Best engine conversion? Any help please.

[Eigdoog]

Hello all!

So i bet this has been asked before but i cant find too much about it.

Whats the best engine to swap over into a mk2? Is it just the 1.8t (150hp) from the golf? If so and i buy a donor car will it have everything i need to do a simple ish swap?

Thanks.

[essextom]

get a 225bhp bam engine, will save you money in the long run. You will need- engine, gearbox, loom from a donor minimum. You will need to buy- mounts, exhaust downpipe, loom or modify it yourself, hyd clutch conversion kit depending on what you do, also intercooler and a fair few other bits depending on how you do it. But buy bam 225 with k04 turbo.

[Rocco2]

Gather all the parts before you start, it's a lot faster to build if you don't have to wait stuff to be delivered.
I did order as much as I knew that I would need and still had to wait for some intercooler hoses for two weeks :D because I wanted black ones instead of blue ones.
Overall it took about 60-70 labour hours from start to finish.
Electrical stuff took the longest to sort out. And I also rebuilt the whole engine, changed the whole exhaust, suspension got an upgrade.

To think about it has been crazy and exciting to do it all :D and the rocco is loads of fun now!

[mark1gls]

All depends on what you want from the engine and what car you have to start of with, carb or fuel injection?

Some info here on engine conversion if starting off with a fuel injected car, can be done if your car is a carb but extra fuel pumps needed.

https://vwgolfmk1.org.uk/index.php?page ... misc&id=26

[james butler]

i think best engine is very debatable, 1.8t rocco is fun and fast but i love the chunky power the little 1.8 carb produces and seeing the little mods and changes ive made improve it.
i would suggest driving many different types before making your decision.
if i was going to upgrade i would do a 2 litre 8v upgrade on mine and stick with the carb after driving bill neals white kitless mk2 with this setup i immediately liked it more so than the turbo roccos.
its not faster by a long chalk but it was so much fun to drive!

[the edmundator]

if i was going to upgrade i would do a 2 litre 8v upgrade

Which cars would you find this in?

[james butler]

theres quite a few but my choice would be from a mk3 golf estate as like likey to have been thrashed

[mark1gls]

I’ve got a 2.0l engine block from a mk3 golf and Gti head to go into my Mk1 Golf Gti next year, should be fun.

[Eigdoog]

Well ive been thinking about it and i would like to see around 200hp and im not that fussed how i get it. If i could mod the engine i already have i would but unsure what mods could be done.

Not even 100% sure what sort ive got! Only just got the car but im trying to forward think.
Can the standard engine be tuned? I understand there is a 8v and a 16v? How do i know what ive got?

[essextom]

you'll have to fit either a g60-1.8t-16vt-vr6 to get 200bhp. 1.8 20vt would be easiest for that power id suggest. as a standard engine mapped should be 200 or close depending on type.

[mark1gls]

Post up a picture of what's in there and we can tell you what you have.

May be worth giving your current engine a good service and but it on a rolling road as see if you are any where near the standard performance figures.

Fuel injected 1.8 engine (DX) should make 112bhp.
Carb 1.8 (EX) should make 90 bhp.

How much have you got to spend and who will do the work, your self or take it to a garage and get them to do all the work?
A 20Vt engine conversion all done for you is not cheap at £5000 ish......
Simpler engine conversions will cost alot less......

[Hilltop]

Have a look at the Haynes Golf GTI Performance manual by Tim Stiles (of TSR). Lots of good info re upgrade of various VW engines and engine swaps.