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Is there a diesel engine that is an easy fit to the mk2? Just starting to do more miles, economy isn't fantastic and I'm not exactly earning fortunes at the moment. Probably a silly idea, but it's worth a shot. Any of the old golf engines the right fitment, for example?

I would think there is as I've seen a diesel mk2 Polo locally for sale a few years ago, but wether the engine was a polo option or a conversion I don't know.

i would think buying a golf diesel will be cheaper than the conversion, cus then youll have problems (clocks, wiring etc)...

unless ur really keen! anything is possible! (and have the extra $$ too )

go on, scour the nation (or europe) for an Oko Diesel....... you know you want to

Meh, just a silly idea really. If it really comes to it I'll just have to sell up and get something more economical, but if there's an engine that just drops in then I should be more than capable of that.

There was a diesel Mk2 and Mk3 Polo, but we didn't get them over here. Even if you did find an engine, you'd have to alter the fuel system etc. and it'd cost a fortune for the gains you'd be getting. Probably better off selling up and getting something else if you need better economy. Mk2 Golf GTDs might be suitable for you.

*whispers* 1 litre injection

or that nz lump

cuz remember you'd not only have to sort the engine out, but the tank, pumps, fuel filter, gearbox (?) etc

I'd have to change tank, pumps, wiring etc to convert it to injection too, so not much difference there, and if I was dropping in a new engine I'd be dropping in a gearbox at the same time anyway.
Still, guess it doesn't really make sense to mess around converting it.. just have to sell up if I can't afford it. Anyone know what a mk2 (or a mk1?) golf diesel does in terms of mpg?

i think they're probably pretty good but the performance isnt too hot even compared to a 1.0 polo.... not for nothing did top gear use "VW diesel" as it's byword for slowness for a long time.

Well, the mk2 GTD was 75bhp iirc.. power to weight I guess that's a bit better than a 1.3 polo. Don't know what kind of power the standard diesels and turbo diesels were though, and I think that's the kind of thing I'd be looking at due to insurance..

for the hasstle and the work and to keep ur car for ALOT longer... id go for a 1.0 SPI.... they are real good on Petrol so iv heard, and they are a bit nippyer than the 1.0 carb'd!

How much would the fuel injection increase the economy by? I've got mine up to around 37mpg now on the carb..

let me just convert my polo fuel spreadsheet to something a little more cross-compatible than MSWorks and remove anything potentially embarrassing and you'll be able to see exactly what the economy's like

how are you driving it, though?
if you're really trying to be frugal and can only get 37mpg then you'd be as well to get an injection as a diesel as you'll potentially get 50% more miles for your money.

i'll say as i have before, even without looking at the sheet - i've only once had it below 30mpg even with concerted thrashing (well, ok, twice, but i don't trust the second one as it was immediately followed by a 60mpg even though the driving style was the same). Which suggests to me that you'll probably do alright from the swap, as those particular trips were spent either at 90mph or trying to acheive it.

ps The GTD was supposed to be a diesel GTi wasn't it? Suggests to me that if it got 75 brake, the rest of em had less... wonder where we could dig some figures from..?
(ah! parkers perhaps...... while you're waiting, have a gander at this for fuel economy's sakes http://www.parkers.co.uk/choosing/user_ ... 6&id=14448)

edit: only diesel owner review that you might be able to afford one of is a GTD oddly enough: http://www.parkers.co.uk/choosing/user_ ... 039&id=722 - verdict --- reliable, frugal, and although deathly unresponsive it's reasonably pokey once it wakes up.

Other scratchy details (mostly garnered from tech specs on later models) suggest a 60 or 64hp base engine for the non turbo (which, if you assume - perhaps wrongly - that the earlier diesels were also 1.9s, holds true along the hp-per-litre lines compared to the 48hp 1.4D Polo), 75 for the GTD and 90 for the TDi...
(if it were, instead, say a 1.5 thru 1.7 diesel, you'd only be looking at 51 to 58hp... an improvement on 45, for sure, but with the larger car and much heavier engine all the benefit might get swallowed up, particularly with the acceleration/gearing disadvantage inherent to an old-skool, non turbo diesel)

The mk2 golf GTD was a 1.6 litre Turbo Diesel and had 80bhp. The 1.9 suceeded this engine in the mk3 golf. There were a few different versions. There was a TD version that had 70 bhp (the difference between the TD and the GTD being an intercooler) and probably an NA one too but no idea what thats like (not good though I bet)

edit - just found out it has 54bhp!

You might see a few more mpg from fuel injection, 37mpg doesnt seem too bad to me though. Im still only getting around 30 from my mk2, but should get 40+ once its fuel injected. Hoping to have that all done in time for BVF so I can see how much better it is on a long run.

how are you driving it, though?
if you're really trying to be frugal and can only get 37mpg then you'd be as well to get an injection as a diesel as you'll potentially get 50% more miles for your money.

I got 40mpg on a motorway run, not really trying for economy but cruising around 70-75. 36-37mpg in daily driving (mainly the 15 minute journey to town and back again around the lanes), regardless of how I drive. Could be a tank full of thrashing it or a tank's worth of driving like an old granny and really trying to save petrol, it'll always be the same.. nice when I've got a lead right foot but annoying when I'm skint.

I've just been doing some investigation on carfolio.com and parkers:

Mk1 1.6 diesel N/A:
50.0bhp (60.24/tonne)
IG unknown

Mk2 1.6 diesel N/A:
54bhp (58.7/tonne)
IG 9

Mk2 1.6 turbo diesel:
70.0bhp (76.1/tonne)
IG 9

Mk2 1.6 GTD:
(No record)
IG 9

Mk2 Polo 1.4 diesel:
48.0bhp (59.6/tonne)
IG unknown

Mk2 Polo 1.05 petrol:
45.0bhp (62.9/tonne)
IG 4

Annoyingly, no fuel consumption figures for any of them..
Looks like the golfs are going to be good and pricey to insure