I recently brought a 91 mk2 gti 16v, completely standard. It's got a fair few miles on the engine, 207k to be precise but the body is good. I love the car but in the back of my mind I can't help but think how much longer has this engine got. So I'm thinking about doing a conversion possibly end of the year. I'm 22 so the insurance is something to consider as well as the general cost of the conversion. So in your opinions which conversion would be best for me?
I use it to drive to work (only couple of miles) and for weekend blasts. Never for long journeys as I have a mk4 golf as well. So I'm looking for something fun that can shock a few more expensive motors and which doesn't cost the earth to build or run.
1.8t - that is sort of what I was thinking there's a few different types isn't there? BAM, AGU etc which one is cheapest? Because I'm guessing there just mapped differently and with different turbo? So I could buy cheapest and tune it over time as funds permit?
Subtle differences between codes, a cheaper option can be to find a written off donor car, buy the whole thing and sell off the parts you don't need. Everything you need to know about doing the swap can be found on the net though....
Abf motor but still running on kjet is a cheap upgrade. An engine with half the miles could be had for a couple of hundred quid and fitted in a weekend. It'll see you alright for a while, long enough to start planning + piecing together a 20vt conversion. I took my 66bhp 1.3 to 160bhp abf kjet a year or 2 ago, and its not slow, shows up quite a few new cars, but still isn't enough for me. After going in a mates 250+bhp mk2 1.8t nothing compares, so 20vt is on my shopping list now..
I considered 16v ABF, G60 ect. But as said above, after going in a mates 1.8T Mk2 that was it. So i bought an AGU engine. There is so much info on here now regarding the 1.8T swap. Ive started a few threads lately which would help out too.
I would probably swap in a PD engine unless you eventually are going with a forged 1.8t. Chipped id imagine they would beat most 20v mk2s.
Hmmm...The pd engines do interest me. Especially as u don't see that many in the mk2. I can't really see the point in going for a abf because at the end of the day I'm going to want more power after a couple months and it's alot easier to tune the 1.8t than a N/A. Looks like I'm going for either a 1.8t or something like a pd130/150. Better save some dollar
A pd conversion is a lot more time effort and money than a 1.8t, and the 'gain' doesn't warrant all this. Its said the sensation of speed isn't the same as a 1.8t, with rpm, torque, gearing, and bhp differences etc. 60mpg would be nice though
