I’ve regretted not having a build thread so far…so here it is. From the beginning….
We’ve a bit of a history of Polos in the family. My grandparents have had various models over the years, I think a Mk1 and a few Mk2s including a Formel E. My grandfather had a Mk4 which suffered an engine bay electrical fire. The remains were traded in for this example in 1996, an M-reg 1.3L Genesis in Alpine White. My grandmother drove the car for a number of years after my grandfather passed away. In March 2008 she wanted something a bit easier to drive, power steering etc. so it was offered to me. I’d literally 2 weeks earlier passed my test (at age 23!). It was great – a year’s MOT, 6 months tax, sporty-looking Hella grille and a mere 44,000 on the clocks.
The first drive was spent mostly stalling, I’d learnt in a diesel – that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it! Dad gave me a hand servicing and cleaning the car, removing the moss and T-cutting the paint to within an inch of its life. Didn’t know about blackening the bumpers back then..!
Thanks to UncleTerry for these two pics
The car served me well for a year, it needed only new discs, pads and shoes. In March 2009 the headgasket went after a particularly spirited weekend’s driving. Coolant poured into cylinder 1 giving it a beautiful steam clean. The Scottish AA man’s towing advice was “Read the card, brake when I brake – but if you forgot don’t worry, it’s only a wee Polo. I’ll probably not notice”!
I put the headgasket failure (after ~52,000 miles) partly down to some sketchy servicing on my grandmother’s behalf by the chap who she paid to maintain the car. The brake fluid and coolant were definitely not changed in recent years and I’ve since found various ‘oddities’ about the car. He once even left the wheel bolts loose. Tool.
Anyway, the headgasket failure came at probably the best time. I’d recently picked up a GT injection setup to fit and was about the service the car – new filters, oil etc. so only the old oil and coolant were affected.
With help from the CP forum and following a guide Andy Strange had written 8 years prior the headgasket was changed and the GT injection fitted.
Out with the old
In with the new
It felt great, definitely quicker. Initially I was concerned about a lean misfire @ 2,000rpm but I eventually just got used to it. At the rolling road day it made 82bhp.
In August 2009 I moved house and the 5 mile bicycle commute became a 37mile each way mix of motorways and A-roads, doubling annual mileage overnight. The car took it well and only once let me down when I put too much trust in the fuel gauge. Fortunately there was a gallon in the boot.
With the extended commute I found myself spending more time in the car and so could start to justify a bit more expenditure. After all, it had to get me to work and back reliably.
SuspensionIn March 2010 it was time to tackle the aging suspension – 3 original shocks and 1 original spring!
The two front springs were a little mismatched…!
It was treated to a new set of Spax -40mm springs and shocks, G-Laderseite blocks, poly bushes, new lower arms, new steering arms, new wheel bearings, new top mounts and nearly every suspension nut/bolt renewed.
In September a GT rear beam was fitted with new VAG bushes and the (too harsh for me) Spax rear springs swapped for carefully chopped standard springs. Already fitted in 2009 were a ‘GED’ type front brace bar and GT steering damper. PPP Stage 3 subframe in the pipeline.
BrakesInitially upgraded to new pattern part VWII callipers, Pagid plain discs and ATE pads with a 22mm master cylinder. More recently it’s had an Audi 256mm setup with Pagid discs/pads which are simply brilliant and is the first time I’ve actually been happy with the brakes. Rare. Expensive. But worth every penny IMHO.
WheelsScirocco Avus ‘Scala, Snowflake’ wheels. Quick home refurb in gunmetal grey.
Took me a while to find a wheel and colour I liked. Maybe a bit plain for some but I love them. Tyres are Avon ZV-3 165-60/R14 and am very impressed with their grip, certainly much better than the random ditch-finders that were fitted to the steelies.
ICEDecent alarm. Cheap Kenwood head unit, Maplin’s best £6 4” dash speakers and a 12” Fly active sub occupying a good portion of the boot.
InteriorScirocco GT2 front seats mean my head isn’t constantly buffing the roof lining anymore.
ExteriorGT/G40 arch+sill kit, Mk2 door handle inserts. Clear indicators and side repeaters. Door handle armoured plates. Hella lamp grille. Towbar.
EngineAAV engine with GT management. Fahrvergnugen Tuning standard limit chip. SPI exhaust.
Inevitably I’m now looking for more power.
A few options occurred:
1. 1.6 ABU with GT management
2. 1.4/1.6 AFH with bike carbs
3. 1.4/1.6 AFH with standard management
4. G40 conversion
5. Turbo something-or-other
The ABU doesn’t really offer a huge power increase. AFH on bike carbs I’m too concerned about emissions with it being a post 1992 car. AFH on standard management was a very very attractive option. G40 would be too costly in charger rebuilds. Overall with the car doing ~20-25k/year the MPG still had to be decent. At the back of my mind I wanted to avoid upgrading for a smidge of extra power at a time – whatever I chose I wanted to be relatively easily tuneable in future years.
A turbo (K03) G40 seemed perfect – decent power achievable and it’s been well tried and tested. Crucially second hand K03 turbos usually cost ~£50 – much more pocket-friendly than charger rebuilds. After some research (thanks to the PoloG40 forum members) I decided to attempt to turbo the current AAV engine in the car, for a few reasons:
a) I know the history of the engine well and know it has a good service history for the past 35k – a good strong engine.
b) Using the AAV with CEG gearbox would save approx £500-£600 sourcing a PY engine and ATV gearbox.
c) Stock compression ratio is 9.5:1 – within the realms of boost and not a million miles away from the compression with (admittedly far stronger, forged) Accralite 1341cc pistons used in overbore G40s.
d) The higher compression should keep the off-boost driving pleasant
Clearly the disadvantages are that with the high compression ratio and boost is the risk of blown headgaskets or worse are greater. Also the lack of sodium-filled exhaust valves may be an issue, as may the late-spec 7mm valve stems. Ultimately it will be interesting finding out how the AAV takes it. Tommo had some very good results with his AAV carb’d turbo before going to ABD with turned-down pistons. He knew the science and engineering behind it all extremely well. I don’t so will be erring on the side of caution.
Engine spec will be: 1.3L AAV engine – 78k. Late spec with 7mm valve stems.
254/254 Piper cam (not ideal, but a good intermediary cam for this turbo I understand)
G40 ECU & management
250cc fuel injectors freshly serviced by PPP
#G40008 ECU chip from PPP
Adjustable full throttle boost switch to suit map
K03 turbo
K03 stainless manifold and 60mm downpipe from Phil J
Standard GT exhaust mid-box and G40 back-box
GT inlet manifold
Jabbasport G40 induction kit
Forge 007p recirc valve
FMIC - ebay specia. Had it modified to have the inlet and outlet to point backwards
13-row 235mm oil cooler with Mocal thermostatic sandwich plate
Wideband lambda – AEM UEGO
Oil pressure & temp gauges (TIM electric)
Boost gauge (Stack)
200mm LUK clutch
Catch tank
Boost will be low, perhaps 6-7psi on advice from the PoloG40 forum members. Am hoping for 120-130bh. Later there’s some chance the boost screw will be gradually turned up, haven’t made up my mind yet. Obviously the chance of something popping increases massively with higher boost
Backup plan is a second AAV and set of G40 pistons…just in case..!