# 1.8 Top with 2.0 bottom



## NEPAVR6 (Dec 8, 2008)

First i know I'm probably going to get flamed for this thread. I've tried searching and still haven't found what I'm looking for. 
I have a '83 Rabbit GTI Sport. The previous owner stripped the bolts holding the trans to the engine and it had no fluid in it. So needless to say the trans is pretty bad. More like really bad. Third and fourth pop out of gear and fifth doesn't even work. I've stopped driving it when i went to drain the trans fluid and nothing came out. And when i put oil in it just poured right out where the motor meets the trans. 

So I'm looking into doing a motor and trans swap from a mk3 Jetta with a 2.0L ABA motor. I will be using the JH head from my 83 and the bottom from the ABA. This is a pretty common swap and was wondering if anyone could shed some light on what else i need to buy for this swap. I'm going to be buying a new head gasket, valve seals, and timing belt. I'm wondering for what motor would i buy the timing belt and head gasket for? And since i'm going to be using the trans from the ABA, what axles should i use? (the ones from the ABA or 1.8?) What else would i need? 
Thanks in advance:beer:


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## Svedka (Jul 4, 2008)

head gasket from ABA 2.0 93-98 
using the mk3 trans will have 100mm axel flanges you can swap to 90mm flanges from your old trans or get 100mm axels from a 16v rocco or late modle mk1 cabby like 90-92 

other common items used is 

oil breather block off plate (most people don't rout this crank case breather blocking it off is very common kit is a plate and a freeze plug) 
header or down-pipe spacer (this is needed or you will crack the manifold) 
upgrade engine mounts possible spacer in front mount (more than likely they are shot and your adding more power poly or stiffer rubber is recommended in mk1) 
check your throttle body make sure its a bigger one 

anything else can be added after the swap:beer:


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## NEPAVR6 (Dec 8, 2008)

Thank you very much. I think i'm going to make a build thread on this also


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## Snatcher (Apr 3, 2009)

Svedka said:


> head gasket from ABA 2.0 93-98
> using the mk3 trans will have 100mm axel flanges you can swap to 90mm flanges from your old trans or get 100mm axels from a 16v rocco or late modle mk1 cabby like 90-92
> 
> other common items used is
> ...


 FEQ has 100mm axles that are found in the mk2 for around 60$ each on partsgeek.com (i just recently bought them  fit's right in my mk2 golf GL)


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## Svedka (Jul 4, 2008)

he was talking about MK1 NOT MK2 

there is a huge difference even if u drink lots of :beer::beer::beer: it wont fit then you need more :beer::beer::beer::sly:


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## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

Svedka said:


> he was talking about MK1 NOT MK2
> 
> there is a huge difference even if u drink lots of :beer::beer::beer: it wont fit then you need more :beer::beer::beer::sly:


 lol, its gonna take more than a six-pack to make mk2 axles fit in a mk1!  

only 100mm axles for a mk1 are 16v rocco axles..


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## NEPAVR6 (Dec 8, 2008)

Im having a hard time finding a breather block off plate and header spacer. Any links? Or will they have to be custom made?


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## Svedka (Jul 4, 2008)

Like half way down the page 

http://www.nothingleavesstock.com/page13/page13.html 

TT sell a kit also 
http://techtonicstuninginc.com/main...oduct_info&cPath=2_12_54_250&products_id=1258 

as for head gasket spacer what are you trying to accomplish 

lower compression 
http://www.bahnbrenner.com/vw_audi/products/1402/BBM_2_0L_Low_Compression_Metal_Head_Gasket


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## superl8 (Dec 31, 2002)

For the block off I made a plate that with aluminum - matched the gasket. You also need a collar to resize your distributor to the hole in the ABA. I ran the ABA (it fits perfectly) timing belt and I used a 16v gasket. I also lengthened my tri-y header 3/4"-1" With all the bolt ons it's an excellent swap:thumbup: You'd be smart to run the knock sensing ignition set-up. It has a more aggressive timing map (so I've been told) I never did and I think it'd be a worthy addition.


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## Svedka (Jul 4, 2008)

Yep i missed the dist adapter and gear 

http://techtonicstuninginc.com/main...roduct_info&cPath=2_11_5_248&products_id=1372


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## snowfox (Apr 4, 2002)

Svedka said:


> head gasket from ABA 2.0 93-98


 *No. * Head gasket should be from a 3a (2.0L Audi 80, 'bubble block') or 9a (16V 2.0L) motor. The ABA headgasket in the 1.8 c-flow/2.0 ABA hybrid has a tendency to leak at an oil galley.


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## NEPAVR6 (Dec 8, 2008)

Thank you again for all the help. Im looking at a running a 270 cam. Any ideas? Im looking to get as much out of the engine without forced induction.


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## Boost_Retard (Oct 10, 2005)

i run the Multi layer steel 16V head gasket in both my ABA/counterflow motors, 
if you want the most bang for your buck IMO, and dont mind paying for the premium fuel (i run 94 octane and it seems to work just fine) deck 2mm off your head to get the chambers down to around 22-23cc run the gasket stock (as in dont take out the big metal slab in the middle of the layers) bolt that head down to your ABA block with some ARP studs if you plan on tearing the motor down often, im sure new stock bolts would do just fine also.. 

slap on a nice tri-Y header and a 288° cam and some decent springs, get your adaptor ring for your 1.8L distributor, i like to grind the adaptor ring to open up the oil gallery to the dizzy drive shaft, then bond the ring to the dizzy with some lock tite high clearance retainer, its green... just so the oil port in the ring stays lined up with the oil port on the dizzy as your timing your motor.. 

your dynamic CR gets lowerd down to around 11:1 with the 288°, something like 11.6:1 static IIRC 
i run 35° give or take 2° and im pretty sure its around 10-11° inital timing.. an adjustable cam gear can make up for the cam timing change due to the head decking, it all depends on where you want your power to be but its nice to have if you feel like tuning.. 

i run ported heads and one motor has a neuspeed TB and the other motor is running dual 40 DCOEs but both require the same basic tune to make them run happy..the rest is up 2 you.. 

what ever you do dont bolt that 1.8L head onto a ABA un decked, or at least without a modded head gasket.. IIRC its a 14.6CC dish in my ABA pistons and, and im pretty sure my stock heads were in the 30cc range, makes for a low CR super slug, even more so with a lumpy cam. no good dont do it, 


i KNOW that you will be more than happy with the setup i listed above, it hauls for what it is and sounds great doing it.. 

i like the schrick dual springs myself, i have them in both motors, and one motor has a schrick 288 and the other has a web 288, it seems that the web cam is a little more on and off than the schrick but that could be due to the carb/CIS difference also..


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## Boost_Retard (Oct 10, 2005)

thought i should add that you will need to do some messing with your fuel distributor to get things perfect, and with the 288 your car wont pass air care , not sure if u need to pass emissions where u are, but all you gotta do is work it so your air care is good for a few days after your insurance runs out for the year, then you can do your cam swap back to stock, whip through emissions, pass, put good cam back in (288) then when your insurance runs out you still have a week of air care, go get another years insurance in that week and you make it so u air care once every 2 years..cuts down on the cam swapping and fuel/timing tweaking.. 

i say screw the 270 cam, if you want torque run the stocker, it runs outa breath by 5K i find, the 288 pulls to 7K in my motors, 

its kinda fun to peel off the tires with the stocker cam while im in air care mode, but the 288 allows you to blast past just about anything if your pulling 7K shifts with a close ratio box 

all my other motors run larger than 288 cams but these water cooled heads require more work to run larger than a 288


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## snowfox (Apr 4, 2002)

Boost_Retard said:


> what ever you do dont bolt that 1.8L head onto a ABA un decked, or at least without a modded head gasket.. makes for a low CR super slug, even more so with a lumpy cam. no good dont do it,


I guess a "low CR super slug" could be a subjective observation, but an UNDECKED 1.8 head on the ABA block yields a 10:1 CR. I've even heard some debate that the combustion chamber on the c-flow head is slightly smaller than the ABA's stock x-flow and the c-flow/ABA hybrid with an unmilled head starts life at 10.3:1 static CR. Maybe that compression is 'low' and 'super slug' for the big cams, but it's plenty good for milder street cams...


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## Boost_Retard (Oct 10, 2005)

i should add that i did all my crunching using the W8DTC plug and cc'ed everything with methyl hydrate with a drip or 2 of red dye to make it easy to see..

different plugs will yeild slightly different numbers and i personally like methyl hydrate for its super low surface tension, gives you accurate #'s

i dont need to argue about it, just measure everything for yourself then you will know just as i do, it also helps having 3 of the same combo motors running in different trim, it really shows what a slug is and whats not, deck the head and run the 288


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## vdubboyz722 (Mar 21, 2007)

I'm thinkin about doin the same thing! But it'd be a 92 1.8 and a 93 2.0. Or a 97 2.0! I'll prolly run a 272 cam tho. That would still pass emissions right?


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## NEPAVR6 (Dec 8, 2008)

Sorry not to ignore your question, but i have both engines ready for removal. I'm stuck now thinking about the wiring and fuel. For the fuel i'm going to run the OBDII system with minimal splicing. To make it easier i will be running a separate ignition system. One switch for accessories, one for engine priming, and a toggle on a spring for start up. Im going to try and make my own dash out of sheet metal. This way i can buy the gauges i want and keep them all located where i can easily see them. 
As for the fuel system this is where im stuck. 
1. Will I be able to use the fuel pump from the MK3 in the MK1?
2. Can I just retain the MK3 fuel system?
3. What pressure does the MK3 fuel system run? MK1?

I know I need to relocate some of the tubing under the hood, but i would like to keep the MK3 fuel pump.
There are a few more, but i cant think of them right now. BTW ill try and get some pics up tm.

Oh I think it would be helpful if I informed you that ill just be swapping in the 2.0 without the 1.8 head. Although i have all the parts, time is a factor. I will be building a head while I have the 2.0 in and done. And hopefully put it in during the winter.


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## TheBurninator (Jan 7, 2009)

Glegor said:


> lol, its gonna take more than a six-pack to make mk2 axles fit in a mk1!
> 
> only 100mm axles for a mk1 are 16v rocco axles..


 wrong. 

Cabby and Rocco after 84 would be the correct answer


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## NEPAVR6 (Dec 8, 2008)

Just a little update.

Moved away for college so currently im just stocking up on parts. Here's the list so far. Im free to any advise. As you can tell I got stuck on the TT page.

-ARP Head studs
-Autotech Tri-Y header
-Techtonics 6 Puck clutch
-TT 288 cam
-TT cam drive belt
-TT adj cam sprocket
-TT Valve adj shims
-TT HD valve springs
-TT 7mm valve spring retainers
-Standard head bolts
-TT distributor ad. and gear kit
-TT front and sides motor mounts
-Rear inner and outer wheel bearings (might as well since they're going to be conv to disc)


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## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

TheBurninator said:


> wrong.
> 
> Cabby and Rocco after 84 would be the correct answer


pretty sure they are 90mm.. but i could be wrong..


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## NEPAVR6 (Dec 8, 2008)

Does anyone know if the rear discs off of a 1998 Jetta GT will fit onto the MK1 GTI? I would imagine so, but would like to get a final say before I rip into it this weekend.

Also here's where i'm at now


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