There's been some confusion, misinformation, and misleading sellers recently regarding "FS-ZE" engines. Many of you know that the FS-ZE is the JDM high performance version of our engines, which has high compression pistons, more aggressive intake cam, better tuned intake manifold, and depending on year, a better exhaust manifold.
The problem is, there's also a FS-DE engine that looks very similar to the FS-ZE because it also has the same intake manifold as the FS-ZE, but it came with the same low compression pistons as the USDM FS-DE, but also a set of cams that are probably better tuned for low end torque (no information on those cams exist yet).
Obviously, there's also the JDM 626 FS-DE engine that looks quite similar to our USDM 626 engine, so not hard to see the difference there, so it's a non-issue.
When going to buy your "low mileage" JDM engine from your importer, they might not allow you to open the valve cover to see what cams it has-- to help ID the engine. Engine numbers don't help, unlike Honda engines.
So what does this leave you with?
Look at the fuel pressure regulator solenoid mounted on the intake manifold itself. If it's a FS-ZE, you should expect the same looking plastic Mitsubishi solenoid as your FS-DE:
If it's a MPV FS-DE, it will look very different and have a metal construction. Walk away from this if you want to have an FS-ZE, otherwise, try to talk down the price so you can try to have a clean replacement motor for your turbo Protege:
Also beware there are some variations on the FS-ZEs, though they are largely similar. To summarize:
The problem is, there's also a FS-DE engine that looks very similar to the FS-ZE because it also has the same intake manifold as the FS-ZE, but it came with the same low compression pistons as the USDM FS-DE, but also a set of cams that are probably better tuned for low end torque (no information on those cams exist yet).
Obviously, there's also the JDM 626 FS-DE engine that looks quite similar to our USDM 626 engine, so not hard to see the difference there, so it's a non-issue.
When going to buy your "low mileage" JDM engine from your importer, they might not allow you to open the valve cover to see what cams it has-- to help ID the engine. Engine numbers don't help, unlike Honda engines.
So what does this leave you with?
Look at the fuel pressure regulator solenoid mounted on the intake manifold itself. If it's a FS-ZE, you should expect the same looking plastic Mitsubishi solenoid as your FS-DE:
If it's a MPV FS-DE, it will look very different and have a metal construction. Walk away from this if you want to have an FS-ZE, otherwise, try to talk down the price so you can try to have a clean replacement motor for your turbo Protege:
Also beware there are some variations on the FS-ZEs, though they are largely similar. To summarize:
- 97-99 Capella (626) FS-ZEs will not have a plastic engine cover and will have coil packs mounted on the side like the 99-00 Protege's FP-DE
- All Capella (626) FS-ZEs have a different plastic resonator from the Familia (Protege) one. The Familia version has a part ID code moulded on the top corner that says "FS2V" and is slightly stronger. The Familia version is more rare as fewer Sport20s were sold.
- All late 99 to 03 FS-ZEs have "coil over plug" coil packs, like the 01-03 Proteges