INFO: Engine Swap? Transmission?

[Manaz]

The peer pressure and the friendly competition is a lot of what compels me to modify my car...

Especially my mate with his Honda Prelude...


OH! I have a question, do you find that with your GTi conversion that you have quite a lot torque steer?
... How does it handle now that you've done the conversion?

The stock GTI (GTi is for Suzukis) engine only had 110kW and not a lot of torque (210Nm it turns out). So if you stay stock, not a big issue.

Once you start tuning them though, they could get more interesting. That said, I don't notice torque steer at all on the Bora 4Mo - and that has 150kW and 270Nm of torque (albeit delivered quite differently).

[kendog]

The best way I can describe it is: it now just feels 'right'. It always felt like I just needed a bit more oomph. I don't think I'm noticing too much in what people call 'torque steer', but I'm not exactly sure what it's meant to feel like either.

I'm putting in a replacement ECU on the weekend, with APR Stage 1 already loaded, so things will be quite different again, especially torque apparently.

Original 1.6L: 74kw,
GTI 1.8T: 110kw,
APR stage 1: 146kw,

... so around double what I had with the 1.6L. I think I had a strong & very good condition version of the AKL 1.6L compared to others I'd driven, just a weak gearbox. PS - I have the 1.6L AKL engine for sale too if you hear of anyone in need. I had just done work on it too.. Timing Belt Kit, Water Pump, Rocker cover gasket, etc. Drove perfectly for a month, spotless engine bay, everything perfect... until the gearbox threw a rivet! No words can describe how pissed off I was that I'd just spent over $1000 on it, that could've been used to get me out of the hole the gearbox had gotten me into..

[Umai Naa!!]

To put in a VR6, you'd need to either get a compatible FWD gearbox (the VR6 Mk4s in AU only came as AWD as a Bora V6 4Mo), or if it's a Mk3 VR6, you'd be unable to put it in the car at all (even if it'd work, it'd never pass engineering, as the engine can't be older than the chassis).

Bora V5 gearbox would work.

[Levo]

Drove perfectly for a month, spotless engine bay, everything perfect... until the gearbox threw a rivet! No words can describe how pissed off I was that I'd just spent over $1000 on it, that could've been used to get me out of the hole the gearbox had gotten me into..

Wow, that is a very impressive power gain from just the ECU!

I know the feeling exactly! I had just replaced the starter motor, CV joints and tyres (nearly $2000 all up) and then, same as you, rivet through the casing!

... That was about 3 months ago, I've been starting it every week for a while to make sure the engine doesn't seize, when the battery cracked it too! I'm driving the $2500 Golf I got from Sydney at the moment which needs a whole heap of work to actually be roadworthy.

Now I am thinking that I should try and make the car I have now decent and use the other car as a project car... Which wouldn't be such a bad idea...

[kendog]

Nope, not a bad idea at all.. cheapest idea probably...

[Levo]

My thoughts exactly.

Thanks for all the input!


I think I know what I will be doing next!

[Stan]

I have a stage 2 custom code tune on a 1.8T, and there is a tonne of power, and not much torque steer. I never feel like the wheel is going to be pulled out of my hands.

Still have the original 1.6 complete in the garage....