98 Golf estate >> VR6 build

[pappers 50]

Hi.

I made a hello post in New Members http://www.vr6oc.com/forum/topic/46077-hi-new-bristol-member/#entry434835 which started to generate useful information, so by starting this new thread I can: 1) keep all information about this kind of build in one place for myself and others, and 2) document what Ive done (compared to what I have planned). Id like to see this thread follow the whole process.

Im a product designer, so whilst I consider myself at least partly methodical and critical, Im no mechanic. Im hoping that method and common sense will get me through, but predominantly advice from here. Probably naive, but you live and learn. So, after a few months perusing the web I bought a 98 Mystic Blue 1.8 estate with 76k and 11months test in January as a base car, with full intentions of going VR6. That wont change, Ive never owned anything other than a 4 pot car wise.

The research began and still continues - kinda fun, I enjoy exploring possibility and feasability. I started to get an idea of what I wanted as an end result - OE styling, Euro-esque, refined and well considered. Im not changing anything for the sake of it. Am I taking it too seriously? Maybe, but I want to enjoy my car.

So here's a 'living' to do list, PLAN A, Ive generated from research and personal taste. I say 'living' because it changes...frequently. I may add lasers at some point. I do bits and pieces when I have time and plan to do the conversion this year. It had a damp drivers footwell when I bought it so did a few little fixes to track it down. At the moment Ive traced it to the bonnet release cable grommet. Also the drivers lower door hinge has dropped so Ive painted a new one ready to go on this weekend.

Door hinge dropped - replace with new, painted, re-align door

Saggy drivers door handle - replace spring if poss

Windscreen seal - get checked

Paintless dent removal (about 1 in every panel, no rust though) and bumper repairs, full detail after conversion

Window guide seals

Door membranes - repair

New soundproof front floorpan

Headlining torn and dropped - re-upholster

Cracked N/S headlight - replaced & swapped level motor

Find leak / re-seal grommets in bulkhead - found to be bonnet release cable

Take carpets out - dry

Central locking pump - check

Clean inside arch liners - compost / rot

Floor pan - check and clean

Clear sunroof drains - cleared

Clean windscreen drains

Scuttle panel pins - replaced

Scuttle tray - cleaned out

Pollen filter - new

Bumper O/S grill - replaced

PLAN A

Engine

AAA OBD2

Brakes

280mm (G60, early Gti/VR6) 4 stud (not 288mm 5 stud)

Wheels

16" to clear 280mm brake upgrade - BBS, Borbets? Now found 15" that will fit over 280mm disc (25/2/15). Need estate clearance advice on rim width and ET. No rolled arches here but not looking to run 9j, prob 7j all round.

Suspension

Estate specific coils probably TA. Needs to be drive-able daily.

So, that's my starting point. Any advice, input, constructive crit welcomed that may change the plan. If you can see something in the future that I have not accounted for and may bump into, Id appreciate a heads up early.

Oh and whilst Im already informed it'd be easier with a donor car, I really dont have the space. Im also not confident I'll find the engine and box I want, already in a car, thats being broken up. Im open though. I quite like the idea of generating a shopping list, and Im not in such a hurry to make compromises on the important parts.

Phew, cheers all.

Edited April 19, 2015 by pappers

[daveyboy 897]

Does it have to be an ABV 2.9? It might be easier to get everything thing from a mk3 so you know everything will be plug and play I.e any wiring looms you may need ect

[pappers 50]

Im not set on ABV but its marginally choice 1, equally I'd go with a decent OBDII AAA. My thinking is more 'why not ABV 190bhp over 174bhp?' since its not significantly more work to convert, unless Im missing something. Id be swapping the same parts essentially, 2.8 or 2.9. I guess whichever engine is found first in well maintained condition.

Edited February 19, 2015 by pappers

[daveyboy 897]

There's a guy selling a full mk3 on here big six for £400. Maybe good for everything you need mate

[pappers 50]

Ok thanks. Will keep an eye on his location.

Another small job done last night - hinge and hardware primered, top coat and lacquered.

[pappers 50]

Got a seized 6mm grub screw in upper door hinge, not annoying, the lower one is fine. Off to body shop to see if they can help removal. To cheer myself up I spent a few pennies on a couple of bits, so pics to follow.

 

Nearly bought a set of wheels too, but didnt in the end. The process though reminded me that I really want 15s. I drafted 16s originally to clear the 280mm caliper but have since found a few 15s that also clear, and one style that I love and is generally only available in 4 stud.

 

Made a few changes to the plan, crossed out in original post. After advice on here and elsewhere Im gonna stick with the AAA OBD2, by way of a straight donor car.

 

Booked mine in for a day of PDR and touch up in a couple of weeks. Interested to see how straight it comes out.

Edited February 25, 2015 by pappers

[pappers 50]

Lucas 54 calipers and carriers for 280mm x 22mm disc off a '95 Gti. Need blasting, painting and braided hoses. Will run these with 280mm 4 stud Corrado discs.

 

[pappers 50]

Bought these last week. Gewindedampfers.

 

[c00k 435]

Looking good buddy, be much better with the coilovers on.

Gewindedampfers just means threaded damper in English. The make is TA technics.

[pappers 50]

Looking good buddy, be much better with the coilovers on.

Gewindedampfers just means threaded damper in English. The make is TA technics.

 

They'll look better on than they do in the box in the garage.   Fitted soon hopefully, would be nice to have some rims to go on with them.

 

Yeah I know Im not sure Id have bought a brand called 'Coilovers'. TA seem to be the popular choice.

[c00k 435]

I ran TA for years, there not to bad.

Yeah loads of people run them.

One of the better ones from budgets range.

Edited March 6, 2015 by c00k

[daveyboy 897]

I run them on my golf and I don't have any complaints

[pappers 50]

Bought a set of RS764's with new tyres. Booked in this morning for fitting coilovers. Next should be power.

 

[pappers 50]

So I forgot to post pics of fitted coils and wheels but its sitting nice, Im happy. Its gone into the body shop for dents, a full mop and touch up chips, fitting 2 new rear window guide seals and my new drivers door hinge pictured above. Will get pics up on Friday when I get'r back.

 

I have a few questions about the VR swap.

 

1. I currently have no ABS and I dont really want it. Ive read this can be deleted upon installing a VR, so is this right? Is it a bodge, can it be done properly without compromising anything? How about MOT/legality wise? Any infos on this would be appreciated.

 

2. I have power steering already. Do I need to change anything in the system for a VR install or will my current pump etc be ok? Ill try and find part numbers for both cars but if anyone knows from experience it would be helpful.

 

3. I have a factory immobiliser....so yes, the key and transponder ring question. I want to keep my own key but I also want the factory immobiliser, not an immob delete. Im guessing there are folks who can recode a VR ECU to read my current key? Ive heard the ECU can be made virgin so that the first key it reads is the key it codes to? Right/wrong? Legality? This is in case I cannot go the donor car route and the ECU and ring aren't matched. Either way Id like to keep my current ignition/door key setup, how to do this?

 

Cheers for the help.

Chris.

[c00k 435]

ABS not a problem just don't wire it up and tuck the wires away, for mot it will be fine so long as it can pass the brake test. If it passed last year on brakes should be fine this year so long as the brakes have degraded over the last year. How well it stops a VR is another story, as there most probs only 256mm.

I have 288mm and want to upgrade to 323mm for better braking, but that's all down to personal preference.

The power steering rack and parts mounted to the subframe will be fine. The power steering pump should come on the VR engine and you will need to use the VR one as it's connected with the VR belt. Some of the piping might need to be changed, so it can be linked to the Vr pump. As it most probs in a different location after engine swap.

Immobilisers I know you can get companies who can delete them if they can make them virgin I'm not sure.

Edited March 25, 2015 by c00k

[pappers 50]

Thanks for that. I've got 280mm brakes ready to swap for the 256's.

Understood on ABS and power steering. That's good news. Id likely need VR power steering hoses? Will it throw fault codes with no ABS wired?

Edited March 25, 2015 by pappers

[c00k 435]

You could get VR power steering pipes,

Or it's just 16mm I.D nitrile pipe for the one pipe. And a banjo fitting and nitrile pipe to fit the banjo fitting for the other pipe. As the power steering pump has only 2 pipes that come off it.

(Nitrile pipe is oil, grease, fuel resistant)

You might get error codes from ABS but it won't cause the engine any running problems. Or anything else problems. It's it own module inside the programming in the ECU. It doesn't link or communicate with anything else. So it would work fine.

You can get the ABS module deleted from the ECU if wanted. Then no error codes will show.

Edited March 25, 2015 by c00k

[pappers 50]

Awesome infos, thanks c00k

Edited March 25, 2015 by pappers

[pappers 50]

Morning. Woken up with a bee in the bonnet.

Did the front panel with rad and twin fans change at all through model years? Any electrical connector differences between OBDs? I can't find this info. There's a VR being broken very near to me (I already had a couple of parts off it) at good value but its OBD1 and no engine or history, so box, ECU and loom are out. I want to grab parts that are universal to OBD1 & 2, leaving myself a low miler OBD2 engine, loom, ECU and VR box to find either independently or together. I'm at: engine brackets, hydro clutch, front panel...anything else that could help? Thank yous.

[pappers 50]

For info, rads are all the same, only ever one part number.

[c00k 435]

Rad are the same.

Think there a difference in the fan between OBD1 and OBD2.

It only the motor and I think they are interchangeable, but there is a difference in fan motors I believe.

AUX (secondary) water pump are same for both.

Main water pump same.

Power steering pump same.

ABS is different between models but can be interchanged with minimal work.

Main differences between OBD1 and OBD2 engines are:

Timing chains.

Throttle bodies and vacuum lines.

Upper inlet manifold.

MAF's.

ECU's.

Edited March 28, 2015 by c00k

[pappers 50]

Thanks....again. It's a 95 OBD1 rad & fan setup I'm picking up so would the OBD1 fan motor cause the fans not to work at all with OBD2 management?

Edited March 28, 2015 by pappers

[pappers 50]

Front 3/4 standing shot...its raining. Coilovers and wheels fitted, still need to get tracking done and a spacer on the rear. Had dents removed, mopped and detailed, now needs a wash. And an engine change.

 

Edited March 31, 2015 by pappers

[c00k 435]

No it's just the plug that are different on the fans I think not 100% sure on that though. So if you chopped the plug off for the fans when buying them. you should be able to re-wire that plug to work with OBD2.

Cars looking sweet with new wheels and some lows

Edited April 1, 2015 by c00k

[pappers 50]

After some research last week Ive started collecting parts for a 2.8 24v swap. In for a penny...

o2a box, shifter mech with cables and standard flywheel.