th3_f15t Mk4 V5 "Teeth Cutting" Restoration

[th3_f15t]

No, it belongs to the guy who I rent my workshop space off of. We fired it up for the first time in a year the other day, only took a few turns of the engine to fire up and it sounded amazing. Worth a bomb too so very careful when I'm working around the workshop near it!

Currently researching how to convert a throttle cable to fly-by-wire so if anyone's got and advice that'd be grand.

[th3_f15t]

Right, it's been a hectic few weeks what with deciding to sell off my mk5 GTI and replace it with a mk6 Golf R. I won't go into details here why I've chosen to do this but in essence I can't handle 2 project cars on the scale I was planning the mk5 GTI and what this mk4 V5 has escalated into. I'm really sad to have to part ways with the mk5 GTI but it has to be done unless cheap storage comes up local to me back in Essex. But anyway, back to the V5. Well, after a 3 day turn around the calipers that I dropped off at the powder coaters came back and they look amazing! Here's a shot comparing my painting skills against the powder coaters skills:


Needless to say they are epically good and only cost me £84 for both calipers! Just need to rebuild them and I have a (basically) brand new set of front 288mm brakes. Started cleaning the pistons and slider pins:



I didn't take pictures of the lot finished but I've done 2 calipers worth of pistons and pins as I'll build both sets up and sell the painted ones on to someone else who'll use them lovingly. But I now plan to get my wishbones and hub structure all powder coated in the same red too, just because it's something different and you don't see many people doing it. May even do the wheel arch linings too, for extra giggles. Speaking of painting and plastic parts:


R32 replica, here we come! Just need some side skirts and possibly a spoiler now, although may leave it off to mix the look up a little bit. Also plan to remove the "Golf" and "V5" badges but leave the emblem and handle to give a sort of smooth look to the rear, while teaming a mesh style grill with the R32 front bumper and some other little touches. Naturally, you've probably guessed by now that I'm going all-out on this V5 now to make it my little show car. Not aiming to be famous or in magazines, but just going to have a little fun building something I would love to see at a show and drive daily. I don't know how quickly thing will progress this next few weeks as I'm all over the shop but hoping to get at least one weekend put aside to sort the engine swap out. Stay tuned...

[th3_f15t]

You'd be right, I found that forum when looking for how-to guides so I kept it going on there as well for extra pointers. I love my mk5 GTI but she's up for sale now as I'm moving on to a mk6 Golf R.

[th3_f15t]

Spent a few more hours in the workshop this weekend, decided it was time to put something back together rather than always taking something apart! Got on with rebuilding the brakes that I had powder coated as they look so much better than my hand painted ones. Putting in new seals isn't an easy job:



Then pistons:





New bleed nipples and protective seal:



And re-using the almost new Pagid brake pads I got:



Would of cost £200 to have them refurbished for me, I spent half that on brand new seals and getting them powder coated. All in it's about 4 hours of not rushed work but would probably take me less than that again now I've got the experience up. True test of time will be when they're bolted to the car and bled I guess so I'll report back how effective my savings were then.

Would of attacked more of the engine swap by the workshop was literally full of photocopiers so I could hardly move. Even getting to the work bench to do the brakes was a nightmare but hoping over the month of July to make some head way with getting the new V5 into the engine bay.

[th3_f15t]

Another quick bit of work on the V5 this weekend, the workshop is a state still so plans have been stalled in terms of getting the new engine fitted and running. If it carries on I'll suspend the swap and focus on the front suspension for a time. But got it a little more stripped down and ready:




I was going to replace the radiator while I was going through all this, but it's fairly new as it is (it's not a OE part, but a Valeo) so it's been replaced within the past few years so that's a bit of good luck for once!


Just got to sort this out now:


Will drill out the stubborn bolts and try to go back to keeping costs right down on this car, as I need to heavily save after picking up a replacement for the mk5 GTI last week,

[th3_f15t]

Been slow progress lately. I say slow, I really mean none. I've been focused on selling the mk5 GTI so that's stolen all my attention. But I did do one thing today:


Spun it round ready for the engine swap. Hopefully in the next month it'll be running again, but may need another wiring loom (not the main engine one though) as I might of cut through some wires today while removing the outer casing of the loom. Sad times...

[th3_f15t]

So for the first time in over a month I've spent some proper time working on the V5 today, quite literally! Spent all day getting preparations for the removal of the current engine made but going through all the wiring. It's a pretty big job but I've now got a rough plan of what I'm going to do. But first, here's some pictures, as it helps explain my progress better:





So as you may be able to see, I've sorted out a lot of the wiring (probably about half the total wiring), figured where most things are that I need to replace but have yet to convert the throttle pedal to a fly-by-wire set up. What I've discovered, is the main engine loom (not the engine management one) is itself in 2 parts, and both of these are damaged on both my engines! So what I may well do is take a trip to a scrap yard, ask them very nicely to essentially de-wire an entire V5 170bhp Golf and just take all the wiring looms that I require and replace the lot rather than attempt to repair the ones I've got. I've got to take effectively 2 MASSIVE looms and splice them together, taking the working parts of each loom. I may attempt this, and that way I can hybrid the new loom with my existing loom to ensure there aren't any issues when putting it all back together. The main wiring area of concern is this part:



If I can extract this from the car, it'll be a perfect opportunity to try some loom repairing, mainly for a laugh. But this loom is LONG, is goes from the bottom of the radiator, includes all the battery wiring, wiring to the alternator, up through the bay and into the bulkhead, all along the wind screen, then some goes back into the engine bay under the fuel connection points to the other side of the radiator while some snakes off down the bulkhead and to connections into the cabin, and some passes through the wing into the bonnet. Needless to say, it's a tough job but I'm quite excited about getting it done to be honest, will be a huge lesson learned once complete.

So the reason for the delay is I've had a lot of personal problems to deal with over the past month, along with selling my mk5 GTI (still for sale by the way) and getting my mk6 Golf R and focusing on that, I'd forgotten just how much fun this little mk4 V5 actually was. Messing with engines and cars is what makes me feel happy so I'm glad I'm on an extended weekend off work to relax and what better way that to rip this car apart!

Currently working out a plan now, as the original desire to get this car up and running so I could work on the mk5 GTI is now gone, thus if it sits about for months unfinished it's no drama. So I think I may go all-out on it now and get it up to a semi show-going level (no intention of entering it in competitions, just want something pretty). May smooth the bay a little bit, hide some of the wiring and colour scheme things for fun.

Also, sourced some OZ alloy wheels, a Recaro leather interior minus door cards (re-trim in plans so not bothered), front anniversary lights, rear USA lights and a few other bits and bobs too that I can use. Basically taking someone's left over mk4 parts collection so I can use them all on my project. Because that's now what it is, a full on "go hard or go home" kind of thing.

Plus it saves my Golf R from being messed with... Too much.

[th3_f15t]

You may of read the very last line of the previous post which was "Plus is saves my Golf R from being messed with... Too much". Famous last words...

I've been very focused on my other Golfs of late, plus with work being really busy and various other excuses, I've achieved next to nothing over the past 2-3 months. But today I finally started making some progress again, by which I mean I took more things off. I've moved bays in the workshop now so I have more light and space which is a massive bonus, but before that, now I think about it, I did manage to strip the air conditioning system right down a few weeks ago but today I did some further prep work for the engine removal:



From here it's just the connections to the power steering and rack, drive shafts and gear linkage that all need to be full removed then it's out with the old and in with the new... Yeah, about that. Decided to start preparing that for going in and in usual style, started by taking things off:



It's been cut as well, decided that I'm going to get all replacement looms from the scrap yard and just have non-cut apart looms and re-do the whole lot. I'll also scrub down and possibly re-paint/smooth the engine bay a little bit just to tidy up but not going to show queen level! After taking the wiring off the alternator I had to move a component out the way:




The infamous "crack" pipe. Seems like a good time now to replace it and the thermostat housing as I have the parts and the engine is out the car so it's so easy to work on compared to when it's in the car seems a crime not to do it now. I also plan to do the axillary belt and some service parts as well before installing the engine as it just seems the most sensible use of time right now.

I've yet to free up money and pick up the previously mentioned items but I haven't abandoned them. I had toyed with the idea of scrapping this car and getting an Impreza STI but then I remembered the point of this build is mostly to learn everything I need to know at a basic level to build something a little bit more powerful. Mind you, it's already proved its value when I did the intercooler swap on the Golf R as well as a few other jobs.

Rest of this week is focused on getting the old engine out, strip it of any parts worth selling and scrap the rest. Its beyond saving as there's corrosion inside the head somewhere and I can't be bothered to pull the head off just to see if it's worth saving properly. Hopefully the pace may pick up a little again now the major plans for the Golf R are done.

Famous last words again perhaps..?

[th3_f15t]

Well, progress has been slow to say the least, but this isn't a dead in the water, abandoned project! I've been focusing my efforts on the Golf R but a lot of the work for now is done on that until I save some serious cash for the interior re-trim. So, what's been happening these past 6-7 weeks since I last updated..? Well, firstly I've officially written the old V5 off as it's beyond saving...



Inside the cylinder head is corroded so it's no longer worth salvaging, even to make a few quid back. I'll rip it apart completely just to get my hand in engine building a little bit, as if I break anything on this engine its no real loss at all. So now that I'm going full steam ahead with the engine swap, I decided to start preparing the replacement engine and getting it up to my standard. Replaced the coolant pipe and thermostat housing along with a new sensor and 'stat plus all seals and gaskets. Should stop any more leaks for a long time!





Everything was cleaned up too so it's looking rather lovely now. Also stripped off the old remains of the exhaust manifold:





Now I've got an axillary belt arriving this week and spark plugs to gap, filters to add in and a general once over of everything else (all electrical connections and a clean up) and then it's good to go. Sadly, I discovered some other issues with the car that will need addressing. First one is that I want to re-use the exhaust in the short term just to get it running till I can get a custom on made for my R32 replica rear bumper, however getting to 3 off the 6 bolts is a nightmare! I can see why the salvage yard that supplied my replacement engine just cut it after the intersection of the two pipes.

My other issue is that while unbolting the drive shafts I noticed that the inner CV boot cover on the driver's side is failing and the lubricant from inside is all over the place so the chances are it's knackered out. I think I'll get some replacement drive shafts, new inner and outer CV joint kits and remove the sub frame for powder coating as well as the wishbones, hubs and all the other bits. Seeing as I'll have the bay stripped it'll be far easier to do the sub frame and roll bar/front suspension while it's all apart.

I need to visit a scrap yard still to acquire some other bits, mainly a whole engine bay wiring loom! As well as front wheel arch guards, interior parts and a replacement bonnet and passenger wing... Things are getting there but very slowly!

[th3_f15t]

I've managed to get some serious hours into the V5 this weekend, been working on preparing the new V5 170 engine for going into the engine bay, it now has all the coolant and thermostat weak areas addressed, new oil filter, plugs and axillary belt:



Finally, after many, many months, I broke out the engine crane:





It's now officially down and out the car! Milestone reached, there's no going back now:



Began tearing the rest of the wiring loom out, discovered that one bit of it doesn't need to be replaced which was a result, just the main one that needs swapping. It's a mission as it goes everywhere and into the bulkhead, need to find where it separates from the interior loom so I can pull the whole thing out, take it to the scrappy to get a replacement and then wire it back in. Currently looks like this, all disconnected apart from the bulkhead:



Onto stripping the old V5 down and salvaging anything worth restoring and selling on as spare parts:





As I left it today:





Think I can re-condition and sell on the alternator, power steering pump, air conditioning compressor, cam angle sensor, throttle body, ECU and the stock air box. Even if I only get a few quid (literally) I'd be happier with that than throwing away parts that work. Sadly the engine itself is beyond saving, so many snapped bolts, broken connections and internal corrosion, but still loads of useful information gained by ripping it down to the blocks. Will break it further and at least try and sell the gearbox as that may be of use to someone.

Unlikely I'll do much more now for a few weeks but you never know, I'm highly motivated at the moment to get things progressed and back onto some sort of decent schedule. I have been toying with scrapping it and working on my R32 but decided to carry on for now and go as far as I can without spending much more and assess in a few months time...