1272cc modifications

Has anyone radically altered (to a degree) the overall performance of a 1272cc engine?

I am thinking of using one for competition purposes and know that on the continent there are quite a lot of them producing big power with - of course, big budgets!

The regulations state that the block has to be externally identifiable as fitted to that particualar car and everything else is pretty much free. The capacity limit for the class I am thinking of running in (either next year or the year after) is 1400cc (so long as this doesn't change…).

I have been advised to bore the engine out to produce 1341cc which will offer me fresh bores and allow for stronger pistons (higher compression ratio) and I can replace the connecting rods if need be as I dont think I will run higher than 8000rpm+ (standard rods being safe to 8500rpm). All internals would be lightened, balanced and tested anyway.

Also on the continent they like to fit the the 16v head found on 1.4 16v '96-'00 (AFH) engines, I'm not sure how easy it is to mate it all together and the pulley/belt system but also with this comes the fact of having to buy double the ammount of components for the cylinder head…

Whereas keeping the 8v head would me much easier (cost wise mainly) plus the fact that they are a little more readily avaliable than the 16v item.

8v - >140bhp
16v - 160bhp+

Twin 40's minimum or 40-42mm bike throttle bodies would be used.

Obviously the 16v will end up being a lot more expensive but might the 8v still be just as good/easier to produce?

Anyone into this sort of thing at all?

James.

There's more info on tuning the small engines on http://www.pitstopdevelopments.com/forum/ which is a Polo forum aimed at the GT and G40. www.porka.net is also useful. There's a user called 86c who has your block with various other mods producing 90Hp with a cost around ?150. Cheap as chips!

Sounds promising, thanks for that.

Most I've ever see out of a 1.3 8v is 142bhp at the flywheel.

There was a one make race series in Germany for the MK3 Polo GT so there are loads of tuning parts available including Twin 40 Weber manifolds direct from VW motorsport.

Talk to G-Tuned, linked to www.86c.de in some way…