Bit of a build thread perhaps...... My G-Reg, '89 Golf GTi 8V As I bought it 12 months ago. (2 owners from new, dealer maintained 'til 04, original bill of sale, original radio, every bill, mot, tax disc etc etc, Jetex s/s system). Looked pretty much unloved and owner undoubtedly not a VW nutcase.... After a bit of polish and elbow grease, new wheels. Green tint glass part-way done. New door catches, misc small improvements/replacements. How the engine looks now.......stock 8V, pulls superbly, 129k on clock, sounds like new still! It's had new rad, cooling pipe, engine mounts, rocker cover, various pipes and hoses.... Engine due to be removed in a week or so, to make place for 2.0L TSR, PackA Head, Schrick Cam, Quaife LSD'd box...hopefully 150bhp's worth.... Underway - Koni handling kit, front adjustable, polybushing throughout, painting/powdercoating subframes, new wishbones and ball joints, G60 front brakes. More to follow...........
ROFL yer, ta! I'm also looking to add a tubular 4:1 manifold, to make the 2L lump breathe better...........still searching for one at sensible dosh.
Front ARB (off a donor car), de-rusted using wire wheel and abrasive flap disc, and then 3 coats of smooth black hammerite. I have a donor front subframe which i've just degreased, and now going to give the same preparation treatment with wire wheel etc, before painting.
Another part of the jigsaw arrived today.......Milltek 4-Branch. Got heat-wrap arriving too. New stainless head studs and split nuts also arrived for fitting it. New sump and gasket waiting to go on, just to make sure it's in decent order. I've got a G60 aluminium rocker cover which I think will look trick too.........just needs repainting.
The current state of the donor engine and gearbox; Plan to strip all ancillaries, degrease and prep the lump, prime and paint it to make it look half decent. Will check for oil leaks whilst at it. As mentioned before, new sump and gasket already waiting, and rocker cover gasket too. I need a samco top hose as this one has a slight cut in it. They dont look bad considering they're about 10 yrs old. Treat them to new clips where necessary and an application of silicone, should spruce 'em up a bit too! The clutch is a sachs HD jobbie with manual adjust but it's "clicking" ........perhaps a busted centre finger or worn release bearing? we'll see. I think new gearbox oil is worthwhile as the LSD will prolly benefit.
Well things moved on a bit over the weekend, The donor engine and 'box were pulled from the donor GTi, as were the front G60 brakes. The koni front suspension was installed into the blue Gti along with the G60 brake setup. Before:- 239mm discs and hubs with direct-fit calipers. After;- G60 280mm discs, calipers and hubs with carriers. Koni adjustables. Found the n/s caliper has a sheared-off bleed nipple which is really annoying.......spend 2hrs trying to sort it this afternoon to no avail. I think it's gonna need tapping out. Grrrr!!
Good to see you have been busy with the tools today. If you have access to a mig welder then you can remove the sheared bleed nipple by carefully building up the broken nipple with weld, then when you have enough metal to grip with vice grips you should be able to unscrew it. The welding creates enough heat to burn off the corrosion that is causing it to be seized. I have never failed to remove a broken nipple or stud this way.
Caliper removed and dropped over at mechanic's garage this morning hoping they can tap it out cleanly.
Car's now out of RFL, so it's off the road for a month whilst I get some bodywork and engine work sorted! Front coming off..... Stock 8V with recently added K&N.........("as-is") Flitch and legs all remarkably good........ Wings can look good until you look under the plastics! - I knew it was on it's way, hence why I bought a new pair! Very tidy under here......no apparent rust in scuttle or on bonnet support area Original subframe and wishbones showing their age..........
Correct me if i am wrong but does the rocker cover not have a mesh that blocks up and needs the whole cover replacing? I know thta what i did with my 8v digi
The steel ones have a mesh in an aim to cause oil droplets over a certain size to impinge and hence not be carried over into the following breather system. The Alloy cover has a labaryth in the plastic box, and some mesh too perhaps, but it's not part of the casting.
