Minnesota Focus Owners Club

Does anybody have experience with cheap valve springs for a Zetec?
I want to race a ZX2 in a Hornet class. I need reliability to 7000 RPM
with mild/stock cams. I found these valve springs from Melling that are
a couple bucks each, apparently fom Canada.
Manufacturer: MELLING
VS-2238 INTAKE
VS-2237 EXHAUST

FRPP sells a high lift valve spring kit that I can do for $220.00 but I'm not sure it'll work for you.

http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/pa ... Field=8844

Thanks Steve, but I'm thinkng that the FRPP springs are overkill
for a low-lift cam at 7000 RPM or less. (??)

I noticed (above) that Melling seems to use the same valve springs
on the SVT applications and the other Zetecs, except the 2004
automatic transmission. So I have two questions for y'all:
1) How are the factory SVT valve springs different from a normal Zetec?
2) What is so special about the cylinder head on a 2004 SVT automatic?

4dr4 wrote:Thanks Steve, but I'm thinkng that the FRPP springs are overkill
for a low-lift cam at 7000 RPM or less. (??)

I noticed (above) that Melling seems to use the same valve springs
on the SVT applications and the other Zetecs, except the 2004
automatic transmission. So I have two questions for y'all:
1) How are the factory SVT valve springs different from a normal Zetec?
2) What is so special about the cylinder head on a 2004 SVT automatic?

there is no such thing as an SVT automatic

4dr4 wrote:Thanks Steve, but I'm thinkng that the FRPP springs are overkill
for a low-lift cam at 7000 RPM or less. (??)

I noticed (above) that Melling seems to use the same valve springs
on the SVT applications and the other Zetecs, except the 2004
automatic transmission. So I have two questions for y'all:
1) How are the factory SVT valve springs different from a normal Zetec?
2) What is so special about the cylinder head on a 2004 SVT automatic?

The SVT head is completely different than a standard Zetec head, also there is NO such thing as an auto trans SVT.

The SVT head was designed by Cosworth, it uses different valves, springs, buckets, the ports are different and it's got variable cam timing on the intake side.

I've seen stock standartd Zetecs rev to 7000 easily but I can't speak to how long they'll last at those revs.

FORDSVTPARTS wrote:

4dr4 wrote:Thanks Steve, but I'm thinkng that the FRPP springs are overkill
for a low-lift cam at 7000 RPM or less. (??)

I noticed (above) that Melling seems to use the same valve springs
on the SVT applications and the other Zetecs, except the 2004
automatic transmission. So I have two questions for y'all:
1) How are the factory SVT valve springs different from a normal Zetec?
2) What is so special about the cylinder head on a 2004 SVT automatic?

The SVT head is completely different than a standard Zetec head, also there is NO such thing as an auto trans SVT.

The SVT head was designed by Cosworth, it uses different valves, springs, buckets, the ports are different and it's got variable cam timing on the intake side.

I've seen stock standartd Zetecs rev to 7000 easily but I can't speak to how long they'll last at those revs.

unless you google SVT automatic transmission..and get this link hahahaha http://repairpal.com/ford-focus-svt-aut ... uid-change

OK, so maybe I'll keep flogging this dead horse to death:
The Melling application guide (above) may actually be saying, for
example, that a 2004 ZX3 automatic has different cams (or something)
than a 2004 ZX3 manual. Is this possible?

No. The only thing is a few "PVEZ" cars were released in 2004 that had a 2.3 duratec engine. All standard focuses 2000-04 that had a 2.0 zetec platform, regardless of transmission options had the exact same motor.

Just for fun, I checked on: http://tousleyfordparts.com
This seems to confirm the Melling application guide (above) for valve springs.
There are different valve springs for 2004 Foci with automatics:
---
Valve springs, focus, intake - 2.0l dohc (timing belt) - 2.0L DOHC (TIMING BELT)
00-03 $17.02 $11.79

Valve springs, focus, exhaust - 2.0l dohc (timing belt) - 2.0L DOHC (TIMING BELT)
00-03 $10.24 $7.10

Valve springs, focus, intake, manual trans - 2.0l dohc (timing belt) - 2.0L DOHC (TIMING BELT)
2004 $17.02 $11.79

Valve springs, focus, exhaust, manual trans - 2.0l dohc (timing belt) - 2.0L DOHC (TIMING BELT)
2004 $10.24 $7.10

Valve springs, focus, intake, auto trans - 2.0l dohc (timing belt) - 2.0L DOHC (TIMING BELT)
2004 $4.75 $3.29

Valve springs, focus, exhaust, auto trans - 2.0l dohc (timing belt) - 2.0L DOHC (TIMING BELT)
2004 $4.75 $3.29
---
This would be potentially useful if the valve springs for 2004 automatics were
stiffer than the normal springs. I might have to check this.

When I was running my 2001 ZX3, I did about 500 miles on road course tracks. The car was set to rev to 7000rpm which it did quite often on and off the track. The car now has 130,000 miles on it with the stock valve springs still in tact. See my signature for what is on the car.

I don't think you have to worry about 7000 rpm unless you sustain those revs for long periods on every lap. Plus, unless you have some fairly aggressive cams, you're way past the HP/Torque curve peak.

blcksvt2003 wrote:unless you google SVT automatic transmission..and get this link hahahaha http://repairpal.com/ford-focus-svt-aut ... uid-change

So because you read it on the internet it must be true?

Sorry, No SVT Foci were ever built with automatics. The ONLY SVT product ever to have an automatic was the Lightning pickup.

The Mustang Cobra, SVT Contour and SVT Focus were all built exclusively with manual transmissions.

On a standard Zetec they did use different springs from the automatic trans cars to the manual trans cars and those springs were different from the SVT springs.

Any idea why the automatic gets different springs?

Maybe I should buy one of each: stock intake, stock exhaust,
automatic, (and SVT too, maybe)?

FORDSVTPARTS wrote:

blcksvt2003 wrote:unless you google SVT automatic transmission..and get this link hahahaha http://repairpal.com/ford-focus-svt-aut ... uid-change

So because you read it on the internet it must be true?

Sorry, No SVT Foci were ever built with automatics. The ONLY SVT product ever to have an automatic was the Lightning pickup.

The Mustang Cobra, SVT Contour and SVT Focus were all built exclusively with manual transmissions.

On a standard Zetec they did use different springs from the automatic trans cars to the manual trans cars and those springs were different from the SVT springs.

haha no no i kno that was my intent to show how lame and wrong the website was.

FORDSVTPARTS wrote:
On a standard Zetec they did use different springs from the automatic trans cars to the manual trans cars and those springs were different from the SVT springs.

Really? I can't possibly imagine why

4dr4 wrote:Any idea why the automatic gets different springs?

Maybe I should buy one of each: stock intake, stock exhaust,
automatic, (and SVT too, maybe)?

SVT springs will NOT work in a Zetec head, the SVT uses completely different dimensions.