Exhausted !

I spent a while trying to find a decent exhaust, I didnt want a stainless system just yet as I want to see how loud it is then get a custom one fabbed up. I thought I would stick with the Golf system as it was already suited to the engine but obviously I had to really modify the shape to get it all to fit.















I found a nice Ashley 2.5 inch one from a MK2 GTI. It didn't take too much effort to change all the bends and I added a rubber hanger to allow the box to move a bit. Its quite short and its a straight through box so I think it will be quite loud. I managed to get most of that sorted in one day, then I moved on to mounting the fuel pump.






I added new rubber mounts and new filter, the mounting bars are just bent metal. Its a Golf MK2 8V Digifant fuel pump, with just the swirl pot. No accumulator like the 16V but this is plenty enough to stop fuel surge.













I quickly added a return spring to the accelerator pedal fashioned out of a spring from some garden loppers, just the job and gives the pedal a good feel.

I sent my ECU away to get the immobiliser deleted which hopefully will make the wiring a lot easier.
Unfortunately I forgot to take the OBD port from the Golf so I wont be able to talk to the ECU.

Recently started the wiring loom from the Golf engine, and started to separate and identify all the wires I need and don't need. I must admit I wasn't looking forward to this part but I did enjoy it after a while. I am currently still on the wiring and struggling to trigger the fuel pump relay.
Close but not quite ready to hear that exhaust note.

Engine in !

I cleaned up the block and fitted all the necessary diesel parts, I used new gaskets and seals where I could and a new water pump, cam belt and tensioner including a new tensioner stud.


The diesel alternator went on because I managed to just use one v belt from the crank to drive the water pump and alternator, way better than the weird diesel setup with 2 v belts and shims and stuff.

The diesel dipstick is annoying and I'm not sure if I like it but time is ticking and I just want to get it going now.


Finally got the engine in ! It went in nice and easy, I re-used the diesel clutch so ill see how that goes, and fitted a new spigot bearing. I tested the starter and it works fine but I'm going to re-locate the earth lead from the gearbox mounting to the starter bolt as suggested by Aiden Talbot


I started putting all the water hoses on and used the original AGG water flange on the head. I reckon I can make this work all I might need to do is block off the small 8mm pipe or connect it with a T-piece to somewhere, I haven't got that far yet so I will see.


While I was doing this I cleaned up and fitted the engine wiring loom to all the injectors and sensors.


There is plenty of room on the inlet manifold side. It looks really tidy and I kinda like the freaky tilted 50 degree look. Also means any parts are easy to change in the future. I fitted the drive shafts with new CV joints, boots and bolts and fitted the original clutch slave cylinder as it was in good condition.

The throttle body went on then I had the problem of the throttle cable. I didn't want to have a joint with a few inches of AGG cable on there so I bought 10 meters of bike cable with all the nipples and ferrules to go with it and its done the job nicely.

Another thing that was bugging me was the exhaust manifold, I looked at several different ideas but most of them used the AGG cast manifold. I thought that there has got to be another way.


I didn't like the idea of having a 2 into1 joint at the manifold with a 90 degree turn at a length of about 4 inches. The original Golf GTI down pipe has a runner length of 18 inches and this contributes to the torque curve. After a lot of searching I found an ADZ manifold from a Golf mk3 1.8 8v it was perfect and had a lambda sensor with it that was the same as the AGG.


The bores are the same size and shape and the cast shape is very similar apart from the ADZ one has less material around the tubes and obviously the lambda boss is directly on the flange. Sweet.



This will make building an exhaust much easier and the flange is angled away from the engine slightly so I can make a much smoother flow. 



The only problem was the lambda probe was so long that it interfered with the nearside rubber engine mount but this is easily solved with this.


Next up is new fuel pipes and I got a Golf mk2 gti fuel pump to mount underneath somewhere.

Donor car

After much research, and I mean MUCH research, a 2.0 VW AGG engine was needed, this had the best torque output at low revs which would best suit my gearbox. There were some other engines I could have sourced but there were a few good build threads on the brickyard and retroride proboards that I could follow with success.

A mk3 Golf GTI was found nearby and was way too cheap to pass up, a bit of MOT was left on it so I snapped it up drove it around a bit and was absolutely chuffed. The engine was sweet and really smooth, it had been quite well looked after and the owner was sad to see it go and when she asked " so are you going to fix it up" I must admit I was a bit ashamed to say " well actually I'm gonna rip the engine out, fill it full of scrap and weigh it in"

Getting the engine out was really easy especially with my trusty skateboard, I wasn't going to cheat and cut the drive shafts like the scrappers, I took my time.



The only problems I had was one stubborn gearbox bolt right at the back which was partially covered by the diff.
I also had to get the loom out intact with the ECU fuse box, transponder, key sensor ring, relays any cool bits, tool kit, badges, loads of rizla papers and about 64 pence.

The loom had to be passed out through the bulkhead under the dash which sounds easy enough, but the brake servo was in the way and there was no way I could get it passed without getting the servo off. I got brutal with a huge iron bar and just bent the thing out the way, not ideal or professional but way fun and by this point I knew this car was destined for the KIA factory.





I was in two minds whether to keep all the brake calipers and discs but the day was getting long and I had to tidy up the place before work next week. Maybe I should have kept them.