What to do? ('83 1.6 head issues...)

[Monomer]

I bought this rabbit just before winter. I fixed quite a bit (most notably, the heating system)

The car has had coldstart problems since I bought her. Whitesmoke on startup, insanely hard starting. I know the IP is not set right, and the injectors were toast. The PO "rebuilt" it and do to some other problems that were "fixed" by him, I'm sure he botched this engine build.


I overheated it. Cooling system could not take anything above 60. So now I have a few options. This is a near rust-free cali car with around 200k on the chassis. Being the performance car guy I am, while I have it all apart - I'd like to make it a bit more tolerable on the road. I do plan on turbo charging it (I can machine the block myself) with an intercooled VNT turbo.


What am I getting myself into here? How much will need to get changed to make this work? Will a hydraulic head fit? should I just get a reman head for $500 or DIY the one thats on there? Turbo pistons are a must, how much PSI/Bar can/will it handle? Anyone have some intake/exhaust manifolds?


-I'm gonna go bury myself in the bently manual...

[A1-2-A3]

Ok what diesel Vw engine do you have 1.5, 1.611mm mech or hyd head? 12mm block? Need to know what year and I can tell ya right now my own findings say go drop a tdi in and scrap it if you really want fast, there is a guy that has over 250hp on a 1.9 tdi. I know a guy in town that has a 32Valve caddilac northstar engine v8 fwd that he says only weighs 60 pounds more than a vr6 in a mk2 golf +300hp. You can only get so much from a 1.6 diesel depends what you want. Go to gtd forum they can tell you everything about "tuning" the 1.6 diesel and what it can and can not do. I do not know much about the performance of the 1.6 but the other guys will need to know more info before telling you some options with your enigne you have.

[Monomer]

83 1.6, as the thread title says.

[A1-2-A3]

So thats a 1.6 N/A with a mechanical head probably. These engines are swapped in and out of these old cars, sorry just checking...Would be a 12mm block then. I think the mech heads produce more power than hyd. so if you want power then go mech(something like 2hp which is alot for these things)

You will need a oil cooler, pistion cooling nozzles machined into the block, turbo pistions, a turbo head would be nice, a turbo injection pump.
Ebay for the parts or maybe someone has some on here. The head is probably toast would have to check it for to see how much it is warped and go from there.

[Monomer]

So thats a 1.6 N/A with a mechanical head probably. These engines are swapped in and out of these old cars, sorry just checking...Would be a 12mm block then. I think the mech heads produce more power than hyd. so if you want power then go mech(something like 2hp which is alot for these things)

You will need a oil cooler, pistion cooling nozzles machined into the block, turbo pistions, a turbo head would be nice, a turbo injection pump.
Ebay for the parts or maybe someone has some on here. The head is probably toast would have to check it for to see how much it is warped and go from there.

Turbo heads are just under $500 rebuilt locally.

Giles will hook me up for cheap with a full fresh rebuilt turbo IP - I have two n/a ve pumps here as a core.

[A1-2-A3]

He is the man for performance rebuilt pumps as everyone says. You got it covered dude.

[A1-2-A3]

Oh yeah ARP head studs get them...See bad news from block. Try not to laugh too much.

[Monomer]

according to bently, the turbo heads are unique, using a lot more as far as technology gos for handling the power.




Head job on this is amazingly simple compared to my MB...