My Volkswagen Polo G40/M45
Discussion
Erm, first, Hi! Since this is my first post on the forum.
Thought I would chuck some pics up of my car.
How I bought it, off this site.
It began life as a Polo GT, as the eagle eyed of you may have spotted quickly. A previous owner converted it using a whole G40, so it is literally a G40 in a GT shell.
The previous owner rebuilt the engine, supercharger, and gearbox and restored the car to a decent standard.
With the help of some head work, small charger pulleys, toothed belts and a chip, it was running around 150bhp, which as any G40 owner will tell you, is enough to put a smile on your face, and shock some much bigger cars. Unfortunately, it is also too much power for the chassis...
Unfortunately, on the journey home I had a little incident with a learner driver, and for fear of the insurance company writing the car off, I didn't claim.
As you may have noticed, the bonnet is the wrong colour, the reason you ask? Well the previous owner had a similar accident and had to sell the car because he couldn't afford to insure it!
I quite like the tatty look, it's a car which is purely function over fashion, and a brilliant sleeper.
Not long after buying it, the supercharger unexpectedly blew it's seals. I had the charger rebuilt and put it back on the car. It then got christened the "MoneyPit"
2 weeks later, after running it in gently as I should and doing plenty of miles, the dreaded blue smoke appeared AGAIN... The car was left over winter as I basically got drunk, got a new girlfriend and priorities changed.
Although I did purchase this... an Eaton M45 supercharger
In March I finally pulled my finger out and got the funds together to get the Eaton supercharger fitted. It got booked in with AW Tracksport down in Lincoln to get it fitted, as they do a kit to do this. Me and my Dad got it on the trailer and took it down
Then, 2 weeks later...
Took it to Santa Pod for GTi Spring Festival. Did two runs, both low 15s, but both trapped at over 100mph, but with nearly 3 second 60ft times, so you can see what's going wrong.
The alternator then came loose, and the belt began to slip, so front end off...
Back together 4 hours later, and a new intercooler on
Then together with one of my closest friend's Polo's
With a decent clean it comes up ok.
Then, yesterday, en route to the Elsecar VW show, disaster struck on the A1M. After embarrassing a Mk5 Golf R32 brilliantly, I slowed down and let my friend Sian catch up. I began to hear a rattle, like a bit of trim was loose, or a loose bracket, a mile later, I heard a 'Psshhhhht' and the car died...
Oops
I had a spare belt in the car, but no tools, so I phoned the RAC for help and was towed off the A1 and onto the A63 so he had more room to work.
We soon learnt the extent of the damage, when we realised some of the belt had somehow got entangled under the timing belt cover. Can you see where I'm going here? This is what we found when we removed the timing belt cover...
Oh cock. I got annoyed.
RAC man then discussed recovery, and wanted nearly 400 quid to take me home. I told him to cock off, and since my Dad was 40 mins away at York dragstrip, he came and trailored it away.
Aaaannndddd that's where I'm at now, one broken Polo G40/M45.
I'm hoping it's only damage to the valves, any more and I'll be rebuilding it, bigger, harder, faster and stronger!
Thanks for reading.
Liam
Thought I would chuck some pics up of my car.
How I bought it, off this site.
It began life as a Polo GT, as the eagle eyed of you may have spotted quickly. A previous owner converted it using a whole G40, so it is literally a G40 in a GT shell.
The previous owner rebuilt the engine, supercharger, and gearbox and restored the car to a decent standard.
With the help of some head work, small charger pulleys, toothed belts and a chip, it was running around 150bhp, which as any G40 owner will tell you, is enough to put a smile on your face, and shock some much bigger cars. Unfortunately, it is also too much power for the chassis...
Unfortunately, on the journey home I had a little incident with a learner driver, and for fear of the insurance company writing the car off, I didn't claim.
As you may have noticed, the bonnet is the wrong colour, the reason you ask? Well the previous owner had a similar accident and had to sell the car because he couldn't afford to insure it!
I quite like the tatty look, it's a car which is purely function over fashion, and a brilliant sleeper.
Not long after buying it, the supercharger unexpectedly blew it's seals. I had the charger rebuilt and put it back on the car. It then got christened the "MoneyPit"
2 weeks later, after running it in gently as I should and doing plenty of miles, the dreaded blue smoke appeared AGAIN... The car was left over winter as I basically got drunk, got a new girlfriend and priorities changed.
Although I did purchase this... an Eaton M45 supercharger
In March I finally pulled my finger out and got the funds together to get the Eaton supercharger fitted. It got booked in with AW Tracksport down in Lincoln to get it fitted, as they do a kit to do this. Me and my Dad got it on the trailer and took it down
Then, 2 weeks later...
Took it to Santa Pod for GTi Spring Festival. Did two runs, both low 15s, but both trapped at over 100mph, but with nearly 3 second 60ft times, so you can see what's going wrong.
The alternator then came loose, and the belt began to slip, so front end off...
Back together 4 hours later, and a new intercooler on
Then together with one of my closest friend's Polo's
With a decent clean it comes up ok.
Then, yesterday, en route to the Elsecar VW show, disaster struck on the A1M. After embarrassing a Mk5 Golf R32 brilliantly, I slowed down and let my friend Sian catch up. I began to hear a rattle, like a bit of trim was loose, or a loose bracket, a mile later, I heard a 'Psshhhhht' and the car died...
Oops
I had a spare belt in the car, but no tools, so I phoned the RAC for help and was towed off the A1 and onto the A63 so he had more room to work.
We soon learnt the extent of the damage, when we realised some of the belt had somehow got entangled under the timing belt cover. Can you see where I'm going here? This is what we found when we removed the timing belt cover...
Oh cock. I got annoyed.
RAC man then discussed recovery, and wanted nearly 400 quid to take me home. I told him to cock off, and since my Dad was 40 mins away at York dragstrip, he came and trailored it away.
Aaaannndddd that's where I'm at now, one broken Polo G40/M45.
I'm hoping it's only damage to the valves, any more and I'll be rebuilding it, bigger, harder, faster and stronger!
Thanks for reading.
Liam
Yes it loves the low-loader. Any owner of a G40 or G60 will tell you that!
I have read about the 'contact' and 'non-contact' VW engines. Allegedly mine is a 'contact' engine, but the pistons have a very large dish in them, so I'm hoping it's merely valve damage. If the head is damaged then I'm looking a big bill, but I may go for a big valve conversion and take it to the next level - 200+bhp.
I'm currently planning on getting a clean Corrado VR6 (had a Corrado 16v previously and adored it) for daily duties and restoring this. As you can tell, it needs paint and some under-bonnet tidying.
I have read about the 'contact' and 'non-contact' VW engines. Allegedly mine is a 'contact' engine, but the pistons have a very large dish in them, so I'm hoping it's merely valve damage. If the head is damaged then I'm looking a big bill, but I may go for a big valve conversion and take it to the next level - 200+bhp.
I'm currently planning on getting a clean Corrado VR6 (had a Corrado 16v previously and adored it) for daily duties and restoring this. As you can tell, it needs paint and some under-bonnet tidying.
GreenDubber - yes... I do have a new bonnet, slam panel and front wings, and now I need a door. It may pull out, but it's rusty anyway.
Tom - It's got the potential for low 14s as it is, I just need more practice launching it. You can see the potential by the terminal speed! It actually gathers more speed and covers the last 1/8th mile quicker than my Dad's 12.8 second Trans Am!
This was such a random and unlucky breakdown though!
Tom - It's got the potential for low 14s as it is, I just need more practice launching it. You can see the potential by the terminal speed! It actually gathers more speed and covers the last 1/8th mile quicker than my Dad's 12.8 second Trans Am!
This was such a random and unlucky breakdown though!
awesome little cars!!
I persoanlly hate G Laders since owning a Corrado G60 that was just the most unreliable car myself or anyone I know has ever had! Owned it for about 18 months and covered less than 1000 miles 200 of those being driving it home!
As for getting a Corrado VR6 quite honestly it's the best thing you could ever do! They are amazing! Who care's if induction kit's do no good a vr engine with one on is pure aural sex!
Good luck with the G40.
As for getting a Corrado VR6 quite honestly it's the best thing you could ever do! They are amazing! Who care's if induction kit's do no good a vr engine with one on is pure aural sex!
Good luck with the G40.
missing the VR6 said:
I persoanlly hate G Laders since owning a Corrado G60 that was just the most unreliable car myself or anyone I know has ever had!
+1 My G60 was terrible. Even with regular servicing and uprated seals they just seem to detonate when ever they want to. I got through 3 superchargers in as many years! 
^^^^ agree
My uncle has a G60 on 75k and it has never let him down and as yet has not even had a charger rebuild although i will be checking how much boast it makes when i next get my hands on it.
What kills a lot of G-ladders is the oil feed from the sump to the charger being blocked as the standard pipes are rubber and degrade over time. Swapping to a metal braided one is a good move and doesnt cost a lot especially compared to a charger! Fittting a wider charger belt or perhaps moving to a toothed pulley system although the slight problem with these is it only takes a slightly sharp edge on them and they eat belts.
As for the "moneypit" i do like the idea of a G40 or a FI engine in a GT and leaving the GT badges on for the surprise factory. I am currently running a GT badged up as CL for the same reasons.
Im sure once it is all back together it will be good again- the Eaton is a reliable unit so once the block is a similar standard you ought to get many miles without too much grief. On a side note what injectors are you using?
dave
My uncle has a G60 on 75k and it has never let him down and as yet has not even had a charger rebuild although i will be checking how much boast it makes when i next get my hands on it.
What kills a lot of G-ladders is the oil feed from the sump to the charger being blocked as the standard pipes are rubber and degrade over time. Swapping to a metal braided one is a good move and doesnt cost a lot especially compared to a charger! Fittting a wider charger belt or perhaps moving to a toothed pulley system although the slight problem with these is it only takes a slightly sharp edge on them and they eat belts.
As for the "moneypit" i do like the idea of a G40 or a FI engine in a GT and leaving the GT badges on for the surprise factory. I am currently running a GT badged up as CL for the same reasons.
Im sure once it is all back together it will be good again- the Eaton is a reliable unit so once the block is a similar standard you ought to get many miles without too much grief. On a side note what injectors are you using?
dave
hello there, i've got a standard one of these and so far i'm absolutely loving it, but for the fact it gets totally outgassed by all my friends brand new clios, corsas, and even a 500, and as such has been affectionately nicknamed "the s
tbox"
obviously this won't do, so i'm looking to do pretty much what you've done.
my engine is the standard 1.272, fitted to a standard gearbox (probably with buggered synchros), but it's only done about 20k, will there be compression ratio related problems in fitting an M45 to the stanard block - am i going to blow it up?
finally, how much did the full conversion cost you, and do you know of anywhere i can pick up one of these chargers? they're at about £300 on ebay at the moment.
thanks very much, Luke
tbox"obviously this won't do, so i'm looking to do pretty much what you've done.
my engine is the standard 1.272, fitted to a standard gearbox (probably with buggered synchros), but it's only done about 20k, will there be compression ratio related problems in fitting an M45 to the stanard block - am i going to blow it up?
finally, how much did the full conversion cost you, and do you know of anywhere i can pick up one of these chargers? they're at about £300 on ebay at the moment.
thanks very much, Luke
A standard G40 or a GT/CL you mean? If its a G40, then you can bolt on a M45 charger, with a kit, along with the other associated upgrades required... remap, injectors. The AWT kit is flawed as it does not allow for flex between the charger outlet and the intercooler. you cannot just simply bolt on a charger/turbo to a GT without first lowering the compression. G40's are 8.0:1, GT are 12:1 (if im correct). though getting hold of G40 piston would help, rod too i think. but if your going that far... just buy a G40 car!
The G40 can be made to go very quickly without major mods... simple chip and 65mm pulley satisfy most people.
G40 are far more reliable than a G60, but both are run on a ratio of 2:1 in both cars, (only when you stick a G60 on a G40 engine does it increase the risk). Generally they are both reliable if properly serviced, the charger and the engine, oil pathways etc etc... and the main cause of people blowing them up is red lining the engine, hitting against the limiter. This creates a torsional stress on the bearing. Also using a too smaller a pulley increasing the rpm ceiling of the charger spinning and bearing rating and for long sustained high rpm... increase in temperature in alloy charger bearing mounts allowing metal to expand and high oil pressure 6bar 'pops' the seals.
TBH, if you want rid of the G40 charger, then go turbo. Use a Rothe Motorsport exhaust manifold, K03 turbo etc, much more reliable. But you'll miss the sound of a G!
The G40 can be made to go very quickly without major mods... simple chip and 65mm pulley satisfy most people.
G40 are far more reliable than a G60, but both are run on a ratio of 2:1 in both cars, (only when you stick a G60 on a G40 engine does it increase the risk). Generally they are both reliable if properly serviced, the charger and the engine, oil pathways etc etc... and the main cause of people blowing them up is red lining the engine, hitting against the limiter. This creates a torsional stress on the bearing. Also using a too smaller a pulley increasing the rpm ceiling of the charger spinning and bearing rating and for long sustained high rpm... increase in temperature in alloy charger bearing mounts allowing metal to expand and high oil pressure 6bar 'pops' the seals.
TBH, if you want rid of the G40 charger, then go turbo. Use a Rothe Motorsport exhaust manifold, K03 turbo etc, much more reliable. But you'll miss the sound of a G!
Just go on www.polog40.co.uk and onto the forum if you need further info or for parts/cars for sale.
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