MK3 Golf 1.8t Project

[Leon27]

I havnt seen any other MK3 20VT around my area, im north london area, only ever see vr's and decked 1.4s! 

Hey North London is a big place! I see all sorts but haven't seen a 20vT or 16v's like mine much...
Loving the project, 8hrs of ownership and the engine was coming out 

[snail_on_skunk]

I havnt seen any other MK3 20VT around my area, im north london area, only ever see vr's and decked 1.4s! 

Hey North London is a big place! I see all sorts but haven't seen a 20vT or 16v's like mine much...
Loving the project, 8hrs of ownership and the engine was coming out 

It was hilarious! After 5 hours of driving, I couldn't be bother with the guys "sales pitch" he kept sayin how good the engine was, and all I kept saying is "that's nice, it's the first thing I'm changing" his face dropped! 

[snail_on_skunk]

Disco potato?

Its a turbo based on the garrett gt28 base with a couple of mods, faster spool up, built for about 350bhp, was designed for smaller engines!

http://www3.sympatico.ca/mr2sc/disco_potato.html

[snail_on_skunk]

She's back, picked up the golf from Jtec yesterday, so happy to get her back. Drove her home to see how she was going on the standard map, even without the map she pulls nicely. Tried my best to stick to the speed limit the whole way but couldnt help it, went from 60 - 120 in no time, bit scared for when i get it mapped. Gonna give it a quick clean during the week and get some pictures up, but apparently it schedueled to snow so might just be covering it up instead! 

The drive home (with the stereo off, so i could hear that lovely tone) gave me time to go over the car and work out what needed to be done, so far the list is as follows:
- Obviously, get the booked in for a map at Rtec Tuning
- Look into brakes, quite hard pedal, think i need to modify the vacuum system on the brake servo
- Power steering is a little heavy, think its the combination of mk3 steering rack and mk4 power steering pump, will look into different pulley sizes
- Coilovers need fitting, its on lowering spring now (how i bought it) but since changing the engine, the front now sits higher (1.8t engine lighter than a 2.0 16v?!) so needs leveling out and tracking done.
- Back box touches heat shield slightly, either modify shield or lower exhaust slightly, will work out how much space i have to play with
- Buy new coolant bottle (cause its dirty) and mk4 golf washer bottle to relocate to o/s of bay to make room for air filter
- Relocated battery to boot (or spare wheel well if i can make it fit nicely), again, for more room for air filter
- OEM airbox with panel filter if i find one that fits (will breathe nicer and can make a cold air feed from lower grill)
- Clean engine (dusty and water marks) and possibly repaint cam cover, inlet manifold and pipe work.
- Start swapping over parts with the current MK3 to get all nicer trims with no scuffs.
- Start looking for black interior items (grab handles, pillar trims, sun visors and interior light)
- Start looking for someone who knows how to change colour of all LED's of interior for red and blue items (to match MK4 interior)

Think thats enough for now, should keep me going through the next month or 2! Wish me luck!

[snail_on_skunk]

Been a bit busy lately, so quite happy to get around to working on the car for a bit today. Was working "officially" today, so took the golf into work and had it on the ramp next to mine and worked on it when it wasnt busy (but boy, did it get busy, you always get the most idiotic customers on a saturday!)

Well, first off, got told there was a doner mk3 golf cl in the carpark that i could have what i wanted as lond as it could be driven to the scrap yard in a reasonable state! Swapped over the steering wheel, as mine was a bit worn, swapped over the speaker grills as 2 of mine were cracked, took the front bumper slatt covers, as the us spec one i bought didnt come with any, and also swapped over the front and wing indicators to the orange units, as ive been picturing the car fully silver with little details, and i think the orange sets it off nicely. Also fitted a new coolant bottle as it was dirty.

Also read a thread (think its on here) about fitting a set of boot gas struts under the bonnet to make bonnet struts, was really easy and looks pretty trick if i do say so myself. And finally, managed to grab a set of ruybber floor matts for a mk3, with the VW badge on them, much easier to clean!

Took my old coilovers to work, that were fitted to my 8v GTI, took them apart, cleaned them up, wire wheels all the threads so nothing was siezed, and put them all back together ready to fit, but run out of time so that will be done next week along with tracking. (I say ran out of time, i had 1 hour before closing time and decided to clean her instead  )

And here is the end result..













Had to get one of them together before the black golf goes, not willing to get rid of it until the 20v is 100%, you cant rush these things! 

[snail_on_skunk]

well, the good days have quickly turned to bad! Driving home on sunday and car started over heating, steam coming out the bonnet, the usual thing to make you sit in traffic while hanging your head in shame, turns out, head gasket. When i stripped the engine down initially, the only bit i stupidly didnt change was the head gasket, at the time is tested ok and was trying to keep budgets down, once again, stupid me.

But, i guess every cloud has a silver lining, have been trying to make space in the schedual to strip the engine down and replace the rods, oil-pick up, change the k04 turbo i have for a hybrid k04 with k06 (from old shape RS6 i believe) internals, good for around 350bhp and upgrade the downpipe and de-cat from the qpeng one i have currently to a 3" version made by "trackslag" to allow it breathe better.

Time to get the card out and spend my amsterdam and miami saving monies, all in a good cause i guess...

http://trackslag.com/index.php/products?view=rokquickcart

[Wayne]

You reused the old head gasket     

That will never last as it gets compressed.

Looks a good project however.

[sharki786]

Wicked thread duuuuuude your a fast guy. Lookin sweet. Pitty about the head gasket. Oh well silly mistakes happen.
Also i noticed is thay your front bumper is pushed out in the middle? Is it anything to do with the fmic? & which fmic did you use?

[snail_on_skunk]

You reused the old head gasket     

That will never last as it gets compressed.

Looks a good project however.

I didnt "re-use" the head gasket, i carried out a block test on the engine when i was stripping it and the only part i didnt split was the head from the block, who re-uses gaskets?!

Wicked thread duuuuuude your a fast guy. Lookin sweet. Pitty about the head gasket. Oh well silly mistakes happen.
Also i noticed is thay your front bumper is pushed out in the middle? Is it anything to do with the fmic? & which fmic did you use?

Thanks dude, mistakes happen, but if your gonna have a built not bought car, you gonna expect problems, just another excuse to get the spanners out! 

The bumper, to my knowledge, isnt pushed out. I can see why you would think that, its because ive cut the fins out of the lower section and the natural curve of the bumper dosnt match the flat intercooler. Its one i picked up of eBay.

[sharki786]

Oh right. Got ya matey. You got a link for it plz?