Neil’s MI16/205GTI Conversion
This is for a S1 1987 205gti with a S1 Mi16 engine and gearbox, I will only give a quick guide to the wiring, as to be honest even to today I’m not sure how I managed to get it started.
I will start with the easy stuff, find a S1 MI16 engine/gearbox. You want the alloy wet sleave block, inlet/exhaust, the full wiring loom, ECU, Mi16 exhaust downpipe and optional gearbox. In my conversion I used the Mi16 gearbox but you can use your 8v box.
Next I elected to replace a number of things while the engine is out of the car, namely the clutch, water pump and cam belt. These components are not that expensive and it makes sense to do them now. Before the engine goes in you need to make a wedge for the exhaust manifold in order for it to clear the firewall. I used the exhaust manifold gasket and took it to an exhaust shop with a gas cutter to cut the out the shape of 10mil mild steel. The next step is to get milled down on an angle; the top remains at 10mil and milled down to 5mil at the bottom. This puts enough angle on the exhaust manifold to clear the firewall. Refer the photo below. This will cost you about $100 bucks to get done and you will need to use two exhaust manifold gaskets. This completes the prep you need to do before you drop the puppy in.
<img src="http://home.iprimus.com.au/bwjones/neil/001.jpg" alt=" - " />
The easiest thing in this conversion is pulling the old 8V out and dropping in the new 16V. To make it easy remove the radiator and all the associated AC gear and fan shrouds. You will need to remove the drive shafts, old wiring loom and ECU. Once all this is out you can get the chance to clean the years of oil and dirt build-up on the firewall, cross member and steering rack. The next thing you will need to do before dropping in the engine is putting a tilt on the brake master cylinder. To do this you need to remove the brake peddle box, to do this you need to unbolt it from inside the car (this is quite time consuming and can frustrate you as you are on you back under the steering wheel). Once you have unbolted it all you can remove it from the engine bay, you should have in your hands the brake peddle, brake booster and the master cylinder. Now you need to put 3-4 washers in between the brake booster and backing plate, this will tilt the master cylinder up and enable it to clear the cambelt cover.
<img src="http://home.iprimus.com.au/bwjones/neil/002.jpg" alt=" - " />
You are now ready to drop the donk in. I pulled the old engine out from under the car however I dropped the 16V in via the top. This is easy to do and all the pick-up points are the same (I did replace all the engine mounts before dropping in the new engine). I dropped the engine in without the inlet manifold on, this allows you to do the wiring and gives you more room to swing spanners with the alternator and the water hoses. I’m not going to talk about the wiring as I found this the hardest thing to do and to be honest I’m not sure how I managed to get it started. However the Mi16 ECU and wiring is a stand alone unit and all you need to do is get power to the ECU and to the fuel pump and it should start. All the instruments ie oil temp/pressure, water temp, alternator and starter motor you should just use your existing 8V wiring. This is all I will comment on the wiring side, if you are doing this conversion there are many sites and posts about the wiring should you run into trouble. Now its time to bolt it all back together, the drive shafts should just bolt in, inlet manifold on, alternator, and starter motor.
<img src="http://home.iprimus.com.au/bwjones/neil/004.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://home.iprimus.com.au/bwjones/neil/005.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://home.iprimus.com.au/bwjones/neil/006.jpg" alt=" - " />
You may read on other sites in the UK that you need to shorten the inlet manifold or tilt the engine in order to get it to fit. I wanted to fit the engine without tilting it and without shortening the inlet manifold as it was designed to have this manifold and tilt on the engine. Next you will need to get your trusty angle grinder and attack the fan shroud, you need to grind the shroud so that the radiator is flush with the fans using the lower mount. I have lost the AC as it didn’t work before and I will not be using it for an every day car. You can now put the radiator assembly back in, I used a space to tilt the radiator out only by 5mil. This set up will allow you to use the standard manifold and not tilt the engine.
<img src="http://home.iprimus.com.au/bwjones/neil/008.jpg" alt=" - " />
All that should be left to do now is fill it with water, oil and turn the Key vrooooom? After I got to this stage I took it to the exhaust shop and fitted a new 2.25 inc system including a new high flow cat. While I was doing the engine conversion I fitted new Koni Yellow’s on all four corners, new springs and a set of S2 wheels and sticky rubber. I love the car in its current configuration it is fast in a straight line and even quicker through the corners. For anybody attempting this conversion I would recommend fitting a baffled sump and LSD, which I’m in the process of doing.
<img src="http://home.iprimus.com.au/bwjones/neil/010.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://home.iprimus.com.au/bwjones/neil/011.jpg" alt=" - " />
The conversion cost approximately $3500 including the engine and it is something you can do yourself. I would like to take this opportunity to thank a number of Froggy members, Adrian, Peter T, Ben(for the donk), Steve, Cal and Brad. Any questions feel free to ask and I will try to help or point you in the right direction as to who can help you.
Future modifications will include a Baffled Sump, upgraded front brakes to S2 at least, Cage/race seats and LSD.
<small>[ 21 October 2003, 08:52 PM: Message edited by: neil 416 ]</small>
This is for a S1 1987 205gti with a S1 Mi16 engine and gearbox, I will only give a quick guide to the wiring, as to be honest even to today I’m not sure how I managed to get it started.
I will start with the easy stuff, find a S1 MI16 engine/gearbox. You want the alloy wet sleave block, inlet/exhaust, the full wiring loom, ECU, Mi16 exhaust downpipe and optional gearbox. In my conversion I used the Mi16 gearbox but you can use your 8v box.
Next I elected to replace a number of things while the engine is out of the car, namely the clutch, water pump and cam belt. These components are not that expensive and it makes sense to do them now. Before the engine goes in you need to make a wedge for the exhaust manifold in order for it to clear the firewall. I used the exhaust manifold gasket and took it to an exhaust shop with a gas cutter to cut the out the shape of 10mil mild steel. The next step is to get milled down on an angle; the top remains at 10mil and milled down to 5mil at the bottom. This puts enough angle on the exhaust manifold to clear the firewall. Refer the photo below. This will cost you about $100 bucks to get done and you will need to use two exhaust manifold gaskets. This completes the prep you need to do before you drop the puppy in.
<img src="http://home.iprimus.com.au/bwjones/neil/001.jpg" alt=" - " />
The easiest thing in this conversion is pulling the old 8V out and dropping in the new 16V. To make it easy remove the radiator and all the associated AC gear and fan shrouds. You will need to remove the drive shafts, old wiring loom and ECU. Once all this is out you can get the chance to clean the years of oil and dirt build-up on the firewall, cross member and steering rack. The next thing you will need to do before dropping in the engine is putting a tilt on the brake master cylinder. To do this you need to remove the brake peddle box, to do this you need to unbolt it from inside the car (this is quite time consuming and can frustrate you as you are on you back under the steering wheel). Once you have unbolted it all you can remove it from the engine bay, you should have in your hands the brake peddle, brake booster and the master cylinder. Now you need to put 3-4 washers in between the brake booster and backing plate, this will tilt the master cylinder up and enable it to clear the cambelt cover.
<img src="http://home.iprimus.com.au/bwjones/neil/002.jpg" alt=" - " />
You are now ready to drop the donk in. I pulled the old engine out from under the car however I dropped the 16V in via the top. This is easy to do and all the pick-up points are the same (I did replace all the engine mounts before dropping in the new engine). I dropped the engine in without the inlet manifold on, this allows you to do the wiring and gives you more room to swing spanners with the alternator and the water hoses. I’m not going to talk about the wiring as I found this the hardest thing to do and to be honest I’m not sure how I managed to get it started. However the Mi16 ECU and wiring is a stand alone unit and all you need to do is get power to the ECU and to the fuel pump and it should start. All the instruments ie oil temp/pressure, water temp, alternator and starter motor you should just use your existing 8V wiring. This is all I will comment on the wiring side, if you are doing this conversion there are many sites and posts about the wiring should you run into trouble. Now its time to bolt it all back together, the drive shafts should just bolt in, inlet manifold on, alternator, and starter motor.
<img src="http://home.iprimus.com.au/bwjones/neil/004.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://home.iprimus.com.au/bwjones/neil/005.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://home.iprimus.com.au/bwjones/neil/006.jpg" alt=" - " />
You may read on other sites in the UK that you need to shorten the inlet manifold or tilt the engine in order to get it to fit. I wanted to fit the engine without tilting it and without shortening the inlet manifold as it was designed to have this manifold and tilt on the engine. Next you will need to get your trusty angle grinder and attack the fan shroud, you need to grind the shroud so that the radiator is flush with the fans using the lower mount. I have lost the AC as it didn’t work before and I will not be using it for an every day car. You can now put the radiator assembly back in, I used a space to tilt the radiator out only by 5mil. This set up will allow you to use the standard manifold and not tilt the engine.
<img src="http://home.iprimus.com.au/bwjones/neil/008.jpg" alt=" - " />
All that should be left to do now is fill it with water, oil and turn the Key vrooooom? After I got to this stage I took it to the exhaust shop and fitted a new 2.25 inc system including a new high flow cat. While I was doing the engine conversion I fitted new Koni Yellow’s on all four corners, new springs and a set of S2 wheels and sticky rubber. I love the car in its current configuration it is fast in a straight line and even quicker through the corners. For anybody attempting this conversion I would recommend fitting a baffled sump and LSD, which I’m in the process of doing.
<img src="http://home.iprimus.com.au/bwjones/neil/010.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://home.iprimus.com.au/bwjones/neil/011.jpg" alt=" - " />
The conversion cost approximately $3500 including the engine and it is something you can do yourself. I would like to take this opportunity to thank a number of Froggy members, Adrian, Peter T, Ben(for the donk), Steve, Cal and Brad. Any questions feel free to ask and I will try to help or point you in the right direction as to who can help you.
Future modifications will include a Baffled Sump, upgraded front brakes to S2 at least, Cage/race seats and LSD.
<small>[ 21 October 2003, 08:52 PM: Message edited by: neil 416 ]</small>
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