who builds the best engine for motorsport in the uk

Did a rally in my car on friday and had some issues that need looking at , and need more power

The Golf started well , we completed 3 stages and was 9th overall , was a bit rusty , and being a new car I was quite happy with that , but on the 3rd stage the engine went off song , it started holding back and was down on power , I was thinking the crank , or big ends had picked up , water temp was 95 and oil pressure was about 70psi finishing the stage , thinking the worst I decided to stop before doing any major damage , which was a shame , the gearbox is very good , it handles very well , was catching quite a few cars in the twisty bits but then they would leave me on the straights , it needs more power !

I was in work yesterday changing the rear bearing on the clio to get it mobile again so I could get it off the ramp , got the golf on there and removed the sump , the good news is the big ends are fine so its ruled that out , I ran out of time then so this week I'll do a compression test to see it it shows up a ring fault , its running Wossner pistons which I have used before with no issues , this engine is all new so its a bit disappointing to have issues straight away.

I need to speak to the old owner , and the company who built the car to see who built the engine , and who mapped it to start looking at sorting out the problem , if its got to come apart i'll have it further tuned , it needs 240 - 250hp to be competetive

Who are known to build the best engines in the UK ? as mine is running standard crank , steel rods , wossner pistons , a race spec head , can't remember the spec on the cams but it runs out of power at 7k so I'd say it could do with wilder cams , its also running jenvey throttle bodies , so its nearly all there spec wise

Cheers Ian

 

Speak to Bill@Badger5, he used to build lots of N/A cars..

 

Do you know what compression has it got? Solid or hydraulic lifters?

What about the cam lifts?

Revving to 7k suggests the engine is only a moderate specification.

 

I think I saw from one of the pics you posted, that your in the Bridgend area? Couldn`t hurt to have a chat with Martin, Hotgolf if your not already in contact with him.

 

Or you could get in touch with Jason from JMR too.
Plenty experience with vag engines.

http://clubgti.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=213

 

I know that they advertise themselves as Impreza/Evo specialists.

But the main guy is an Ex-WRC technician, and seriously knows his stuff!

Tractive Solutions

The main guys name is Richard Bulmer - Top Guy!

 

I'll 2nd Danny's recommendation, Jason has sorted out a cylinder head for me that I purchased from another VAG 'specialist' a couple of years back that was sold to me as the 'mutts nuts' but turned out to be far from as described. He is also sorting another 'special' head for me......more details to follow when I get all the information together to do a full build thread

He also did the head and setup the engine for TonyB's championship winning Hillclimb car

 

Did a compression test today and they are all over the place !

No 1 = 290 psi
No 2 = 220 psi
No 3 = 260 psi
No 4 = 240 psi

So it's an engine out job and a strip and rebuild , the cams are Kent GF1604's , just checked and they have 296 degree's duration and 11.3mm of lift , so quite mild for my needs , they are for hydraulic followers.

Looking at the invoices the rods are from TSR and they are 159mm ones.

I don't know yet who built the engine , but it was mapped by Northampton Motorsport.

Will be looking to get it built again , hopefully the pistons will be ok to reuse , maybe its a ring problem , but will look to see if any further head work is needed , and change the cams and go to solid lifters , after having it pointed out , I will also have the standard crank sensor taken off the crank and have an external one fitted

Oh well !!

 

I know QPrep built the car but not sure on the engine, must be a bit gutting that it needs a rebuild already.

 

well **** happens ! hopefully a couple of grand will see it right , mapped and with more power and will be bomb proof from there.
I'll speak to Quentin at Q prep tomorrow , I knew they built the car and have spoken to him a few times , see if they can add anything further , would be nice to know where the head came from

 

Going to solid lifters is ~ a grand I believe - just for the head / top end

Is it worth another compression test to confirm ?

 

290 psi is a very high reading. Compression tester may not be calibrated very well. However the variation in cylinder pressures suggests investigations are needed.
High comp pistons possibly having touched valves depending on valve timing. It can happen and a situation not helped with the use of hydro tappets at high rpm.

 

I wondered that so went out and bought another compression tester from halfords today and have the same readings , so it's up high on no 1 , and low on 2 , will do some phoning around tomorrow as everyone should be back in work and get the ball rolling on a rebuild

 

20 bar compression, is it a diesel?
Seriously, there are loads of good engine builders, but thats only part of getting a good rallying result, as I'm sure you know.
We have just had an 11th overall today, and the car I was running was left for dead in a straight line by a couple of mk2 escorts.
Its so sad top catch people into chicanes to lose 3 car lengths on the straights.
As for prices, well a grand doesn't go far.
Far better you consolidate the good bits you already have. Also, I build my own engines, but recognise that a good pro builder is likely to do a better job.... Find someone you trust and stick with him....

 

Nice one Jon GTI or GTI-R ?

 

took the head off tonight before I left work , and its detonated , I can only imagine No1 cylinder was reading so high on the compression test was the rings were oiled so were sealing better.

The bores look ok looking at them , but it has slightly damaged the head were the head gasket is , so hopefully I can have it welded and machined to fix it

It has an invoice in the the folder of receipts I have from the car being mapped , was done at Northampton motorsport , the engine all seems right so can only put it down to poor mapping.

I spoke to TSR this morning and they could sort the engine in a week or so , rebuilding it with new pistons , new cams , and shimming the followers , they remember the engine being built as they supplied a lot of parts , and they say that it does have solid lifters , I'll have the engine back , refit it into the car and they will map it on there rolling road.

I also spoke the JRE , I've had experience of these before , and loads of people I know use there engines , they are pretty much known as the best , but they wouldn't be able to do it for a month or so , I told them I want it back to do a rally mid feb and they couldn't guarantee it would be ready ,

I'll have to get the head fixed first and decide which way I go

 

Compression still seems high, unless your gauge is a bit out. Rings should seal without oil, leakdown test would confirm this. JRE are good I've heard, but there are lots and lots of good outfits, and you can't hurry a build. I would wait for JRE if that's your No.1 choice.
In your position, I'd prob pull all four pistons out of the bores for a visual.
Plonk a std or spare engine in the hole for the one rally you would miss. In hindsight you may find the longer term view gives the better result. I only say this as it takes me forever to get an engine built the way I want it.
Chris: GTIR, out again the 22nd (Jack Frost) . Virgin co-driver, or so (s)he tells me.. Give me a shout if your anywhere near

 

I have 2 rally cars and i'm doing west cork in the other one March so its not the end of the world to miss the Wyedean , but it's a fantastic rally.

I'm having the bottom end rebuilt with new pistons and bearings , then new cams , reshim , and a remap , hopefully all sorted and can go out and enjoy it

 

It may well be an idea to check fuel pumps are operating as they should. If the fuel pump was failing then this could drop pressure in the fuel rail resulting in a weak mixture. Damage is not 100% down to bad mapping.

 

will get the pressure in the fuel lines checked when its all back together , its got competition fuel pumps , filters , and pico injectors , all brand new , so I would be surprised if it was faulty , but never say never !