Swivelonit's MK 4 VR6T 4 Motion

[Swivelonit 119]

For the last year or so I have been doing the odd track day, I have been using the Fabia VRS that my wife has, keeping it simple and having a bit of fun, on the second track day I did and watching a fairly new car smash into the barrier I decided to buy something older and then if I bin it, it won't matter much, this is where I started down the Golf route.
I bought a MK iii 2.0 16v GTI, I set about stripping it out and when it was about done, I was made an offer I couldn't refuse by a guy with a MK ii who wanted the ABF engine, MK iii was sold to be robbed of its engine.

Then from nowhere I was asked if I was interested in a MK iv V6, low mileage, one owner from new and had been parked up for ten months after the steering rack was leaking oil badly and the MOT was failed. I snapped his hand off for a couple of hundred quid.
I ordered a steering rack and got it fitted, also sorted out some 17" wheels and tyres as the 18" wheels were quite shabby and the tyres were knackered, then without further messing around I booked it for an MOT, which it failed miserably, brakes, rear lights, headlight washer jets and worst of all the transmission, it is locked in full fourwheel drive, damaged rear diff/haldex, I drained the oil and what came out looked more like metallic silver paint!
I have now sourced a rear diff off an Audi S3 and it will be fitted tomorrow afternoon, headlight washer motor sourced off flea bay and we should be good for the re-test, then who knows where this will lead to, the Golf is going to be a weekend and track toy so not too fussed about the amount of garage time it has, here are a few pics of the car from day one right up to where we are now.

The day I bought it with the 18's on it and knackered tyres.


Under the bonnet;


Fitting the new steering rack;








And where it is now, failed MOT, awaiting some more work and money, sitting on the 17"s.







Stay tuned for more updates as and when they happen.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Swivelonit

[VR6Pete 1,455]

Good to see some newer motors it will get there mate, it took 4 years get my corrado back on the road, so don't give up

[Swivelonit 119]

I have been to the garage tonight, I had to strip the replacement diff out of the rear subframe off the S3, this was easy enough, then drained the oil from the Haldex and took the filter out, also drained the diff too, all oil looked good, quite clean and no metallic debris.

So, roll on Saturday, the 4 MO will be up on the ramp and diffs will be switched over, oils will all be changed as will filters, the new headlight washer pump will also be fitted.

Hopefully the old girl will pass the MOT and I can get out on the road to see just how it drives before I start modifying it. Anybody got a turbo for sale?........

[Swivelonit 119]

7th July 2013, up early, dog walked and set off for the garage, today the diff is getting replaced any other bits and pieces I can fettle will be!

Got the car up on the lift and set too, removed the exhaust from the centre section, very heavy piece of tin!, also removed the flimsy heat shield so as to gain access to the Diff and all the bolts holding it in, job was easy enough and all went well, we replaced the oils in the new diff set up whilst it was out of the car, this made things much easier than pumping oil up hill!

All in the job took three hours from start to finish, here are a few pics of what I have been doing.

From behind view, exhaust removed.

Bolts loosened and just about ready to remove.

Exhaust view.

Diff out.

The bad unit on the floor, I am going to strip this down to see what the issue is, possibly repair and keep as a spare.

Replacement in and tightened up.

Tea break!

Now with the diff sorted and I replaced the headlight washing pump today too, my list of things to do is getting shorter.

I ran VCDS again and a few fault codes came up again, one is engine management, this is a Lambda sensor that is iffy, it is taking too long to heat up, I hope this will be ok after a good run as the car has been stood for months!

Second error was G200, this is a lateral sensor for the ECP, I removed the one on the drivers side and error cleared, so need one of those to clear that fault.

I also need a new front ARB, I am going to source an R32 OEM bar as these are adequate along with new rubbers, I also need new rear springs, I am not lowering so will look for uprated race springs and shocks.

Finally, I need to get the brakes off and cleaned as they are rubbish after being stood.

Apart from that, I would say things are progressing...

[Lukey. 381]

Looks like some good work getting done and you'll be on the road soon.

[Swivelonit 119]

I hope so mate, it seems every time I manage to extinguish a dash light another one comes on! The car has been stood for a good while so when it gets mobile I expect a few weeks of fine tuning but it should be ok.

[VR6Pete 1,455]

Taking shape mate! Good luck

[Swivelonit 119]

Thanks, I have also ordered a shed load of turbo parts for the next stage of the project, I am going to start with low boost and keep it around 300bhp for a while, then when funds allow I think it will get updated again, first job is to iron out the bugs! Which is what I am doing now.

[Lukey. 381]

I hope so mate' date=' it seems every time I manage to extinguish a dash light another one comes on! The car has been stood for a good while so when it gets mobile I expect a few weeks of fine tuning but it should be ok.

[/quote']

Soda law eh, it's a vicious cycle, many problems and you detest the car, finally get fixed and love it again, then 4 other expensive things bugger up lol. I find VWs and Audis are quite pleasant to work on so there's that lol.

[Swivelonit 119]

Just ordered up a few more bits for the 4 mo, the Eibach 26mm front and 24mm rear ARB specced for an R32 and also a set of GAZ GHA coilovers front and adjustable rears, I have no experience of GAZ so taking a stab in the dark, reviews look ok on other marques and they seem to have good customer service.

I will post up when fitting.

Anybody on here fitted GAZ? Would be good to hear your views.

[Swivelonit 119]

Had an hour or so on the front this afternoon cleaning and stripping down the offending differential removed from the fo mo. I was expecting to see massive wear and tear with teeth missing from the gears and such like after the noise it was making in the car, however to my surprise there was no such damage!

The gears look ok, as do the main drive gears from the Haldex to the crown gear, only thing I can put the noise and issue down to would be the bearings, they sound really course and feel rough!

A couple of pictures of the stripped diff, I left the Haldex unit in tact as this was ok, any ideas where I can get replacement bearings from as I will rebuild the diff as a spare or for sale whatever comes first.

Haldex unit and drive pinion.

An array of shafts and bits.

Small gears from the diff.

Pinion.

Empty housing.

Back together.

[Swivelonit 119]

Just got a call to say that a few of my ordered up items have arrived at Central VW, the Eibach ARB's and my turbo bits have all arrived in a couple of big boxes, hopefully call in tomorrow to see what I have bought lol.

I still need to buy my head spacer and a few other bits, but essentially I now have the turbo, FMIC, oil cooler, manifold, dump valve and so on, might need an inlet manifold, will find out tomorrow.

Hopefully be looking at 300-325bhp with a low boost set up, then if I don't kill myself a steady progression to the dizzy heights of 450+ lol

It is like Christmas in July.

[VR6Pete 1,455]

Interesting photos there mate, never seen the innards of a haldex before

good luck with the turbo build

[Swivelonit 119]

I went and opened all my parcels today, lovely 26mm & 24mm Eibach ARBS front and rear, then box number two & three, these are the important ones, within them were

T4 Turbo Charger,

VW 2.8L VR6 cast turbo manifold,

2.25" Intercooler 550 x 140x65mm,

AIR FILTER cone,

Air Breather Valve Cover Filter 50mmx35mmx25mm,

MANUAL BOOST CONTROLLER,

13 row oil cooler,

Oil Relocation Kit,

Oil Feed Line Kit,

2.5"TURBO INTERCOOLER PIPE PIPING DIY KIT 64MM SILICONE,

SUPER SQV BYPASS DUMP BLOW OFF VALVE BOV KIT,

Turbo Timer,

Oil Catch Tank,

38mm External Turbo Wastegate,

2 of Fans,

1 Heat wrap and a

Fuel Pressure Regulator.

Considering all this was in a kit, I am quite surprised at the quality of it all, it will make a superb start point for turboing the Golf and as things progress then I am sure bits will be replaced with bigger bits!

Ferodo 2500's and brake discs have been sourced, just waiting for the GAZ coil overs to arrive and then it will be a full day up on the ramp to fit the ARB's, coilovers, discs and pads.

Then the MOT and back on the road!! (hopefully)

[Swivelonit 119]

Shiny new bits!! GAZ GHA's for Golf, adjustable coilovers, these complete the shopping list along with 4 Team Dynamics 1.2 wheels with Federal 595RS-R semi slicks. It is now official, I am skint and need to start fitting all my bits!

[craggsy 91]

I was looking at them gaz coilies for the R32. Bt not bothering now as I'm gonna be selling it real soon

[Swivelonit 119]

I went for GAZ as they are a bit different, not the usual recommended coilovers, I also went with GAZ as they will happily answer the phone and will also help should I need it, they will also repair or replace just one item if I ever need it. I will post up what I think about them once fitted, my comparison will be against Eibach Street Pro's which are on a MK ii G60.

[Swivelonit 119]

Saturday is the day, I will be fitting the ARB's, the GAZ shocks, the lateral sensor, pads and discs to front and rears, changing the brake fluid, fitting the fuel vapour canister and any other bits I have accumulated. Then MOT will be next week!

Only problem I have is that I will be working over a pit and not on the two post lift which would make things a tad easier, photos will follow over the weekend amongst repairs and the Oulton Park Gold Cup on Sunday and Monday.

[michael5556 247]

Any pictures of the turbo kit?

[Swivelonit 119]

I will take some on saturday as it is all in boxes waiting for the dark winter nights to tackle that job, will be doing a track day at Oulton Park on the 8th October and then after that the work will begin

[Swivelonit 119]

suspension and ARB's are now on, I had to shorten the front drop links as the ARB was touching the front wishbones for some reason. I haven't set it super low but low enough, damping is very good and the ride is firm but not bouncy on bumps from what I can tell on my short test drive.

I have also replaced a Lambda sensor as it was throwing a light on the dash. You have guessed it, it was a pre cat bank one sensor, the one that is most difficult to get to, it was a pig of a job to do but all is sorted now and I have a warning light free dash, hooray (for now anyway)

[Swivelonit 119]

A few more jobs done on the Golf, I had some error codes that would not go away, implausible signals and low voltage, so I had a good rummage about with a few things and eventually the alternator threw a light up on the dash, obviously knackered, so a new one has been fitted, now hopefully I will be trouble free for a day or two.

Alternator replacement on the V6 is an absolute pig of a job, front end off and you need hands like a child to get in to undo anything!

I have also fitted my GAZ shocks and springs, here are a few pics just as it touched the floor after fitting, along with the Eibach ARB's, rear springs need a little persuasion to seat down properly, this will be done on Saturday.

So when the adjuster seats on the rubber point the car will be a bit lower than this.

[Swivelonit 119]

Give the car a wash and a polish today before the MOT again on Monday, I used a machine polisher as there are some big marks on the bonnet, I didn't get a good result as I think I was doing it wrong (first time with a machine polisher), anyway, this got me thinking about wrapping it, then I saw a youtube clip where they Plasti Dipped an R8, looked really good and can be restored back to how it was if the need ever arose.

Has anybody on here have any experience of Plasti Dip? Or know of anywhere that would spray my car with it?

Here is my car today, washed and sitting on the GAZ coil overs.

[Swivelonit 119]

MOT passed with a few advisories, headlights were slightly out of line and the air bag light does not come on with the ignition lights and it should apparently.

So with this in mind and the car now road legal, I might even venture to Brooklands....

[Swivelonit 119]

Well after todays fiasco I am ready to burn the big pink pig !

I am calm now honest, plan was to collect the car and fetch it home, so I got a train and set off, collected the Golf and set off for home, within 200 yards the traction control light came on and reduced the throttle response, ok, I thought I can sort that at home with vcds, then half way home the alternator light came on and the temp rocketed, you've guessed it, auxillary belt had been thrown off, called the RAC, man in a van attended after one hour, to tell me the auxillary belt had snapped, this I knew, he then tells me that he can't tow me as I have a AWD car, so he called for a recovery truck and left me, one and a half hours later a guy in a tilt bed truck turns up and returns me and the car to where I started, I have now left the car there until we can get a belt as nobody had one for same day.

Issues I have with VCDS are steering angle sensor and lateral sensor, both of which I know how to calibrate thanks to Ross Tech Wiki.

So, all is not lost, I am now home and have had a drink to calm my nerves and I am ready for round two at the weekend.

I think this is going to be one of those cars that gives you a feeling it will let you down, until I get it sorted of course.