Mk2 Golf Gti Engine Rebuild - Tips?

[RikkiGTI]

Hi all!

After new year I am looking at giving my Golf GTI an engine rebuild - new seals, rings and just a general cleanup as she's now reached 215k, a tad smokey under full throttle and has a bit of an oil drinking habit, so I think it's time to give the old girl a bit of tlc and strip down and rebuild the engine and return it to former glory

Engine info, it's a 1989 1781cc 8 valve with the digifant injection system if that makes any difference to the rebuild?

So far I have started pricing up;
Full cylinder head gasket kit - incl valve stem oil seals, cam seals, HG etc.
Piston rings
Main bearings
Cylinder head bolts
Lower engine gaskets - crank, sump, etc
Already have a new oil pump so will refit, along with a selection of new oil pressure/ blue temp sensors

Will also fit a new clutch obviously while it's all apart!

I know it's a few weeks off yet but I will be posting pictures up as I progress!

Is there anything else I should know or have missed off? Any advice/ opinion would be welcome!

I am also looking just to do a standard rebuild - no power tuning! Lol!

Cheers, Rik

[MJK 24]

Your smoke and oil consumption will likely be the valve stem oil seals.

I'd get new valve guides fitted and obviously change the valve stem oil seals too.

To be honest, if the bores look ok, I wouldn't touch the bottom end. A friend did 400k in a Scirocco GTX without touching the bottom end.

If you are going the whole hog and take the engine out, I'd change the crank oil seals at both ends and the coreplugs as any of these will be a pain in the ass with the engine in the car.

[RikkiGTI]

To be honest I'm very, very tempted to go the whole way and take the engine out, take everything apart and give it a damn good clean before rebuilding with fresh parts! Juat thinking it will seem a very satisfying job having a near factory fresh, clean engine!

I wasnt entirely sure if the smoke would be down to the valve stems though as it doesn't smoke on start up just in the higher rev band or when giving a good caning and double declutching - makes epic smoke clouds appear - more likely, to be piston rings right?

I'll have a good think though, have priced up the bits needed for the rebuild too, gonna cost around £300ish, which isn't too bad, plus I've got a nice big garage and plenty of tools, plus lots of guides on you tube make this look a relatively straight forward job to do!

[gforceg]

Maybe a new water pump while you're there? Seems rude not to...

[missing the VR6]

I was offered a couple of weeks ago a 16V KR engine with 112000 with a FSH for £375, might something like that be a better idea.
I believe VR6's are around £500!

Obviously there will be extra costs but if you're going to that much trouble why not upgrade?

[Searider]

Have you done a compression test to determine the condition of your rings/bores?

New rings might be sufficient but if the bores are also worn you might be looking at a rebore and oversize pistons?

[phumy]

This ^^^^^ is the first thing you should do before you start any strip down. It will give you full indication of the reason for the smoke.

[aka_kerrly]

First thing to do before a strip down is a compression test.

Also, depending on the compression tests id recommend not getting too carried away with new pistons/rebores and buy a 2.0l bottom end with low mileage and spend a few hundred getting some proper head work instead as this will yield better gains.

OR find a mk3 golf 16v donor car and rebuild the ABF ;-)

[RikkiGTI]

Thanks everyone for your comments! Really helpful!

Basically as I stated first I don't want to see a performance gain out of this, I just want to rebuild the 8v engine as factory fresh and like new - they were good engines brand new and I don't think the past 21 years, 9 owners and 215k miles have been as sympathetic towards this engine, as although it still feels quick for what it is, it doesn't quite have the same punch as a younger engine with less miles, and the oil burning issue is driving me nuts! It's not leaking either I did sort that out lol! :P

I haven't got around to doing a compression test yet, the only one I have done so far is for oil pressure, which was still pretty good at both top and bottom ends!

The 2.0 bottom end conversion does sound good though, will make for quite a torquey engine from what I've read up on, so will try and keep a look out for one, if not I will rebuild as standard, same with the 16v lump, but I'm only 20 and insurance won't allow for any engine modifications I'm afraid

Also surely, wanting to rebuild an engine at my age over the winter in a nice warm garage, is clearly better than going out and spending my money on clubbing, alcohol, etc... The typical 20 year olds weekend/ evening! Lol! I thi I it will be quite educational and the feeling will be good once I've done it

Rik

[gforceg]

RikkiGTI said:

Thanks everyone for your comments! Really helpful!

Basically as I stated first I don't want to see a performance gain out of this, I just want to rebuild the 8v engine as factory fresh and like new - they were good engines brand new and I don't think the past 21 years, 9 owners and 215k miles have been as sympathetic towards this engine, as although it still feels quick for what it is, it doesn't quite have the same punch as a younger engine with less miles, and the oil burning issue is driving me nuts! It's not leaking either I did sort that out lol! :P

I haven't got around to doing a compression test yet, the only one I have done so far is for oil pressure, which was still pretty good at both top and bottom ends!

The 2.0 bottom end conversion does sound good though, will make for quite a torquey engine from what I've read up on, so will try and keep a look out for one, if not I will rebuild as standard, same with the 16v lump, but I'm only 20 and insurance won't allow for any engine modifications I'm afraid

Also surely, wanting to rebuild an engine at my age over the winter in a nice warm garage, is clearly better than going out and spending my money on clubbing, alcohol, etc... The typical 20 year olds weekend/ evening! Lol! I thi I it will be quite educational and the feeling will be good once I've done it

Rik

Good for you mate. Stick to your guns.

You've probably already thought of it but I'd also replace all hoses and pipes (especially the metal water pipe that runs up to the heating plumbing) and cables. Make it look a proper job!

G

[aka_kerrly]

Who are you insured with? I had my first GTI 8v at 19 following a BMW 318 and the insurance wasn't bad at all with Adrian Flux.

Now I am with Brentacre and the guys are outstanding, they really know VWs and especially modified ones. They will give you a eg 150hp limit and you can essentially do what you want up to that limit before any premium increases.

The main thing is decide now what you want from the car. Don't spend a lot of time/money on a really nice 1.8 8v rebuild if in a few months you wish you had done a 16v/VR/20vt conversion.

Have you had a look at second hand engines? I sold a less than 10k old rebuilt 8v which would have been perfect for what you want to achieve for £400 when it cost the previous owner £2000 to build.

[JB!]

Find another 8v.

they are pence to buy as everyoe chucks them away for 20v/ABF/6cyl conversions.

Don't bother spending time and money rebuilding yours, just buy another with 100k ish on.

haggle on these:

http://www.edition38.com/forums/index.php?showtopi...

http://www.edition38.com/forums/index.php?showtopi...

or i know a friend who will be pulling a good 8v out for a 20vt swap...

[tev]

Hi All Just bought a mk 3.5 2.0 8v cab , i want to keep it and need to restore it , anyone know , what i can do to enhance it power etc , and who's good to give it to ?

west London area .

THANKS TEV

[JB!]

tev said:

Hi All Just bought a mk 3.5 2.0 8v cab , i want to keep it and need to restore it , anyone know , what i can do to enhance it power etc , and who's good to give it to ?

west London area .

THANKS TEV

Throw the engine in the bin and swap in either a 2.0 16v ABF, 1.8 20vt or in a cabrio a VR6 in 12 or 24v form for the noise.

All capable of 200bhp fairly easily.

[tev]

to JB , any clues who to use to do that , thats sensible ??

[aka_kerrly]

^ The best way to do any of the conversions that JB has suggested is to buy a complete donor car, you can get a mk3 golf 16v GTI and VR6 mk3s for a few hundred quid.

[JB!]

tev said:

to JB , any clues who to use to do that , thats sensible ??

Yeah a friend of mine will do a Drive-in Drive-out with your car and a running driving donor over a long weekend, based up in MK. Won't be anywhere near as cheap as a DIY job, and its using all parts you supply so there is no warranty, but I drove a MK3 GTI 8v he converted to a VR6 and it was ace, its now supercharged.

If you're doing it this way, you want an MOT fail with a very clean engine bay and stacks of recipts.

The Mk3 8v to VR6 was £800.

engines requiring custom looms are more.

ETA - Milton Keynes area so not a million miles away.

[paultownsend]

Get a 2.0 bottom end. Think you need a different distributer, 2E I think.

Will make a nice difference, but still keep the engine within the period. Get a Newman 262 can if you are really wanting to treat her. That combination gives nice torque and lets it rev cleaner

[aka_kerrly]

paultownsend said:

Get a 2.0 bottom end. Think you need a different distributer, 2E I think.

Will make a nice difference, but still keep the engine within the period. Get a Newman 262 can if you are really wanting to treat her. That combination gives nice torque and lets it rev cleaner

A chap with a 2.0 8v mk3 Cabrio bumped a 3 year old thread, he doesn't need a 2.0 upgrade , he needs a turbo, supercharger, vr6 or combination of those ;-)

[paultownsend]

Ha! Oops!