Scirocco GTI project

[Peter Brown <petebee@global2000.net>]

I am a read only member of this list due to the fact that I have to view
it at work. However, all the recent postings regarding the Scirocco GTI
has me thinkiní....

I had a 77 Scirocco with a Heron head Euro GTI engine (being somewhat
ingnorant at the time I assumed it was a regular old GTI engine). The
engine had about 20k on it when I bought it in 92 (had be installed in
83 or 84). Needless to say this car was quick. About a month after I
bought the car I was driving and the engine cut out. After about $500 in
ěattemptsî to cure the problem, my mechanic pulled the head and
proclaimed ěthis looks like a diesel head!!î So we figured out that this
was one of the European GTI engines (I guess we should have known from
the square shaped water passage in the head) It seems that the idler
bearing had seized, breaking the timing belt, resulting in the following
internal damage:

3 bent intake valves
1 broken exhaust valve
dings on the piston crowns where the valves hit

No other damage to the head (valve guides) or block (rods or crank) was
done.

After examing the paper work that came with the car, I realized that
this was not a stock 1.6L bottom end, but had been bored to 80.5mm with
an 86.4mm crank (1760cc I think), purchased from GMP. Trying to dump the
car, I ordered 3 new exhaust valves from BR Motorsport in England,
telling potential buyers that the head needed to re-assembled. Needless
to say I finally sold the car for $300, telling the guy that bought it
that I wanted to keep the engine.

Now comes the fun part. Due to the amount of interest regarding the
Scirocco GTI on this list, I am considering putting the motor back
together and putting in my 81 non ěSî, to create a psuedo Scirocco GTI
that is more than just stickers and spoilers. What do you guys think?
Here are some concerns:

1. Could the pistons be trashed even thought they show no apparent
damage other than the nicks?

2. Should I have the pistons machined to lower the compression ratio
(from 9.5 :1 down to 9.0:1) and clean up the tops? How much should be
taken off? Donít want to upgrade ignition to knock sensor and the
original car had a European recurved unit I think.

3. All the tuners (Techtonics, Autotech, etc.) told me I was wasting my
time on old technology, but the seat of my pants tells me that this
engine rocks. Plus it only has 20k on it.

4. I believe that the exhaust valve in standard 1.6L size. True?

Based on the input from the list (and the blessing of my significant
other) I will decide what to do.

Thanks,

Pete
81 Scirocco
87 5000S
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