1.8t conversion

[darrags]

hey guys

thought it try enquire about how to go about putting a 1.8t in my lupo

been asking about at home at most iv been told just to buy an old golf and use it for parts

need help :o

Dan

[marcusgrant]

Sounds like you dont know much about engines?

Take it to a garage, dont expect much change from 7k

[DanSN117]

Thats helpful marcus.

You need to change everything, you need custom made mounts, custom ecu, lovely personising the current loom with the 1.8t one, new gearbox, new driveshafts, the list goes on.

[marcusgrant]

Thats helpful marcus.

Thanks Dan

Lets be honest though, if there was even half a chance of him being able to do it himself the question wouldn't need to be asked.

p.s. see you on sunday birthday boiiiiii

[DanSN117]

AIGHT, GET ME

[darrags]

a kin a wid need te uprate everything and put a slip diff on it and a know folk just needed to know if there wud need to be some chopping done ti the engine bay to fit the thing in.

where bouts wud do the mounts?

[penry]

If a diff is the main thing you're worried about then you really need to step back and think what you need.

1) Donor car/engine - to get the engine/box/loom/ecu

2) Custom mounts - lupo mounts not available off the shelf AFAIK so a fabricator needs to do this with the engine in situ to make sure it sits right.

3) Boost circuit setup - intercooler, custom pipes and mounts, more than likely trimming the front panel to make it all fit in the bay.

4) Wiring - OEM/Standalone? If OEM then need immobilizer defeat to run your own clocks, or otherwise need to run the donor clocks etc. Standalone: can you wire up an engine? If you can then it will still need mapping

5) Exhaust - probably custom downpipe, then sports exhaust to match

6)Cooling - will OEM rad cut it? You may need to sort hoses to match 20v flanges to lupo rad, etc etc

7) Clutch/Accelerator - hydraulic/cable clutch? FBW or DBW throttle?

This is off the top of my head, based on what ive considered for my mk1 golf 20v conversion. Not to pee on your bonfire but go and do your reading and work out exactly what you need, ive ended up reading for hours what i need, and the mk1 conversion has been done loads of times. Good luck mate.

[alexbpl]

I am also looking at the possibility of a 20vt conversion in my Lupo.

I have done engine swaps before, and I know exactly how much time goes into researching and thinking of every possible outcome, and even then you find that you have forgotten a few things and your deadline goes out the window along with your budget. Luckily my previous engine swaps were all 'family upgrades' so to speak. So mounts to the car and gearbox bellhousings were the same.

Here are a few basic questions that concern Lupo 20VT hopefulls and should sort out the serious from the silly.

What is the best 20VT engine to use for the conversion e.g - engine code preferances or a particularly good donar car?

Do the engine mounts on 20VT engines differ across the range, and are they a direct fit to Lupo engine mounts?

Will a 20VT engine fit a Lupo gearbox or do you have to fit a 20VT gearbox too?

How difficult is it to sort out the wiring?

Has anybody seen or got a good 'how to' guide.

Edited May 16, 2010 by alexbpl

[LiamD]

What is the best 20VT engine to use for the conversion e.g - engine code preferances or a particularly good donar car?

Do the engine mounts on 20VT engines differ across the range, and are they a direct fit to Lupo engine mounts?

Will a 20VT engine fit a Lupo gearbox or do you have to fit a 20VT gearbox too?

How difficult is it to sort out the wiring?

Has anybody seen or got a good 'how to' guide.

A few people on here mentioned the Mk4 Golf GTi 20vT engine was easier to use, not sure why mind... believe it's the AGU code engine.

I believe the mounts are custom - even so I imagine stronger mounts would be needed. I'm sure on the last Lupo 20vT my friend Andy Leigh built, that it had custom mounts, but he is very good at making incredibly strong custom/uprated engine mounts.

Lupo gearbox doesn't fit - a good thing, since they struggle with 75bhp.

Wiring - speak to Andy Outhwaite, he does the OEM looms for pretty much every company doing engine swaps across the country. I can pass his number on if you need a wiring loom customising to work with the original VAG management.

I don't think there's enough about to do a how to guide. The only info I know is from chatting with Andy when he was doing a 20vT Lupo for a customer and looking through the car as it was getting built.

[alexbpl]

A few people on here mentioned the Mk4 Golf GTi 20vT engine was easier to use, not sure why mind... believe it's the AGU code engine.

I believe the mounts are custom - even so I imagine stronger mounts would be needed. I'm sure on the last Lupo 20vT my friend Andy Leigh built, that it had custom mounts, but he is very good at making incredibly strong custom/uprated engine mounts.

Lupo gearbox doesn't fit - a good thing, since they struggle with 75bhp.

Wiring - speak to Andy Outhwaite, he does the OEM looms for pretty much every company doing engine swaps across the country. I can pass his number on if you need a wiring loom customising to work with the original VAG management.

I don't think there's enough about to do a how to guide. The only info I know is from chatting with Andy when he was doing a 20vT Lupo for a customer and looking through the car as it was getting built.

Cheers for that

Sorted a few things out for me. Thought as much about the gearbox, I have a classic Panda with a 1.4 16v Punto engine and it's already shredded all my syncro rings and 3rd gear. I imagine similar things happen to a Lupo when you double the power

Currently on the look out for a donor car. I just missed out on my mate selling a BAM code 'pimped' 20vt lump. Meaning forged pistons, rods, the real deal.

Good that I didn't buy it though as a donor vehicle is a must unless you know the exacts of what you need....which I dont!

[LiamD]

I'd try and get the whole car, as I'm sure you know if you break the donor car the conversion won't cost much. Audi A3 1.8T's are going cheap, and I imagine second hand parts are definitely in demand.

Last thing - really recommend going for an engine with a 5 speed box, not a 6 speed. The 6 speed is a big unit!

The Panda sounds class, bet that surprises people

[scotty_82]

Liam can you forward that number on to me please as i may be needing one knocked up in the near future.

[LiamD]

empty your pm box please

[scotty_82]

Its all hate mail , deleted it all now :shades:

[alexbpl]

I'd try and get the whole car, as I'm sure you know if you break the donor car the conversion won't cost much. Audi A3 1.8T's are going cheap, and I imagine second hand parts are definitely in demand.

Last thing - really recommend going for an engine with a 5 speed box, not a 6 speed. The 6 speed is a big unit!

The Panda sounds class, bet that surprises people

haha yeah it's great!

I only finished it a few days ago, just need a new lambda sensor and it'll be running sweet......then theres the gearbox to swap.

It's great to drive it like a granny untill someone overtakes

Any ideas what are people doing for driveshafts on a 20vt Lupo? Is there a straight fit or have they got to be made up?

You were right about A3's being easy to come by. This whole thing could be a lot easier than cheaper than I originally thought!

Edited May 16, 2010 by alexbpl

[LiamD]

haha yeah it's great!

I only finished it a few days ago, just need a new lambda sensor and it'll be running sweet......then theres the gearbox to swap.

It's great to drive it like a granny untill someone overtakes

Any ideas what are people doing for driveshafts on a 20vt Lupo? Is there a straight fit or have they got to be made up?

You were right about A3's being easy to come by. This whole thing could be a lot easier than cheaper than I originally thought!

I believe Andy had some custom driveshafts made for the conversion, which cost around 400 pounds I think (not 100% on the cost). They are a work of art though, and could definitely handle a LOT more power. A limited slip diff would probably be advisable too if funds allow

[deewhy]

i am in the process of enquiring about doing a 20v conversion. get a megasquirt ecu, 1.8 16v gearbox o20. the mk2 16v driveshafts can be machined to fit. theres always options.

[TomStevo]

im in the process of gethering parts, sourced a practically free APP engine

so far in parts ive got a list that adds up to over £2k and that dont involve custom work, people forget about little things like a shallow sump, boost pipes, mapping time, custom exhausts

and IMO the first thing to get sorted befor an engine is brakes and suspension, gti brakes wont cut it, you need atleast g60 brakes, im goin for custom 4 pots on 256mm drilled and grooved disks, lupo gti rear beam with drilled and grooved disks and uprated pads, and possibly AP coilies but the current ta's will stay for now

if u have cable throttle standard u want to use the golf AGU engine, if u have FBW all the other 20v's will be easier,

as my engine is virtually free im using the APP, 180bhp standard however has FBW and i have cable, i will be using an AGU ecu, wiring loom and tb but i will need all the plugs off the APP loom Aplicing onto the AGU loom making life alot harder for me but arouned £500 cheaper and i have an extra 30bhp over the AGUs 150bhp lol

another down side is the AGU is best for getting big power as it has the large port head were all the others have the small port head

anyone not using the AGU wants to use the BAM inlet manifold as the tb is on right hand side making it easier in terms of routing your boost pipes and if not running a BAM engine have he boost pipe made to go over he top of the engine like the BAM, IMo looks alot better and again fits alot better in the lupo engine bay lol

[penry]

Good thread! Maybe pin and get everyone to put their useful stuff in here?

[vpolo]

the bam code mani makes it alot eaiser as it does come from the right instead of trying to fit 2 pipes on the left hand side !!! there is so much cuting and weiding to do on a convertion !!! its unreal

matt

[AsboArosaAsh666]

Anyone saying you have to chop the engine bay to fit a 1.8t in a Lupo has obviously never done the swap before, I have a 1.8t swapped seat arosa and the engine bay is the same size as a Lupo, nothing needs to be chopped. Yes, you do need quite a few custom things which is to be expected, but with the loom you can use the one that goes with the 1.8t and just make some minor adjustments….