Duratec Conversions for Elise

[r055]

Anyone up here got any experience in driving them?

Been following the usual SELOC 'discussions' and looked at both options available...
2.0L duratec from sinclaires - £7.5k-ish
2.3L duratec from Steve williams - £8995
(both are brand new lumps)

Sinclaires have the option of a DIY kit and it seems very straight-forward replacement for the K with no hidden upgrades required.

I see Yvo has had a 2.3L one done...

Been toying with the idea of punting my S1 to get a 'more reliable' S2 exige, but cant really bring myself to moving away from S1. For the cost of the trade-in upwards to that, I could get the duratec conversion done and some other bits and pieces needed looked at.

Ross

[Scotty C]

you can also get a 300 bhp n/a from cosworth or 400 with a blower

Not that i've been talking to Steve about it

[r055]

is it the same engine thats in the R500?

[Shug]

Really interested in the kit as a future upgrade path. Minus engine, they are talking £3.7K IIRC, including all conversion parts, TBs, loom, manifold, mounts, the lot. Pick up a wrecked mondeo (or fiesta ST150 as they say the engine is specced from) for buttons at auction and fleabay the bits of it that you can shift.

Bit of work, but it's plug & play and totally reversible. Nothing needs fabricated or modified. Standard tune with an unopened 2.0 is 190bhp - vs similar money to turn a K into basically a race engine, it seems like a no-brainer for anything but competition.

[Dominic]

FORD = Fix Or Repair Daily

LOTUS = Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious

Not a good combination!

Joking aside, sounds like a very nice upgrade. How does the weight of the duratec compare to the honda?

[Shug]

depends on who you ask, obviously

Main difference is that the Duratec uses the existing gearbox, where as the Honda 6 speeder is regarded as being a good bit heavier. Existing gearbox also means the driveshafts are in the factory locations. I don't think the Duratec adds much, if anything, weight wise over a K.

I think the key advantage is 190bhp out of an unopened engine, that is still in mass production - tuning companies know it well. If you kill an engine and are on a real budget, they can be had for the high hundreds (or just over 1.5K for a new one in a crate) vs the Honda, where you'll pay 2.5K for a reclaimed one that you don't necessarily know the history of.

No doubts the Honda is the better engine, but I think the Ford fits a gap in the market for people wanting to move on from the K, but who don't want to self-engineer or spunk £10k.

Plus, you get to call it a Lotus Ford:

[roadboy]

And there may be someone up North who can fit it all for you soon.

Looks like an interesting option as long as the costs don't spiral and the ECU/mapping is decent.

Dan

[tut]

Seemed a big step for Yvo to go through the Honda conversion process, then undo it and put a Duratec in.

tut

[r10crw]

Are you sure Yvo has done this to his own car? As shug says there is def a place for this in the market, sounds very good value. But to remove a honda is a bit strange, maybe just got pissed off with cv joints

[roadboy]

Yvo got pissed off with Scuffers (and his early Honda conversion that had a few issues) I think and wanted to make a point. That's how I've read the situation anyway.

The 2.3 is a great lump but its Honda money and you still have the PG1 box.

I think at 7-7.5k the duratec makes a lot of sense.

Dan

[r055]

Are you sure Yvo has done this to his own car? As shug says there is def a place for this in the market, sounds very good value. But to remove a honda is a bit strange, maybe just got pissed off with cv joints

http://forums.seloc.org/viewthread.php? ... 910&page=6

[r10crw]

Thanks Ross, looks really tidy. Ive a friend been considering a DIY honda but this will def appeal more.

[tut]

It looks as if it takes over the whole of the luggage bay, but apparently not.

Is that Alan?

tut

[r10crw]

yep and another guy who bougth one of his old cars, they were considering doing it together to reduce costs.
For 3.7 K do you use the original ecu or have to get an emerald?

[Shug]

3.7K includes an ECU.

Check out the product page (no prices, but they have been confirmed on SELOC buy Gill @ Sinclaires)

http://www.sinclairebodyshop.co.uk/upgr ... ratec.html