Anyone used TSR Performance?

My engine in my gti is tired to say the least with a terrible smoking habit and the sound track of a sewing machine, ive been toying with the idea of getting a new engine fitting by tsr. Looking at the packages, im interested in their Donnington engine 1.9 8v. Ive got to wait till wednesday for Rob to get back to talk about prices etc, just wondering if anyone on here has used them for an engine change and what was your experience like with them?

Only ever used them for parts.
Rob is knowledgable and helpful from my conversations with him.
You never hear complaints about the engines they build and fit.

Thats true, ive been having a good snoop around on the net and you dont hear much against them tbh. Only thing is im up in aberdeen, so im 9 hours away from Somerset! but saying that my new engine will be half ran in by the time im home

expensive but do some impressive work  

I bought a 2nd hand donnington a few years ago and put it in my cabby it does run well and wasn't much of a problem to fit the bhp at flywheel is 135. I do have a stainless exhaust.

But was still no match for my PRE restored 1.8 DX… Even with two people on board!! 

Maybe you should put it 'out back' next time instead of 'up front!!' 

Well I've taken the plunge and booked the car in so roll on a road trip down to Somerset! 

Good luck with it mate. Let us know how you get on.  

will do. There doing the work on my engine so I'm chuffed il get to keep the original engine and keep the numbers all the same . im like a kid waiting for christmas….. i want it nowwwwww!

I quite fancy a modest upgrade too, is there discount for two?  
What variant did you get and what is the turnaround time?

I've went for the Donnington engine, my standard 1.8 8v engine is bored out to a 1.9, head is ported and gas flowed and a fruiter cam put in.

I've been told it will take a couple weeks because the work is getting down on my engine rather than just swapping it out for a ready made Donnington.

I had a mk2 with a TSR set up.

They are very helpful, and do some very nice work.
You will be paying for it though!!

I've kind of followed suit here too. I've been exchanging emails with rob and it looks like my car is booked in too. Just need to firm up some smaller items and I drive away with a fuel injected mk3 2.0 16V engine and box. Just looking at flights for the return trip . I'm keen to seal a deal with them so the car is ready for UK and some serious euro tripping!

Like your style mate, good luck

As far as i know the TSR are the boys for converting the gti with many many years of experiance, let us know how you get on as you never know i might go down this route as well some day with standard looking bay but a 2.0 lurking beneath the cast iron
cheers
baz

Hi
Ive been on the tsr website & no bhp is quoted for these short engine conversions or am i missing something
ta
baz

Baz, I've just been back on their website, I think they've changed the website since last week!, I cant find the section where they have the listings for the Donnington, Silverston exchange engines, where they did quote BHP. I've spent about a year thinking about the engine conversion I wanted for my Mk1, having had previous Mk1s from a 1979 1100 more door (when I was 17!) done up to look like a GTI (and it fooled a lot of people    way back in the mid eighties) a standard 8V GTI then converted by me to a 16V and of course the clipper carb I have now.  
It truly depends on what you want and luckily, i've done many miles in all sorts of Mk1s and VWs to pretty much know what I'm seeking.
There has been much talk about the engine conversions for those seeking just a better/slightly improved (or easier perhaps?) driving experience with their mk1, or maybe just more mid range, more MPG better reliability etc.  
I was actively seeking out someone to change mine to a Mk3 2.0 8V, but it seems to be few who have time, including the regular VW chap I use in Motherwell. He tried to put me off the Mk3 2.0 as it's not the best engine and they don't like to rev.  This I know, as I had a Mk3 GTI for 12 years! But, for me it was a 'reasonable' balance for the style of driving I want.  I wont be doing track days, nor boy-racing on the B roads with with teenagers in Corsa's or Clio's (or those chaps appear to actually prefer the 30mph streets around where I live…)

So, I put a call to TSR (whom I've known of for many years) and Rob down there reckons to ditch the carbs, go fuel injected and the Mk3 2.0 16V is literally more bang for my buck and keeps the installation a standard VAG arrangement. Rubjohnny's posts and responses to the many similar threads of this and similar ilk (and all seeking something different), swayed me too and this is what I've ordered and paid a deposit with TSR.  Based on a drive in a 90BHP carb clipper, drive out with a 2.0 16V fuel injected engine & box with 150+ bhp.  

That will do nicely. Booked in for late April with me picking up early May (on a Friday) and I'll be able to give a full report on my planned weekend back-road return trip to Jockland (for those who are interested) in all matters from the number of scratches on my new paintwork, MPG, power delivery and of course, overall satisfaction of driving the machine with a new heart.

Should be good.  

Do you mind me asking how much this is costing because I would like the same next year.................just wondering how much I need to save

Hi
What's the 0-60 time pulled down to with these tsr engines. I had a bit of fun with the 1.9tsr a couple of years ago but wasn't any quicker than my standard 1.8

ChrisGTicabrio said

Do you mind me asking how much this is costing because I would like the same next year……………..just wondering how much I need to save

Chris, what ever it costs me, your's will be less. I need a conversion to Fuel injection, which I know will need additional wiring, fuel lines, fuel pump (lift & pressure, I think) and possibly a fuel tank change just to make the injection aspect function.

The loom is a re-aligned Mk3 variant, which TSR do anyway, and the car will need a new manifold.  I have a cheap exhaust on mine at present, so I've asked for a full new system to match the additional flow of the larger higher revving lump.  The costs are budget at present with a figure of £2.5-3k allowance. Naturally I'm hoping its at the lower end and I further hope that there's no wee £surprises when they start to strip my car down. It's a little more than i wanted to spend, but it'll 'complete' the car. (for the timebeing      )

They took a £500 deposit when booked and I collect on May 9th for what should prove to be an interesting drive home. I plan to take the long road, maybe via the Welsh Valleys, stop off maybe Chester?, then the lakes and probably hit the boring bit of Scottish M74 when I near home. But I guess that'll depend on how much fun I'm having putting the car through it's paces and learning where the torque kicks in, balance with the new gearing, and high end power. It'll be interesting in any case. :-)