I have wanted a Golf GTI since I first set eyes on one in my mid
teens and after a year of searching for the right one I finally
bought it on Saturday.

It's an unmolested '88 F reg, jade green 16 valver that cost me the
grand total of £450. No big problems and no rust(1) or rot.

So a few questions if you wouldn't mind answering:

1. Suspension: It will need replacing soon so what's the best? I'm
not really interested in lowering the car but will if I can get
better suspension than standard. (2)

2. The rear end is a bit 'wallowy' and I assume it's the rubber
bushes that are past their best. Are the polyurethene bushes as good
as they are cracked up to be?

3. It idles a bit rough just below 1k revs, any ideas as to why?
Common problem?

4. I will be fitting an induction kit and back box(3).
Recommendations?

5. I went into GSF today and they wanted nearly £20 for a speedo
cable which I have found cheaper in a local auto factors. Any
recommendation of online suppliers? (4)

6. I reserve the right to come back and ask more numpty questions :-)

TIA for the help.


(1)Well a few paint chip rust spots
(2)No more than 25mm though, I want to keep it as standard as
possible
(3)Thats the total of the performance mods that I intend to do
(4)
--
Michael

On Tue, 12 Aug 2003 23:35:45 +0100, petrolcan
wrote:


I have wanted a Golf GTI since I first set eyes on one in my mid
teens and after a year of searching for the right one I finally
bought it on Saturday.

It's an unmolested '88 F reg, jade green 16 valver that cost me the
grand total of £450. No big problems and no rust(1) or rot.

So a few questions if you wouldn't mind answering:

1. Suspension: It will need replacing soon so what's the best? I'm
not really interested in lowering the car but will if I can get
better suspension than standard. (2)

2. The rear end is a bit 'wallowy' and I assume it's the rubber
bushes that are past their best. Are the polyurethene bushes as good
as they are cracked up to be?

3. It idles a bit rough just below 1k revs, any ideas as to why?
Common problem?

4. I will be fitting an induction kit and back box(3).
Recommendations?

5. I went into GSF today and they wanted nearly £20 for a speedo
cable which I have found cheaper in a local auto factors. Any
recommendation of online suppliers? (4)

6. I reserve the right to come back and ask more numpty questions :-)

TIA for the help.


(1)Well a few paint chip rust spots
(2)No more than 25mm though, I want to keep it as standard as
possible
(3)Thats the total of the performance mods that I intend to do
(4)

Every single VW I have had (8 in total) has idled like ****, well ****
in the sense I think they set the idle too low just for some possible
global warming nonsense. ;-)

Back box will just alter the noise I'd do the bushes/dampers first?

Online suppliers:

www.Eurocarparts.co.uk

www.gpcvwaudi.com

Mark S.

In article Mark, says...
On Tue, 12 Aug 2003 23:35:45 +0100, petrolcan
wrote:


I have wanted a Golf GTI since I first set eyes on one in my mid
teens and after a year of searching for the right one I finally
bought it on Saturday.

It's an unmolested '88 F reg, jade green 16 valver that cost me the
grand total of £450. No big problems and no rust(1) or rot.

So a few questions if you wouldn't mind answering:

snip my stuff

Every single VW I have had (8 in total) has idled like ****, well ****
in the sense I think they set the idle too low just for some possible
global warming nonsense. ;-)

Back box will just alter the noise I'd do the bushes/dampers first?

I was under the impression that a back box will assist engine
breathing? I cannot afford a full system ATM.

I intend sorting the suspension out first. Any recommendations?

Online suppliers:

www.Eurocarparts.co.uk

www.gpcvwaudi.com

Much appreciated
--
Michael
r1100rs(****ed) | z400
'fot#125|twa#5
crashes without the help of microsoft

On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 00:56:51 +0100, petrolcan
wrote:

In article Mark, says...
On Tue, 12 Aug 2003 23:35:45 +0100, petrolcan
wrote:


I have wanted a Golf GTI since I first set eyes on one in my mid
teens and after a year of searching for the right one I finally
bought it on Saturday.

It's an unmolested '88 F reg, jade green 16 valver that cost me the
grand total of £450. No big problems and no rust(1) or rot.

So a few questions if you wouldn't mind answering:

snip my stuff

Every single VW I have had (8 in total) has idled like ****, well ****
in the sense I think they set the idle too low just for some possible
global warming nonsense. ;-)

Back box will just alter the noise I'd do the bushes/dampers first?

I was under the impression that a back box will assist engine
breathing? I cannot afford a full system ATM.

I intend sorting the suspension out first. Any recommendations?

Online suppliers:

www.Eurocarparts.co.uk

www.gpcvwaudi.com

Much appreciated

Had a full Jetex system on a 1.8 Corrado and just gave me a nice
chrome tailpipe to polish. :-)
Any performance increase would be slight and after a while you'd not
notice it anyway (like upgrading your cpu in a pc, ok for a while then
you just think it's slow again).

Not that you shouldn't just fix the stuff that needs fixing first like
I'm doing with my Scirocco. :-)

I had a Spax kit on the same Corrado (only two "mods" I ever made to
it though), and while it stopped the pitching/rolling it was a hard
ride and a nuisance at times with speed bumps/kerbs etc. catching the
front spoiler.

They fibbed about the ride height as it was supposed to lower it by
30/40mm but it was more like 50/60mm.

Laugh having the tyre monkeys fit new tyres though when they have to
lift the bodywork to get their monster trolley jacks under it. :-)

Just glad you don't intend "pimp daddying" it up. :-)

Mark S.

In article Mark, says...


Had a full Jetex system on a 1.8 Corrado and just gave me a nice
chrome tailpipe to polish. :-)

I want stainless as it will last longer. I don't intend getting rid
of this one in the foreseeable future.

Any performance increase would be slight and after a while you'd not
notice it anyway (like upgrading your cpu in a pc, ok for a while then
you just think it's slow again).

I guessed that.

Not that you shouldn't just fix the stuff that needs fixing first like
I'm doing with my Scirocco. :-)

Exactly.

I had a Spax kit on the same Corrado (only two "mods" I ever made to
it though), and while it stopped the pitching/rolling it was a hard
ride and a nuisance at times with speed bumps/kerbs etc. catching the
front spoiler.

They fibbed about the ride height as it was supposed to lower it by
30/40mm but it was more like 50/60mm.

NO! I don't want to lower it unless absolutely necessary.

Laugh having the tyre monkeys fit new tyres though when they have to
lift the bodywork to get their monster trolley jacks under it. :-)

Heh

Just glad you don't intend "pimp daddying" it up. :-)

What, and look like a *complete* ****?

:-)
--
Michael
r1100rs(****ed) | z400
'fot#125|twa#5
crashes without the help of microsoft

petrolcan waffled on in a quite bewildering manner to produce...
In article Mark, says...
On Tue, 12 Aug 2003 23:35:45 +0100, petrolcan
wrote:


I have wanted a Golf GTI since I first set eyes on one in my mid
teens and after a year of searching for the right one I finally
bought it on Saturday.

It's an unmolested '88 F reg, jade green 16 valver that cost me the
grand total of £450. No big problems and no rust(1) or rot.

snip most of it, call him a ****

I intend sorting the suspension out first. Any recommendations?

Mine was set up by VW motorsport themselves, for their own abuse, and it's
got Bilsteins on the back, and decent (but cheap) gas shockers on the front,
springs are PI or Eibach numbers. Rides well, handles well, and doesn't cock
its back wheel in the air unless you're

A: driving like a ****
B: doing over 90.
C: Successfully getting away from your mates GSX-R 750 down a back lane.[1]

Don't bother with exhaust mods, they boom like **** @ 80 on standard pipes,
you'd never hear that CD player.

DO bother with decent brake pads.

[1] I can drive, whereas he rides like his brakes are teddy bears. [2]
[2] Keeps hugging them

--
Pete M.

Golf Gti
Liverpool, Great Britain.

I intend sorting the suspension out first. Any recommendations?

Mine was set up by VW motorsport themselves, for their own abuse, and it's
got Bilsteins on the back, and decent (but cheap) gas shockers on the
front,
springs are PI or Eibach numbers.


Yup, go for Bilsteins shocks (sportsline, or sprintline- but sprintline I
think are wayy hard?) with Eibach springs, it will transform your ride, or
Koni shocks with Eibach. Eibach now do their own shocks but blind stag on
them.
Friend now has a 1.6 Bora with Bilstein/Eibach ( he's used to MKII Gti tho)
and on the bendy bits he can outperform a lot of higher spec motors ( he's a
good driver!), so imagine what they'll do for a Gti. The ride will be
'slightly' harder (but still agreeable) and slightly lower, but will make up
for it when cornering.
Am told Poly bushes 'will' harden the ride, and they're prone to squeaks I
think.

I had a Magnex full SS with DTM rear pipes on my old MKIII 8v and you
couldn't hear yourself think at speeds above 65! (plus eggy fart smell when
sitting at traffic lights with window/sunroof open) But my son has full SS
Magnex with 5" oval on his MKII 8v and it's fine?!? go figure...

Front wheel bearings around £70 ish each to get changed. Get the CV covers
checked at same time, they often split and then put the joint itself at risk
+ MOT fail.

If the head's been recon'd and the tick-over is 'really' bad, get the timing
belt checked to make sure its not 1 tooth out! has been known!
Keep the engine breather system clean, as its a positive system and oil can
get sucked into the throttle body and gunk up the filter, intake pipe and
throttle body itself.
Change the oil and filter at regular intervals using GOOD quality
oil/filters - VW Synta (silver container- semi synth) and VW/Bosch/mann
filters (they have the much needed anti drain back valve which cheaper
filters sometimes dont have!).

Not sure about induction kits for the 16v as you got all the K jet gubbins
around the filter box I seem to remember, you could go for a replacement
'sports' filter instead. Using an induction kit you will have to route in
some cold air and try and 'route out' the hot air from engine bay, else you
might actually degrade engine performance!

Hmmm, sure there's more, but cant think of anything else.....

HTH

AndyR
VR6

Oh yeah.
Dont expect too much of a power gain just by changing filter and exhaust.
1-2 bhp probably at most, as I think Dave Baker (Puma Racing) would concur,
that without enlarged valves in the head,- and perhaps an enlarged Throttle
Body- you still haven't got that much of an increased engine air flow.
You 'might' notice a change at higher revs, but the 16v needs to be rev'd
hard anyway.

Sort the suspension/ faults etc, get a SS backbox for chrome'd pipes if you
want them (or a proper VW exhaust, with some 'nice' bolt on chrome'd pipes),
get it Cat1'd and look after it...

My 3 pennies worth.

AndyR
VR6

Yup, have to concur about the pipe. When I bought my Mk2 8 valve it had
three quarters of a Magnex system on (from about the gearstick back). Drove
me crazy on the motorway, and everyone looks at you like you're the scum of
the earth. Put a standard copy one back on, and you just can't tell any
difference in power. Still quite loud, but only when you cane it.

Wheel bearing is a slag if you do it yourself. You can, however use the
bearing you've removed to drive the new one in. Works really well.

Have fun!

Dan