1990 1.6 Gti

[MrG 3]

strange question I know but as I drive a 1.9, the 1.6 is a relative unknown to me.

 

Went to look at a nice but fairly expensive 1.6GTI. FSH (from Pug) to the last service 4k ago, and in brilliant original overall condition. A few small issues but nothing too bad. However when I drove it, it didn't seem keen to rev. It went but not as quick as I expected. Maybe because mine runs carbs and litterally loves to rev now, that maybe I was expecting that? Anyhow it feels like the timing is off or it's possible the car has spent too much time doing town work.

 

It doesn't pink, knock or rattle, the idle is spot on. No smoke and there's no water in the oil (and vice versa). Pulls nice in all gears to.

 

I don't mind buying and having it serviced/tuned etc but is it possible that a car who's last owner kept it for 15 years may have been adjusted to run on unleaded and therefore the sparkle has gone and needs resetting? Or would a 1990 car been excluded from this (as I remember many cars being adjusted around this time to run on U/L?).

 

I personally think its either that or the car just needs an italian tune up.

 

Anyhow appreciate any feedback on that.

[Baz 421]

It should rev hard all the way to the limiter (and beyond) More-so than 1.9's, if in good fettle 1.6's love to rev, the power is made up the top of the rev range.

[MrG 3]

cheers Baz, I may go and have another drive.

[blue_haddock 2]

MY old 1.6 (FuDGe) absoutely loved to rev - i probably enjoyed that more than my goodwood

[Masekwm 2]

My 1.9 was absolutely dead after having it's head refurbed, but I keep advancing it and it's getting better it now pulls to 6k but is still not as quick as I imagine it should be. Take an 11mm and twiddle

[mikeygulley 19 1 Cars]

I have a 1.9 and ended up putting an old 1.6 I had out of my old D reg gti in it, it revs like a beast, seems to pull quicker and is a lot more top endie.

[Anthony 1,003]

There is a massive difference between a "mediocre" 1.6 engine and a "quick" 1.6 engine.

 

A good one should be a joy, eager to rev and surprisingly quick if you keep it on the boil. Around 5k revs, the engine note should change and it should pull strongly round to the limiter - if it feels flat and lazy, then if you're lucky it just needs properly setting up, or it might just be a poor engine. They're never truely "quick" though, not by todays standards, but a good one should be "fun"

 

You will have to drive a 1.6 engine differently to a 1.9 - whereas in a 1.9 you can pretty much put your foot down at any revs and it'll pull, on a 1.6 you need to keep the revs up and frankly thrash the bejesus out of it to get the most out of it. If you've only driven 1.9's previously (fettled ones at that) then I'm not surprised that a 1.6 feels a little underwhelming.

 

The obvious suggestion is to try a few other 1.6's so you can get a feel for whether it's your expectations that are too high, or whether the car in question just doesn't have a strong engine - FSH or no FSH.

[MrG 3]

cheers all, Anthony thats good info thanks. Maybe I'll cast the net further, but this is a good base for a long term car ownership prospect. I didn't thrash it, I did admittadley drive it like my 1.9 and just try to let it slog in the gears, so thats probably my mistake.

[d7ve_b 44 1 Cars]

Get it over 4k, if it comes alive then it's a good 'un

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

Pull the pipe from the distributor to the bottom of the throttle body off at the TB end and suck. If you can draw air then the vac advance diaphragm has gone and needs replacing (approx £20). They you can retime the car up correctly. The on the majority of 205s this seems to be knackered now and therefore the ignition does not advance and retard, so when the timing is set up it is either rapid low down the revs and runs out of puff at the top or vice versa.

 

Obviously it could be many other things, but a 1.6 should be like a yappy young Jack Russell compared to the 1.9s 5 year old Labrador with more power and stamina though not as "fun"

[DaveW 6]

What kind of owner/s has it had?

[MrG 3]

2 owners, mature 1st for 8 years & the last for 12 years was a lady (but I think her son may have used it as there is a bill for some TSW's and it has a K&N fitted). I didn't extend the revs I have to admit.

[Tesstuff 222]

Mr G - When i received the red 1.6Gti on loan from Sarty Rentals it had 55k miles and was as tight as could be , very reluctant to rev.

 

It had been owned by someone who obviously had pottered about and not been above 3k revs much at all.

 

After a service and some gentle exercise over a few weeks that engine became a very revvy unit, zipping to the red line with ease.

 

That example sounds pretty similar to how i felt about the red one initially.

 

The car went on the Welsh Hoon and had no trouble keeping up despite being on paper the slowest.

 

Go drive it again and keep the revs above 3k, it will feel like a different car i reckon.

[MrG 3]

I reckon you're right. Cheers for the reply.

[Baz 421]

''Italian tune-up''

[mainline 2 1 Cars]

Yep, agree with all the above, when the engine note changes and becomes metallic then the 1.6 should come alive. The ratios are so close together that you should be quickly shifting between third, fourth and fifth and then grabbing for an extra imaginary gear at anything above 70 on the motorway.

 

Give it a thrash and see how it goes higher in the rev range. Mine revs cleanly to 4k and then comes properly alive and is truly entertaining between 5-6.5k.

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

Agreed, mine loves sitting 4k+

 

Anything below that and it feels sad