[peganit2]

I was playing in my garage and took the tape measure to my 92 Escort and my 3.2L SHO motor and it looks like it would fit. Tightly, and you would have to move some things around and eschew some accesories but it looks like it would fit. The high frame rails of this generation would help a lot.

I'm not doing it.

I'm just sayin', it looks like it would fit.

Why? Because 220 HP is just the START, thats why. And V6 SHO's sound FANTASTIC! at 7000+ rpm. And if you had the two and you had some fabrication capabilities, it looks like it would fit. (If I had a few more, expensive, fab tools, it would be setting in there right now!)

I'm not doing it. I'm just sayin', it looks like it would fit.

 

[LOWETGT]

Sounds cool, but I worry about the electronics... Many have done the KL-ZE swap and it is relatively easy to do if you have a donor MX3. It also has about 200 HP stock. I have a local buddy currently doing it to his '92 Protege so it is totally doable.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_K_engine

 

[therieldeal]

indeed a KL v6 would be much much easier. shit bolts together with the right parts combination.

you could make the SHO fit but you'd be welding up custom mounts and having custom axles made, etc etc etc

 

[peganit2]

In my experience with other Ford engine electronics from that era, getting the engine to fire up and run using the factory engine harness, isn't that difficult. It's scarcely more than a KEY ON HOT to the PCM and fuel pump and a ground. It could be a stand alone system in the chassis.

But I'm not sure about how dependent the rest of the wiring in the car is on the Mazda ECU.

Yep it would take some fabbing and ingenuity but it sure sounds like it would be worth it, if you had the major components and some fabrication facilities. 220 beats 199, plus! .7 liters of additional torque.
There's almost 80 more foot pounds of torque available over the Probe GT V6 and more commonly available MX-6 version of the KL! And that's 60 more HP from the SHO than the common versions too.

 

[therieldeal]

or you could put a turbo on your BP and pwn all, with no fab work required. HMMMMM?

 

[peganit2]

If you had the fabrication facilities to put a SHO into an Escort you could also fab up a SHO Escort Turbo, and RULE ALL!!!!!!!!!

If you could get traction and if you could get a transaxle that could survive behind 500+HP. 8)

LOL

 

[therieldeal]

'tis true i suppose

the SHO transaxles are pretty beefy if you replace the differential with something stronger

 

[madmatt2024]

You will still be over the 200 HP mark with a KLZE. Remember, the KLZE specs are with the engine stock. Aftermarket headers are cheap and easy to find and are easy to install when doing the swap as is an exhaust system which which you will need regardless of which engine you are using. Then you add an intake which you will need as the stock one won't fit your new motor and you may be able to hit 220 HP with it. Its also a swap that has the advantage of having been done before so if you have a problem there are resources that can help you.

 

[SqueeHNB]

I've thought about doing this, I have a 2nd gen ATX SHO sitting around but I don't have the tools or the skills :scratch:
Depending on the cost of everything i might do it...

 

[peganit2]

Actually I have a 2nd gen SHO with the 3.2 and ATX with 80,0000 miles and that's another reason I'm not doing it, because it's an auto. If it was the manual there's a good chance it would be sitting in there. I would find a way. Totally worth it then.

 

[madmatt2024]

I would never even think about desecrating an SHO with that few miles on it, those cars are bound to be collectible one day. I would rather MTX swap the SHO and keep it running.

 

[peganit2]

Desecrate??

It's not a shrine it's just a car for one, and two, my mistake, my wording does imply that it's a car with 80,000 when it's a car with 200,000 and a badly rusted out body (undrivable because of the rust) with an engine and trans that has 80,000.

220 horse is just the begining for a SHO. Just putting a good, true dual exhaust system, which you will have to get regardless of engine choice, nets a good 15 hp alone. That's 235. "Eschewing" the accessories nets another 10-20 and raises the redline to 8000+ rpm. That's a hypothetical 250hp or so, while actually making money if you sold and scrapped the accessories, which I would. I also have a one-off intake manifold piece that supposed to be worth close to 20hp. I made it from billet aluminum, so it wasn't very expensive. You would also have to make an intake/filter system and you would probably make it flow better than the stock system. 5 to 10 hp?

Are we nearing 280hp with a few bolt ons and take offs? I doubt it but it's plenty more than 220. And the torque is growing fast too.

Then the sky is the limit with these gems if you're willing to spend a few bucks. Light flywheels, big cams, porting, polishing, strokers and superchargers are all available. 300hp is easily within reach and 500+hp is very possible with a V6 SHO.

And always a LOT more torque than the KL.

I actually did think about a Probe GT drivetrain swap into my LX-E, having faultily remembered that they had 220 hp from the factory, and was dissapointed to find that they're only rated at 165 or so and were only 2.5 liters. That's not a whole lot more than the 1.8, and we all know that you can get 200+ horse from a factory turbo 1.8. That's the easiest 200 hp swap, if your main concern was easy, and been there/done that, and the one that I would do if I wanted to keep it a strictly bolt on deal.

No KL swap for me thanks.

 

[therieldeal]

the KL is a solid engine, not sure why you are crapping on it so badly. sure it is a smaller displacement but with a standalone and some other work those suckers will happily rev to 10k rpm. plus they sound like a damn street bike!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkFskOhV ... re=related

this guy is significantly faster than me, running all motor! he hangs around on clubprotege from time to time too.

 

[LOWETGT]

Thanks Reil! That's a great vid! If I get my hands on another BG, I know what I am doing!

 

[peganit2]

There's something more to that car than shear power. Lightness? Excellent traction? Don't know, but it isn't that quick just because he has a KL. Did I see a HP reading of 254 for that thing? :roll:

I'm not slammin the KL. Just that as swap fodder for a fun street car, in my circumstances it isn't the best choice, nor the best choice according to madmatts criteria of bolt in ease. The turbo BP is.

If you want to change purposes and have it a pure drag car, my first choice would not be something front wheel drive, it would be a Fox Mustang. Front wheel drive doesn't make any sense at all for drag racing and there are much easier ways to go quick in the quarter mile.

And you can't beat the sound of a thundering V8 in my book.

 

[wagonbeater]

just go V8, if the welders gotta come out...i say why not. once i get more shop room its high on my stuff to do list. right now the lincoln dominates all space.

 

[98RACE]

Fiesta

http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/at-the-ga ... rd-shogun/

 

[LariRudi]

ooops

Fiesta

http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/at-the-ga ... rd-shogun/

Festiva?

LarryR : )

 

[juggalo]

^^it's actually a shogun based off the festiva, not fiesta

 

[treeps95gt]

dont wanna be a thread jacker, but my buddy just got a clean 94 taurus sho and he wants to get into modding and stuff, could he join feoa? or can nobody on here really help him with that car.