GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk2 => Topic started by: tech1889 on 14 November 2010, 17:22
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Hi guys im new to the mk2 section im normally in the mk4 section..
I love the mk2 and have just got permission from the parents to have a little mk2 as a bit of a project car..
I was wondering if there was a buying guide or such about.. ??
I want a 3 door GTI i know there are 8v and 16v variants and also a G60 ?? Is there others..
Whats the best model to get and of what age.. I was thinking of doing the VR conversion as my friend has a VR sitting in his garage i could nick off him :grin: ... ??
So what do i have to look out for guys when buying and how to tell if its a lemon..
I am by no means a professional mechanic but am handy enough with a spanner so i don't want want a massive bare shell respray and rebuild etc.. just something i can tinker with for a year or so get it fit for the roads.. How much am i looking to payfor a car like this ??
Sorry for the 21 questions
Dan
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You should know by now to use the search function. :grin:
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I should but i want all the info in one place so its easier for me to read.. Im sure people wont mind asnwering anyways.. no ?
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Buy a 90 spec (big Bumper) Mk2 as the loom is different and makes engine conversions easier - you tell these apart as they have the hazard light on the steering column. Pre 90 spec one had it on the dash.
Body condition is more important than engine milage/age as engines can easily be fixed/replaced.
Look for rust around arches, sills, windscreen wiper blank, boot, fuel filler cap.
8v's are more common then the 16v by a factor of 4-1. 8v will giver better MPG - 40 ish - as it has electronic ignition. 16v uses Bosch K-jet mechanical, about 30 mpg.
16v is better :rolleyes: as it is faster. The torque kicks in around 4000 rpm all the way to the red line. 8v is lower down but runs out of puff.
So you want a H/J reg 16v. These also come with power steering, electric windows and a sunroof as standard.
Check for water leaks in the footwells. This is due to shrunk/no door membranes, blocked sunroof tubes, failed seal on the blower mesh cover in the scuttle panel, and failed/shrunk grommets for the accelerator/bonnet release cable.
Check all the electrical things work. Air vent blower power may be down due to the vent direction selector membrane perishing. Tell tale is bits of foam shooting out of the vents on full blower. Bit of a potch to remove but simple fix.
Dim headlights are due to them only getting 9v instead of the full 12v. Off the shelf or home made harness can be used to get brighter lights. :smiley:
As said, plenty more info available if you weren't so lazy.
Jonathan.
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Thank you very much.. im not lazy just want it in one place so i can print ff and take with me when viewing a car..
Whats the G60 an are the really expensive or any good ??
Cheers again for info above
Dan
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g60's are left hand drive only due to the fact that we didnt get them so they are all imported,there are two variations,there is the edition one,which looks like a normal mk2 gti but with larger wheel arch extensions and there is the later version which is the raylle,these have retangle headlights a different grill and flared wings,expect to pay anything up to 9K for a well looked after low milege raylle,i would say it is not the one to go for if you want to pull the engine out and do major modifications as they are rare and are worth much more in standard form,also i think you would be happy enough with the power the g60 produces.
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Right i will stick with looking for a late 16valve then.. Cheers guys..
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Right i will stick with looking for a late 16valve then.. Cheers guys..
If you are serious about doing the engine swap then go for the 8v as they are cheaper to buy and as you are swapping the engine it wont matter if they arnt as fast or not,personally i would get the 16v tho,they are ALOT of fun and they sound awsome with a fourbranch manifold and performance exhaust fitted and 139bhp is not to be sniffed at in such a small light car,you will be suprised how quick they are. :wink:
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Are they really all that with a VR in them ?? or is the 16v more than enough ?? just think the VR looks better under the bonnet..
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Late 8v H/J + Mk3 (16v) donor car for wide track and ABF conversion, reckon you could do it for £2k.
One long cold winter in the shed and its done for summer, then save for body work :wink:
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VR is heavy and right out front, makes for more understeer.
quick though :smiley:
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Im not to worried about understeer as will only take it to pod a few times and maybe of a weekend i mainly want it to learn on i fancy getting one and doing it track style with motec digi dash etc or then i also fancy just doing it up back to its former glory lol I think it really depends on the car i manage to find and at what price i want to spend under £1000 for the car.. and then wana spend a year or so doing it up and about another £1000 ish...
What you think ??
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Anything is feesable. The VR lump is a nice engine but as said, quite heavy. See if you can get a 16V as this will already have the suspension and the 15'' wheels as well as the larger brakes, although with VR power, you will need to upgrade to 280mm discs with calipers to match, a la G60.
You will also need to look at your rev counter as I think this will need modifying or changing. DannyP or Rubjohnny knows more about this. Dont forget to consider your exhaust as well.
Or you can buy my G60 for 4k in the new year! :wink:
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would love to mate but i want a project not a minter..
what about 1.8t in a mk2 they are light easy to come by is there much stuff needed.. could get a written off mk4 1.8t or even a runner for 1000 ??
I think you are right about weight a VR is going to bog down the front end quite some and i would like it to go round some corners lol
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Are they really all that with a VR in them ?? or is the 16v more than enough ?? just think the VR looks better under the bonnet..
VR is all show and no go.
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Pointless putting the 1.8T in. It is 150 BHP standard, the same as the 2.0 ABF lump out of the MK3 GTI. The ABF will cost you far less, is more available and is a plug and play swap with the 90 spec wiring.
Why you should care what the engine looks like is beyond me, engines are for driving.
Either refurd a standard 16v or put and ABF into a 16v and then tune/chip it, plenty quick.
The VR6 sound good, and that's about it. As said its too heavy a lump.
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1.8 can be 225 bhp standard mate and that would be silly power in a mk2 no ??
Vr is out the window then because of weight and it's a toss up between standard returned 16v and 1.8t..
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I agree on not getting a 1.8t, Id rather just have a 2.0l 16v and if you want a bigger project, put megasquirt on it,.thats what I'm doing taking me AGES though :grin:
My mk2 felt quicker than my a3 1.8tqs even though it was running lean top end, so hopefully when its fixed running at 160 it should be even faster! Youd need an lsd really if going for the Bam engines, or even on the k03s id imagine.
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I have a k03s on my mk4 and it's fine without LSD but I I put it in a mk2 I would put a LSD indie track days and just so power can be put down..
2.0 16v sounds good but with megasquirt how much power we looking at ??
Why is 1.8t frowned upon so much if yas don't mind me asking ??
Dan
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Yer id put it on a mapped k03s 225bhp, mk2 being lighter and all.
Well on an abf with a good map you can get 175bhp and over 150lb torque from a stock 2.0l Normal stock is like 160 odd and 135 lb torque ?, ive got a 9a so mine is going to a bit less. Theres a few cars been dynoed with Megasquirt with 80% tune at around 150bhp so scope for some more bhp from going on a dyno machine
But its quite expensive, and really expensive if you cant map it yourself. Ive done around £500 so far, but thats because I needed abf gear, ecu built will be £350, then a seat cupra airbox or induction kit. Then about £500 for remapping, or if doing yourself, just £120 for a controller. Ive realised now that the wiring wasnt even hard, I just knew nothing about electrics in a car !
I bought it as I read it gives much more flexibility on fuelling and spark and the drive is much different. Go club gti for loads more info, but dont ask questions lol.
I dont like the 1.8t engine in a mk2, as I think the mk2 should have a high revving engine in it, keeping the rpms high :evil:
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why cant i ask questions ??
my 1.8t is getting mapped start of next month also getting rpm limit raised to 7200.. what does the 16v rev to ??
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You can lol, but i dont like too, they shoot you down sometimes as you may ask a stupid question. It may rev that high but it runs out of puff at just over 5500rpm the 1.8t. Thats when the 16v is most lively :laugh: , maybe little while before, getting a 2l youll have a enough torque low down in the rev range aswell, I think its plenty, but the 1.8 you may miss the low down torque from your 1.8t.
I would just go abf on abf managment.
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Bit of info for you my 16v does about 40mpg.
G60s are a bit more pricey but if your def vrin it you best bet would be to go for the 16 as its got big breaks (unless its a full vr6) then just go for the 8 as there more common.
Cheers liam
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If you're just using it at the pod then go for the 1.8t or VR6 to give you that instant power.
If you want to keep (close) to standard, and want a car that will be fun to drive on the twisties, then the standard 16v or ABF if you want to do a swap. Even the 8v is fun drive on the B-roads, and feels similar to the 16v until about 5k rpm.
There are quite a few G60 conversions out there, using the Corrado engine.
I have a feeling that you'll go for the 1.8t or VR6, since you are used to the turbo on your mk4. The standard MK2 engines aren't so much 'pushed into the back of your seat' acceleration, more of a constant pull, resulting in 'wow, we're going that fast already?', which you experience when taking the 16v from about 2k rpm to the redline in 2nd or 3rd.
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cheers for the info guys.. the engine choice is going to be up i the air really for a while until i get the car and can feel what the 16v power is like.. i do love the 1.8t for pin back fun but if not set up right can loose puff after so many revs and im not so sure on how to retro fit it in a mk2.. I think the 16v would be more liveable if i had to use it day to day but at the moment im thinking sort any probs out with shell etc and get it track look as at the mo thats my thing lol
VR i tihnk is off the cards as the weight will not be a nice drive as the mk2 is so light and yer will look nice in the bay but thats not what im looking for i just wana surprise people in a really cool old car :smiley: