Upgrading a VW Golf engine

I've got an M-reg VW Golf 1.4 CL Match, and I was wondering how practical it would be to stick a 1.6 engine into it?

From what I understand, the car is basically the same as its bigger brother, so is it realistic, or are there a dozen other considerations to take into account?

TIA.

Reply to
Trent SC
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Get an insurance quote first, engine-swaps aren't liked by insurance companys, they sometimes want an engineers report too....

Reply to
Tony Bond (UncleFista)

practical it

My advice is probably going to be the same as most other people's, so get used to hearing it....

Unless you've got a known good engine for next to nothing, and the time and facilities to do the work yourself, seriously don't bother. If you want more power sell it and get a bigger engined model, but the I wouldn't have thought going to a 1.6 would be a particularly worthwhile 'upgrade' anyway - it's still a heavy car (for its size) and the 1.6 will only set the world alight marginally more than the 1.4 will. If you wanted to do a genuinely worthwhile conversion (VR6, 1.8T maybe if that'd fit), even then it'd only be worthwhile if you could get the running gear for cheap and do the work yourself.

There's a huge amount of used cars of all makes, models, shapes and sizes at the moment, so plenty of choice as far as getting a decent one with the right engine, in fully original condition, that makes most engine swaps a waste of time. Modify by all means, but get something near the top of the range to start with as a starting point.

Also, you'll want to tell the insurance company it's been modified, and it'll almost certainly be cheaper to insure a standard 1.6 than a 1.4 with a 1.6 transplanted in it. Plus when you come to sell it on, a lot of people won't be keen, 'cos it's a bit of an unknown quantity in terms of getting parts, and just generally knowing that the engine change was done properly.

Just my twopennorth......

-- "They said to me 'You could be anyone you wanted to be', but I was realistic and only ever aimed to be me, which I already was. So I gave up trying."

Reply to
AstraVanMan

Waste of time. If you're going to go engine swapping, put at least the 2.0

16V ABF from the GTi / various SEATs in, if not a 1.8t or a VR6 (requires subframe swapping IIRC). The engine swaps straight into a late MK2 from a MK3, and I'd reckon it's swap into another MK3 happily.

There's a but though. You need to get the brakes and probably the suspension from the other car and fit those too. And you need to get an insurance quote - try Brentacre in Swansea, they insure lots of modded golfs and tend to be pretty happy with most mods, even up to roll cages.

And there's the fact that it'll cost you to get a new engine. Probably more than flogging your 1.4 and buying a 1.6 And the 1.6 will be sellable when you want to get rid of it, whereas a modded 1.4 isn't going to be hugely easy to sell due to the insurance and safety considerations for buyers. And the 1.6 is likely to be a better specced car anyway.

So basically, yes it can be done, no, it's not worth doing. Engine swaps really only make sense when you're starting with something pretty quick (like a GTi) and swapping in an engine that was never fitted to the car (like the 1.8t, or an ABF into a MK2) for a considerable power increase. You'll always be able to sell a GTi with a big engine in it, but a CL with a bit bigger engine than it had as standard isn't an appealing prospect.

Reply to
Doki

Trent SC ( snipped-for-privacy@bogoff.invalid) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Flog it and buy what you actually want.

It'll be a LOT cheaper and easier and less hassle.

Reply to
Adrian

On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 12:16:54 +0100, I waved a wand and this message magically appeared from Trent SC:

Don't bother. Just get a turbocharger kit and fit it. Check with your insurers first.

Reply to
Alex Buell

Don't bother with that either.

Fit a bigger engine (2.0 GTi or whatever), then turbo it.... ;-) Or a supercharged VR6...

Reply to
DanTXD

Thanks to all for their helpful replies. The intention was always to go from 1.4 to 1.6 and it seems that my simplest route is to sell this one and buy another.

Reply to
Trent SC

Would have started with a half decent car in the first place ;-)

Reply to
Jules

Well, yea that too :-)

Reply to
DanTXD

You might even find a slightly newer car in a 1.6 for the same money as your old 1.4 cost.

Reply to
Elder

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