'88 Golf GTI 8v Build - here we go again!

Discussion in 'Mk2' started by Spacecowboy, Mar 10, 2018.

  1. Spacecowboy Paid Member Paid Member

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    :thumbup:
     
    Last edited: Feb 27, 2021
  2. Spacecowboy Paid Member Paid Member

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    Success! And the edit pencil has appeared too. Thanks to whoever sorted that:clap:

    So you can see from the first sets of pics she is pretty solid and straight. The Hella Blue lights all round, whilst OE and probably rare, are just not for me. Fortunately the car came with many of the originals and I added back some of my spare parts from a decade ago...

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    Last edited: Mar 17, 2018
  3. Spacecowboy Paid Member Paid Member

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    Whilst the car is hpi clear it has a 2nd bonnet apparently due to a tile falling onto the original. It's been hand spray can painted by the previous owner so ideally needs an original Helios Blue replacement (anyone have one) or a repaint.
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2018
  4. DN5

    DN5 Paid Member Paid Member

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    Liking it man! I've never been a fan of small bumper mk2s but I do like the look of this.

    I'll be keeping an eye on your thread :)
     
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  5. Spacecowboy Paid Member Paid Member

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    Thanks DN5. I've always said if I got another Mk2 that it would be a big bumper version but then I saw this one which was so similar to my first that I think emotion took over. Having said that this one presents very well indeed. The car came with the original suspension so if I can't figure out these lowering springs I can go back to stock:thumbup:
     
  6. Spacecowboy Paid Member Paid Member

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    So to backtrack for a moment, when she stopped running altogether which was diagnosed as being a failed hall sensor I took the opportunity to sort out the dodgy earth and 4 additional earths running all round the engine. These were made from domestic toaster cabling...

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    You can see how the battery to chassis to gearbox strap had basically disintegrated. Once I replaced that and applied the new dizzy I was back in business

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  7. Spacecowboy Paid Member Paid Member

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    Anyone got a decent video or written guide with pictures of how to change the timing belt and set all the timing marks up around the engine and flywheel?
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2018
  8. Spacecowboy Paid Member Paid Member

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  9. sports racer Forum Member

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    Nice looking car and it's always good to read a "back to a MK2" story.

    Here's the way I check timing, it may be old school but it works for me.

    Take out number 1 spark plug and have someone turn over the motor by hand (use a socket on the end of the crank with a long handle) while you cover the spark plug hole with your thumb. If it's too hard to turn over take out all the spark plugs.

    When you feel the pressure building up under your thumb you know you're on the compression stroke so take your thumb off the plug hole and gently put a long blade screw driver down the hole so it touches the top of the piston.

    With your friend still turning the motor over by hand keep holding and looking at the screwdriver until it is pushed up as far as it can go. You should now be at Top Dead Centre (TDC).

    Look for the timing marks on the crank and on the camshaft pulley. You might be a couple of degrees off so turn the engine (by hand of course) until the marks line up. The crank and the cam pulley should both match their corresponding marks. If you pop the cap off the dizzy the timing mark on the rim of the dizzy should also match the rotor position.

    That should get you back to the original settings.

    To set the timing I start the car (with all the plugs back in) and slowly advance the dizzy (turn it anti-clockwise) until the idle starts to slow down then turn the dizzy clockwise (retarded) a few degrees so the revs increase again. Lock it down and take it for a test drive up a hill in top gear. There shouldn't be any pinging, if there is retard the timing a couple more degrees and test again.

    Hope this helps.

    Cheers

    Paul
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2018
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  10. Spacecowboy Paid Member Paid Member

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    Thanks Paul. Some really useful advice there. I think coupled with everything else I have read I'm confident to perform this work. The only question I still have is in relation to the cam sprocket timing in that I know there is likely to be two marks - OT mark at the 12 o clock position to correspond with the (missing!) cover and a punched mark on the engine side. Now the punched mark appears to have two schools of thought:

    A) you line it to the horizontal ridge of the rocker/valve cover; Or
    B) you remove the rocker/valve cover and gasket and line it to the horizontal mating surface of the head.

    I would estimate there would be around a tooth out if the wrong option was selected above?

    Can anyone advise which is the right way?
     
  11. H8V

    h8v Forum Member

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  12. Spacecowboy Paid Member Paid Member

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    Hi thanks for the link. I have a hard copy Haynes which shows the same thing. I'll go with that rather than the conjecture on interweb:thumbup:
     
  13. oakgreener Forum Member

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    I've taken the rocker cover off and lined up the mark on the cam pulley with the top of the head on the couple of occasions I've changed the belt.
    BTW, has anyone done the belt change through the cutting the old belt in half, longways, ;), and sliding the new belt on and old belt off? I've considered giving this a try next belt change and wonder if anyone has tried it.
     
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  14. DN5

    DN5 Paid Member Paid Member

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    That's a good one to try out if it's possible to do so! Not sure you'd get the new one on though with the tensioner fastened tight up as there is no stretch at all in the belt.
     
  15. oakgreener Forum Member

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    Yeah, that's my thoughts as well. Presumably you would have to let a bit of tension off the belt, but not enough to allow the belt to jump a tooth.
     
  16. Spacecowboy Paid Member Paid Member

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    I suppose instead you could always mark the old belt with tipex and put a corresponding mark onto each of the sprockets. That way you can simply transfer the markings to the new belt and line it all back up ensuring no teeth-count between sprockets are lost along the way. It's what I did when I changed my first 1.8T cambelt and worked out just fine.

    Anyone know if this is the right knock sensor:

    https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/183043622804
     
  17. DN5

    DN5 Paid Member Paid Member

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    For the tdi I managed to get a set to lock the injection pump, cam and flywheel. Is there nothing that suits this engine that you could buy?
    I'd just go with the standard approach and give the sprockets a clean up and find the markings. There is a guide online but not sure where it's at.

    Bits like this help though
    http://clubgti.com/showthread.php?271614-Golf-mk2-8v-timing-issues
     
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  18. rubjonny

    rubjonny Administrator Staff Member Admin

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  19. DN5

    DN5 Paid Member Paid Member

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  20. Spacecowboy Paid Member Paid Member

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    Cheers RJ! I've not come across that guide before just the abridged version! Spot on:thumbup:
     

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