[ZX3TUNR]

As for the 2nd book some of us might not have heard of it..

Quote:At a price of around $14, this book is the second-best bargain I've ever seen (the #1 bargain was when I bought my Focus below invoice).

Now the long version:

This is a really cool book. The author takes a very methodical and systematic approach in order to find out where the Zetec engine is restricted, and where the stock components will suffice. Throughout the book, the engine modifications are tested on the dyno in order to tell what works and what doesn't. Case in point: the stock throttle body looks like a bottleneck, but the author made well over 200 wheel horsepower using it on a turbocharged Zetec. On a supercharged Zetec, however, the author shows that the stock throttle body is indeed a restriction. While other guys are wasting their time with mods that won't make any noticeable difference, Holdener is actually testing all of the changes he makes and passing on what he has learned. If you're a beginner, this book will save you a lot of money. If you're experienced, this book will save you a lot of time.

This book was clearly rushed into print, as there are a LOT of typos and mislabeled graphs - you've got to pay careful attention to the text. In one case, it appears that the graphs were put on the wrong pages entirely, as the numbers on the graph are nowhere near what they should be. The quantitative value of the graphs is limited, but the qualitative value is enormous. The reader can see just where a given configuration makes its power, which is crucial for both off-road and street use. I, for instance, have no use for some wild engine that makes peak power between 7,000 and 8,000 rpm's. On the other hand, I fell in love with the power curve of Pectel's turbo - it looks absolutely perfect for street use (which is ironic given that I'm pretty sure it's not street-legal - I guess it's designed for rally cars). Unfortunately, this brings us to the biggest problem with this book - it's not appropriate for street cars.

This book is definitely aimed at off-road use. There is very little discussion of emissions - in fact, I can't recall any of the turbo setups being street-legal. I would've liked to see a catalytic converter squeezed in for a few of the tests, especially since the cat can be such a restriction under the right conditions. That is, I'd like to see a comparison of the stock cat to a high-flow aftermarket cat. That would be VERY helpful.

This book focuses (no pun intended) almost entirely on the [Zetec] engine, with turbocharging receiving the most attention. Supercharging and normally aspirated mods are covered pretty thoroughly, but nitrous, sadly, is almost ignored. There is only one dyno test on a nitrous setup, which is unfortunate given nitrous' affordability. Ironically, nitrous is probably the most likely mod for a novice to make, yet this book leaves us flying blind in terms of the fuel requirements (how many beginners have the equipment to measure air/fuel ratios?). It would've been nice to see a couple more dyno runs so that I can tell how large my injectors need to be. Of course, the reader can use the other tests in the book to get a rough idea of what injector size is required for a given power output, but nothing compares to the usefulness of one of Holdener's tests.

As I said earlier, this book is almost exclusively about upgrading the Zetec engine. It touches briefly on suspension mods, and very briefly on the drivetrain and brakes. There are no dyno tests to show the effect of the aluminum flywheel vs. stock. Nor are there any scientific tests on the torque-biasing differential, the upgraded brakes, or the effect of the new final drive ratio (again, it appears that the book was rushed into print). This doesn't seem like a terrible shortcoming, except that I think a discussion of rotating mass would be a great addition to this book. For example, the lighter flywheel should've made a noticeable difference off the line, and the up-sized wheel/tire package would obviously place more demands on the brakes.

Overall, this book is awesome! Just keep in mind that the text is STRONGLY biased toward racing. In fact, Holdener used Union 76 118 Pro Stock race fuel for one of the tests (last time I checked, that wasn't one of the choices on the pump at my local Hess station). A word of warning for beginners: after reading this book, you're going to want all the stuff you've seen in Holdener's cars. If you're poor (like me), either start looking for a second job or get ready to be extremely envious!