TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

You can pick up something higher mileage, but the older cars are now all suffering from rusty bits for that sort of cash (arches mainly), so if you want an engine to play with your best just getting one from a scrapyard and having a bit of fun
After you have had your fun, the money you saved can be put into a better project, rather spend 300 quid now stripping and rebuilding a knackered engine so you know all about it then when the right car comes along, buy it

Tony

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

Luke, older cars normally put pistons through blocks when tuned, you can up spec them but the cost is stupid, none of the parts were made to take serious power (hence buy a newer STI, even one with a knackered engine if you can find one ) you have all the bits in place you need then (mechanically they are seriously superior, they fixed all the issues that the classics had).
Mapping is done in 2 ways on the classics, the addition of a "chip" or a full remap of the ecu, though note that MY97/98 scoobs cant be mapped or "chipped" to date (ESL are doing something, just no release date).
The software for mapping comes with a licence and ecutek (for the MY99/00 cars) dont give it to anyone, newer cars can have opensource maps applied which are freely available (MY01 onwards).

Tony

luke1979

Tony that's exactly what I did with the pug sound advice so about 300 bar for a wrx or sti engine that's good news you know I would happily do that I suppose the mounts are all the same accross the types how restrictive is is the ecu when swapping an engine out do I need the ecu from the donor car?

luke1979

Again sound advice the tub used to throw rods at low rpm something to do with oil starvation under no3 due to the oil pump head, well you've certainly convinced me to go 01 up now I guess its finding one its going to mean another months saving taking me to around christmas time yeah november then to save another 2.5 k

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

ECU's will vary, your going to need the correct(ish) one for the model, for example on an MY94 wrx its a 240ps mapped ecu but the MY95 is a 260ps ecu, but its interchangable.
STI's can be tricky, not worth having an STI on a WRX engine or vice versa, normally stick to that rule and your ok
UK cars are a little different again, a JDM wagon on a 94 year isnt the same as a UK wagon on a 94 year as the turbo's are different, lots of confusion with the engines

Basically your going to be looking at the pre 2000 year engines? if you are then there are 3 types, phase 1 (slanty intercooler) phase 1.5 (straight intercooler and coil pack on top of inlet in the centre) and phase 2 (similar looking to phase 1.5 but all have the 440cc injectors and the coil pack is off set to the right when looking into the engine bay).

Tony

luke1979

That last one is really helpful tony you know I think I was convinced by the whole mapping issue though I don't want to be pinned by one company so I guess with 01 + you can score maps from anywhere net wise and flash the thing yourself with a laptop or am I miles off

luke1979

Not like the hdi where the ecu is coded to the engine and if you flash it wrong that's it new car time

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

You can do that but personally its not advisable, the thing with opensource is that anyone can have a go, most do it badly, so its still advisable to get a qualified mapper to do the work, but with opensource you dont have a license fee like you do with ecutek so its cheaper.

Anyway lets talk pugs

Tony

luke1979

Well mines a 98 td with a stage 1 bosch conversion I did the gov mod and have changed the head 3 times the project engine was stripped to bare block checked for clearences and ware etc rebuilt is ready to put in just need to torq up the head. I need to get the slam panel off which is proving to be a problem coz all the torx bolts on the headlights are fubar I also need to buy a crane renting is too deer. When I put the new lump in I'll switch the old td box for a hdi with. Better ratios drop off the air con and probably stick in an fmic with a xantia manifold. Should be done to sell by the time I've got the scooby money should see 150 - 160bhp if I'm lucky which won't be bad for an old deisel that comes as 95 from stock

bigsinky

that would be my car. yes they can be spec'd up but you need to spend an arm and a leg. i have a Motec M400 ecu in my car. check online for prices, they ain't cheap. your car will not work without and ecu. if i had to do it again i would not be buying a classic shape car to modify. it would be a newage car as they are easier to make power easily. the only thing original on my car is the bodyshell. nearly every other, and i mean every other component has changed.

so what do you want to do? fast road, drag car, hill climb, track work? they all have different build paths depending on how deep your pockets are. classic shape cars are not cheap to modify if you want them to be reliable. 2K is going to get you a fairly old high mileage example. tired internals, worn out components, fairly hard to find a good unmolested example. not saying they cant be had, but these cars have usually had a hard life. as i have said many times its not the buying of the car thats the problem, its the upkeep.

you would be better saving for a year 2001 car onwards. the STi version is a much more solid base to start modifying from than the WRX model. good luck i hope you find what your looking for.

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

Supposedly the 1.9td's were detuned from the factory anyway, but looks like your having a bit of fun with it though ive had 2 td's (one was a real sh1tter and the other one was just clocked ) though it still ran quite well, must have been hitting 200k but read 130ish, still it only cost me 350 quid so I wasnt complaining
I have a "sort of" project pug, well its been a project for about 4 years, needs a bit of paint now but nothing serious, engine is sweet and I bought it with a blown gasket (all done inc valves reground etc), only 72k and quite rare as S16's go, grab a bit more OT and I think I can afford all the little bits (have the exhaust/brakes/wheels etc she needs) so hoping this summer to be back on the road

Tony

bigsinky

i loved my 205 gti roller skate. sadly ended up in a field on its roof. i was still inside it at the time. 309 gti, then a 405 gtx and finally a 405 Mi16. left the 405 in france after chasing a big merc on the payage. the engine completely $hit itself. ahhhhh those were the days.

stanmo

iTrader: (1)

Going back to a 300bhp project car, quite a few 99-00 UK turbos would have had an Ecutek license and map, which might save some pennies, and still more with a few mods to go part of the way there - decat downpipe, hoses, filters, etc.

Regarding insurance, my modded '99 UK car cost more to insure than a Type-25, so that could end up being a large part of that 2k car.