I have a Ford Escort GTi with a 2.0L Zetec engine with Piper Fast Road cams, however unfortunately I am still using the original 1.8 ECU and this is causing problems with the fuel mix and possibly the emissions. The car is perfectly drivable though. I have asked a garage and this is what they came back with:

 

From what you've described I would imagine that your original 1800cc Ecu is struggling to cope with the combination of 2.0 Zetec injectors and and the high spec camshafts. Whilst it may drive ok, it will likely be making less power than it should due to the set-up, and I expect that you changed the engine to gain ideally. You also have to consider that if left running this way it could lead to further engine problems or a failure.

 

The best possible solution to this is to fit an after market engine management system that can be mapped to optimise the new spec. We have often found that even after fitting big cams, the std Ecu's are unable to operate as they should.

By fitting a mappable Ecu, we'd recommend a DTA system, you would not only gain the full benefit of the camshafts, and maximise the engine's potential, but allow further tuning possibilities in the future.

 

To fit this Engine management system, wiring loom modifications and mapping the complete system on our state of the art Dyno, you would be looking at a cost of £1,500.00 including Vat. This would represent the best solution to your vehicle, and this could be undertaken and completed very quickly if required, without the issues that are commonly found trying to reprogram the existing Ecu.

 

Do you think the cost is reasonable and is there any other way of tackling this problem?

What they say in the first paragraph is spot on. The rest though, is not.

 

The best way to approach this is to put the standard 2L cams back in and run the matching 2L ECU, MAF, Injectors as this will give you the best performance for the engine spec. The standard cams are good enough for over 160bhp on a standard head in n/a form..

 

All these hot cams do is make the engine 'soggy' (read: less torque) down the bottom end until eventually at 5k+ rpm they start doing the same job as the original cams.

 

Might not be what you want to hear...

Thanks for the reply.

 

What is the best thing to do when changing the cams for uprated ones?

 

Do you not think that an after market engine management system would work or do you just think that it would be unnecessarily expensive?

 

I have tried a 2.0 ECU before, but the car was totally dead - not even the starter motor worked. I believe it may have something to do with the car's standard alarm system, but could be wrong. Or the ECU was faulty.

 

At the moment, the engine performs a lot better after 4,000 RPM.

did you swap the wiring round on the ecu as plugging it in like you do with the 1.8 ecu wont work the wiring needs moving around on the pins for the ecu

did you swap the wiring round on the ecu as plugging it in like you do with the 1.8 ecu wont work the wiring needs moving around on the pins for the ecu

 

needs to be pre pats as well mind

Thanks for the reply.

 

What is the best thing to do when changing the cams for uprated ones?

 

Do you not think that an after market engine management system would work or do you just think that it would be unnecessarily expensive?

 

I have tried a 2.0 ECU before, but the car was totally dead - not even the starter motor worked. I believe it may have something to do with the car's standard alarm system, but could be wrong. Or the ECU was faulty.

 

Which ECU did you use? needs to be pre pats, DESK, DEEP, or DEWY.

 

who quoted you that management price?

did you swap the wiring round on the ecu as plugging it in like you do with the 1.8 ecu wont work the wiring needs moving around on the pins for the ecu

 

No, I didn't do that. Is there a guide somewhere which shows how to do it?

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

What is the best thing to do when changing the cams for uprated ones?

 

Do you not think that an after market engine management system would work or do you just think that it would be unnecessarily expensive?

 

I have tried a 2.0 ECU before, but the car was totally dead - not even the starter motor worked. I believe it may have something to do with the car's standard alarm system, but could be wrong. Or the ECU was faulty.

 

Which ECU did you use? needs to be pre pats, DESK, DEEP, or DEWY.

 

who quoted you that management price?

 

I just checked my ECU and it is the DEEP one. Unfortunately I have no way of knowing that it actually works though.

 

I got the quote in February from http://www.spchorsham.com, which now seems to redirect to http://www.enhanced-performance.co.uk.

http://www.escortevolution.co.uk/forums/in...showtopic=49026

Thanks, I'll give it a go.