Which wiring loom to use for zetec set to csr260 engine swap in s3 chassis?

[vstryker]

Does anyone know which loom I can use?

Caterham 38L035A
Cosworth YD8048

As stated above, my current motor is a 2.0 Zetec SVT and I'm working on putting in a CSR260 in an S3 chassis. I'll also be using the Cosworth MBE ECU. I would like to use the Caterham loom as it is 1/3 the price but will it be plug and play into my chassis loom with the new engine and ecu?

TIA

[Sean]

Loom:
I would think either should work, as both are intended for the same three main interfaces: Duratec engine, Caterham main loom, and MBE ECU. I have the YD8048 only because Caterham had no engine loom for Duratec available at the time. The YD8048 worked right out of the box, all wires are well labelled, and mine was provided with a full schematic diagram.

edit -- Best to call Caterham and verify ahead of time that their engine loom will work in your application.


ECU:
Before buying the MBE ECU from Cosworth, you will want to know if it is a fully programmable unit (supports "live" mapping), and if it is unlocked. The one I received from Cosworth (MBE 992) did not support live mapping, and that made mapping far too difficult and time consuming (which =expensive). There is no magic in Cosworth's ECU, as it is simply an MBE unit, and because mapping is affected by the fuel pressure, exhaust, intake, and other variables specific to your car, there is no magic in their map, either. If Cosworth will not supply you with an unlocked MBE 9A4 ECU, I would suggest you source one from SBD or maybe Meteor Motorsport. They will provide you with a starter map and support to get you going, but wherever you get the ECU, you will want to attend a mapping session once you get the car up and running.

Best of luck!


edit 2 -- useful information: http://www.sbdev.co.uk/Engine_Manage...9A4/MBE9A4.htm

[vstryker]

Thanks for the info Sean. I Pm'ed you on the other forum as well since I know you have pretty much an identical swap to the one I'm doing. I just contacted Cosworth & like you said if they don't offer an unlocked MBE 9A4, I will get it from SBD.

I'll confirm if the caterham Loom 38L035A will work. I did read that Karl on usa7s had some trouble with the cosworth loom initially but when he plugged in the 38L035A loom, his car fried right up. But his car was initially an R400, so I wonder if his chassis loom is different than mine or are they all the same? How do I know what chassis loom I have to see if it'll mate up? My car is a 2005 with a zetec svt.

On a different note, I also got the csr260 dry sump but it doesn't look like too many have this setup as I still need to get the bell tank housing. Oh and I forgot to mention the ridiculously expensive swirl pot that costs $1000...

[Sean]

I think Karl's problem turned out to be his mechanic putting the plug connectors in 4-3-2-1 onto the plugs 1-2-3-4. I believe any differences in the chassis looms is down to the year of manufacture rather than model, but not 100% sure about that. Pretty sure though, because mine is a 2006, and in the assembly manual Caterham had for that year has two chassis loom schematics in the back: one listed as 2001 and onward cars with standard instrumentation, and one for 2001 and onward cars with Stack instrumentation.

There are solutions for an oil tank other than the Caterham belltank as used on the CSR 260. Some here went with a separate oil tank in front of the engine, I went with a shortened passenger footwell with the oil tank there. I used a Peterson Fluid Systems tank off-the-shelf, but they'll also do custom units if required.

I typically only log in to the USA7s forum a few times per year, so it's good that you mentioned that here! :)

[Croc]

I think Karl's problem turned out to be his mechanic putting the plug connectors in 4-3-2-1 onto the plugs 1-2-3-4.

Sean - your memory is spot on - it was nothing more than that.

[Doug Liedblad]

Thanks for the info Sean. I Pm'ed you on the other forum as well since I know you have pretty much an identical swap to the one I'm doing. I just contacted Cosworth & like you said if they don't offer an unlocked MBE 9A4, I will get it from SBD.

I Oh and I forgot to mention the ridiculously expensive swirl pot that costs $1000...

Why do you need a swirl pot? The only other mentions I've seen of swirl pots was converting from the low pressure fuel pumps to fuel injected.

Note that with the upgrade to the Duratec you may need to upgrade the fuel pump, Caterham used to sell a bolt in upgrade.

[vstryker]

The oil swirl tank I'm referring to is the black tower on top of the bell tank assembly. On one end of it, it is connected to the valve cover vent, and on the other end, it goes to an oil catch can. I was told it is an integrated oil tank that separates oil/air before going back to bell tank and there is a dipstick on it's cap to measure the oil in the tank. I spoke to a few csr guys, and it looks like I might cave and buy the whole setup unless I can find it used.

Caterham_7_CSR.jpg

Yes, I did get an upgrade to my fuel system. I just bought a 2L fuel surge tank with a Bosch 044 external pump (good for 600+hp), and it will be mounted in the back above the gas tank.

Looks like I will make a new thread documenting my swap soon as I have most of the larger pieces

Why do you need a swirl pot? The only other mentions I've seen of swirl pots was converting from the low pressure fuel pumps to fuel injected.

Note that with the upgrade to the Duratec you may need to upgrade the fuel pump, Caterham used to sell a bolt in upgrade.

[Doug Liedblad]

OK, I think I understand. Is the dry sump tank part of the bell housing?

NOTE for the fuel pump, I recommend you run larger diameter wires to it, both pos and neg or it may blow fuses. Ask Morgan how we know.

At least 10 gauge wire and be sure it is is fused, connect it thru the relay with the inertial cutoff still in place.

[Croc]

I was told it is an integrated oil tank that separates oil/air before going back to bell tank and there is a dipstick on it's cap to measure the oil in the tank. I spoke to a few csr guys, and it looks like I might cave and buy the whole setup unless I can find it used.

Your understanding is correct except that the dipstick is a separate metal stick and not mounted to the cap - at least not on my car it is not. Caterham/Cosworth put out a technical bulletin recommending an alternative procedure for ensuring correct oil levels in the CSR 260 rather than using the dipstick which I found very unreliable for reading oil levels since the amount of oil in the tower varies greatly from point to point.

Some people following your path in the UK have gone to a Pace dry sump and associated Pace oil/air separator/tank instead of the Cosworth one. I have not priced it lately but it used to run about 50% of the Cosworth equivalent. The dry sump tank does not mount to the bell housing like the Cosworth option but can be located anywhere in the engine bay - usually between radiator and engine seems to be the convention from the UK ones I have seen. Also I have seen a non-Cosworth tank used with a Cosworth dry sump pump set up - Karl's car was set up that way - photo link below. I cannot recall the brand of this tank - Titan?

http://s15.photobucket.com/user/mjoh...ml?sort=2&o=35

[vstryker]

Well, it looks like the Caterham Duratec Loom will work but ill need to make an adapter to plug into my existing chassis harness. My zetec seems to have a different "grey plug"

And I won't be using the csr260 bell housing and swirl tank because the swirl tank is not available anymore... Actually it probably can be obtained from Titan but would cost as much as a whole new dry sump system. So i'm gona go with a conventional duratec bell housing & slave/release bearing, along with a remote tank in front of the passenger footwell.

[Sean]

My zetec seems to have a different "grey plug"

FWIW, a photo of my 14-pin engine loom-to-vehicle loom interface "gray plug" connector on the vehicle loom:

[Doug Liedblad]

Grey Plug

Does you plug look more like this: