mk3 1.4 into a mk1

Right well long story sort after my rant in general chat haha I've got a mk3 1.4 coming back into my possession thats bin rear ended but still runs perfect and has a good engine in it.

the question is: Is a mk3 small block engine (which i'm guessing the 1.4 is) going to have the same mountings as a small block mk1?

because mines a 1.1 so i no all the tank would need changing to injection stuff but i dont mind that its just the welding side of things thats stopping me wanna do a 2.0L conversion plus thought it'd be something a bit different! any helps much appreciated

Im glad you posted this actually. I have a Mk3 1.4 engine that I was planning on putting into a Mk1 GTI. Would that also work?

Many thanks!

Sedge, you should be fine. I put one of those engines in a mk3 polo, which has basically the same smallblock engine mount setup. I wouldn't bother with the standard injection to be honest, it's not great. Using twin carbs or polo gt injection that engine can see up to around 100bhp. Obvs more expensive though

1982Mk1Golf, you'll have to modify your driver's side engine mount to accomodate the engine, as it's a small block and the mount needs to sit further forward on the chassis leg. I'd have the exact opposite problem if I wanted to install a GTi engine into my 1.1. On the bright side you have a choice of much bigger engines and you could sell the 1.4 fairly easily.

ahh yeah i see what you mean, its the whole cut the engine mount off, flip it over and weld it to the next marker on the chassis leg? or actually i think im a bit confused here lol

what? no you don't have to do any welding mate, it'll drop right in for you. That bit about the d/s mount was for the guy with the GTi

riteeeee cheers clump makes sense now haha hmm tht could be interesting then, cuz i need to change my fuel tank anyway as it leaks from the seal so i guess putting a injection tank in would just be a bit more wiring to do. hmmmm

np yeah, definitely makes it easier for you having the whole donor car there anyway! No doubt you'll need a few bits, i'm sure there are other differences.

Oh, and you'll need a boss for the lambda probe welding into your exhaust, or use the mk3's one (but it has a cat convertor in it)

I've got a stainless manifold off a 1.3 polo on my golf at the moment thts just got the lambda probe in there but just the wire cut off haha, any chance tht would fit the 1.4 engine? or am i just pushing my luck there haha

yeah it'll fit, 1.4 is basically same as 1.0-1.3 mk1 lump just a bit diffo on the inside.  I'd fit a polo gt cam and management to it as well, will pep it right up!

gt cam will only work if you get some kind of electronic fuel pump, so that'll have to be matched to whatever management you decide to use.

re: fuel tank MK3 one wont fit so you'll need to get a MK1 tank, carby tank is fine even if you plan to go injection because you can just drop a MK3 Polo or late cabby/scirocco lift pump into it plus the fuel reservoir and main pump from the same car.

food for thought anyway

That is most definately food for thought!! Might have to get talking to my mate who used to be a mechanic see if he wants to help me out on a project :-)

rubjonny bin thinking about this a couple of days then… so the 1.4 out of the mk3 i have will drop straight in the mk1 and the manifold i already have on my mk1 will fit the 1.4 *i'm liking the sound of this so far * the fuel tank wont need changing and all i need to pick up is a electronic fuel pump which is external of the tank i guess?

and a polo gt cam and engine management system which will just plug straight in the mk1 fuse box?

So by looks of it the only decision im left with is what gear box to use as my current mk1 box is only 4 speed and i also need to pick up a set of gti calipers and disks to make it stop

yeah 1.4 ABD code block drops straight in, no need to change anything. can even leave all the std fuel pump etc in there if you can find a later MK2 Polo/Golf cam from a hydro head as this will drive your stock fuel pump.  but this will only work if the hole for nthe pump is there, some heads had a blanking plate some this was not cast in. I think you can drill/tap it tho?  

but tbh prob easier to just get the right electronic fuel pump.  I would fit the in-tank pump off a mk3 polo or late cabby/rocco, as well as the under car plastic reservoir to prevent fuel starvation from the same car.  may as well get the main pump, filter & lines etc from the donor car as well, even if you dont use em right away they're handy for runnign EFI from say Polo GT lump or G40, even 2.0 16v ABF etc.

Polo GT cam swaps right in, the head on the 1.4 is actually same as on the GT as well which is nice.  It wont plug into your fusebox, you'll need to adapt it for your car.  If you dont like the sound of that I can make a loom for you, just post me the GT loom and your old engine loom and I'll work my magic
its not too hard though, once you strip out all the non engine specific gubbins there are only a few wires to hook up and you're away!

The 8P box is a good one to have, or just use the one that comes with the 1.4 block.  any 5 speed polo box will work too. dont forget you need the GTI carriers and pads too

cheers jonny, got no idea how you know all this but thats a great help! might have to start looking around see if i can pick bits up