To rebuild or not to rebuild?

Hello all,

I'm doing a full restration of my golf and wonding on weather i should do a rebuild on the engine. I'v got the engine out and im rebuilding the head.
But i'm not sure if i should do the bottom end.
What i really need to know is:
a. is it worth doing while i got it out?
b. will there be any notiable improvments?
c. how much will it roughtly cost?
d. how hard is it?
e. roughly how meny hours would it take?

The engines a DX i think its only done 98,000

Many Thanks

Can help you much here with time and price etc
but if it was me i would do it then you can sleep at night safe in the knowledge that you have done all you can if you don't and its on the brink of breakdown you will be kicking yourself, if engines out do it now
just my opinion.

If the head's off you're in an ideal position to inspect the other areas closely. You can look at the bores, check if there's a lip at the top edge (there shouldn't be), and check if you can still see the honing marks in the bores (if you're lucky, you'll still just be able to see it). You could also remove the sump and have a look at one of the main bearings, if its okay then I'd be tempted to leave the bottom end as is. Obviously while its out, clean up the top of the pistons (I used duct tape over the holes, etc and was reasonably careful with a soft wire brush) and you're doing the right thing rebuilding the top end.

Thanks for the advice guys, I was orginaly of the opion that it would be worth doing since it was all out. Im going to take good look at tonight/tomorrow and try to make a decision after that.

wire wool!!  :roll:  if u like bits of crap getting wedgd between the bores.
cost me about hundred -hundred and fifty quid mate, the only expensive part was the oil pump and that was about 30 quid from gsf, rings are 27ish shells are cheap but dont forget to get a bottom end gasket set! as you wont beable to save the gaskets and you get rear main seals etc in it.

well worth doing mate as you will kick ur self if u dont and it starts knocking… smoking etc. real easy but i would go and buy one of them engine stands from machine mart mine cost 30quid or sumin plus vat u dont need the heavy duty one the bog standerd 3 wheeld one is spot on, this lets u put it on and spin it over and saves u rummegin about on the floor or in your shed struggling to lift it or hold it still.

if it ain't broke, don't fix it!