Hey. Hoping to pick someones brains here. I have a GU engine code 1.8 hydraulic valve drive, and I'm looking to change the cam - I'm doing a belt change too. She 8v, and in very standard form. People say the GTi cam is a good upgrade, but I can't find much info about it, i.e duration etc. My car will only be used in rubbish weather, and on weekends (I use my push bike for work when I can) I've been looking at the newman 260 cams, and trying to keep myself away from the 272. Other than the cam upgrade, I'm also going to be putting a ported head, and a 4 brand manifold on, so what ever benifits I get, the exhaust won't be the let down. So the info I'm after is: Whats the GTi cam duration and lift Does a hydraullic valve head suffer from "Valve bounce" from too much lift (I've read if going 272 its best to change the valve springs) What sort of powers and where is the power, between the three cams? Any help will be very much appriciated. Thanks
I run a bigger cam on standard valve train, you will only bounce the valves at high revs, beyond the range of the range of a 272. Does the gu have double springs? If not the I would put a gti head on, while its in bits
The oem GTI cam is only really a upgrade for the 1.6 EZ carb engines, as the 1.8 GU engine already runs a cam with very similar lift and duration to the GTI cam. If you are still running the Pierburg carb then installing a longer duration cam may not give much of an improvement in performance due to the limited adjustability of the carb. Running a Weber DMTL will give scope for altering fuelling with jet or tube changes. Most, if not all fast road spec cams will be quite happy and cope with running on the oem double valve springs fitted to the VAG range of engines.
Would my head have double springs already? I do plan to build a head up, with porting etc. So if I go to a 272, will be ok on a 2E carb for now? or would it be best ran on a weber? If its best with a weber, than I'll hold off doing the cam change for now, as I can't really afford a weber right at this moment.
Oh I know I'd need to get it rejette etc, and I'll do that at a rolling road, I just wondered if there was any torque advantage with a 1.6 cam. I used to do mini's, and I once put a 998 cam in a 1380 - standard clutch slipped like it was made from soap, and could pull a train. I like the idea of a 272 - but worry about how drivable it is.
Whats the differ in a GTi box compared to my Driver box? Oh last car I mod'd was my '67 Mini Van - 5k later, I sold it lol.
Not strictly correct. The 1.6 GTI EG (1588cc) cam is a useful upgrade for the early 1595cc mechanical tappet cam.
Off topic I know but just in case any Mini folk are reading..... 1275 is star drive, and 998 pin drive for the oil pump iirc.
all cams are interchangeable. just drill and tap the block. see, after 32 years its starting to come back to me.....
Dan. Almost right. The early cams had star, spline and slot drive. When the A+ engine came out all cams went slot drive. The advantage of fitting a 1.0 cam in a 1275 or larger, was torque. I was only making 70ish bhp, but around 80-90ft/lb in torque. In a van it was ideal, but boring. Anyways, back to proper engines. How driveable Is a 272? Sorry to be stupid, but I still don't see an advantage going for a 020 box?
A 272 will be fine in drivability, as always with the caveat if it's set up properly. If you have a Mk2 golf with a 1.8 engine, then surely you already have an 020 box??
Personally one of the best things I did to my Golf driver was to swap to a GTi box. I managed to get a '9A' code box from a breakers that had been rebuilt. 2nd gear is the biggest difference. http://www.scirocco.org/gears/ The above link will give you an idea of how it will be. 020 is range of gearboxes they all have different codes on the bell housing. As far as cams are concerned I would swap for a standard 8v GTi item. Remember this affects your ignition timing. Back in the day people used to swap the dizzy for an early k-jet GTi item as well
but is the GTi box, a short box or a long box? I know that when I too my speedo drive out, it was a red drive, which looking at al the info, indcated i have a 3.4 FD, which to me is perfect. I don't want big tops speeds, just a nice crusing speed for when motorwaying, etc. As for having the cam setup properly, I'm going for a weber 32/36DMTL and getting the whole thing set up on a rolling road. The options I've been given is building up a complete Mk3 2.0, which sounds like a good idea, but its a long way from just a cam swap.
