Engine conversion

[prezf]

Hi, I'm looking for some advice. I have Leon 1.6 Reference. It looks pretty good for my taste (full Ibherdesign body kit, koni coilovers, finichi firenze 19'' alloys, brembo brake kit and few minor mods). The only thing I'm lacking in is power. I was thinking about saving up for a 2.0 T engine conversion. I've seen conversions for around 1.5k plus and found profesional garage to fit it for a grand. So I'm looking around 2.5k all in. What do you think about doing that ? Some people might say just sell your car and get FR but I want to keep my car. I had since new and there's a lot of sentiment From my 1.6 can't get much more since it's non turbo so remap will make minor difference ?? Can you please give me any advice or maybe you've done conversion. Does it make sense doing it ?? Cheers

 

[Poverty]

you would still need to do the brakes and exhaust though.

 

[techie]

I think for the parts its going to be more than £1500. engine, gearbox, driveshafts, looms, fueling, intercooler, pipe work, ecu, exhaust etc etc

 

[DPJ]

Sell it and upgrade. Complete waste of time doing a transplant on that.

 

[TllEWL]

Erm...

.... brembo brake kit

Sounds like a pretty good deal (£2.5k all in)

...but I'd be tempted to just get an FR in the same colour and swap the bodykit, wheels and suspension.

It's a different matter if you're putting the engine into something that doesn't already come with the option of one from the factory, but for the time it'll be off the road + hidden costs like getting keys/locks swapped over... and 'buggeration' factor with the chance that things stop working (or just don't work) after the conversion, I don't think it's worth it

 

[jcp]

It doesn't makes sense but that shouldn't stop you if you are sure about your love of the car. You should look for a written off Tfsi car as you will need to transplant electronics as well as the engine and gearbox. You will never see your money back and it will throw up problems which you cannot forsee but the main loom is likely to be the same so with luck the lockset and ecu should be connectable- with some expert vag.com help. Your suspension and brakes seem fine so you could do it.

 

[RobH]

With the money its gonna cost and im willing to bet itll be more than £2.5k and by the time your done you might aswell buy a cupra, better platform to build on than 1.6 with a 2.0tfsi lobbed in. Also you'll have a k04 to play with (unless you can find a wrecked cupra, s3, ed30 somewhere) and theres loads of potential there, would probably be easier to find insurance aswell for the cupra imo.

 

[Nath.]

I'd be tempted to just get an FR in the same colour and swap the bodykit, wheels and suspension.QUOTE]

Agree, An engine conversion will not give you the brakes or interior.Also the insurance on an FR will be less than the insurance on a modded 1.6

 

[prezf]

thanks a lot for or replies. I know it's a lot of money and it will take time get them but I'm gonna try to do it. I have the car for over 3 years now and I don't see swapping for better model just cos he's not good enough. He desevses it after all this time I hope I'll be strong enough to save all that money... thanks again for all help

 

[NickP]

I'd also consider the implications when you come to sell the car, there will be a very small, if any market for a 1.6 Leon modified to a 2.0T spec.....with all the logbook & insurance hassles....

 

[prezf]

that's true, I'm sure that I'll hold on to it for another few years as there will be more stuff I would like to change

 

[Nath.]

It's your wallet at the end of the day.

 

[prezf]

I know, It's not that I'm loaded or nothing, I save hard for every mod I made and I just want to make something special with the car. it will take me some time to save money (specialy now when mrs said she's pregnant ) but I hope I get there one day

 

[beeko85]

yeah id say go for it if thats what you want. its a lot of money sure, but a lot of guys on here will have spent 2.5k easily on their cars, how many guys on here have bbs alloys for over a grand, a miltek tbe for the same, a revo remap with switch for about 500?the tfsi engine's great. a good swap would also be a 1.8t, probably not anywhere near as simple, but a good engine too with plenty of tuning potential, and would it even be a bit more economical? the mpg on the 2.0tfsi's aren't exactly great

 

[/dev/null]

Is it the same chassis on the 1.6 and 2.0? If not then you have to ask is the 1.6 chassis suitable?

 

[prezf]

Apparantly if fits straight in, I was thinking about getting one from golf gti, same engine as FR 200bhp, code AXX or BWA.

 

[Fl@pper]

Sell it and upgrade. Complete waste of time doing a transplant on that.

+1 just thinking of the unplanned costs and chassis upgrades also

 

[prezf]

what sort of chassis upgrades you have in mind ??

 

[ZBOYD]

Suspension dampers/springs etc (bearing in mind the kits for a 1.6 won't have the thicker struts as kits used on 2.0T Leons), anti roll bars and various bushes, lighter stronger wishbones in the case of a Cupra even the FR has stronger wishbones, brakes and brake calipers all ancillary lines including larger brake servo, engine mounts.

Everything on a 1.6 was designed to be 'safe' with a 1.6 engine, want a bigger more powerful engine in it then the 'responsible' way is to upgrade all the running gear alongside it to make sure it handles and stops as well as a car with a 2.0L Turbo engine should.

 

[prezf]

I have already upgraded brakes to 4 pot 332 mm discs brembo's and fit koni coilovers. I thought it should do from brake and suspension side. I'm gonna try to get mounts with engine.