[IndrojitSircar]

One day i remember sitting with a friend and asking him about the great GTi engine. For those of you who do not know what a GTi engine is, its the Twin Cam 1300cc engine that came on the swift abroad and had 100BHP on stock. He told me that there were a few Zen's, Esteem's and a Gypsy running with the same engine. I didn't take much interest in it at first. My friend then said that he would be interested in an engine if could get him one. After searching high and low I found some engines but the prices were quite high. And hence he dropped the idea.

One day i found a good engine for sale and told my friend but then at that point he wasn't interested in it at that price. By that time after doing a lot of research on the internet i started developing an interest towards it. I then decided and picked up the engine.

The Engine reached me after a month's time and i finally had the engine with me. The next thing in question was, what vehicle to install this engine in? We had a 2003 Maruti Zen at home which clocked about 80k kms on the odo. This car was being used but not as much as we had got 2 other replacement cars in the house in the mean time. So then after discussing the idea of plonking the engine into this idea with many people over several months and then again doing more research on how to get it running, the work finally was started in April,2012 at Mr. Rahul Dutt's workshop.

He is one of the most knowledgeable people around and is technically very sound apart from being a hands on person. The engine was taken to him and it was decided that we would rebuild the engine as the condition was unknown.

We sat and made a list of items required and then they were ordered. The whole engine was rebuilt on the table first by the Expert himself. After that the car was taken to his workshop. The old engine was taken off. While the all the mountings and fittings were transferred from one engine to the other, the Suspension & steering were overhauled.

The engine was then finally plonked into the car and was fired up. The car start in half a self. I was really apprehensive of how the car would turn out but then i had the expert telling me that its gonna turn out well.

The basic purpose of doing this modification was to learn on the job about modifications as my knowledge is very limited and i have always been very keen to know more. It was also to try and participate in events like autocross and other motor sports events along with keeping this a daily driver. I sincerely believe that the best way to make a car reliable is to keep driving it and sorting out problems that arise one after the other.

Things on the cards -

1). Intake - Pipercross - Done
2). Exhaust - Free flow - Semi finished
3). Tyres - To be bought
4). Tacho Meter - To be bought
5). Stiff Suspension - To be done

Most people running this setup go in for either a twin carb setup or a go in for an after market programmable ECU. Mr. Rahul Dutt is a firm believer that the car should be driven with the stock MPFI setup and that is what we are running. The car is being driven 25-30kms a day to run the new engine in. There is more than enough torque and power than one can ever imagine. It can be driven on top gear at about 35kms/hr and there is enough power to pull through. It is also taking alot of effort not to step on the accelerator and fly the car so that the engine runs in well.

Sorry for the poor quality of the pics. Pics all taken from my phone. Request the mods if they can change the resolution to a smaller size and the quality would improve. The pics are clear on my computer but are very pix elated on the forum.

Looking forward to valuable comments and feedbacks.

Some photographs of the work in progess. Will update with recent pics soon.

Thank You

Regards

Indrojit Sircar

[sudev]

One question - Why a do this on a zen? The car has handling issues and this would have made huge sense to do it on something like a Swift with lovely chassis and handling.

[swarnava.m]

Let me be the first to congratulate you on this achievement!! Kudos to you and your persistence. Many people I know, would undertake such a project, then run into problems and abort it midway. Waste of automotive inspiration, IMHO!!

I have a few questions:

First, you say that this engine is a 1300cc twin cam with 100 BHP. Since this engine hasn't come into India commercially, how and where did you source it from? Also, you said that there were quite a few available? (If you don't mind sharing, of course!)

Second, it would be great if you could share some cost details, in each stage, i.e., cost of engine, other parts, labour, etc. Also the amount of time it took for the whole process.

Third, some more details about the entire transplant experience. What problems did you run into, and how did you resolve them? Problems while running the car with the new engine afterwards, as well.

Finally, a proper experience description with the new engine. How well does she pull, and how the torque is. Some figures like 0-100 would be interesting as well..

Sorry if I seem too inquisitive, but I really liked this post of yours and would congratulate you once again. The thing is that a similar thing has been in my mind for quite some time, but I have been unable to find the right resources or the right people to talk to in my area. Hence, any kind of interaction in this regard would be of real help to me. Thanks!!

Originally Posted by sudev

One question - Why a do this on a zen? The car has handling issues and this would have made huge sense to do it on something like a Swift with lovely chassis and handling.

One reason I would say is for the sheer lightweight of the car. This would make is easy to maneuver, and the power to weight ratio would be excellent as well.. Having said that, it is true it would do much more justice doing this in a swift.

[wbd8779]

Having been witness to this build from the start i can say that it has been meticiosly built with a lot of passion by Indrojit He has toiled in the workshop for days on end and has lost a few pounds in the bargain !

Rahul as usual has done a commendable job with this build with his usual attention to detail.

Sudev - i will answer the "why Zen " question on behalf of sparky , since he already had the zen lying around the house no capital investment was required to purchase a car , and the budget on which this engine has been imported / built will surprise you to say the least , moreover the purpose was to learn how to transplant / upgrade engines and the knowledge gained has been invaluable. But yes i do agree that a swift will be a far better base , maybe in some time you will see another Swift GTI from the same stables

Sparky - Pls learn how to use your camera / BB better , you are simply lousy at it

[black12rr]

Good job , please keep us updated .

Are you planning to update the brakes and tyres ? .Zen has pathetic brakes .

Originally Posted by sudev

One question - Why a do this on a zen? The car has handling issues and this would have made huge sense to do it on something like a Swift with lovely chassis and handling.

OT :Is it so ? I have always read zen is one of the best handlers .

[Automaton]

Hello

Great work on the engine. 100 BHP on a pocket rocket is just the thing for mad moments of dumping clutch at a highway signal to surprise a few fellow drivers
I remember getting a hell of a surprise at the Eastern express highway at the Godrej signal by a Fiat 1100.

I prefer the stealth mode. With no stickers on the outside or very obvious mods on the car. Stock on the outside, a beast inside.

But is it me or can this be a common thing with most people: (especially since this is a members only forum,) we get to read all the various details, even part numbers, but the most important things, 'how much did it cost' is never mentioned.
Unless you PM the person. Don't understand it. But anyway.

[HorsPwr]

Must say - A commendable job and congratulations on a successful overhaul. I am a Zen fan and what an amazing replacement you found for the original engine. What is the most signifant difference you found after the transplant in terms of performance ?

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by black12rr

OT :Is it so ? I have always read zen is one of the best handlers .

The chassis is pretty decent, but if you want to push your Zen beyond its limits, you will most certainly need to upgrade components like the brakes. It would also help installing a set of aftermarket, performance-spec coil-overs/shocks and maybe a strut-brace.

The steering-wheel is very communicative and it's a great car that loves to be chucked into corners. The gearbox can be a little notchy and rubbery though.

EDIT: Excellent thread Indrojit. It has always been my dream to lay my hands on a Zen and soup it up to my liking! You're living the quintessential hot-hatch dream!

SUBSCRIBED.

[S2!!!]

How I miss my zen every time I see a thread of some one souping up theirs'. Mine was the same colour, 2002 LXi variant but had a stage 1 setup on it.

The Zen is a sweet handler for the power it generated and with suhaas307 that just better brakes, tyres and strut braces can make it a real pocket rocket. It is really easy to nip in and out of traffic due to its small size and offers a better power to weight ratio when compared to a Swift and I would choose a Zen over a Swift every time (but then that is because it was my first car and I just loved it).

[sudev]

Zen's handling on tight corners is good but it can looses its composure drastically if you have to do change in line/speed while in a high speed turn. Compare this with Swift or Esteem and you'd know the difference. I'd say it is a case of under-steer when you push it.

Also the front overhang is a problem and if you are not careful of even middling speed breakers you are in for a nasty surprise.

[funkykar]

Congratulations! Cant believe what a Zen with 100 horses could do.

Is this street legal? I am presuming no RTO would permit this, correct?

[amarpreet99]

Congrats Indrojit on superfast pocket rocket.
Also, I would appreciate it if you could share where you procured the engine from as I am on the lookout for a 1.3DOHC for my turbo swift.

Enjoy your ride!!

Thanks.

[anand_lukose]

Congratulations on an awesome project.

I also own a 2003 Zen and I have had many sleepless nights thinking about these kind of dream stuff ! I agree to most of the posts above. We need more info and especially how you sourced the engine ! Yeh Dil Maange more

Can't wait !

[Sutripta]

Great!
What is the redline for this engine?
Tiny's car?

Remapped? Setup with a wideband? Plugchop pictures?

Don't put in a FFE, and its a perfect sleeper.

Don't let initial success go to your head.

Regards
Sutripta

[IndrojitSircar]

Originally Posted by sudev

One question - Why a do this on a zen? The car has handling issues and this would have made huge sense to do it on something like a Swift with lovely chassis and handling.

Thank you Sir for your response. AS WBD8779 mentioned, i had this car at home and it was not being used as such, hence decided to go ahead with it. I remember reading somewhere that you had bought a zen for your wife and then used it to rally. I would like to know, what measures did you take to reinforce the suspension and make it more stiff?

Originally Posted by swarnava.m

Let me be the first to congratulate you on this achievement!! Kudos to you and your persistence. Many people I know, would undertake such a project, then run into problems and abort it midway. Waste of automotive inspiration, IMHO!!

I have a few questions:

First, you say that this engine is a 1300cc twin cam with 100 BHP. Since this engine hasn't come into India commercially, how and where did you source it from? Also, you said that there were quite a few available? (If you don't mind sharing, of course!)

Second, it would be great if you could share some cost details, in each stage, i.e., cost of engine, other parts, labour, etc. Also the amount of time it took for the whole process.

Third, some more details about the entire transplant experience. What problems did you run into, and how did you resolve them? Problems while running the car with the new engine afterwards, as well.

Finally, a proper experience description with the new engine. How well does she pull, and how the torque is. Some figures like 0-100 would be interesting as well..

Sorry if I seem too inquisitive, but I really liked this post of yours and would congratulate you once again. The thing is that a similar thing has been in my mind for quite some time, but I have been unable to find the right resources or the right people to talk to in my area. Hence, any kind of interaction in this regard would be of real help to me. Thanks!!




One reason I would say is for the sheer lightweight of the car. This would make is easy to maneuver, and the power to weight ratio would be excellent as well.. Having said that, it is true it would do much more justice doing this in a swift.

Thank You so much. WE did run into lots of trouble at every stage but then with the guidance and persistence of Mr. Rahul Dutt and his team, nothing was and is unachievable. Once i make up my mind to do something, come what may i go through with it. But i very seldom make up mind to do things. Lol..

Answers to your questions -

1). There were a number of these engine for sale in Bombay chor bazar, Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi. These used to go for a decent price at that point of time.

2). The project started at a very good pace but then later it kept stalling as Mr. Rahul Dutt and I, both had other committments to take care of. But the whole process of the work starting, stalling in between and then finishing took a month.

3). We had problems at every stage that were taken care of. No problems what so ever with this engine. As mentioned the car started on half a self the first time we fired her up. WBD8779 is also another witness to that.

She pulls very well but haven't really driven the car hard as the engine is new and i want it to last. I usually drive it at 60km/h and will do so for sometime till the engine frees up and then would be able to update you on the 0-100 time. The best thing about this engine is, one can easily drive at a speed of 30km/h in 5th gear without any knocking or juddering. A normal Zen would keep stalling even in 3rd gear at that speed.

I already have a diesel swift but then didn't want to fiddle with that at all because of the prices of petrol going up by leaps and bounds.

Please feel free to ask if you have any other questions.

Originally Posted by wbd8779

Having been witness to this build from the start i can say that it has been meticiosly built with a lot of passion by Indrojit He has toiled in the workshop for days on end and has lost a few pounds in the bargain !

Rahul as usual has done a commendable job with this build with his usual attention to detail.

Sudev - i will answer the "why Zen " question on behalf of sparky , since he already had the zen lying around the house no capital investment was required to purchase a car , and the budget on which this engine has been imported / built will surprise you to say the least , moreover the purpose was to learn how to transplant / upgrade engines and the knowledge gained has been invaluable. But yes i do agree that a swift will be a far better base , maybe in some time you will see another Swift GTI from the same stables

Sparky - Pls learn how to use your camera / BB better , you are simply lousy at it

Thank you for all the help and support that you have given me during this project. More beers after the engine frees up


Could you please upload the video you took of the firing up of the engine?

I really need to save money and buy a camera. Everyone seems to be complaining of the same thing.

Originally Posted by black12rr

Good job , please keep us updated .

Are you planning to update the brakes and tyres ? .Zen has pathetic brakes .

OT :Is it so ? I have always read zen is one of the best handlers .

Will definitely let everyone know. I am not upgrading the tyres or the suspension for now. If i do then somewhere i know i will start driving the car hard and my engine will not run in well.

The braking on the Zen is quite good. The braking of a car has a major relation with the tyres one uses and also the condition of the booster and the brake pads/shoes.

Originally Posted by Automaton

Hello

Great work on the engine. 100 BHP on a pocket rocket is just the thing for mad moments of dumping clutch at a highway signal to surprise a few fellow drivers
I remember getting a hell of a surprise at the Eastern express highway at the Godrej signal by a Fiat 1100.

I prefer the stealth mode. With no stickers on the outside or very obvious mods on the car. Stock on the outside, a beast inside.

But is it me or can this be a common thing with most people: (especially since this is a members only forum,) we get to read all the various details, even part numbers, but the most important things, 'how much did it cost' is never mentioned.
Unless you PM the person. Don't understand it. But anyway.

I agree and that is why my car is in the stock condition outside. I might get a paint job done at a later stage.

Well i am one person who would not like to disclose the money i spent till now as most people might think its too much and some may think its too less. Hence i would refrain from any such discussions.

Originally Posted by HorsPwr

Must say - A commendable job and congratulations on a successful overhaul. I am a Zen fan and what an amazing replacement you found for the original engine. What is the most signifant difference you found after the transplant in terms of performance ?

The most significant thing is that i just need to step on the accelerator a little bit and the car is ready to take off. Also the low end torque of the engine is phenomenal. I haven't really driven the car to check the performance.

Originally Posted by suhaas307

The chassis is pretty decent, but if you want to push your Zen beyond its limits, you will most certainly need to upgrade components like the brakes. It would also help installing a set of aftermarket, performance-spec coil-overs/shocks and maybe a strut-brace.

The steering-wheel is very communicative and it's a great car that loves to be chucked into corners. The gearbox can be a little notchy and rubbery though.

EDIT: Excellent thread Indrojit. It has always been my dream to lay my hands on a Zen and soup it up to my liking! You're living the quintessential hot-hatch dream!

SUBSCRIBED.

Yes all plans to upgrade the suspension. As i said will do that in the next stage after i have successfully run my engine in.

One of the best things of the zen i love is the Gearbox and close ratios. I did consider to upgrade the gearbox but then decided against it since i am more than happy with the existing one.

Originally Posted by S2!!!

How I miss my zen every time I see a thread of some one souping up theirs'. Mine was the same colour, 2002 LXi variant but had a stage 1 setup on it.

The Zen is a sweet handler for the power it generated and with suhaas307 that just better brakes, tyres and strut braces can make it a real pocket rocket. It is really easy to nip in and out of traffic due to its small size and offers a better power to weight ratio when compared to a Swift and I would choose a Zen over a Swift every time (but then that is because it was my first car and I just loved it).

Could you please share details of the Stage 1 setup that you were running ? What suspension did you use?

Originally Posted by sudev

Zen's handling on tight corners is good but it can looses its composure drastically if you have to do change in line/speed while in a high speed turn. Compare this with Swift or Esteem and you'd know the difference. I'd say it is a case of under-steer when you push it.

Also the front overhang is a problem and if you are not careful of even middling speed breakers you are in for a nasty surprise.

Swift is definitely better, not sure about the Esteem. Anyway to correct the under-steer?

Thanks

Originally Posted by funkykar

Congratulations! Cant believe what a Zen with 100 horses could do.

Is this street legal? I am presuming no RTO would permit this, correct?

Yes the car is street legal. Paper work at the RTO is under process.

off topic- How easy is it to get an old car like an amby or fiat re-registered in Bangalore and also getting an NOC out from Bangalore RTO? Needed it for a car here which has a KA number.

Originally Posted by amarpreet99

Congrats Indrojit on superfast pocket rocket.
Also, I would appreciate it if you could share where you procured the engine from as I am on the lookout for a 1.3DOHC for my turbo swift.

Enjoy your ride!!

Thanks.

Thanks Aman. I thought you had 3 of these engines with you. Why don't you share some pics of your Gypsy on which you are running the same setup. Would love to learn something from that.

Originally Posted by anand_lukose

Congratulations on an awesome project.

I also own a 2003 Zen and I have had many sleepless nights thinking about these kind of dream stuff ! I agree to most of the posts above. We need more info and especially how you sourced the engine ! Yeh Dil Maange more

Can't wait !

I would be more than happy to provide other info you want . As far as the engine is concerned, Let that be a secret.

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Great!
What is the redline for this engine?
Tiny's car?

Remapped? Setup with a wideband? Plugchop pictures?

Don't put in a FFE, and its a perfect sleeper.

Don't let initial success go to your head.

Regards
Sutripta

I am not sure about the redline. But from the factory they came at 8,000 RPM as the limiter. Yes its the same car.
Running it on a stock setup. No remapping for now. Need to install a good end can. Plans to do it soon.
Not at all. This is just the beginning. More such projects to come.