MK3 GTI 16v - tuning options and expected BHP?

[general_piffle]

Hi all, I don't want to get rid of my MK3 as I really like it but I do want to get some more 'go' out of it!

So far I have a Jetex exhaust from the cat back, a K&N filter in the standard housing, an uprated chip. With this in mind can anyone help me with the following:

- Roughly what BHP can I expect the engine / bottom end to be able handle without compromising reliability?
- Would a 4 into 1 stainless manifold and sports cat make much difference?
- What sort of BHP gains could I expect from say some head work and a hotter cam (like the piper one)?
- Can any of you recommend a good tuner used to working with the older Golf GTIs?

Thanks all!

[lemski]

People have got close to 200bhp out of the abf. Headwork and some throttle bodies with standalone  management

[general_piffle]

Thanks lemski, are there any popular throttle bodies people use?

[lemski]

Genvy do a full kit,
Management aswell is what you want. Ive a mate who runs emerald with his on tb and his rolling roaded at about 175bhp.
As far as I know hes not done any head work to the engine. Just kr cams, 4-1 exhaust and decatted. Its in a scirocco so doesnt need the cat.

Im building mine up but going to use bike tb off a triumpf or something so ive got a tps on them.

But as said if your budget is there jenvey do a full kit that will bolt straight on to the head

[general_piffle]

Can you give me some pointers / links for Jenvey throttle body kits and management for the 16v MK3 GTI? I've been Googling but the kits they do all seems to be for Peugeot or Citroen? Ta.

[lemski]

Omex
Emerald
Megasquirt

There some standalone management ecus and stuff


You might have to ring jenvey as there made in house. Or get a bike carb manifold made up and put some bike throttle bodies on there.

Truppet lenth makes a difference aswell but ive not got that far in my engine build to have researched massively into it.

Hope this helps a little bit

[LR5V]

Yes the ABF is a great engine, Yes keeping it in a Mk3 is a good thing... but seriously the costs involved tuning it are really mad.
Last time I looked, throttle bodies and stand alone engine management is a couple of grand.

For half that money you could convert to 1.8t and have more power than throttle bodies.

[general_piffle]

I hear you LR5V! I just want to keep it an ABF rather than do a transplant. Without going crazy money I reckon I could do the following:

- Kent 1602 cams
- Jetex exhaust is currently from the cat back but I could add a sports cat and 4 branch stainless manifold to improve flow but still pass MOT
- Ported and polished head
- Air induction kit (better or worse than current K&N filter in standard housing?)
- Balanced and lightened flywheel
- Get ECU remapped
- All set up on a rolling road / dyno

Roughly what do you think I 'might' be looking at in terms of BHP increase? Would any of these tweaks compromise reliability? Should I upgrade anything else (like thicker HT leads, etc.) to get the best out of the set-up above? Thanks.

[lemski]

Keep the air box but smooth out the inside of it.
Ide expect from that lot maybe 170ish
But the pick up and torque would be a nice surprise.
Lightened flywheels change the way the engine feels anyway.

You could had thicker ht leads, improve the spark.
I know chipping the ecu gives you a better torque curve and a tiny bhp increase but again would feel alot better with how the engine delivers the power

[Foreveryoungaus16v]

Chip (eBay one)
Lightened and balanced flywheel
Modified air box with pannel filter
Jetex (or similar) de cat exhaust non resonated
Sort the handling brakes out. Full poly bush Eibach arbs decent coilovers and a Vibra Technic front engine
mount. Four branch is waste of money as there is no proven benefit and the standard manifold flows fine.
My old 16V saw 165bhp from all of that on TSR power run. No point spending stupid money on an ABF as
has been covered countless times. I now got a MK2 which is a lot more fun without anything done to it in
Standard form then my old ABF with thousands thrown at it. You want power get a turbo installed.