Snapped timing belt!!! Please help....

[Greedy]

A couple of weeks back i had a nightmare of a day in which the timing belt of my 96 Golf GTi 2ltr 16v snapped. 12 of the 16 valves are bent! I spoke 2 a few people who have said to me to get the engine done right seen as i'm putting a new head on it anyway. i.e high lift cam etc etc. The thing is...i know nothing about engines and was wondering if some of u kind people out there could help me out. Wot could i do to the car to get more power out of it?!? Also....would making the car more powerful put more of a strain the bottom end?! Many thanks.

[Rmachines]

Hi, If you are mainly doing head work, without turboing or supercharing, the bottom end should be strong enough.   If you want more power from the bottom end, you can use better pistons, rods, balenced crank etc.. but its not worth it unless your gunna bolt on a turbo or somthing, in which case a stronger bottom end would be needed for high boost, along with low compression pistons.

HTH

[Greedy]

Mhmm....wasn't planning putting a turbo on. Was just wanting to do it right seen as its all gettin done anyways. Is it possible to get much of a power increase without putting on a turbo or supercharger??

[oggy]

If you want more power, simplest and cheapest way is to sell your car and buy a VR6!

In all seriousness, unless you are willing to spend shed loads of money in overboring, obtaining new lightned pistons, complex valve porting, race cams, ported manifolds etc etc there is not much you can do save removing the airbox restrictor, fitting a panel air filter, smooting out the throttle body and ensuring all is as it should be by having a proper maintenace procedure. 

[Greedy]

Good thinking...but my Golf only has 64k on the clock so was thinking would b better to do that engine up. I doubt u'll get any car of that age with that sort of miles these days.

[oggy]

Difficult, but not impossible to find a low mileage older car. Bear in mind that should you tinker with the engine, you will never get your money back come the time you sell it. Indeed, you'll probably get more money for it if you left it well alone.

I too have thought about these sort of mods, but in the end, a well looked after 16v is fast enough in our speed camera infested roads. Wouldn't say no to improved suspension and uprated brakes though..

[Britman]

i prefer this 16v to a vr6 it isnt that much quicker ive had one, the 16v ca nkeep up with a few mods easily, i love th elight clutch on my r eg 16v the one on my k plte vr6 was heavy as f**k and steering was too

its worth doin th ecar iv ejust bough has had de coke new valves cylinder alough it runs rough from some other fault it feel new to me

does anyon eknow if my car needs running in at all with parts it had done or will feel carp at low revs?

if its low milage engine id defo just get it done standerd dont seam woth th ehassle unless you want to keep it for age sand dont mond about themoney and resale values

[Greedy]

U all sound like my dad!! But....in all fairness, ur probably right. I was just gettin P'd off cos its now been off the road for 3 wks and was just thinking i should do it proper seen as it not being used!  I spose i'll just have to be patient. G

[oggy]

... well I am a father of two boys, have 25 years and a degree in engineering, worked at Jaguar and (quietly now) BMW in Munich, I guess I have a bit of a paternal attitude. Easiest way to improve any engine performance is to allow the engine to breathe properly..or indeed more so. Not only does this mean increasing and smoothing inlet air flow by various means, but also increasing and smoothing the exhaust gas flow. In other words, get as much fuel/air mix in as possible and once it has fired, get it out as quick as possible....Amazing how many so called aftermarket improvements ignore this basic fact...so called performance exhausts being the best con on Earth, as unless your manifold is similarly ported and enlarged, they are never going to do much good.....

Lecture over, now get back to your homework......