Engine upgrade

[ARM1 0]

I have standard 1.8 16 valve corrado and has recently faild its MOT due to smoke levels when on idle. Looks like oil could be entering the engine through the valve seals or pistons or possibly the head gasket, either way the head will have to come off. I am thining about dropping in a recon engine, possibly a G60, is it possible? What else may in need to upgrade? Is there another cheaper option? The current engine has only done 95k. Any advise

[CazzaVR 0]

Cheaper option to a G60 engine would be another 16v. You could probably get a decent 9A head pretty cheap. Drop in the inlet cam from your 1.8 and get it gas flowed and you should see similar bhp to a standard G60 anyway.

[ARM1 0]

thanks for the advice, do youknow where i could get the head from and how do i go about getting it gas flowed?

cheers

[flusted 0]

you can buy everything from under a g60 bonnet for a grand easily,a flowed 16v head will cost you £500

 

Ive been there and done it

[CazzaVR 0]

My local specialist charges £370. They send it off to the guy who did all the TSR flowing- top quality stuff apparently. There's a guy on Ebay who does them for less than that too, they look good and he's got good feedback.

 

For the actual head, look on Ebay, here, Edition 38, VW breakers etc.

[steveo29 0]

chances are new valve seals would restore it for a while , you maybe able to lend a tool that lets you fit them without taking the head off

 

cost next to nothing then

[ARM1 0]

thanks, reckon i will sort present engine out and then look to getting it tuned. Any body know of any specialists in the Brighton area?

[double-6s 0]

For sorting the engine now, or for tuning in the future?

 

For now, I would take your car along to The Golfmeister in Hove and get him to have a look over the engine and advise you whats needed/can be done.

 

PM me if you want his number mate.

[Louie Lungbubble 0]

My H G's gone too (along with the valve seals) :x

chances are new valve seals would restore it for a while

Someone else has said this to me, but I asked an engine rebuild garage about it when I went for a quote for the gasket, and he said there's quite a bit of tolerance on the guides, so chances are just doing the seals should sort it. He talking crap??

 

Going to replace the gasket myself. If the head's not warped or pitted, is it still worth sending it off to get the valve guides done?

[steveo29 0]

ive replaced the seals on vw's with 100-130 k and theyve lasted another 3 years till i sold the cars on with no more smoke

 

if the engine has got mega miles or been abused then id prob go for guides too

 

the seals just go hard thats why they leak....oh and id suggest genuine ones

[ARM1 0]

With regards to getting the head flowed ive hard that it can reduce reliability because it involves removing the metal around the ports ect. Also is it true that it makes the engine less flexibleie ie rev easier, but with less torque at low revs? Does it have any efffect on the fuel injection?

 

What else would need changing to make a difference in terms of power ie camshaft, exhaust?

 

could it be more cost effective and beneficial to use a higher spec recon engine?

 

Would be grateful if any one who has carried out a similiar conversion could advise?

 

cheers

[CazzaVR 0]

Not too sure about the reliability of flowed heads- would think it should be just as reliable as standard as long as it's not too drastically ported.

 

Definately drop in the KR inlet cam from your 1.8 16v. It's a straight swap and should give you around 10 extra horses. Free too :wink: . Exhaust and panel filter help with the breathing, but not much bang for buck though. Think you'd be lucky to see anything more than 5bhp from those two combined.

 

Stealth do a good rolling road tune up/remap for the 9A too.

[ARM1 0]

cool, so basically keep the 1.8 engine sort valve seals possibly head gasket, get the head flowed, and this will get the best power and reliability for cost?

 

What stage tune would ya recommend? Cheers

[CazzaVR 0]

Best to talk to Vince at Stealth- they can also do a mod to the warm-up regulator which has excellent results.