Golf GTI can or clipper with engine swap?

Hello I have bought what I believe to be a golf Gti cab
However it doesn't say GTI. On log book just Golf.
It has an injection engine though and not carb but a lot of things seem to have been modded on the car and not sure whether the engine could have been changed if the old one had broken etc
I know this has been covered before because I found some old posts. I have checked the data sticker in the boot 
And can't work out whether it's a DX or EX as it isn't very clear and worn and mouldy!

I can post pics of the data sticker and of the car 👍
(I think it's a D but it's really hard to tell )
I'm just wondering if there is any other way to tell definitively 
And what I should look for?
I appreciate anyone who has some advice/ ideas 
And thanks fin advance for any help x

Do you have the MFA computer in the instrument cluster?

it’s been years since I looked at my log book but does it not have the engine code on the log book?

mark1gls said

Do you have the MFA computer in the instrument cluster?

it’s been years since I looked at my log book but does it not have the engine code on the log book?

Hi mark 
Thanks for the reply 
I will check but don't think so 
Also I don't know what the MFA computer is or what it looks like sorry 🤦‍♂️
This is the first time I have owned one 
If you tell me what it looks like I can check 👍

Yeah, the V5 should have the engine number on it, but if it has been swapped, and done properly, the engine number will have been changed on the v5. You might need to pay for a car check (or whatever it's called, used to be HPI check) as that will show any changes to the v5 over the years.

Regarding MFA, do you have a button on the end of the wash/wipe stalk?

That said, going from a carb to injection engine requires a load of changes around the fuel tank. Different pump, fuel accumulator, so it isn't a job someone would do lightly.

Hard to make out from the image, so subject to my having read it correctly, your cars build date works out around 12th April 1989 (give or take a day or two, depending on which guide you use).

Amongst other components, your cylinder head will have a casting date on it (towards its front right hand side, above the coolant flange, as you look into the engine bay), the date on it should in theory be slightly earlier… 5th June 1983 in the example below

If it post-dates the cars build date, it might be an indicator it's been changed.

If it pre-dates the cars and by some margin it may also indicate a change.

if it's close, it potentially may be the original.

Is your engine number not visible on the block itself?









 

paceman said

Yeah, the V5 should have the engine number on it, but if it has been swapped, and done properly, the engine number will have been changed on the v5. You might need to pay for a car check (or whatever it's called, used to be HPI check) as that will show any changes to the v5 over the years.

Regarding MFA, do you have a button on the end of the wash/wipe stalk?

Yes it does have a button on the stalk 👍
Is that good? 🙏👍🤣

I can't work out how to pay pics on a reply 🤦‍♂️

Noclue said

paceman said

Yeah, the V5 should have the engine number on it, but if it has been swapped, and done properly, the engine number will have been changed on the v5. You might need to pay for a car check (or whatever it's called, used to be HPI check) as that will show any changes to the v5 over the years.

Regarding MFA, do you have a button on the end of the wash/wipe stalk?

Yes it does have a button on the stalk 👍
Is that good? 🙏👍🤣

I can't work out how to pay pics on a reply 🤦‍♂️

And thanks for your time 👍

bacardincoke said

Hard to make out from the image, so subject to my having read it correctly, your cars build date works out around 12th April 1989 (give or take a day or two, depending on which guide you use).

Amongst other components, your cylinder head will have a casting date on it (towards its front right hand side, above the coolant flange, as you look into the engine bay), the date on it should in theory be slightly earlier… 5th June 1983 in the example below

If it post-dates the cars build date, it might be an indicator it's been changed.

If it pre-dates the cars and by some margin it may also indicate a change.

if it's close, it potentially may be the original.

Is your engine number not visible on the block itself?









 

Hello sorry to be a bit thick 
Is it two numbers on the outside circle? As mine says 8 8
Where the pic you sent says 8 3

I can't work out how to post a photo of it in the reply
Thanks for the advice 







Think I've worked out how to add an image that's mine 
Best I could get before the rain!!
If it's 88 does that tie in with it being registered in 1989?
Cheers for you help

If your 88 is where the 83 is in that image then that'd indicate 1988

The day of the month is shown by a combination of which of the four digits pointed to by the triangular marker 0, 1, 2, 3 along with which of the numbers are beside it on the inner wheel, they are 0 up to 9

In the photo's case it is 0 beside 5, so the 5th.

The central part will show the month, 6 (for June) in the photo, it could be any number from of 1 to 12.

Think I've just added a pic to the other reply 
Let me know what you think 
And thanks a lot 👍

I will have a look tomorrow for those other numbers!
as it's raining in sunny wales 🤦‍♂️
I will try and get some better pics of both and will report back 
The more I look at the sticker in the boot the more I think it looks like a Dx as there are 2 distinct vertical lines on the first character which would indicate GTI 
But it's hard to tell for sure 

That'd suggest a February 1988 head on an April 1989 manufactured car (subject to confirmation).

At least you're on the right side of things date wise.

If it'd been for example a 1990 head I'd have speculated it could have maybe been a later replacement.

I can't comment on whether or not it being over a year older than the cars manufacturing date is potentially possible.

I can only say that of the three engines I've here, all the heads were only cast a month or two before the cars they're in were manufactured.

Perhaps others can give examples and we can get a better picture of what would've been normal.

Other engine ancilliaries will be date marked too, if they're collectively coming in around the same period it'd help support they started life together / original to your car.

Is that a thermo-time switch on the water flange in your image, the brass sensor with the brown plug?

Your car's running K-Jet?

Most of the Bosch K-Jet parts are date marked, if you can confirm the type of injection before I rabbit on more, I should be able to date them for you.






 

Maybe an easier one to see, before we get too deep.

The intake manifolds casting date may be on it's forward facing visible surface.

The example below is week 27 of 1983.



 

mark1gls said

Do you have the MFA computer in the instrument cluster?

it’s been years since I looked at my log book but does it not have the engine code on the log book?

I put a pic on earlier of what I think is the mfa and dash it has a button on the stalk is that it 👍

bacardincoke said

Maybe an easier one to see, before we get too deep.

The intake manifolds casting date may be on its forward facing visible surface.

The example below is week 27 of 1983.



 

I will upload a pic of the engine I took earlier 
I have no idea what a k jet is 
Maybe you can tell me 👍
I will put a pic on the thread 
Cheers mate 

Yes, you have the Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection system.

I'm not familiar with Cabriolets and they may well have differences to the hatchbacks that I'm not aware of, there's plenty on the forum who will be able to help you better with those aspects of your car.

If I was standing in front of your engine it'd be the work of 10 minutes to identify the manufacturing dates of the main K-jet components, but at a distance and using images that's not going to be so easy.

It would've helped build up a better picture of your engine and its ancilliaries to make an educated guess as to whether or not they are original to your actual car or even a similarly aged / specced vehicle.

Unfortunately there's plenty of scope for one or more previous owners to have mixed and match parts, even down to the fundamentals like the block and / or head.

Your engine block will have the engine number stamped on it, it's in the same area and below where the heads date casting wheel was.

If it's still legible you should be able to see what type (DX for example) it is, plus its number.

This is an image from another thread to help you locate it.










 

you got the reg number mate

nicci21paul said

you got the reg number mate

Yes should I put it on here or msg you?
Cheers 👍

bacardincoke said

If your 88 is where the 83 is in that image then that'd indicate 1988

The day of the month is shown by a combination of which of the four digits pointed to by the triangular marker 0, 1, 2, 3 along with which of the numbers are beside it on the inner wheel, they are 0 up to 9

In the photo's case it is 0 beside 5, so the 5th.

The central part will show the month, 6 (for June) in the photo, it could be any number from of 1 to 12.

The plot thickens🤣
The log book turned up today and it says it was first registered in the uk 
1/3/89 
A month before it was made ?? 🤷‍♂️🤣

but looks like an import