Converting a mk2 to a GTI

Just had a look at haynes and not sure if the guidelines are clear enough for me to remove the engine confidently.

Is there any special tools that i might need to remove the engine?

 

Along with my friend, I took full socket set and tool chest (screwdrivers, pliers etc), selection of spanners (used 9, 10 & 11mm ones the most), a couple of long screwdrivers for levering etc, WD40, hammers, blocks of wood, balljoint seperator and that was about it. Disconnect all electrical connectors, and control cables. A MK2 has 3 mountings, the front is easy, as is the gearbox mount. Hardest one is on the drivers side; it was a bandit to get to. With the hub assembly removed, we had to undo the mount from the engine itself by reaching in thru the wheelarch, then get the rest of the mount off with the engine out. My car already had the exhaust removed from behind the downpipe which was ideal, with everything loose we simply attached a tow rope each side and an old carpet on the floor. Be warned though, they weigh an absolute ton, wasnt much lighter when the gearbox was removed It isnt as hard as it looks, honestly.

 

Gti big bumper kit
4 arches
2 sills
4 side strips
2 side decals
pair of heller front fogs
2 big bumper front idicators
Front bumper
Rear bumper

Gti front grill
Gti front grill badge
Golf Gti rear body badge

Tinted Glass set
Rear glass with holes drilled for rear spoiler

Rear spoiler

Gti rear axle
Front anti rollbar

Gti front hubs
Gti front Callipers Discs and Brakes
Gti rear disks and callipers with carriers

Gti Shocks and springs front and rear
Rear spring Mounts

Bucket seats Gti pattern
Rear Gti single fold down seat
Door cards

Headlining (black)
Black sunroof mech surround
Black sunroof handle
Black sun visors
Black sun visor clips

Black c pillars


Advise- Do first

Uprated front and rear bushes, 60 front and 40 rear drop, gas shocks

Then brakes, then engine.

Let the appearance grow

Probably a bigger engine - someone else would know more about that

 

just stock up on a variety of sweary words

 

You trying to say you removed the engine using a bit of rope and carpet?!

I was considering hiring a hoist, but its like 50 a week so unless i'm commited to fixing my car, might buy one and sell.

The only issue is that the haynes isn't as great as it could be to be honest.

Haynes mention's to drain the oil first from the engine? I don't wanna start draining the oil if i find i can't get the bits fixed,therefore can just sell it.

Right here's what i got from the haynes manaul:

*Remove front slam panel
*Drain cooling system and remove radiator and fan
*Disconnect the fuel system from pump (for me its directly from the filter)-but does it matter how much fuel is in the tank for spillages?
*Disconnect battery
*Disconnect all other cables (earth cable from alternator and reverse cable)
*Disconnect clutch cable and accelerator cable
*Disconnect arm linkage screw
*Undo driveshafts
*Undo engine (front and drivers) and engine mounts

Anything else have i missed??

 

Forgot something:

*disconnect downpipe

 

Not try, DID. The donor car had no wheels on, so with all the suspension out of the way the engine was only about an inch or two off the deck. I bought a pair of tow ropes the day before, and the job went fine, but I only used it as a last resort. Engine crane is on order for the rest of the job; 50 for a weeks hire is cheap, lad!

 

Will be posting pics of my engine swap, in about 2 weeks. Also, the list Bolo posted, you dont have to have absolutely everything on there, interior etc. You can build the car up to suit. My car is metallic maroon, with light coloured carpet, door cards and headlining. I've got 16v clocks going in, the rear bench is being retrimmed, and a sports steering wheel will finish it off. I like the dark GTI interior but the main emphasis of my project is a standard looking MK2 with GTI performance and a few subtle mods.

 

The thing is the engine will be out for more than a week, so really only need the hoist for maybe 2 weekends at the most-one to take the engine out and one to put it back in.

I'm tempted to put some raised slabs under the engine with little gap when the car is jacked up then then once all disconnected i will take the car off the axel stands, lowerer the engine onto the slabs, and push the car back (should be enough space with my 1.3 block)

Would this work or am i pushing my student lifestyle a little too far?

Other option is to use the carpet trick then get the hoist to put it back in. To be honest most of my time will be spent disconnecting everything off and back in again.

 

this has got me thinking now... i want to drop a 2L 16v into my 1.8 carby this summer...... i can probably justify doing it since got a really good shell / interior and suspension...... its just the naffing about with fuel tank / lines / pumps / and electrical loom which puts me off...

 

I really dont see the point of building something that is already in abundance. Time and money it would be cheaper and easier to sell the 1.3 and buy an 8v/16v.

It is a hell of a lot of work. You're not going to want to waste precious holiday ****ing around with cars when the sun is out!

 

Why Im doing it;

a) You live once, so do as much as you can with your life.

b) You will learn far more than the Haynes 'bible' will tell you

c) If the shell is rock solid, like mine, and you can get all the bits for
sensible money, you then build your own creation.

d) The whole scene is about looking at what other people have done
and encouraging, not criticising (unless its absolute crap)

 

g6 tee has a god point at the end of the day if you have a really good car and you know its history you know when you last swapped the suspenson or replaced some of the bushes and you know the body is mint why not convert if you want to spend the time to do it

sure there are loads of gti's around but its very easy to end up with a rusty old nail that looked great the day you bought it

swapping things like brakes suspension and so on are easy if you can get the car off the ground enough

and you do learn loads doing it all yourself i recon i could build a mk2 from all its parts almost the amount of work ive done on mine the only thinkg i havent really played with so far is the engine itself which has always been a 1.8 16v so i didnt need to bother but i know if i had a mint golf i would give an engine conversion a go once you have that done you can take your time with the rest of it breaks and so on

look at rich gits mk2 that was a 1.6 driver didnt hear anyone complaining abou that when it had a shed load of horse power after its conversion

 

The engine & box are in my car now, 256 front brakes on, need the fuel pumps, fuel lines, radiator & pipework installing then its off to the electricians. No going back now

 

got any pics of the work being done G6 TEE?

 

Yeah, I started another thread on it, not many pics as things like the front brake conversion were done in the outhouse, but fitted to the car in the rain, didnt have any choice

 

Getting a donnor car and hoping that is all you need is a false economy unless you are prepared to do half hearted conversion

Even very low milage donnor cars of that era will have loads of parts well past its sell by date.....fact

Once you start braking a car that is more than 12 yrs or so old, you will no doubt come accross many seized bolts, rusty pipes...ect,ect

Unless you are very lucky you will not be able to reuse all the bits you need(unless you want to compromise)

And even if you manage to get all the bits of in one piece half of them will fail very soon after you put em in another car

Not trying to discourige you by any means just trying to warn you of what you could be up against

If you starting a conversion from a bare shell and use parts from a donnor which are good and are prepared to pay for any other parts you need new, than all will be well

No point building a car using parts which will make your conversion just about roadworthy or even dangerous

If your shell is good than get a 9a valver droped in and wack some carbs on it, want need many other very important parts as if you were building a gti

Anyhow, good luck and let us know how you get on