Hi All,
I've been recently digging through AWD swap ideas from using stock ford parts like the Ecosport and the Focus RS to stuffing an LS attached to a 4L80, BW4472, and corvette rear end to achieve a high hp AWD setup. I've seen videos of twin engine Hondas and I'm wondering about that process. I drive a 2013 Fiesta (so not ST) but I know there are very knowledgeable folks here. I know the platforms are almost identical so physically, it should fit the same ish, just no turbo. I also want to keep my car as my daily driver after the swap, and 400 hp might be a bit much for me, two stock NA 1.6's pushing ~210 awhp seems enough.
My idea would be to take a rear or side damage fiesta, cut out the engine, drivetrain, subframe, entire front suspension, and shock towers. I'd just have to figure out to fit that drivetrain/suspension assembly into the car's rear end. I'm assuming the grinder and welder will both be my best friends if I go through with this idea. Physically fitting it I don't think will be the issue as long as everything is lined up correctly. The rear seat area is much larger than under the hood, and since the suspension will maintain the correct geometry, I think it would fit in nicely from the bottom of the car. Obviously this drivetrain/suspension assembly will need slimmed down and strengthened before it can go into the car as a one piece unit. I was thinking I would keep the stock ECU from the salvage car and just run 2 ECUs completely separated from each other. My plan would be to leave the front end alone, keeping regular vehicle functions. and just mess with the rear end. I feel like I may run into issues with running the rear motor so I'd want to either trick it into running correctly or hook up only the required sensors so it has enough data to run off of.
A couple of things will also need to be addressed such as keeping those knuckles straight and retaining the stock rear camber as well as adjustability for alignments. I'll have to move the gas tank somewhere else. (trunk area?), I'll need to create two custom exhausts. I'm sure I'll run into heaps of problems.
I have a few questions before I even think about starting this as well:
Will front suspension work in the rear if I get custom springs to match the new weight balance?
How exactly do wheel speed sensors send data to the ECU?
Could I split the signal from one wheel speed sensor, or sensors of any kind to work as inputs for both ECUs? (If not I could figure out how to add a second wheel speed sensor to each knuckle.)
How many computer modules are needed for an engine and trans to work on it's own?
What sensors are required to run the engine correctly?
Since ABS is it's own system, would I have any problems with that?
If anyone has experience with anything similar to this at all, what kind of issues did you see? What future problems should I expect to solve?
I've been recently digging through AWD swap ideas from using stock ford parts like the Ecosport and the Focus RS to stuffing an LS attached to a 4L80, BW4472, and corvette rear end to achieve a high hp AWD setup. I've seen videos of twin engine Hondas and I'm wondering about that process. I drive a 2013 Fiesta (so not ST) but I know there are very knowledgeable folks here. I know the platforms are almost identical so physically, it should fit the same ish, just no turbo. I also want to keep my car as my daily driver after the swap, and 400 hp might be a bit much for me, two stock NA 1.6's pushing ~210 awhp seems enough.
My idea would be to take a rear or side damage fiesta, cut out the engine, drivetrain, subframe, entire front suspension, and shock towers. I'd just have to figure out to fit that drivetrain/suspension assembly into the car's rear end. I'm assuming the grinder and welder will both be my best friends if I go through with this idea. Physically fitting it I don't think will be the issue as long as everything is lined up correctly. The rear seat area is much larger than under the hood, and since the suspension will maintain the correct geometry, I think it would fit in nicely from the bottom of the car. Obviously this drivetrain/suspension assembly will need slimmed down and strengthened before it can go into the car as a one piece unit. I was thinking I would keep the stock ECU from the salvage car and just run 2 ECUs completely separated from each other. My plan would be to leave the front end alone, keeping regular vehicle functions. and just mess with the rear end. I feel like I may run into issues with running the rear motor so I'd want to either trick it into running correctly or hook up only the required sensors so it has enough data to run off of.
A couple of things will also need to be addressed such as keeping those knuckles straight and retaining the stock rear camber as well as adjustability for alignments. I'll have to move the gas tank somewhere else. (trunk area?), I'll need to create two custom exhausts. I'm sure I'll run into heaps of problems.
I have a few questions before I even think about starting this as well:
Will front suspension work in the rear if I get custom springs to match the new weight balance?
How exactly do wheel speed sensors send data to the ECU?
Could I split the signal from one wheel speed sensor, or sensors of any kind to work as inputs for both ECUs? (If not I could figure out how to add a second wheel speed sensor to each knuckle.)
How many computer modules are needed for an engine and trans to work on it's own?
What sensors are required to run the engine correctly?
Since ABS is it's own system, would I have any problems with that?
If anyone has experience with anything similar to this at all, what kind of issues did you see? What future problems should I expect to solve?