Affordable tweaks while the head's off?

[marcbowden 0]

Hi All

I've hydrocarbons in my reservoir water, and need a new head gasket.

I winced when I heard 1k to fix. Well, tomorrow's another day.

But I'm still wincing! :} An option was to sell the car, but if I did that I'd buy a much more expensive car. As I want to get into track days reasonably seriously (going every few weeks) I'd rather use the old VR6. While the head's off, what affordable performance improvements can be made - I'm talking hundreds rather than thousands?

Marc

[Chrisdut 0]

1 k to do a head gasket, jesus glad i only paid 500 for my complete engine rebuild lol

[Steve @ 1]

use a mkiv head gasket. Port match inlet and exhaust manifolds and drop a set of cams in.

[matth76 1]

Whose charging you £1k to replace your head gasket?!! Cost should be around £500-600 tops.

[marcbowden 0]

Steve, thanks for that suggestion. What kind of cost would that be, having it done at a garage?

Matt, I don't yet have a break down of how that price works but a big chunk is the book says 11.5hrs labour. Plus VAT. That just on its own is > 500. It may be that as the car

uses oil I've said to also look at the valves. The whole thing is a shame because apart from the hg it's a nice car (I'm only 2nd owner and I've had it for 100k) and one which I was or am looking forward to trying on tracks. An alternative is to px it against a 1.8 GTI T, but would cost me quite a lot and I wouldn't risk a shiny new(ish) car on a track ... :}. Just looking at your signature, where did you extar 15-20 bph come from?

[matth76 1]

Hi Marc

Where abouts are you? If you can, try to get to Stealth (if you're in the midlands) or The Phirm (if you're in the south east). They are very good and everyone on here will recommend both.

What age is your VR? If you have one N reg onwards (middle of 1995 onwards) it should be the OBD2 model, which means it has the later ecu and a few other differences to the earlier vr. It also has about 185bhp as standard compared to the factory 174 figure. My car has a full Milltek exhaust and high flow cat (still keeping it legal for mot's but more free flowing), a cold air induction kit (BMC), and 268 cams and a remap. Not a huge gain considering the cost for power but worth it in my opinion. I also have a stainless exhaust manifold (6 branch) but I would not recommend it as they blow easily and mine got no power increase at all... you live and learn

As Steve said I would get the mk4 metal head gasket (I think its made of steel) which should give you about 5bhp gain and a bit of a torque rise lower down the rev range will be good, plus it will be more reliable as its metal instead of the cardboard plasticy one the standard mk3 gasket is. Good luck mate.

[marcbowden 0]

Thanks for the advice, I finally traded it in against an MR2, but, although I like the MR2

and will keep it, I do miss the VR6 and am kind of thnking of buying one again. I've just

been looking at 1.6 Polos and basic Golfs on ebya as a sensible day car, but I don't know

if I can cope with the idea!! :} I also found out that my insurance company mirror NCB ...

[petervr6 0]

wow a grand i must have been luck when mine was done total cost including skimming the head it cost me 210 all in.