As Mr. Hennessy so kindly pointed out, this question comes up quite a bit so lets make this the sibling to the
Zetec/T5 thread.
Fill in the gaps I'm missing.
What is the Duratec/MZR?It is the result of the goal to create a common all aluminum 4 cylinder engine used by both Ford (Duratec) and Mazda (MZR) starting in the early/mid-2000s (for the North American market). It is worth noting that Ford has used this name on other engines but those are not what we are talking about. Unless it is an all aluminum 4 cylinder engine measuring 2.0, 2.3, or 2.5L with the exhaust on the right side when mounted north/south, it is not what this thread is about.
The bottom ends are very similar between the Ford and Mazda versions but Mazda typically uses a head with variable valve timing. If you choose to go with the Mazda engine, extra care will be required however you will be rewarded with a little extra power. For comparison's sake, a 2.0 from a Focus barely puts out 140 hp in stock form while a 2.0 from a Miata is in the 160 hp range.
There are also pretty good Wikipedia articles on
the Duratec (this outlines the different "Duratecs" including the ones we are not talking about) and the
Mazda L series.
If it doesn't look like this, it isn't what we are referring to:
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What RWD transmission bolts to a Duratec or MZR?Two and only two production/off-the-shelf RWD transmission options exist; NC Miata or a 2001+ Ranger/B-Series pickup. If you use the Ranger transmission, be sure to get the flywheel, clutch, and starter as they seem to be a unique diameter compared to the rest of the Duratec installations. The NC Miata and Focus 2.0 (at least the 2007 one that I used) had the same diameter flywheel so the NC flywheel mated with the starter.
Several other places like
Quads4Rods sell bellhousings to mate other transmissions to the Duratec but it will be more labor intensive and more expensive than the NC or Ranger option.
What is needed from the donor vehicles?Aside from the complete engine with accessories and the transmission, you will need the driveshaft, flywheel, clutch, starter, and slave cylinder to match the transmission. From the engine donor, you will need the engine and chassis wiring harnesses, ECU, the key that matches the ECU (very important as the Ford ECU PATS will not start the engine without it), the PATS antenna located in the steering column near the key, O2 sensors, complete intake/airbox with MAF sensor and throttle cable, fuel pump driver module (FPDM), and the stock fuel pump (the ECU controls fuel pressure electronically so these are a must).
The Ranger ends up being the most economical and practical powertrain donor since everything comes from one vehicle. The NC Miata is a much more expensive donor and mixing and matching engines and transmissions will requiring sourcing parts from multiple vehicles and end up being somewhere between a NC Miata and a Ranger price-wise (I went this route; it is doable but more difficult).
What differs between the different engines?All engines tend to share the same bottom end but as the displacement increases so does the stroke and the engine height. For instance the 2.3L Duratec is approximately 0.5" taller than the 2.0L so extra clearance is needed.
The compression ratios also vary slightly between engines:
2.0L Duratec and MZR - 10:1
2.3L Duratec (Ranger) - 9.7:1
(See Justin's post below for head flow) Also according to SB Motorsports' website, the 08+ 2.0L heads had higher flow numbers (RF3S4G and RF6S4E casting numbers) compared to the earlier 2.0L engines but these heads were likely not used in the US market.
Donors?The 2001 Ranger/B-Series were among the first vehicles to use the engine (I believe this was a mid model year change). Otherwise if it is a Ford or Mazda made after 2005 and it has a 2.0, 2.3, or 2.5L four cylinder engine, it is more than likely a what we are talking about. In recent years direct injection, Atkinson cycle (used on hybrid installations), and some other technology has appeared so pay attention when getting an engine from a newer donor.
After Market Support and Common ModsCosworth (goes without saying)
Crower - they offer cams and a few other items.
SBD Motorsports - they offer some interesting performance products and have some good information
AT Power (also from the UK) offers fuel rails with 6AN fittings and some good other stuff
RacelineEagle Rod - connecting rods