Quite frankly I'm fed up people sl*gging off the ABF engine. Well, to be precise, in the latest issue of "The Golf" mag in the Q&A section. A chap asked them how to do some conversion into a mk3 and they responded by suggesting that the mk3 16V is a good base car to do the conversion and that this would be a good excuse to consign the ABF engine to the scrapyard where it belongs! WTF It is a great engine, had it running in my mk2 for best part of a year now and it's fantastic. Loads of other ppl on this forum running it and as far as I can tell they all love it. It's not the first time it's been slated in the mag either, a few months back they said it was rubbish too - what planet are they on? Do they mean it's rubbish in the mk3 cos it's restricted by the ECU and the weight of the car?? In which case it's not a fault with the actual engine surely?? I think C&R answer the questions, disappointed really cos I had some good advice from them in the past and really thought they knew what they were talking about. rant over
to be fair I've read many a thread on here about people complaining they can't get rid of misfiring problems on thier ABF engines. However, didn't good old S.C. say that 1.8 8v mk2 engines weren't worth bothering with either once?
So the 8V mk2 is isn't worth bothering with and the 16V mk3 isn't worth bothering with..... What IS worth bothering with then?? Everyone's entitled to their opinion I suppose. Except in this case I know from personal experience that he's WRONG!
he might have done - but i've said it often enough (god please don't let me be agreeing with him) to me the 1.8 8v engine was crap - proper mk1 GTIs were 1600s, and mk2s were 16v. But that's a bit OT - so back to ABFs - great engines - just look at the results Vick got after Designadubs put a nearly std ABF into his mk1. Awesome.
just put an abf in my MK2 (dumping the 8v lump! ) and cant rate it enough. runs like a dream.... no problems with misfiring or anything like that!! I think S.C bis talking crap personally....
Bloody excellent engines!! Built 2 with deisel cranks and both go extremely well. Apart from the difference in stroke and height of the block, its basically the same as a 9a apart from the better rod ratio. Both have the same stroke and piston size. Only reason more people use short block 2 litres is that they are easier to get hold of. As for the ABF on standard mk3 management. Not great but definatly not bad. Hers runs really well, no missing or hesitation at all. OK some people have problems with the running of them, normally down to the coil pack but this is often over looked.
ABF is great, ill have a complete Mk2 conversion for sale in about 2 weeks still bolted to my old subframe!! Includes engine, box, kr injection, ecu and pretty much everything!!
I'm going to have to buy the Golf+ just to laugh at the 'advice' wriiten there Last time it was the 9A Cresswell was slating, just before he recommended another reader buy one of his 3000 rebored KR conversions. And the difference is? Plenty of VW development, and about 2800 What an arse. Wonder how long this thread'll stay for?
I've got a bloody subscription to it ! Thinking of cancelling it after that though. More bull in there now than on this forum Thinking about it they're probably just trying to keep themselves in business cos when I phoned TSR years ago for a quote on a performance exhaust I got a lecture that culminated in me needing 2 grands worth of work done on my engine! The result, he claimed, would be 140bhp@wheels - which I have exceeded with a block that cost me 350. So I guess I kind of understand, business is business. Annoying though as I only read it for helpful advice, not much point if it's all biased though
This is the same tw@t that goes around recommending ppl install KR cams in their ABF because the 9a and ABF cams are the same. I think I'll send him an educating email right now...
I'm quite happy with my ABF. It maybe a little gutless down low (damn the management), but when it picks up it really flies. WHEN I get it modified, hopefully I can get a bit more torque out of it. Certainly isn't a bad engine though.
