New 2.0 bottom end or rebuild original???

[MackyM]

Just noticed that after a £500 head rebuild my car is now smoking on power instead of at idle. I'm thinking piston rings are shagged. I'm wondering whether I'd be better off paying a garage to fit a 'new' 2.0 bottom end or getting them to fix the existing one. I know the 2.0 would be more powerful, but I'm looking for the cheaper option. Any advice very welcome please. Also, does anyone have a good bottom end for sale?

[Organisys]

If you can get a Audi 3A block from a breaker, that could be around the same price as a refurb on your existing bottom.

[rubjonny]

Or a 2e lump from a MK3/Vento/Passat. Main advantage is all the anxileries will work as-is and the dizzy will plug straight in with no messing about.

Edit: wait is it an 8v or 16v?

[T_J_G]

What kind and how much power will a 2.0L bottom end give?

[rubjonny]

Well the 2e lump will see you to about 120BHP mated with the stock head, this may not seem like a great deal but but you get much more torque, which is what its all about
A flowed head along with a wilder cam will help push it up futher, a decent chip will work wonders too

[T_J_G]

I was considering doing this on my 1.8 Driver

[MackyM]

Or a 2e lump from a MK3/Vento/Passat. Main advantage is all the anxileries will work as-is and the dizzy will plug straight in with no messing about.

Edit: wait is it an 8v or 16v?

It's a 16V. Surely a 2.0 bottom end mated to a 16V head would give more like 150bhp?

[rubjonny]

Yes, if you had mentioned what it was it would have been a big help 

The MK3 ABF can give 170bhp with just a chip (they were limited in the factory to prevent them competing with the VR6 to heavily)  So I imagine at least 150

With a 16v you don't even have to worry about the dizzy or anything like that, just bolt on & forget.  If you get an audi lump, you'll have to swap over all your anxileries from the 1.8 block though

[MackyM]

Talked to the guy at my garage - he says it might be better to get the original bottom end rebuilt with new pistons, bored out to 1.9 or so. He reckons I'm looking at £700 all-in and some tasty performance afterwards. It would also be guaranteed work and new parts instead of a 2.0 lump with an unknown history. An expensive development, but one which seems iit may leave me with about 170 bhp either way

[monzablue16v]

150 quid for a 9a VW bottom end or 6a Audi bottom end quick rebuild and it will be cheaper than a 1.9 making from a 1.8, and you'll have more power then as well