MK1 Golf GTi 16v Power

Eup guys,

I've just been and bought a mk1 with a 1.8 16v engine.. KR?

Any way it runs and sounds great but i was majorly disappointed with its power delivery.

It's not very fast, i thought it would have been much quicker. I use a Renault Clio Sport 172 on a daily basis so could this be the reason i am disappointed? Maybe my Clio is much quicker?

Just wondering the kind of HP, Torque, 0-60, 0-100 you guys may be getting from your 16v's?

I believe the only mod is the 4 branch manifold and full ss exhaust. Otherwise it is a well serviced standard engine.

Are there any mods i can do?

I'll try and add some pictures if you like.

You can do a mod on the WUR. (Warm Up Regulator) apparently.

Its only quoted at 139 bhp from the factory, mk1 has questionable aerodynamics although its a bit lighter than the clio so no it wont be as fast ( recently sold a 172)

Yeah get the fuelling checked over the entire rev range at WOT (this will be part of the setting up of the WUR mod anyway) and also a common issue is the intercam chain, if they stretch it throws the valve timing out a little which loses you power. Another little trick is to stay on the rich side of optimal, and you can advance the timing a bit more over standard spec.

For best acceleration, a lightened flywheel is worth looking at although of course, it can't achieve an actual power gain, but the way the car accelerates is better due to less rotational inertia needed to spin up the flywheel.

What is the 0-60mph figure for a Clio 172???

Hi,
Thanks for that, that info is very useful!
I've only ever tampered with the 8v engines so your advice is excellent.

I've timed my 0-60 on the Clio to be around 6.5 seconds or so. I think it has about 160bhp per ton. 200Nm 148 lb ft. (I think)

The Clio is a quick car to be honest but I would have thought the Golf would have been close or quicker.

Maybe it is just not set up right or just the modern tech has an advantage.

I will certainly have a look at your tips tho

My math is bad so this isn't fact but i've had a look online and the Clios power to weight ratio is 167bhp per ton and the mk1 golf 1.8 16v (138bhp) should be around 171bhp per ton.

Don't suppose anyone has a door and glass for the drivers side of this car do they?
Thanks.

http://wiki.the-corrado.net/16v_tuning_guide.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58I2Cd1kszA&feature=youtube_gdata_player

machine said

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58I2Cd1kszA&feature=youtube_gdata_player

That video's pretty good but it blindly assumes the right control pressure is 3.4bar. The point of the WUR mod is that you can tweak this to achieve an AFR of about 13.0 during wide open throttle running, thus giving more power - but to measure this, you need to use a lambda probe. The control pressure directly influences this, and is adjusted to achieve it, its in the region of 3.4bar but could easily be something slightly different for your engine (fine tolerances on metering head and injectors).

I think my best bet would be take it to a rolling road station and have it tuned up on there when I've serviced it and change the cam belt. I've been told John Lamb in Clowne which is not from me in South Yorkshire is ver experienced in tuning all makes of car especially the older type. Does anyone else have any feed back for his services?

Ps the pictures are of my car. There may be a few bits and bobs for sale from it soon as my intentions are to take all off the super bits off my other mk1 project and sell my project on as a standard chasis with a super engine.

machine said

I think my best bet would be take it to a rolling road station and have it tuned up on there when I've serviced it and change the cam belt. I've been told John Lamb in Clowne which is not from me in South Yorkshire is ver experienced in tuning all makes of car especially the older type. Does anyone else have any feed back for his services?

Ive heard mixed reviews of lambs,  Try Noble Motorsport in chesterfield - thats where I took mine, did a fantastic job, and only 15min further for you than lambs

Do you have any contact details for them? Will he set up the WUR and stuff? Thanks.

Noble Motorsport

Yeah they do the whole shebang  

Hi all, tomorrow I'm fitting a lighter flywheel, upgraded black diamond clutch along with a newly reconditioned gearbox. I'm servicing it and changing the belts the week after and the week after that she's off for a power run and tune up in Chesterfield. £160+vat. The chap on the phone wad pretty helpful and he says all of the mk1 16v's he's ever tuned have been pretty impressive so he was surprised.

Would any of you recommend drilling the airbox and fitting one of those powerroar ss pipes as I have these also.

Im running my 16v on kjet, completely rebuilt engine, bored near to 1900cc, face of block machined to up compression, and a lightened flywheel, stock head cams etc, g-werks 4 branch, and full s/system with 2 boxes. Car has two seats and a dash inside.

Its seems pretty quick, keeps up with most type r stuff, supercharged minis (beats them lol!), so i'm guessing between 6 and 7 seconds to 60mph.

Just sounds like it need setting up really, and the WUR tweek will help to :wink:  

I have the old k star tuning box to fit to mine (from a turbo-technics mk2 16v), this will allow the fuel pressure on the warm up reg to be changed thoughtout the rev range to suit

Oh and I have a drilled air box to, probably get a bit more airflow, but the best bit is the noise :mrgreen:  And ive also got a s/s roar pipe, but just for looks really.

I'm going to drill the box and bang a k&n panel filter in. I've seen the pipercross bottom cases advertised but are they really worth 100 quid? I think it would be worth taking it to be tuned once I've swapped all my performance bits over then it all can be set up.

At the moment tho my Clio would demolish the mk1, my 8v feels like it has more pull. Should the 16v have a burst of power that you can feel at a certain rpm. My Clio after 4500 rpm comes alive, mk1 8v comes alive at around 5,000rpm but the 16v feels smooth/lame all the way through the rev range in all gears. The other two are like type r's in their power bands haha. I thought about new performance cams and a better exhaust but it's still got a standard head so I can't see the point.