Which is a better engine to tinker with?

[Davecara]

trying to decide wether to go for a 2.0 or a 2.8 Capper when the cossie's sold. Its gonna be my everyday car, so its gotta be drivable.

I love the sound of the 2.8 but i've never driven one

Whaddya think folks?

[Guest cortinamad-gonetoo]

it depends how much you know i suppose really

 

but you can do alot more to the 2.0 and get it to go faster (on pick up anyway)

 

there isnt as many mods you can do to the 2.8

 

thats my opinion anyway

 

good luck

[Davecara]

I know naff all about the V6 to be honest, I do know about the Cossie YB, I'd like to stick one of them in eventually.

I wanna learn about both though!! I've spent too long faffing about with cars with ECU's rather than proper engines.

Any recommended reading?

[RFChris]

I'd go 2.0, i've had both but as an everyday motor the 2.8i is a bit much.

 

Chris

[Davecara]

I'd go 2.0, i've had both but as an everyday motor the 2.8i is a bit much.

 

Chris

 

In what way? Are they crappy on juice or not as good to drive?

[RFChris]

I'd go 2.0, i've had both but as an everyday motor the 2.8i is a bit much.

 

Chris

 

In what way? Are they crappy on juice or not as good to drive?

 

Bad on juice mate.

[Davecara]

Cant be any worse than my cos!

Its looking good for the pinto so far then...

[capritech]

I've had 1.6, 2.0 and 2.8 as an everyday capri I would go 2.8, plus 2.8 have pas steering. Also had a cossie and the capri 2.8 is a lot better everyday car.

[Jimbob-Squarepants ©]

I'd go 2.0, i've had both but as an everyday motor the 2.8i is a bit much.

 

Chris

 

In what way? Are they crappy on juice or not as good to drive?

 

Bad on juice mate.

 

Juicy????

 

Mind you, Chris does like to go places in reverse... isn't that right Chris?

 

Seriously though, my 2.8i is the most economical car I have owned... more MPG than my old 1.4 Orion

 

My one is also my daily... well up until a week ago, and I can't fault it. The 2.8i definatley has the legs for long distance, but the 2.0 is quicker and easier to work on... again, I have had both, but for me, I would not part with my 2.8i

[Vista]

I've had several 2.8i's several 3.0 litre essex's and a hi spec pinto and will say the following: -

 

2.8i Cologne

 

Advantages: Most powerful and useable in stock trim

 

Disadvantages: thirsty when pushed, less tuning specialists around and hence more expensive to uprate

 

3.0 Essex

 

Advantages: simpler than Cologne engine as no fuel injection, plenty of used examples to be had and plenty of go faster bits available

 

Disavantages: less powerful than the 2.8i in stock trim, still expensive to get good power from having 2 cylinder heads and six cylinders to uprate

 

 

2.0 Pinto

 

Advantages: Easy to fit, easy to uprate, can outdo both the above engines in power terms given the right budget, same block as the Cossie makes a later Cossie upgrade much easier as engine bay is already set up for it.

 

Disadvantages: Costs significant money to achieve really high outputs, and forget any notions of fuel economy once you've done it. Can be a pain to use as an every day driver if built to very high specification

[Davecara]

Vista, thats the kind of stuff i'm after thanks.

 

What are the figs for relativley standard motors then?

From the info you guys have posted, I take it the pinto is the most tuneable?

[brettp]

get a 2.8 then stick a 24v cossie in it or v8 i have had loads of 2.8 v6 and 3.0 v6s and blew all of them up none of which where particularly fast and all where crap on petrol if you get a 2.8 you got half decent shocks and may be a lsd if you get a 2.0 you save money on initial purchase and if changeing the eengine that might be a better route

[Vista]

Vista, thats the kind of stuff i'm after thanks.

 

What are the figs for relativley standard motors then?

From the info you guys have posted, I take it the pinto is the most tuneable?

 

They're all tuneable it just depends how deep your pockets are, remember with anything more than 4 cylinders all your costs go up....6 pistons and bores instead of 4 etc etc

 

Fords flywheel figures (from memory)

 

2.8i 160bhp

 

Essex V6 early 128bhp late 138bhp (think the change over was approximately during the time of the mk1 prefacelift capri)

 

Pinto (there are so many variants of this I can't quote them all) but the mk1 RS2000 was 100bhp and the Mk2 RS2000 was 110bhp. The difference was largely down to manifold improvements, these figures way be down on the V6's but from a cost point of view the pinto is probably the best bet for tuning, It can easily outdo the figures above too.

[LUKE261]

id go with the 2.0 mate, more revvy and tuneable than the v6. the v6 is more tourquey and sounds better but thats about the only good things about them in my opinion. you can do a hell of a lot more 2 the good ol pinto.

[QuadCamCapri]

AS much as I like my V6's if you want to tinker then the Pinto is the better bet.

The 2.8 with siamesed ports only really responds well to forced induction.

The Essex is expensive especially once you start to look at increasing the revs and then makes little sence when the Cossie 24V can be plugged straight in for 200+ bhp.

 

But as a fan of the Essex I have to say that out of the 3 engines (N/A) the Essex wins on ultimate power

[bomber1]

the efi pinto as in te sierra was 115bhp if i remeber right

[lead foot]

i have had a 2 ltr and a four speed 2.8, the 2.8 with 2ltr diff ratio i feel is the BEST of both worlds.i would go for the 2.8 every time.