Ford Motor CompanyThe Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury brands, Ford also owns Volvo Cars of Sweden, and a small stake...
used the
Zetec name on a variety of
Inline-4 cylinderThe inline-four engine or straight-four engine is a four-cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a...
automobileAn automobile, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
engines. It was coined to replace "Zeta" on a range of 1.6 L to 2.0 L
multi-valveIn automotive engineering, an engine is referred to as multi-valve when each cylinder has more than two valves. Such designs have been around since at least 1912 and perhaps earlier....
engines introduced in 1991. The company used the name widely in European advertising and later introduced it to the North American market with the
ContourThe Ford Contour and its rebadged variant, the Mercury Mystique were compact 4-door sedans marketed from model years 1995-2000 by Ford Motor Company in North America...
.
The Zetec name was so recognized that Ford decided to apply it to other high-tech four-cylinder engines. It is used across many engine types in Europe today even though the original Zeta design ended production in 2004. Ford also confusingly used the "Zetec" name for a trim level designation in certain markets.
A
Formula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1, and currently officially referred to as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" in the name refers to a set of rules to which all participants...
engine produced for Ford by
CosworthCosworth is an automotive engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines for automobile racing . It supplies a wide range of motorsport series, including the World Rally Championship, World Superbikes and, as of 2010, Formula One...
was also badged as a
Ford Zetec, although this was technologically unrelated. This engine (a 3.5 litre V8) was used by the
Benetton teamBenetton Formula Ltd., commonly referred to simply as Benetton, was a Formula One constructor that participated from 1986 to 2001. The team was owned by the Benetton family who run a worldwide chain of clothing stores of the same name. In 2000 the team was purchased by Renault, but competed as...
in 1994, and powered
Michael SchumacherMichael Schumacher is a German former Formula One driver and seven-time Formula One world drivers' champion, and current advisor for Ferrari. According to the official Formula One website, he is "statistically the greatest driver the sport has ever seen"...
to his first
World Championship title.
Engine reference
The Zetec name has been used on many different engines:
| Name |
Family |
Displacements |
Year |
Features |
| Zetec/Zetec-E |
Zeta Developed in the late 1980s by the Ford Motor Company, the Ford Zeta engine was a straight-4, double overhead cam internal combustion engine with which Ford had intended to replace the analogous Pinto and CVH models....
|
1.6 L (1597 cc)
1.8 L (1796 cc)
2.0 L (1988 cc) |
1992–2004 |
DOHC |
| Zetec-R |
Zeta Developed in the late 1980s by the Ford Motor Company, the Ford Zeta engine was a straight-4, double overhead cam internal combustion engine with which Ford had intended to replace the analogous Pinto and CVH models....
|
1.6 L (1597 cc)
1.8 L (1796 cc)
2.0 L (1988 cc) |
1998–2004 |
DOHC |
| Zetec-SE |
Sigma The Ford Sigma is a small straight-4 automobile engine sold by Ford Motor Company as the "Zetec-SE" and renamed Duratec and by Mazda as the "MZI". The engine was introduced in the mid-1990s and production continues through the present. Like the SHO V6 and SHO V8, the Sigma was designed with help...
|
1.25 L (1242 cc)
1.4 L (1388 cc)
1.6 L (1596 cc)
1.7 L (1679 cc) |
1995–present |
DOHC |
| Zetec-Rocam |
Kent border=0 align=right|-|The Ford Kent is an internal combustion engine from Ford of Europe. Originally developed in 1959 for the Ford Anglia, it is an in-line four cylinder overhead valve type engine with a cast iron cylinder head and block....
|
1.0 L (999 cc)
1.3 L (1297 cc)
1.6 L (1597 cc) |
2000–present |
SOHC |
| Zetec TDCi |
Duratorq The Ford Duratorq engine, commonly referred to as Duratorq, is the marketing name of a range of Ford diesel engines first introduced in 2000 for the Ford Mondeo range of cars....
|
1.4 L (1399 cc)
1.6 L (1560 cc)
1.8 L (1753 cc)
2.0 L (1998 cc)
2.2 L (2198 cc)
2.4 L (2402 cc) |
2000–present |
Diesel A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber during the final stage of compression...
|
Zeta
The first Zetec-branded engine was the
Zeta family, introduced for the 1992
model yearThe model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
powering the fifth generation of the European
Ford EscortOver the years, the name 'Ford Escort' has been used for several models.For more information, see:* Ford Escort Estate Car* Ford Escort * Ford Escort...
, the third generation
OrionThe Ford Orion is a saloon car built by the automaker Ford for the European market from 22 July 1983 until 19 September 1993. A total of 534,239 Orions were sold throughout the car's 10-year life....
and the Mk.3
FiestaFiesta may refer to:*Festival*Holiday*Party*Fiesta , the line of Homer Laughlin China Co. dinnerware*Fiesta , a novel by Ernest Hemingway*Fiesta , an album by Miranda*"Fiesta" Fiesta may refer to:*Festival*Holiday*Party*Fiesta (dinnerware), the line of Homer Laughlin China Co. dinnerware*Fiesta...
. The engine was originally available in 1.6 and 1.8 litre versions with a 2.0 litre version appearing in 1993 in the all-new Mondeo. The "Zeta" name was dropped in favour of "Zetec" when Italian car maker
LanciaLancia Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia and which became part of the Fiat Group in 1969. The company has a long history of producing distinctive cars and also has a strong rally heritage. Modern Lancias are seen as presenting a more...
threatened to sue Ford for trademark infringement.
Early versions of the engine had a problem with sticking valves - far more evident in the UK (and in cold climates), where a driving style with earlier gear changes is more common than on the Continent - unless a special Ford formulation of oil was used. After small changes in 1995 to fix this problem the engine was known as the Zetec-E. This engine received a plastic inlet manifold and EGR derived from the Mondeo.
The Zetec had another redesign in 1998. This version, the Zetec-R, had a two-piece crankcase which helped damp out noise and vibration, conventional tappets with shims rather than hydraulic ones, and longer connecting rods with a lower piston compression height. This engine was used in turbocharged form in the
FocusFocus or FOCUS may refer to:In science, mathematics or computing:*Focus , a point toward which light rays are made to converge*Focus , an earthquake's underground point of origin or hypocenter...
RS and had 212 bhp (dubbed Duratec RS). It was also used in the
FocusFocus or FOCUS may refer to:In science, mathematics or computing:*Focus , a point toward which light rays are made to converge*Focus , an earthquake's underground point of origin or hypocenter...
ST170 with a cylinder head modified by
CosworthCosworth is an automotive engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines for automobile racing . It supplies a wide range of motorsport series, including the World Rally Championship, World Superbikes and, as of 2010, Formula One...
with Variable Valve Timing on the inlet cam and had 170 bhp.
The Zetec can be identified by having a silver cam cover with DOHC16v on the bottom left, the Zetec-E has ZETEC16v on the bottom left, and the Zetec-R has a black plastic cam cover.
Production of the Zeta family lasted from September 1991 through December 2004. Displacement ranged from 1.6 L to 2.0 L. It was replaced in most applications by the
Mazdais a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Hiroshima, Japan.During 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
MZR-based
Duratec 20, though some
Zetec-SE engines were used as replacements on the lower end. Ford Power Products sells the Zeta in 1.8 L and 2.0 L versions as the
MVH.
The engine has seen some issues. Though the block and cylinder head are stable on the 2.0L variety; the coolant outlet is not. The coolant outlet used in the 2000-2004 model year Ford Focus and 2001-2004 model year Ford Escape with 16-Valve DOHC engine use a Black thermal plastic thermostat housing (located on the right side of the engine). This black molded plastic housing is bolted to the cylinder head with three bolts and seals to the side of the cylinder head with a rubber o-ring style gasket. The gasket is held in place by a plastic lip on the housing. This lip has been prone to cracking. The immediate inner portion of the housing will exhibit pitting and bubbling. Over time, the gasket lip will break off sending plastic fragment through the cooling system. These fragments have not been known to cause any severe damage but the damaged gasket lip will cause the gasket seal to rupture allowing coolant to trail down the upper transmission bell housing.
The 2.0L version in the North American
Ford ContourThe Ford Contour and its rebadged variant, the Mercury Mystique were compact 4-door sedans marketed from model years 1995-2000 by Ford Motor Company in North America...
was a closely related replacement to the previous CVH engine used in the
Ford EscortOver the years, the name 'Ford Escort' has been used for several models.For more information, see:* Ford Escort Estate Car* Ford Escort * Ford Escort...
.
A 2.0 L Crate Zetec has a shipping weight of .
Sigma
The advanced
Zetec-SE was developed in collaboration of Yamaha and Mazda, under the
Sigma codename. It ranges in size from 1.25 L (1249 cc) to 1.7 L (1679 cc). It is very different from the
Zeta engine - the intake and exhaust are even on opposite sides.
This engine is sold under the Sigma name in some regions, while
Mazdais a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Hiroshima, Japan.During 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
uses the
MZI name. It is also sold as a
crate engineAn automobile engine replacement is an engine or a major part of one that is sold individually without any other parts required to make a functional car...
by Ford Power Products as the
ZSG. Rather confusingly, this engine has been renamed "Duratec" for use in the Mk II Ford Focus for Europe, being available in 1.4 L and 1.6 L versions. This incarnation also spawned a 1.6 L derivative with
variable valve timingIn internal combustion engines, variable valve timing, often abbreviated to VVT, is a generic term for an automobile piston engine technology. VVT allows the lift, duration or timing of the intake and/or exhaust valves to be changed while the engine is in operation...
, known by Ford as
Ti-VCT (Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing).
This engine is now under the name 'Duratec' in the new Focus, Fiesta etc.
Kent
In 2000,
FordThe Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury brands, Ford also owns Volvo Cars of Sweden, and a small stake...
of
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
developed an improved version of the Endura-E engine, to compete with the classic
VolkswagenThe Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft , also known as Volkswagen Group or as VW, is an automobile manufacturer and mobility organisation based in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany and is the pioneer brand within the Volkswagen Group, which contains the car brands Audi AG, Bentley Motors Ltd.,...
AP engines. Basically, the Endura-E received a completely new aluminum head, with much less restrictive intake and exhaust, SOHC and peripheral improvements. Its camshaft is driven by a chain. As a result, this engine exhibits rougher behaviour, producing more vibration and noise. On the other hand, it has a superb torque output thanks to the addition of the Rocam (rollerfinger camshaft) feature.
In 2003, the Zetec-Rocam engine was introduced in Europe, but labeled as Duratec 8v, for the SportKa and StreetKa models. Later a 1.3 L version was also released as an option for the standard model, but the European versions of the engine are produced in the South Africa plant.
In October/2004 a newer bi-fuel version was introduced labeled "1.6 L Flex", capable of running on both petrol and ethanol, even mixed at any proportion. This version also featured "Compound High Turbulence" chambers, as used on the
CHT engineThe letters CHT denote a particular type of 4-cylinder internal combustion engine produced by the Ford Motor Company in Brazil during the 1980s. It is a completely different engine from the CVH engine and should not be mistaken with it...
.
Versions of this engine in Brazil:
1.0L , 1.0L supercharged , 1.6L , 1.6L flexfuel . It's used in/was used in many models, including Ka, Fiesta MK V, South American Fiesta Mk VI,
FocusThe Ford Focus is a small family car manufactured by Ford and marketed globally since its introduction in 1998 in Europe, 2000 in North America, and 2002 in Australia. First generation models continued in production in North America through 2007 and remain in production currently in South America...
,
EcoSportThe Ford EcoSport is a Mini SUV designed and built in Brazil by Ford. The EcoSport is one of Ford's best-seller models in Brazil, Argentina and Mexico...
,
Ford CourierThe Ford Courier is a compact pickup truck which was sold in the United States and Canada from 1972 to 1982 and elsewhere to the present day. It is considered to be the forerunner of the Ford Ranger....
.
Versions of this engine in Europe:
1.3L , 1.6L
In Mexico the 1.6L is used in the Ikon, named Fiesta for this market.
In South Africa the 1.3L & 1.6L versions are/were used in Fiesta Mk V, Ikon,
BantamThe Ford Bantam is a "bakkie" sold by the Ford Motor Company in South Africa. It is based on the Ford Fiesta, and is a South African design as well as being produced in South Africa for the local market. The original Ford Bantam launched in 1983 was based on the Ford Escort Mk III...
.
In India the 1.3L & 1.6L versions are/were used in the Ikon.
In Russia, the 1.6L version was used in the original
Ford FocusThe Ford Focus is a small family car manufactured by Ford and marketed globally since its introduction in 1998 in Europe, 2000 in North America, and 2002 in Australia. First generation models continued in production in North America through 2007 and remain in production currently in South America...
.
The Zetec S Engine was developed by Yamaha and designed based on the popular Superbike, the R1.
Duratec
The Zetec was superseded by the
DuratecThe Duratec is a range of four, six and twelve-cylinder gasoline engines produced by the Ford Motor Company, used in Ford, Caterham, Morgan, Ginetta cars and Cosworth....
series of engines, originally called
RoFlow Zetec. These are based on the
Mazdais a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Hiroshima, Japan.During 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
MZR engines.
Zetec name as a trim level
In 1998,
Ford of BritainFord Motor Company Limited was the manufacturing and sales arm of the Ford Motor Company for the United Kingdom and originally also Ireland. The firm both sold and manufactured cars, commercial vehicles, and farm tractors for sale in the United Kingdom and other countries...
applied the Zetec name to a trim level in the
FiestaThe Ford Fiesta is a small front wheel drive supermini car designed by the Ford Motor Company and built in Europe, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, China, India and South Africa...
range, replacing the Si. Petrol variants of the
FiestaThe Ford Fiesta is a small front wheel drive supermini car designed by the Ford Motor Company and built in Europe, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, China, India and South Africa...
LX were also renamed 'Zetec LX,' although this ceased within months.
Since then, the Zetec name has become a key staple of the Ford trim level hierarchy, serving as the sports-styled variant in most ranges. In October 1998, the then-newly launched
FocusThe Ford Focus is a small family car manufactured by Ford and marketed globally since its introduction in 1998 in Europe, 2000 in North America, and 2002 in Australia. First generation models continued in production in North America through 2007 and remain in production currently in South America...
also used the name; and the
MondeoThe Ford Mondeo is a large family car sold by the Ford Motor Company in various markets throughout the world. The name "Mondeo" derives from the Latin word mundus, meaning "world"...
and
GalaxyThe Ford Galaxy is a five-door large multi-purpose vehicle . It was first introduced in 1995, and is available in three generations.-Galaxy Mk1 :...
ranges also adopted the name before the decade was out.
Ford's 'niche' models, such as the
KaThe Ford Ka is a city car from the Ford Motor Company marketed in Europe and elsewhere.The name is officially pronounced as Ka as can be heard in Ford's advertising. The current European version is produced in Tychy, Poland, while the one sold in Latin America is built in Brazil and Argentina...
and
FusionFord Fusion is a name used on two different models of cars from the Ford Motor Company.* Ford Fusion * Ford Fusion Additionally, Ford used the name before the launch of the European Ford Focus, in communications with contractors working on elements of that model's launch publicity...
did not initially adopt the name, although even these models now include Zetec-badged variants.
Nowadays, the Zetec name is used exclusively in a trim level capacity, with no engines called as such. Zetec models are often seen as the staple of Ford's ranges, with Ford often creating 'spin-offs' of Zetec models and running promotions on Zetec models in the range. Every passenger vehicle in the
Ford of BritainFord Motor Company Limited was the manufacturing and sales arm of the Ford Motor Company for the United Kingdom and originally also Ireland. The firm both sold and manufactured cars, commercial vehicles, and farm tractors for sale in the United Kingdom and other countries...
range - bar the
Ford FocusThe Ford Focus is a small family car manufactured by Ford and marketed globally since its introduction in 1998 in Europe, 2000 in North America, and 2002 in Australia. First generation models continued in production in North America through 2007 and remain in production currently in South America...
Coupé-Cabriolet - now includes a Zetec badged model; the same cannot be said of any other Ford trim level.
Such aforementioned 'spin-offs' of the core Zetec model include the Zetec S (Fiesta, Focus and the 2000-2007 Mondeo), Zetec S 30th Anniversary Edition (2005-2008 Fiesta), Zetec S Celebration Edition (2005-2008 Fiesta), Zetec S Red (2005-2008 Fiesta), Zetec Nav (2000-2007 Mondeo), Zetec LX (1995-1999 Fiesta), Zetec Blue (Fiesta) and a key version, the Zetec Climate (1996-2009 Ka, 2002-2008 Fiesta, Fusion and the 2005-2008 Focus).
Sources
See also
- Ford Duratec engine
The Duratec is a range of four, six and twelve-cylinder gasoline engines produced by the Ford Motor Company, used in Ford, Caterham, Morgan, Ginetta cars and Cosworth....
- Ford Sigma engine
The Ford Sigma is a small straight-4 automobile engine sold by Ford Motor Company as the "Zetec-SE" and renamed Duratec and by Mazda as the "MZI". The engine was introduced in the mid-1990s and production continues through the present. Like the SHO V6 and SHO V8, the Sigma was designed with help...
- Ford Zeta engine
Developed in the late 1980s by the Ford Motor Company, the Ford Zeta engine was a straight-4, double overhead cam internal combustion engine with which Ford had intended to replace the analogous Pinto and CVH models....
- List of Ford engines