Mk2 Gti 1z conversion thread

bblume

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My 92 16v Gti 1z conversion thread

It's been a long time (thinking and reading and waiting for the right tdi to pop up), but I've finally started...
Picked up the donor car today (thanks Casie--sn kwabena on the tex)



Casie trailered it over to the shop where all the magic will happen
It's a 97 passat 1z 5spd. (I think with nearly 200k on it)
Already pulled the head after the TB broke while trying to get it running in the backyard.
No noticeable damage to the valves or the pistons but the machine shop will be the judge of that
Thinking of a mild port and polish and then refreshing the bottom end with new bearings and rings and seals.
Down the line gonna upgrade with nozzles and a tune. Then way down the line perhaps a different turbo.
Picked up a Corrado k-frame today
And have a lead on shift cables as well (since the passat ones are a bit long)
And for the sake of chronicling...this is what the 1Z will be going into..


I'll try and document everything here and be looking for help now and again, so thanks in advance!!
 
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bblume

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Dropped the head off at the machine shop for inspection and possible improvements today...
Wondering about the cost of p&p vs the benefits.?

Next will be to clean the turbo and remove the shortblock...
Any tips on turbo cleaning? I've heard people have used oven cleaner ??
 

GTiTDi

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Another Alpine white GTI 1Z swap!! I like it! :D

oven cleaner is generally used to clean a VNT style turbo, although I have only used it once..now I prefer sea foam...the 1Z comes with an itty bitty GT15 wastegate style turbo that doesn't get clogged up with soot like the VNTs...
 

bblume

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Update: Two valves were damaged in the TB snapping incident...(that's pretty good considering the possibilities) so the machine shop should have things back shortly. Pics to follow.
 

bblume

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Another Alpine white GTI 1Z swap!! I like it! :D

oven cleaner is generally used to clean a VNT style turbo, although I have only used it once..now I prefer sea foam...the 1Z comes with an itty bitty GT15 wastegate style turbo that doesn't get clogged up with soot like the VNTs...
Yup. It's quite tiny...and this one is really full of soot.
I have no idea whether it is even in good working condition. I may have Hi Pro Engines check it out (if they don't laugh me out of the building for bringing in a snail that small!). They'll be able to clean it as well!
 

sccaddy

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Thats one clean GTI! I've always wanted one.
 

bblume

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Thats one clean GTI! I've always wanted one.
Thanks man!


And gtitdi...thanks for the sea foam idea
I'm hoping to take my time on this conversion, and I'm excited to be working towards another alpine white Gti diesel....
 

GTiTDi

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check the thrust play of the turbine shaft..betya its wasted...also if its a 1Z you will have the 8mm valve stems..upgrade to 7mm (lighter) and have the head ported...
 

bblume

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check the thrust play of the turbine shaft..betya its wasted...also if its a 1Z you will have the 8mm valve stems..upgrade to 7mm (lighter) and have the head ported...
Thanks for the info.
Quick question, if you port the head, do you need to port match the manifold as well?
 

GTiTDi

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port matching is always something that should be done. On my turbo build using the stock exhaust manifold I found that not only was port matching key but also cleaning up the rough castings inside it where I could reach them. If the head is off of it you might as well drop the oil pan and pull the pistons to inspect the cylinders and find out what pistons you have...early 1Z pistons are not desireable.
 

bblume

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port matching is always something that should be done. On my turbo build using the stock exhaust manifold I found that not only was port matching key but also cleaning up the rough castings inside it where I could reach them. If the head is off of it you might as well drop the oil pan and pull the pistons to inspect the cylinders and find out what pistons you have...early 1Z pistons are not desireable.

Gotcha

already planning on refurbing the bottom end with rings and bearings etc...I'll look into PnP plus port matching...I was planning on bringing the turbo and manifold to the machine shop anyways, so perhaps I'll see what's what then....there's no point in port matching a manifold if the g15 is beat...then it's on to a garret 20/52 or something.
It's a 97 so my guess is that's the later end of the 1z??
 
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GTiTDi

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ask and thou shalt receive...AHU on left, early 1Z on the right

the wrist pin is missing from the 1Z piston due to excessive distortion
after meltdown...no bronze alloy wrist pin bushing in those ones...a huge
improvement!
 

Vwscream

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ask and thou shalt receive...AHU on left, early 1Z on the right

the wrist pin is missing from the 1Z piston due to excessive distortion
after meltdown...no bronze alloy wrist pin bushing in those ones...a huge
improvement!
Thank you.
I have two 1Z engines. One 96 and other 97. The 96 is in my corrado and I wanted to make sure that they can be identified when I do dig into the engine one day.
 

bblume

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I've also read somewhere that the later 1Zs have the lighter (shorter) valve stems
Any truth to that.
 

GTiTDi

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I've also read somewhere that the later 1Zs have the lighter (shorter) valve stems
Any truth to that.
yes late 1Zs and AHUs had 7mm valve stems...thinner not shorter...however due to production processes there is no way to know whether your head has the 8 or 7 mm stems until u take it apart...they could have started updating the pistons but still had a bunch of older heads on the shelf, they'd use those up before switching over.
 

bblume

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Update:::
I know it's slow going, but I wanted to share what's new.
Dropped the turbo and mani off at HiPro for cleaning and a shakedown and possible port matching.


Then I scored a Corrado subframe earlier this month



Then this box showed up....full head and block rebuild kits along with motor mounts. Let the fun begin!



More to come. Of course my summer is coming to a close so I'll have to work piecemeal.
 

Vwscream

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When a box such as this arrives at my door it feels like Christmas.
 

bblume

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^^^it is a bit like Christmas!!!

So I'm wondering about instrument clusters and reading a lot....I'm wondering what would be the drawbacks of running a mk2 deisel cluster? Will the plugs not be the same as the b4 ? Or is that a wiring headache?!!?
 

bblume

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Sorry for the delay on updates...
School has started and so has coaching.

Got the manifold scraped out (it was nearly blocked by caked on blow by from the turbo that has blown seals



And I got the head back
All cleaned up
One ex and one intake valve were damaged and replaced!





Now it's time to find a recond. Turbo or maybe a new stigan??
Anyone have experience with these??
 

bblume

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Things are going slowly because of teaching and coaching.
But today I removed the IP and will be sending it out to be rebuilt/refurbed.
 

Steve Addy

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Nice pile o parts there, I love it when new parts arrive. I thought all 1Z/AHU had the combined oil pan baffle / gasket, am I wrong on that? I know pretty much all ABA 2.0 engines got the baffle, seems odd they wouldn't put the baffle on the tdi engine.
 

GTiTDi

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Nice pile o parts there, I love it when new parts arrive. I thought all 1Z/AHU had the combined oil pan baffle / gasket, am I wrong on that? I know pretty much all ABA 2.0 engines got the baffle, seems odd they wouldn't put the baffle on the tdi engine.
many of us with tuned 1Z/AHUs are using the windage tray gasket,however I haven't seen one that came with it stock
 

bblume

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Motor pulled friday
Torn down today
Got the oil pan off today No windsge tray

Pics to come
Interested to see which pistons i have
 

bblume

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Loooks like ive got the early 1z pistons



Hands got too dirty to snap a pic after i got the crank out



Block goes in tomorrow for a hone and hot tank

Then just waiting for a spot in the shop to open up to stsrt the tear down process of the 16v
 

bblume

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Freshly honed from the machine shop


Didn't take any pics of my progress after I took this one
But the Pistons are in and the oil pan on. Putting on the head this week.

Also when I have time I've started removing the wiring harness from the B4
Baby steps I guess...
 

bblume

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1Z wiring harness out


Left the passat dash in shambles though...


New special present...just keeps me going!


 

bblume

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So here is a question for the experienced! Thanks in advance btw!
If I'm only running (for the time being) a G15 stock turbo with nozzles and a mild chip tune in the future, how aggressive does my clutch purchase need to be? Will a stock 'quiet clutch' be too weak?

More questions to come ! Thanks!
 
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