Focus Head Swap?

[gunman_sr5]

Looking into the idea of swapping the regular Zetec Focus head over. Main concern though is the CPS. Are their exhaust cams out there that will trigger the CPS for a ZX2 on a focus head? The plan if we find them is to drill the hole in the exhaust side of the head and plug the CPS hole on the intake side. Other then that its just down to tuning to ditch the VCT. If it work and we can get the bugs out of it we also plan to take .065 off the head. Another thing we noticed to was the hydraulic lifters. Will they work with the ZX2 intake cam?

I have a feeling none of this will work. That is unless the exhaust cam we need exists.

[JohnP]

Head castings are totally different for the exhaust cam . ZX2 exhaust cam nose rides inside a Spool that only fits the ZX2 head . Hydraulic buckets where only in the early non-VCT Contours , there smaller diameter and won't fit anything else.

[gunman_sr5]

I expected an answer like this. After noticing the cam position sensor location. I kinda figured the idea was dead in the water.

[wifeszx2]

If you drop the Focus head in you will also need:

Focus valve cover
Focus exhaust CAM and timing gear
SCT to turn off VCT (you do not have an EGR, not sure how that affects emmissions)

that's all I know of

[mechtech]

It's almost always best to dance with the girl you brought to the party.
Stick with a ZX2 head, and modify it if you like.

[crazy34]

i have a 2003 focus motor minus a rod...(went threw oilpan...long story) i have everything to swap everthing. I also have a racecar thats a testbed for anything i want to try. As far as the cam sensor, there is one on the intake side on the focus and i am going to see what would happen if i rewire it to just plug it in. The nice thing is we all will get alot of answeres on this topic and will be helpfull. This starts with "backwoods" engineering so if this works like how my dad and i are looking at it, this will be easy on the checkbook. I have already started some research on parts and everything looks the same. same timing belt, head gaskets, and tons of other things. The main thing i got to say though, god i love having the parts bin i do.....lmao

[crazy34]

if all goes good, i am going to start th experiment this week and start to see what happens. thank god for an extra test bed. we are having issues with a head we bought off here awhile back and got to change it anyways so i am going to just mess around with it and try a few things out on it to see what happens. never hurts to try. may find something to do on it that someone else might have missed.....time will tell

[TSmiley98]

Here is a theory I have thought about, The focus triggers off of the intake cam, If I remember corerctly the intake cam on the focus staill has a similar pattern on the trigger wheel as compared to the zx2 exhaust cam. Why can't you just put the focus plug on the wires going to the CPS on the zx2? The computer doesn't know if it is an intake or exhaust cam , it only knows the pulses it is sent/the info it is given. The only reason it is on the zx2 exhaust to begin with is to moniter the VCT position. The cars still run without the CPS plugged in.. So the next question is , what else is it's function? Some cars use the CPS to determine which cylinder is ready to ignite. We have a waste spark ignition, so it doesnt matter, The Crank sensor in most cars without a CPS triggers fuel and spark, I am sure ours does too.

[JohnP]

If the spacing on the stator ring is the same as the ZX2 it would probably work . If the spacing is different ,the stator ring can be press off and the ZX2 ring pressed on .

The head having hydraulic buckets(small dia.) means it's a early ' 95-'97 casting . The bolt hole locations on the front of the head are totally different from the ZX2/ZX3 . The belt set-up is going to be different , I don't know how much it would matter.

[ravensguildassasin]

you are correct tsmiley. that is why i am bolting up a focus head to my zx2. i have heard a lot of talk about them just unplugging theirs. as a test i have ran mine unplugged, along with vct unplugged no tuning or anything for two weeks. i have had no problems with driving in any rpm range.

[TSmiley98]

the only reason tuning is needed is to shut the VCT off and eliminate codes.. With a vct delete it doesnt work period.. and depending on how it is deleted is not even present, we run our dirt track car, with a stock computer and just a vct delete spool and cam gear , the spool has to be there to support eh cam and the solenoid is there but not plugged in..

[ravensguildassasin]

that i do know. im just validating you're ideas. i will be doing a focus head in a couple of weeks. the only thing i am missing in the tuning. me running my car with the two sensors unplugged is so that when i get the focus head in, i will be able to see the difference. then when i get the time i will get the tuning to go with it and see a greater improvement. but this is all in theory till i get it done.

[crazy34]

i am using an 03 focus head on mine and starting out stock on it........just for a baseline then go from there....if it seams to go good, then we will shave and cam it....found out threw the books at my local ADVANCE AUTO PARTS that the cams will interchange between the 2 heads so if id ont like the head....just go back to the z head with vct delete. I have done alot of homework as well and they use the same timing belt, same pullys, and most of the other things are the same.....the main diffrence is the belt tentioner for the surpintine belt is in a diffrent place, but, you are able to move all of that.

[TSmiley98]

here is one thought no-one is thinking about, the zx2 cams are more aggresive than teh stock focus cams..

[ravensguildassasin]

the stock zx2 cam are close too the stage 1 focus cams. but the focus has more aggressive cams available overall. so going with a focus head make sense if you are looking to go n/a. but for forced air keep you're stock head.

[crazy34]

ran the focus head tonight and my driver thats in the car we did it to said it ran better and stonger then ever. he was getting great pull off the corners in an atx. I am going to have to take it out sometime to see the diffrence cause my other driver is a rookie and dont know how to push it yet so i am not sure of the power diffrence. i know the car can smoke them off with no problem on asphalt now. better then my does i think so i think with this set-up there is abit more low end on the motor

[crazy34]

i got to watch the car race some in his heat the otherday. with the focus top end on this car, it looked like a rocket down the straights. he just couldnt handle the car in the corners so it made it look like crap.....lol....i got a driver commin in for next weekend though so i can get a good shake down on it and see what its really doing.

[TSmiley98]

stock head and cams bolted on? no milling? doesnt quite make sense to have more power.

[crazy34]

its been provin that the focus head flows better then the zx2. there are some minor diffrences between the focus and zx2 head, but, it is a direct bolt on. just need a tuned computer if you dont like the check engine light and it does have a slight rouph idle, but, we are also playin with timing as well.

[crazy34]

the 2 main reasons i am doing this experiment anyhow is cause i havent really heard of anyone actually doing it to see what happens and cause i got the head and all parts for free......cant beet free