Description: Ginetta G40 Engine & Drivetrain

New Ginetta G40s come with new power units supplied by Ford, either Zetec E or Duratec HE. Ginetta makes modifications to items like the engine ECU mapping, throttle body, sump and for the GT5, lightened flywheel and specialist cams.

The GRDC / Cup car is tuned to around 135 BHP, whereas Junior cars are tuned down to 100 BHP and GT5 cars up to 155 BHP (revised camshaft, lightened flywheel), all using the same 1.8 litre Zetec E Black Top engine. For dyno results on my G40 GRDC / Cup car, seeĀ Description: Ginetta G40 Power to Weight.

For cars with the sequential gearbox (GT5, Junior), the engine is mounted slightly further back into the bulkhead.

The G40R (road) car is the only version that comes with the Ford Duratec HE 2.0 engine, tuned to around 200 BHP. The Duratec engine's exhaust manifold is on the opposite side (driver's side, UK).

The ECU for the Zetec and Duratec is normally by Specialist Components (SC). For more information, see Reference: Ginetta G40 Electronics.

The throttle body is branded as Ginetta but is probably supplied by Jenvey, and it also uses a throttle position sensor (TPS) for RPM control. The sump is a Raceline wet sump kit for the Zetec RWD black top. There are various modifications to the engine peripherals that make it suitable for racing, such as the oil catch tank and connectors for power supply (e.g. for transponders) and of course the gearbox and transmission going to rear-wheel drive.

The GRDC / Club gearbox and clutch are Mazda (MX5), five-speed H-pattern. Junior and GT5 use a sequential box from Quaife. The clutch is dry single-plate (un-sprung or sprung available). The differential is Ford with a Quaife ATB mechanical LSD.

The exhaust has a catalytic converter just after the outlet manifold, in front of and above the passenger footwell, and a silencer box in the rear of the car, in the space above the diffuser and behind the rear axle. Silencing tends to wear off with use and the exhaust may become louder, so I've made up a removable baffle to fit into the end pipe (inner pipe 2" outer pipe oval 4x3"). You may also get pulled in for drive-by noise if the clamps have come off the airbox, giving induction noise.

The G40 GRDC / Club engine, like other championship versions of the G40, is a sealed unit and must not be modified if you are using it in the championship. Bearing in mind the above, the following links provide information on the history and tuning of the Ford Zetec 1.8 engine and Ford Duratec 2.0 engine.