tuning a 1.3 ka....any tips?

[jacko]

friends just bought a 1.3 KA....havent seen it yet but think its a newer one as has colour coded bumpers & the 1.3(?)

what engine is it?
gonna do the usual once iv had a look at it;

sparks, oil, filters, leads, coil.....get it running properly

any ideas / tips after that that people have found work well?

obviously it aint gonna fly but she'd like to beat a few chavs at the lights!!

exhaust and air intake system are gonna be on the cards first....prob brakes (will 300mm mondeo v6 brakes fit?) after that, see how mad she wants to go

any suggestions?

cheers

 

[DradusContact]

All Ka's had a 1.3 apart from sport and street. Colour coded bumpers where available from about T/V reg onwards, it was only the early R/S reg's that had grey bumpers and no option for colour coded. Up until summer 2002 they had an endura engine, afterwards they had a duratec. Duratec slightly better, mine was the last of the enduras.

Tuning options are very limited, its an 8 valve engine at the end of the day. The genereally excepted rule is if you want to make it go faster you have to replace the engine as it just isnt up to it. Its quite nippy off the mark though, you can have a good laugh in them.

 

[FlashBastd]

You could fit 300mm Mondeo (all Mk3, not just V6) brakes, but I wouldn't bother. 260mm vented items would be fine. Standards are solid, I expect 240mm'ish.

The problem is, how much do you want to increase the wheel size? A large part of the Ka's chuckability relates to it having relatively skinny tyres and therefore a low slip & slide threshold. If you go and 195 tyres on it, you will probably make it less fun. You would also probably need a rack limiter, as fitted to Street/SportKa

My suggestion would be;

260mm vented discs
14" wheels, with either 185/55 or 165/60 tyres (I don't think you can fit 260mm under 13" wheels, otherwise consider XR2i 13" wheels with 185/60's)
20.5mm rear axle spacers
Eibach/Ford Racing lowering springs.

With regard to the engine, I think both the Endura (x-flow) and Duratec have close coupled cat's, which are quite restrictive, but of course to really do anything about that you are looking at quite a lot of cash.

Endura responds well to a cam (cheap as only 1), my SuperChip definately made it smoother, but other than that I think it is just service items to keep it in the best health.

Oh, Ka's are also prone to the HCV probs, one broke on me in August last year, but the Endura was hardy enough to survive, also the Endura's do have a rep for getting tappety, and can drink oil.

I had a Ka1 back in 1998, while I was waiting for my first Puma, it was standard except power steering (provides quicker rack and 165/65 tyres, instead of 155/70), CD player, Ford Racing springs, and Ford Racing SuperChip. That little car was ace!

 

[DradusContact]

If i had mine again i would have these alloys, they look the biz

14 inch so perfect fit.

 

[Neil]

Each to their own - I think those wheels are gopping.

 

[DradusContact]

I think me and you have clashed over these wheels before neil!

 

[Neil]

I think you may be right! I just think they are massively over-styled, and pretty darn ugly at that.

 

[red]

:lol:

 

[chris3boro]

Have to say Drad, those wheels do nothing for me!

As for the car, the 1.3 Endura engine has basically no potential lol,tell him to leave the engine side of things, or atleast to not expect any gains.

Instead I'd lower it and fit bigger/wider wheels with spacer so it becomes a go-kart

 

[FlashBastd]

Now I disagree about the wider wheels, for the reasons stated above. The fun part with the Ka is being able to play with the limits of adhesion, raising those limits by fitting wider tyres will make those limits harder to get to, meaning you are going that much quicker when it does let go.

 

[chris3boro]

Now I disagree about the wider wheels, for the reasons stated above. The fun part with the Ka is being able to play with the limits of adhesion, raising those limits by fitting wider tyres will make those limits harder to get to, meaning you are going that much quicker when it does let go.

true, either way Id save my money in terms of engine anyway!

 

[sinjon]

actualy been as the engine is basicly the same as the 50's ford anglia there is alot you can do to it if you have the skill or the money.
the ka is never going to be the fastest thing on the road but it can be made alot quicker.
fit a cam exhaust better breathing, you can have the head ported bigger valves fitted ect its not cheap but gets decant results.
there used to be a low compresion turbo conversion avalable for the ka, altho you would be lucky to find 1 now lol
basicly its all down to how much you want to spend.
cheapest would be make it lighter, take all the sound proofing out is a free mod that works well.

 

[TyeBoi]

i had escort GTi wheels on mine in black with an induction kit... nothing major but looked and sounded mean!

 

[e3silversurfer]

hmmmm i would do the usual ie

-spark plugs
-ignition coil
-ht leads
-air filter or induction kit
-weight losing. (not much to lose imo)
-get the no aircon, no electric mirrors model which will be lighter than the one which has these
-remove spare wheel
- light weight alloys
-replace std useless and will rust exhaust system
-swap brakes for mk6,7 fiesta ones (they do the job fine imo and not too heavy as well)

that should boost it a little but it is never going to be able to beat most chavs at the lights as they have modified theirs to the extreme in most cases.

 

[e3silversurfer]

imo 14" wheels would be good enough for the KA. too big wheels will slow down acceleration and small looks too cute

 

[jacko]

cheers guys.

i thought it was an old 50's engine....just with a fuel injector & cat bolted on!

closed cat? you mean 2 lambdas?

right so i reckon its getting a dam good service, rear spacers, i will see if theres anything restrictive in the air intake cos that always helps 'pull off' if u can open it up a little. i will suggest the chip, springs, a backbox

do they do a sporty exh manifold? altho might be a ball ache to move the cat....

will have a look at the gearbox too (anyone know the final drive ratio?).

expecting too much if we aim for anything higher than 'nippy'!

spose i cud always drop my tweeked frp engine & box in when im finished with them but that cud be a while!

thanks again

 

[FlashBastd]

close coupled cat, i.e. 4-1 mani, then cat straight away. Later cars, say 99 on have 2 lambdas.

Box is probably pretty short already.

Don't forget many Ka's already have a 12.5mm spacer, so 20.5mm is the only way to go.

 

[yellowgti]

frp engine and box in a ka??? DO IT......

 

[DradusContact]

The biggest problem with the Ka engine bay is the shape of the bonnet, it goes down very quickly, it severly limits what will fit under it. A 1.7 will go in just about, but i dont think you woul get an FRP inlet into it, its that tight.

 

[bond007]

a previous girlfriend had a ka. was fitted with 15's, loads of fun but it rubbed on full lock, never really a problem till it rubbed through a coolant pipe when we'd gone away for the weekend. but for a little bit of fun for not much money you couldnt go wrong think if i went down that route again i'd get a ka2 or 3 so i'd got elec windows etc