1990 MK2 Volkswagen GTI 8V - Diesel conversion

[AJB88]

So I posed up a thread about my "daily" 2014 MK3 Leon Cupra yesterday so though I might as well post up the other money pit.

Purchased this earlier in the year, already converted.

1990 "G" MK2 VW Golf GTI 8v, converted to a MK3 Golf TDI (90bhp AHU).


The following has been fitted:
PD130 Passat turbo set up
SAAB FMIC
full exhaust system
rocketchip stage2 ecu with 3 bar map sensor
ARP headstuds
O2A long ratio gearbox
G60 clutch and SMF
g60 front brakes
Porsche glovebox
Porsche doorhandles

Approx 170bhp at the moment.

Day I picked her up (notice the rear suspension)


first things first sort that suspension out



Old headlight wiring loom

new loom


dirty air filter


rear strut brace


New brakes all round


As she stands at the moment












Plans are to tidy her up, sit her on some G60 steels with sticky summer tyres and use it.

[aka_kerrly]

Oh I do like a royal blue Golf GTI and it's always good to see a mk2 getting some love.

I'm slightly intrigued by the TDI conversion, I know of a few TDI swapped MK1/2 era cars and know they can be quite pokey whilst far more economical than the original 8&16v GTIs lumps but it's not my favourite engine conversion. That said, your engine bay does look rather well presented and not half as messy as some swaps i've seen.

[dandam]

A TDi is all about the torque, so any idea what it is making ??

[AJB88]

aka_kerrly said:

Oh I do like a royal blue Golf GTI and it's always good to see a mk2 getting some love.

I'm slightly intrigued by the TDI conversion, I know of a few TDI swapped MK1/2 era cars and know they can be quite pokey whilst far more economical than the original 8&16v GTIs lumps but it's not my favourite engine conversion. That said, your engine bay does look rather well presented and not half as messy as some swaps i've seen.

Trust me under the covers it is messy at the moment haha, had a wiring guy spend nearly 5 hours yesterday re-doing a lot of it.

[AJB88]

dandam said:

A TDi is all about the torque, so any idea what it is making ??

Approx 170bhp, I want to get it serviced etc and then start tuning it again, want to get the ECU re-done again for piece of mind, not sure how good the tune on it is.

Probably look at a hybrid turbo for it as well and bigger nozzles.

[jamesson]

What's with the Porsche bits?

[AJB88]

They are "upgrade" parts for a MK2 Golf, one of them things lots of owners bought as an upgrade, they were on the car when I bought it so will leave them on.

Scene tax means them parts are worth £££ now.

[jamesson]

AJB88 said:

They are "upgrade" parts for a MK2 Golf, one of them things lots of owners bought as an upgrade, they were on the car when I bought it so will leave them on.

Scene tax means them parts are worth £££ now.

How utterly bizarre but thank you for the explanation.

[AJB88]

its like all these MK4 and MK5 Golf's you see with Bentley wheels on them basically.

[AJB88]

Due to the old owner fitting some rather nice Recaro Editon One heated seats and then selling them before the Golf was sold the golf had a really low spec interior fitted to it, I managed to track down some 1990 spec GTI seats local to me for cheap. The drivers one has the usual wear on it but its 100 better looking than the lower spec interior.

Acting as a van


Before




During


After



Just need to track down the matching door cards now and a replacement cover for the drivers seat.

[J4CKO]

I bet that is like a normal 8 valve gti in a lot of ways, but with lots more grunt, torquey feeling but not that revvy, 170 bhp is a pretty decent output in a car of that weight anyway but I bet it feels quicker due to the power delivery and torque, those engines feel strong, standard in a Passat or Sharan.

[AJB88]

Yeh it does feel quick (bearing in mind my other car is a MK3 Leon Cupra with around 400ps) it just hasn't got the top end.

[AJB88]

12 months MOT now on the car following some welding, new CV boots etc!

Took a few snaps on the way home from work at 7am

[AJB88]

Few little updates, finally got some G60 steels, smoked crosshairs as well.



just need to find some smoked spot lights now!



LED sidelights



and a little detail...



Badge isn't going to be everybody's cup of tea... but it was a GTI now its a Diesel haha.

[sc0tt]

Like the badge

[AJB88]

Thought its about time for an update, especially as Photobucket have deleted all my photos as well!

I previously installed "smoked crosshair" lights that I thought looked cool but decided OEM is where the money is so have reinstalled my OEM Hella headlights. I did this while having some more wiring redone!

Before


During


After


I am currently running 5 door GTI interior and driver door cards, Like most GTI's the drivers seat is knackered. I have a complete OEM GTI 3 door interior being delivered this week.


Coming this week



Car has also gone over 210k



My plan is now to make it look as OEM as possible from the outside and interior.

[24 Lemons]

Good call, I have recently made the same decision. A completely standard looking MK2 just seems so cool and classy. I am now looking at OEM cassette players!

[AJB88]

Haha I use mine as a daily currently so CD and DAB it had to be. I want it to be stock outside (apart from being lower and different wheels) and stock interior... obviously the engine bay is different.

[AJB88]

There seems to be a number of MK2 threads on here recently so thought I would join in and update mine!

MK2 now has fully working cruise control using an OEM MK2 cruise stalk


car has just gone over 214k, its developed another turbo fault and a glow plug fault (slow to start), I have got new glow plugs for it but the 22 year old plastic coated wiring loom is brittle so need to order a new one from VW



The 2 front arches are damaged now so need to fit new arches, I'm also getting a mate to do some welding on it (fuel cap, rear valance, sills) in the summer when I can use the Porsche more.

Bit of snow action.... my sunday car has heated seats this doesn't ....

Edited by AJB88 on Wednesday 6th February 08:06

[Gallons Per Mile]

Excellent project! Any idea how difficult the original conversion was to do? Also, is you speedo reading correctly with those skinny tyres? My Mk4 PD150 engine would be sort of fun in my Mk2 shell, but I don't think I could bring myself to do it!