black top silver top zetecs?

If I recall correctly, which I might not, the blacktop has a better flowing head, and solid lifters meaning more revs, whilst the silver top has a better bottom end. The cvh engine mounts doesn't fit the black top, neither does the 1.8 escort water pump which allows easy belt setup without pas beacuse it spins the other way. The also have different sumps, so the cvh sump MIGHT not fit a blacktop.
The silver top can also be run with its stock ecu outside it's native car easily enough.

Conclusion - the best budget zetec is a silver top bottom end with a black top head.

whats it going into? , silver top is a tad easier to fit to most cars, if front wheel drive you need to use a escort/fezwater pump on a 2.0 silver top , blacktop you need to add a idler pulley to make the water pump spin the correct way,.

The engine bay is not too disimilar shape to the 105e Anglia...small!!
Unless you like hacking holes in your bulkhead, you will need a water rail. This will bring the thermostat around to the side of the engine. There are two mainstream version, Raceline and Retroford. The Raceline one is better in as much as it hugs the engine and runs tight up against the head, where as the Retroford one does stick out a bit more and runs above where the exhuast manifold will sit. It either of those or make your own.

This was mine in my Anglia Van. I've sold the van now, but its still going strong.


I did tidy up the pipe work to refine it and get rid of some of the hose clips. The rad was a Polo one. All worls of a single DD 32/36 weber.
A friend has just completed a similar install on Anglia, with new Blacktop Zetec and same single carb, got 146bhp and amazingly 160 odd ftlb torque. Not bad for a basic set up.

it will be a rear bowl sump i, I'm a bit worried because if i bring my gearbox forward because of this water rail, ill not be able to use my custom prop-shaft. i am just considering putting a 1600 crossflow in there now, as i need it for summer