Mk2 Golf GTi 20v Turbo Soon To Be Daily.....
Discussion
After spending all day Saturday holding my Daughters hair back while she chucked her guts up, today was a slightly more productive day.
Unfortunately the day started with Mrs Sammo deciding we needed to go to Ikea. Of course the only upside of that is getting to have meatballs for lunch
Once we were home and everyone had settled down doing something I sped outside before I could be roped into doing something else.
So at the last update I’d removed the radiator bad then couldn’t find another one to replace it with. Thankfully after doing some research I found that the original GTI 8v radiator was more than up to the job and in all honesty the G60 radiator was just overkill.
Anyway, armed with a GSF discount code I picked up a new radiator, a selection of hoses & hose clips and 5L of coolant
Thankfully due to the old G60 radiator being huge it left plenty of space for the new one.
The only issue I had was that the pipework was all in the wrong place. I fitted the new radiator and after a small amount of hose trimming managed to get them to fit as though they were meant to be there
I did have remove and rotate this coolant housing but that came off without a fight
With the radiator fitted and hoses trimmed it all looks good I just need to get a new rad fan switch and rad fan. The old fan was dead when I removed it so I’m on the look out for another slimline fan.
I’ve put the word out for some other bits I’m after like arch trims for example. If the weather stays like this then I’ll try and get the new interior fitted after work this week
Unfortunately the day started with Mrs Sammo deciding we needed to go to Ikea. Of course the only upside of that is getting to have meatballs for lunch
Once we were home and everyone had settled down doing something I sped outside before I could be roped into doing something else.
So at the last update I’d removed the radiator bad then couldn’t find another one to replace it with. Thankfully after doing some research I found that the original GTI 8v radiator was more than up to the job and in all honesty the G60 radiator was just overkill.
Anyway, armed with a GSF discount code I picked up a new radiator, a selection of hoses & hose clips and 5L of coolant
Thankfully due to the old G60 radiator being huge it left plenty of space for the new one.
The only issue I had was that the pipework was all in the wrong place. I fitted the new radiator and after a small amount of hose trimming managed to get them to fit as though they were meant to be there
I did have remove and rotate this coolant housing but that came off without a fight
With the radiator fitted and hoses trimmed it all looks good
I just need to get a new rad fan switch and rad fan. The old fan was dead when I removed it so I’m on the look out for another slimline fan. 
I’ve put the word out for some other bits I’m after like arch trims for example. If the weather stays like this then I’ll try and get the new interior fitted after work this week
I’ve had the week off this week and got my BMW to a point where it went through it’s MOT so today I decided to fit the interior into the Golf.
The Golf has been sitting out on the road looking very sorry for itself. I bought a replacement interior for it a couple of months ago which has been sitting in the dining room waiting to be fitted. The first thing to do was to fit the door cards.
This I what I started with.
Five minutes and barely any swearing later.
You can probably see in those pictures that the carpet was covered in crap. Once the door cards were fitted I chucked a seat in, got the car onto the driveway and vacuumed the life out of it. Between this and the BMW I’ve done enough vacuuming this week to last me a lifetime
Once it was looking clean and tidy I fetched the rear bench and got it bolted in
Then it was time for the front seats. I’d bought all new slider clips for them and made sure I greased the runners to keep them moving smoothly.
Once the seats were in I got the steering wheel swapped over. As much as I liked the wheel that was fitted it wasn’t in the best condition. I found a Mk2 Golf GTI wheel for sale a little while ago and bought it.
With the interior done I decided to get the slimline cooling fan fitted as well. It’s a Spal fan which came with all the mounting clips etc so only took about 15 minutes to fit including adjusting the wiring.
That’s about it for today It’s been a productive one.
The Golf has been sitting out on the road looking very sorry for itself. I bought a replacement interior for it a couple of months ago which has been sitting in the dining room waiting to be fitted. The first thing to do was to fit the door cards.
This I what I started with.
Five minutes and barely any swearing later.
You can probably see in those pictures that the carpet was covered in crap. Once the door cards were fitted I chucked a seat in, got the car onto the driveway and vacuumed the life out of it. Between this and the BMW I’ve done enough vacuuming this week to last me a lifetime
Once it was looking clean and tidy I fetched the rear bench and got it bolted in
Then it was time for the front seats. I’d bought all new slider clips for them and made sure I greased the runners to keep them moving smoothly.
Once the seats were in I got the steering wheel swapped over. As much as I liked the wheel that was fitted it wasn’t in the best condition. I found a Mk2 Golf GTI wheel for sale a little while ago and bought it.
With the interior done I decided to get the slimline cooling fan fitted as well. It’s a Spal fan which came with all the mounting clips etc so only took about 15 minutes to fit including adjusting the wiring.
That’s about it for today
It’s been a productive one. 
I drove the car properly for the first time today. It’s not too bad although there’s some things that need checking out and sorting.
The wheel alignment definitely isn’t right.
There’s a clonking (that you can feel through the controls) when pulling away and changing from first to second.
There’s a vibration coming through the brake pedal when at a standstill.
The more driving I did the more the exhaust started to knock. I’ve already replaced all the rubbers so I have a feeling something has shifted.
The gear lever is too low! It never noticed when the car had the Recaro seats which sat much lower but with the standard seats I’m having to lean slightly to change gear.
Considering how long the car has been sat I’m happy enough with it. I did notice that the suspension felt pretty hard too. I wasn’t expecting it to be that hard after removing the coilovers so I stuck my head under it earlier and spotted that everything has been poly bushed. That’ll explain it then I’m surprised I didn’t notice that when I was changing the shocks and springs!
The wheel alignment definitely isn’t right.
There’s a clonking (that you can feel through the controls) when pulling away and changing from first to second.
There’s a vibration coming through the brake pedal when at a standstill.
The more driving I did the more the exhaust started to knock. I’ve already replaced all the rubbers so I have a feeling something has shifted.
The gear lever is too low! It never noticed when the car had the Recaro seats which sat much lower but with the standard seats I’m having to lean slightly to change gear.
Considering how long the car has been sat I’m happy enough with it. I did notice that the suspension felt pretty hard too. I wasn’t expecting it to be that hard after removing the coilovers so I stuck my head under it earlier and spotted that everything has been poly bushed. That’ll explain it then
I’m surprised I didn’t notice that when I was changing the shocks and springs!This afternoon was a bit quiet at work so I got one of the techs to chuck the Golf up on a ramp and figure out what was causing the clonking. After a few minutes he appeared in my office with the news that the rear engine mount it absolutely knackered. He showed me how much movement it had with a lever bar and to be honest I’m surprised the engine is still in So I’ve ordered a new mount from GSF which will be here on Wednesday
So I’ve ordered a new mount from GSF which will be here on Wednesday I’ve driven the Golf a little more over the last couple of weeks and decided that everything is very hard in it. The suspension is too hard. The steering is too heavy and aggravates my shoulder and neck. The clutch is too stiff and jerky and the accelerator is too stiff and very hard to regulate.
I know it’s an old car and I really want to like it but all the effort that has to be put into everyday driving really has me struggling to enjoy it. I’ve already bought the bushes to replace the poly bushed rear beam and new front arms to get rid of the poly bushes on the front. That will calm the jittery ride down quite a bit hopefully.
In an effort to try and stop the clutch feeling quite so jerky I bought a G60 front engine mount the other day to replace the solid one that’s fitted. Seeing as it was quiet at work again yesterday I got one of the techs to fit it for me in the afternoon. He had an absolute nightmare getting it in and had to tip the engine right back. It was eventually fitted but the front of the engine was looking quite high. By that point it was home time so I drove the car home but every time I went round a left hand bend I was getting a terrifying grinding noise through the pedals and steering column! I got the car home slowly and parked it on the driveway.
Today I lifted the bonnet and had a look around. It would appear where the engine is now tilted back the driveshaft is catching the rear engine mount which is sending a vibration through the car. I wasn’t sure how this could be seeing as the front mount I’d bought is exactly the same as another Mk2 20vt I know of has fitted. With a bit more investigation it turns out the front engine mount bracket is incorrect. It looks like mine is from a Mk3 Golf which gives too sharp an angle for the engine. I need one from an old Passat which gives a much shallower angle.
A quick search on eBay and I found the bracket I needed (in Latvia!) so I’ve ordered it and hopefully it won’t take too long to arrive
I know it’s an old car and I really want to like it but all the effort that has to be put into everyday driving really has me struggling to enjoy it. I’ve already bought the bushes to replace the poly bushed rear beam and new front arms to get rid of the poly bushes on the front. That will calm the jittery ride down quite a bit hopefully.
In an effort to try and stop the clutch feeling quite so jerky I bought a G60 front engine mount the other day to replace the solid one that’s fitted. Seeing as it was quiet at work again yesterday I got one of the techs to fit it for me in the afternoon. He had an absolute nightmare getting it in and had to tip the engine right back. It was eventually fitted but the front of the engine was looking quite high. By that point it was home time so I drove the car home but every time I went round a left hand bend I was getting a terrifying grinding noise through the pedals and steering column! I got the car home slowly and parked it on the driveway.
Today I lifted the bonnet and had a look around. It would appear where the engine is now tilted back the driveshaft is catching the rear engine mount which is sending a vibration through the car. I wasn’t sure how this could be seeing as the front mount I’d bought is exactly the same as another Mk2 20vt I know of has fitted. With a bit more investigation it turns out the front engine mount bracket is incorrect. It looks like mine is from a Mk3 Golf which gives too sharp an angle for the engine. I need one from an old Passat which gives a much shallower angle.
A quick search on eBay and I found the bracket I needed (in Latvia!) so I’ve ordered it and hopefully it won’t take too long to arrive
Seeing as the car was now on the driveway I figured I might as well take the front bumper off so I could replace one of the bumper hangers.
It looks a bit like Johnny 5 without the bumper on
With the bumper off I managed to get a good look at the intercooler. It’s been on there for the last 10 years and is looking rather sorry for itself. It’s also mounted quite low down which has always concerned me a little. I’ve had a brand new intercooler sat in my shed for years so I pulled that out to see what could be done but unfortunately the ports are a different size. I’m tempted to buy another with larger ports and fit it behind the grill which should then allow a bit more air flow into the engine bay
Seeing as it’s only a few more bolts to get the front panel off I’m tempted to remove it and tidy things up a little. All the loom tape has gone brittle and it all just looks a bit cobbled together under there. I’ll see how I feel once I’ve got a bit more access and make a decision.
It looks a bit like Johnny 5 without the bumper on
With the bumper off I managed to get a good look at the intercooler. It’s been on there for the last 10 years and is looking rather sorry for itself. It’s also mounted quite low down which has always concerned me a little. I’ve had a brand new intercooler sat in my shed for years so I pulled that out to see what could be done but unfortunately the ports are a different size. I’m tempted to buy another with larger ports and fit it behind the grill which should then allow a bit more air flow into the engine bay
Seeing as it’s only a few more bolts to get the front panel off I’m tempted to remove it and tidy things up a little. All the loom tape has gone brittle and it all just looks a bit cobbled together under there. I’ll see how I feel once I’ve got a bit more access and make a decision.
The joys of modified mk2’s...
Been there & done it. What gearbox mount does it use?
Pretty sure mine had some kind of hydraulic effort as standard that got swapped out for a solid rubber item.
Solid front mount would be the better option once your bracket issue is sorted.
Accelerator cable probably needs removing & lubeing. Also pay attention to the cable routing as that can cause binding issues.
What gearbox/clutch setup does it have?
Been there & done it. What gearbox mount does it use?
Pretty sure mine had some kind of hydraulic effort as standard that got swapped out for a solid rubber item.
Solid front mount would be the better option once your bracket issue is sorted.
Accelerator cable probably needs removing & lubeing. Also pay attention to the cable routing as that can cause binding issues.
What gearbox/clutch setup does it have?
chrismc1977 said:
The joys of modified mk2’s...
Been there & done it. What gearbox mount does it use?
Pretty sure mine had some kind of hydraulic effort as standard that got swapped out for a solid rubber item.
Solid front mount would be the better option once your bracket issue is sorted.
Accelerator cable probably needs removing & lubeing. Also pay attention to the cable routing as that can cause binding issues.
What gearbox/clutch setup does it have?
I honestly have no idea what gearbox is fitted. I know it’s got a G60 flywheel fitted though. Been there & done it. What gearbox mount does it use?
Pretty sure mine had some kind of hydraulic effort as standard that got swapped out for a solid rubber item.
Solid front mount would be the better option once your bracket issue is sorted.
Accelerator cable probably needs removing & lubeing. Also pay attention to the cable routing as that can cause binding issues.
What gearbox/clutch setup does it have?
I also don’t know what gearbox mount it uses. The joys of not doing the original job yourself aye!
I definitely won’t be re-fitting the solid front mount! It was awful to drive with that fitted!
After the F1 had finished this afternoon I decided to head back outside and remove a bit more from the Golf! I wanted to get the rad support, front panel etc off so it can all be sanded down and painted.
Thankfully nothing was seized so it didn’t take long and it was all off
Once the front panel was off I decided I may as well remove the boost hoses and throttle inlet pipe as well. There’s a K03s turbo sat in the boot and a silicone TIP so it might as well all come out while I’ve got access.
This left me with a pile of bits. Thankfully the van is just in front of the Golf so it all got chucked in the back of that for now
The starter motor is in a right state and I’m tempted to replace it. It whines away when you start the car too.
With all that lot out of the way I tried to find the gearbox code but there’s still quite a lot of crap in the way!
If anyone knows where the gearbox code is located then let me know so I can find out what I’ve got
That was about it for today. As long as the weather holds up I’ll try and sand the bits down during the week and if I’m feeling really energetic then I’ll get the turbo off too
Thankfully nothing was seized so it didn’t take long and it was all off
Once the front panel was off I decided I may as well remove the boost hoses and throttle inlet pipe as well. There’s a K03s turbo sat in the boot and a silicone TIP so it might as well all come out while I’ve got access.
This left me with a pile of bits. Thankfully the van is just in front of the Golf so it all got chucked in the back of that for now
The starter motor is in a right state and I’m tempted to replace it. It whines away when you start the car too.
With all that lot out of the way I tried to find the gearbox code but there’s still quite a lot of crap in the way!
If anyone knows where the gearbox code is located then let me know so I can find out what I’ve got
That was about it for today. As long as the weather holds up I’ll try and sand the bits down during the week and if I’m feeling really energetic then I’ll get the turbo off too
martin mrt said:
Its an 02A box with cable change, it could be from a G60, Mk3 16v or TDI Golf amongst a host of others
The code will be stamped on the bellhousing IIRC
It’s also fitted with the SEAT cable conversion, which isn’t great in my experience
Brilliant The code will be stamped on the bellhousing IIRC
It’s also fitted with the SEAT cable conversion, which isn’t great in my experience
Thanks. Is it possible to fit a diesel 5th gear in this to calm it down a little at motorway speeds?Also can a later shift tower (02j?) be fitted so I can use a Mk4 shifter etc? The gear shift on this is crap to say the least!
Yes the Seat cable conversion isn’t great. I’m tempted to buy the Fabless Manufacturing hydraulic clutch conversion kit for it. It uses the original pedal box and runs a braided line to the gearbox for the slave cylinder. However it’s $200 plus shipping so it might have to wait.
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