll add that there are quite a few used jackson superharger kits floating around that are kitted for the 96-00 d16 y8. Used and Ebay D series stuff is crazy cheap. Also, around Portland Oregon anyway, the "import tuning scene" has died down a fair bit and the people that are in it are much more interested in K series and other larger displacement swaps so the pressure on the lovely little B16 has died way down. They only go to a very high strung gutless180 hp or so but they have a fantastic rev happy snarly demeanor.

A little more left field are the Volvo fixed cam timing 94-99 2.3l Turbos that will make 280hp 350 ftlbs with bolt on junkyard oem parts and a reflash. 200lbs more than a d-series easily though. Very very abundant stuff.

In reply to Shaun: I agree with this. K series stuff is somewhat pricey but most everything else is REALLY cheap. I think that you can build a D-series with boost for next to nothing.

bgkast wrote: Thanks for the suggestions. Did the SR20DET come in any US cars? It looks like the SR20DE did, any internal changes to the turbo version or can it be easily turbocharged? Thanks again, Keep the suggestions coming!

The DET uses larger valve stems(7mm instead of 6mm)... I don't know if that means a different head, or just a guide difference.

In reply to oldeskewltoy:

Factory DETs have sodium filled valves, oil squirters, lower compressions pistons. The head is pretty much the same, unless you are looking at the GTI-Rs which have all kinds of different stuff. The VE head is higher flowing head with Nissan brand vtec, which is also different but will bolt on to the de/det block where as the GTIRs won't with out some work.

The JDM DEs run around $500 from the importers and the cheaper DETs start at $900. If you don't want to upgrade the turbo components and want to go the easy route go with the DET. If you want to pick your own manifold, (larger) turbo, intercooler, injectors... go with the DE so you don't have to mess around with selling leftovers.

JohnInKansas wrote: EJ25 Turbo.

Since thats a longitudinal engine I think that would be a harder choice.

My choices: JDM Evo IV + FWD 4g63t 6 bolt OR GSR B18 for all motor

The Honda and DSM engines sit to the "wrong" side unfortunately. They will fit the car, but I want to offset my...er....mass with the engine to get at least close to lateral balance with me in the seat. The subaru won't even be close to fitting. I like the volvo engine's power, but it's heavy and I just got out of a bad relationship with an abusive 850.

I really like the 2.3 or 2.5 duratec/mzr engine but can't find much info on megasquirting them. I can only find a few stand-alone ecu options across the pond that cost in the £1000 range. Other than that they seem to have good aftermarket support and were used in a wide range of vehicles (miatas to rangers)

My VW option is out due to sludge I think.

The SR20 deserves a closer look.

Any suggestions for a cheap duratec ecu, or other engine options I should consider?

Thanks!

I suggested the evolution 4 and up 4g which are flipped. Then run the trans with fwd only

Oh the Ecotecs you should look at are the LNF and LHU variants. The LHU came bolted to a 6-speed manual and with the best factory tune in the Buick Regal GS. One of my top choices for any mid-longitudinal car.

Nissan QR25? (I know, I have a one track mind - sorry)

In reply to bgkast:

Why not go with a megasquirt on the Duratec? There have to be a number of builds out there to walk you through it and it is the cheapest/Best(my opinion) option out there. How many Foci/Mazda3s are out there? Tons! You might be able to find someone to build it for you for a reasonable price as well. They are also one of the most widely tuned options out there so finding someone to help you tune it should be easy. You don't always get that with other Stand alones.

I think any engines with direct injection are out. I haven't heard of any aftermarket ECUs that can contol them, and I don't think I want to mess with trying to fool a stock ECU into thinking it's still in the original car with all the airbags and emissions stuff.

In reply to singleslammer: That is my preferred option, but so far my Google fu has failed to turn up a good detailed build of a megasquirt system for a duratec.