Gti-6 Engine Or Not ?

[nickaliath 22]

Hello all,

 

Having second thoughts on fitting my GTI-6 Engine to my 205.

 

Thinking i may just put the standard 1.9 GTI engine back in????!!!!

 

It seems better to put the 1.9 in as its going to be all original apart from this.

 

Nick

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

205's especially if in good original condition are definitely an appreciating asset. Personally I would probably install the 1.9 engine. However if you carefully do the GTI6 conversion, without hacking lumps out of things, and carefully store all the 8v stuff, there is no reason why you cannot put it back to standard in the future should you so wish.

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Nick Nick Nick!

 

I can see where you are coming from actually.

 

Perhaps run it as an 8v, then see where you are in a years time if you feel the need to go down that route?

[welshpug 1,657]

at the moment I'm personally erring towards a mildly tuned 8 valve on aftermarket management.

[cRaig 273 1 Cars]

I bought superjosh's old Mi16, but just couldnt bring myself to put it in my original 205, seemed a shame to lose the 8v.

 

..plus its an excellent reason as to why I need another 'less original' 205 on the side

[nickaliath 22]

Im seriously considering dropping the 16v idea and just sticking with the original 8V lump.

 

To be honest im probably never going to drive it the way the 16V would warrant.

 

Ive got a low mileage (60,000) 1.9 engine i was intending to strip and rebuild.

 

I may just decide to stick with the 16V lump . LOL who knows

[laldy875 6 1 Cars]

I'm in exactly the same situation.

 

I want to use mine everyday so I would prefer the most easy to manage and most reliable. Jetronic fuel system is the major problem. If I could sort the fuel system properly I would definitely just keep it standard. The engine is needing a full rebuild anyway so hence the idea of gti-6 comes to mind. If your original 1.9 lump is strong don't change it. If you want a track weapon though, keep your 8v in storage, and go gti-6. I don't think the wee 8v gets enough praise though for fun on the road- just the general sound and the way it pulls suits the car perfectly. I'm worried that the engine swap will loose the 205ness of the car with the extra weight.

(if you do plan on going gti-6 I'll buy your 8v off you. Seriously.)

 

However the rallye build recently in PPC mag has got me thinking it's the way to go. Would of course be sweet to drive to work with the gti'6 to get past all the german cars in the way I think I would have to be sure I was going to keep the car for a long time and be prepared for the potential of the value decreasing. I bought my 205 5months ago and at the time there was heaps of gti-6 conversions half completed/ botched for not very much. Would you touch a car that had a diy conversion? (I know there are some really stunning examples out there)

Probably would need to get an LSD as well since it's wet every second day up here. The price does quickly mount up.

 

I have to admit it does look pretty fun in this youtube video:

 

decisions...

[BlueBolt 156]

Im seriously considering dropping the 16v idea and just sticking with the original 8V lump.

 

To be honest im probably never going to drive it the way the 16V would warrant.

 

Ive got a low mileage (60,000) 1.9 engine i was intending to strip and rebuild.

 

I may just decide to stick with the 16V lump . LOL who knows

 

Clear some space in your inbox mate I been trying to PM you...??

[mattg 3]

Interesting subject this one. I'm about to GTI-6 mine but will be keeping the original lump incase I ever sell (unlikely but never say never)

 

A few folks have suggested I should leave it alone but my reasons for doing it are

 

 

- I enjoy track days and the car is superb but I keep getting held up by stuff that is slower round the bends but I just can't drag past on the straights meaning i'm getting held up continually when the drivers decide they don't want to let me go safeley. This gets a bit frustrating after a while.

- I know I could buy a GTI-6 converted one but this car means alot to me. I've built it back up from the dead and it's been in my group of friends for a long time so it's going nowhere as far as i'm concerned.

- All told it can be put back to standard if I ever want to. I'll be keeping the original stuff.

- I restored the car so it's in no way an original car anyway. It owes me about £1500 and is a weekend toy, i'd rather improve it for my own circumstances than worry about resale too much.

- If I build it then I know exactly how it's been done rather than someone elses work. I also have the history of the engine as i've bought a whole car as a donor.

 

And that's it really. Do what is best for you, if mine was for road use only i'd probably have left it 8v.

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

I keep getting held up by stuff that is slower round the bends but I just can't drag past on the straights meaning i'm getting held up continually when the drivers decide they don't want to let me go safeley. This gets a bit frustrating after a while.

 

I have experienced this, it is immensely frustrating and ruins the day for me.

 

Out of interest which circuits have you had this on, I have some in my mind but interested to see where you have experienced it.

[mattg 3]

I have experienced this, it is immensely frustrating and ruins the day for me.

 

Out of interest which circuits have you had this on, I have some in my mind but interested to see where you have experienced it.

 

Same here. Snetterton was the main one, and the main culprits a couple of Elises. Right up their trumpets round the twisties but as soon as we got to a straight (and when I expected to see a considerate indicator pop on) they just nailed it, dissapeared up the road only for me to reel them back in at the next corner.

 

Of course they shouldn't do it but never got blue flagged. I nearly just dived up the inside in the end on a corner but didn't want to get kicked off the track so didn't. Just backed off for half a lap in the end to put some space between us but soon ended up with the same problem with other cars.

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

Snetterton is one of the few circuits I haven't been to. It is a bloody long way from me, and also looks to be a lot of fast straights, not ideal 205 territory.

 

Silverstone was one of the worst culprits for me, from your location (Northants) I was guessing that was where you had been, but perhaps not. I was running in a 205 with decent suspension and full slicks, with maybe 2 or 3 exceptions I could have outcornered any of the other cars there. However there were a load of Jap-scrap turbo rockets there doing 140mph down the straights, my 125mph wasn't cutting it. Then we got to the corners and they were up to 30-40mph down on the speed I knew I could carry.

 

Luckily as the red mist descended the clutch cable broke which ended the day, a good thing really as I think I'd have ended up going either up the inside, round the outside, pushing one of them into the barrier, or having a punch up in the paddock.

 

A shame as it was somewhere I was really looking forward to driving, but I will not be in any hurry whatsoever to go back.

[mattg 3]

Snetterton is one of the few circuits I haven't been to. It is a bloody long way from me, and also looks to be a lot of fast straights, not ideal 205 territory.

 

Silverstone was one of the worst culprits for me, from your location (Northants) I was guessing that was where you had been, but perhaps not. I was running in a 205 with decent suspension and full slicks, with maybe 2 or 3 exceptions I could have outcornered any of the other cars there. However there were a load of Jap-scrap turbo rockets there doing 140mph down the straights, my 125mph wasn't cutting it. Then we got to the corners and they were up to 30-40mph down on the speed I knew I could carry.

 

Luckily as the red mist descended the clutch cable broke which ended the day, a good thing really as I think I'd have ended up going either up the inside, round the outside, pushing one of them into the barrier, or having a punch up in the paddock.

 

A shame as it was somewhere I was really looking forward to driving, but I will not be in any hurry whatsoever to go back.

 

Not done Silvertone yet (I haven't done many yet, only started last year) but you are absoluteley right, snett has some big old straights. Some great corners too but when you're stuck behind someone not so hot.

 

What do you find to be the most 205 friendly tracks?

[allye 530 3 Cars]

Stick the 6 lump, you've done all the hard work for it. See how you like, if you don't get on with it stick the 8v back in.

 

As you say you plan on keeping it for a long time so plenty of chance to play around.

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

What do you find to be the most 205 friendly tracks?

 

Cadwell is ace, Oulton is ace, Blyton Park is suprisingly good, Donington is pretty good, I also like Castle Combe.

[mattg 3]

Cadwell is ace, Oulton is ace, Blyton Park is suprisingly good, Donington is pretty good, I also like Castle Combe.

 

Excellent, Combe is the only one of those i've done so far and did enjoy it. Should be even better with a few extra ponies ;-)

 

Hopefully try the rest this year!

Edited January 31, 2012 by mattg

[sensualt101 31 1 Cars]

personally i wouldnt mess with a standard car as non messed with original cars will always ultimately appreciate in value ( i am leaving mine as standard for that very reason! ) especially when there are so many modified re-engined examples always for sale. sadly most are overpriced in my opinion with so many conversions not always being of a high standard! so in a nutshell i would leave your current car as it is and either keep or sell it and buy a messed with example to experiment with ( i am doing just that now and finding a lot of over valued cars but eventually will find one that suits my pocket and purposes!

[shalmaneser 26]

I'm in exactly the same situation.

 

I want to use mine everyday so I would prefer the most easy to manage and most reliable. Jetronic fuel system is the major problem. If I could sort the fuel system properly I would definitely just keep it standard. The engine is needing a full rebuild anyway so hence the idea of gti-6 comes to mind. If your original 1.9 lump is strong don't change it. If you want a track weapon though, keep your 8v in storage, and go gti-6. I don't think the wee 8v gets enough praise though for fun on the road- just the general sound and the way it pulls suits the car perfectly. I'm worried that the engine swap will loose the 205ness of the car with the extra weight.

(if you do plan on going gti-6 I'll buy your 8v off you. Seriously.)

 

However the rallye build recently in PPC mag has got me thinking it's the way to go. Would of course be sweet to drive to work with the gti'6 to get past all the german cars in the way I think I would have to be sure I was going to keep the car for a long time and be prepared for the potential of the value decreasing. I bought my 205 5months ago and at the time there was heaps of gti-6 conversions half completed/ botched for not very much. Would you touch a car that had a diy conversion? (I know there are some really stunning examples out there)

Probably would need to get an LSD as well since it's wet every second day up here. The price does quickly mount up.

 

I have to admit it does look pretty fun in this youtube video:

 

decisions...

 

If you're using it as a daily go for the gti6, 100%. I had a very well behaved 8V but it always had a dodgy idle on very cold mornings and was decidedly grumpy until warmed through, at which point it was a lot of fun. The 16V however is always 100%, even from cold and it really transforms the 205 into an absolute weapon, it's hilarious. the gti6 is also much better on fuel than my old 1.6 8V (although that could be due to the gearbox - VTS vs 1.6) and I certainly can't tell the difference in the handling.

 

If I was keeping a car mint it'd be 100% original, don't get me wrong but as an actual ownership proposition (ie not a fair weather motor) the gti6 with a few choice mods (mainly better brakes!) is ideal.

[laldy875 6 1 Cars]

thanks that is exactly what I need to know

[JRL 14 1 Cars]

Ideally we all need two 205s one to keep standard and one to modify the tits off it. Lately Im very fond of a well maintained standard I forgot how great they are after owning a few butchered examples.

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Only you can make the decision.

 

I think you know deep down that it has the be the 8v.

 

I don't think for one minute you are worried about resale. I very much doubt that is a concideration you will be making for a long long time. You will have plenty of time to swap over and I eventually think you will want to do it to see the difference.

 

Will still be a cracking example whichever you decide.

 

Give me a shout when you want a hand popping one of them back in

[nickaliath 22]

 

 

Give me a shout when you want a hand popping one of them back in

 

Yeah will do.

 

Hopefully ill know soon what im going to put back in there!.

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

I'l be more inclined to help if it has 16 valves

[nickaliath 22]

I'l be more inclined to help if it has 16 valves

 

LOL. Yeah but dont forget it will be easier to slot back in the 8v

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

XU10 with the gearbox on goes in easily enough without a load leveller. You just need to get the angle right and use every mm of tolerance to it's potential.

 

I'l show you with your GTi6 engine?