New member.

[BigJ]

Hello all, I have just bought a Mk2 gti 8v it's an old thing 85, B reg. this is the first golf I've ever had always opting for the lighter French hot hatch in the past. R5 turbo many 205 GTI's and most recently a Clio sport cup which i was made up with until I smashed it up. I am happy with the gti but realize that it can be made better in terms of power and more importantly stopping. I may be able to lay my hands on a very cheap Mk3 VR6 with a bust gearbox, is the engine swap straight forward?

oh and how can I sort this sloppy gearbox out.......... it's worse than the French's                                                     

all help much appreciated

[rubjonny]

Get onto http://www.gsfcarparts.com and buy a linkage repair kit, should cost about £5.  It contains replacement bushes and should tighten it all up nice!  Another thing to check is the ball on the relay shaft, these often drop off giving a very vauge feeling to the shift linkage, see this link for piccies:
http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/ForSale/ShiftLinkage.shtml#A2RelayShaftBallCover

Get down your local scrappy and look for rod change MK2s & early/low spec MK3s as the relay ball is the same and more likely to be in good nick.  The shaft itself is different, you just need to swap the ball over.  While you're there have the weighted shift rod too
Some Seats also use a similar rod change mech and have the same relay shaft bush & weighted shift rod.

[BigJ]

Nice one mate, I'll get on that as soon as I replace the rear caliper which it's just failed the MOT for