[Ross74h]

Hi guys,


Just wondering if anyone knows of any suitable upgrades for my 1.6 AKL engine?

It has got a universal air filter on it at the moment and thats it as that was all I could find (and the universal one I have is actually bigger than the only air filter kit that I could find - which was also four times as expensive!)

I have looked but I cant find anything for it, everything seems to be for the bigger engines. I`m assuming its got VVT as well as it goes a lot harder over 4K and there is a noticeable engine note change.

 

[WaterWheels]

Just wondering if anyone knows of any suitable upgrades for my 1.6 AKL engine?. . . I`m assuming its got VVT as well as it goes a lot harder over 4K and there is a noticeable engine note change.

Don't know what model car but in say a Polo 74kw is a nice combination really. Try looking into swapping in a AUM code 16v I think they are like 110kw and except for the mounts and engine management parts it should swap in easy enough (never look too hard so don't do it without first looking into it better).

As far as I can see it does not have VVT and a camshaft from say a 1.8L or 2.0L will fit and work. But again this is just from a quick check of the engine, not in real detail.

 

[Ross74h]

Don't know what model car but in say a Polo 74kw is a nice combination really. Try looking into swapping in a AUM code 16v I think they are like 110kw and except for the mounts and engine management parts it should swap in easy enough (never look too hard so don't do it without first looking into it better).

As far as I can see it does not have VVT and a camshaft from say a 1.8L or 2.0L will fit and work. But again this is just from a quick check of the engine, not in real detail.

My VIN sticker says its 77.6kW so I`m assuming that works out to be about 106bhp(???), I know its got something odd about its air filter as there is a small lever on the side of the air intake piping which moves forward at 4,000 rpm and makes the engine note go quite a bit deeper.

I was wondering if something like the ABD 2.0 short ram air intake or the Ross Racing 1.8T air filter would fit.

Also any idea what cc the injectors are and if there are any I can do a swap to?

Ideally I`d like to stick to the engine that`s in the car as its the biggest and most potent block that came in the Polo in the UK so I`d love to stay away from the normal swaps like the 2.0 16v, 1.8T, etc and show what the 1.6 can really do.

Oh, and its in this...

 

[WaterWheels]

My VIN sticker says its 77.6kW so I`m assuming that works out to be about 106bhp(???), I know its got something odd about its air filter as there is a small lever on the side of the air intake piping which moves forward at 4,000 rpm and makes the engine note go quite a bit deeper.

Also any idea what cc the injectors are and if there are any I can do a swap to?

Ideally I`d like to stick to the engine that`s in the car as its the biggest and most potent block that came in the Polo in the UK so I`d love to stay away from the normal swaps like the 2.0 16v, 1.8T, etc . . .

VW lists the engine at 74kw. That's via the ETKA program but advertised or sometimes in different countries it might vary I guess. "VVT" is variable valve timing which it does not have. Just what you are talking about on the filter box I would have to see or research so I can't comment right now. Post a picture of it if possible, moght help.

I will try to look up the injectors if I can find a listing for them. There are many large injector data lists but they are never complete with "ALL" injectors. But really there is no need to just slap in larger injectors, it serves no purpose.

The AUM is a 1.6L engine with a 16v setup. There is another that was built on the same base engine block as yours but can't recall the code. So I was not really talking about changing over to a 1.8L or 2.0L engine, just a different engine type based on your current block.

 

[Ross74h]

Something along the lines of this. It seems to have a big black box with some lines going to it and back from it to the intake. Just wondering what the earth it is and if I can get rid of it.

 

[WaterWheels]

Picture doesn't work here at work, I'll try again when I'm at home as it could be blocked.

 

[Ross74h]

Ahh ok. Not sure which models had the AUM then and I dont think we ever got a 150bhp 1.6, i know we had the Golf GTi with the 2.0 16v 150bhp in Mk 3 form.

I know we got the Polo/Luo GTI (125bhp), and watered down version in the Golf etc (105bhp).

Can you fit 16v head/cams etc onto the 8v block to "convert" it to 16v?

Now to try the intake pictures again!

ABD racing one

Eurosport one

USRT one (most expensive but probably nicest looking!)

Also, is it worth fitting lightweight underdrive and alternator pulleys etc to gain a few more horses and de-stress the engine a bit?

And the big black box I mean is the one direcrtly behind the screen wash bottle

 

[WaterWheels]

And the big black box I mean is the one direcrtly behind the screen wash bottle

Have to say I was mistaken about the AUM, it is a 1.8L engine it seems. It is still based on the same block as yours as far as I can tell, VW designation EA-827 which is the same as most 80's and 90's water cooled engines of 1.6L through 2.0L. The Polo GTi engine is a 1.4L if I recall and a small block design, EA-111. Converting an 8v to a 16v is more or less more expensive than just buying a good used 16v. As you have a 77.4mm stroke, if I'm correct, there are no 16v pistons, maybe turbo engines, from VW and custom ones would have to be made. Underdrive aluminum pullies are way over rated and really just a sales gimmik. If you had a top of the line race engine and had to squeeze out every tenth of a horsepower to even be competitive in racing I could see using them. If show is your thing then they would look better then stamped steel or if you worry about rusty pullies too.

That looks like maybe a charcoal canister. I can not find the AKL listed in a Polo even though the software lists it as being installed from 99 tru 2001. I find it in other models, Golf and Bora for example, but they do not have that box that I have seen. Yours also says SR but I have always seen SE on the covers, what's the difference? Can you take a pic with the cover off? Maybe the AKL has a few other codes, many VW engines were made with multiple codes, and I can find things that way.

 

[Ross74h]

I will take one when I get home. Apparently the SR means something in German that translates as "sucking pipe". I think it's something to do with a lever on the side of the intake that opens up a different flow passage above 3,500 rpm. I know the engine note goes harsher and it pulls a lot harder.

So in theory any of the intakes should fit and I could just remove that container and blank off the pipes?

By Polo GTi I meant the 6n2 GTi, I think that was the 1.6 16v engine.

 

[Ross74h]

Ok, here are the pics of the mainfold. You can see the lines coming off of both the intake mainfold and the intake itself to the charcoal canister in this one;-

This is the bulk of the intake manifold itself;-

This is the lever that changes the air flow (seems to have a vacuum pipe going somewhere to activate it - possibly the charcoal canister?);-

Slightly wider shot of the intake manifold;-

And this is the universal filter its running at the moment for lack of anything else (the OE airbox was full of holes);-

 

[WaterWheels]

Apparently the SR means something in German that translates as "sucking pipe". I think it's something to do with a lever on the side of the intake that opens up a different flow passage above 3,500 rpm. I know the engine note goes harsher and it pulls a lot harder.

It would seem you have what is known as VLIM which stands for Variable Lenght Intake Manifold. There needs to be some kind of control box fot it also, maybe like a relay size thing or larger. Depending on the engines needs the lenght of the intake runners can be made long, for low engine speed torque, or short, for high engine speeds. Sucking pipe would make sense as the word in German for intake manifold is saugrohr, hense the SR.

 

[Ross74h]

So would it be better to keep the stock intake but fit a bigger throttle body, remove the charcoal canister and fit a higher flow rate MAF plus a shielded cold air intake on it or fit an updated intake and loose the stock intake?

 

[Glegor]

why do you think the throttle body is a restriction?

when you go changing the throttle body, and MAF, that makes the stock tune in the ECU completely useless..

its programmed to work with throttle body A, and mas air sensor A, but you installed throttle body B, witch is larger, and may have other differences, as well as installing MAF B.. witch will also have completely different calibration than the stock unit..

why do you think the intake is soo restrictive? do you even know the difference between an air intake, and an intake manifold? because you have pictures of both..

the USRT is a INTAKE MANIFOLD, and appears to be for an ABA, not your engine..

the eurosport AIR INTAKE is just that, an intake that connects to the throttle body. after the intake manifold.. the ABD is also an air intake..

there is a big difference between an intake manifold, and a short ram/cold air intake..

im just trying to figure out why you think you need to upgrade your intake before anything else..

usually people go for exhaust and cams first..

you get absolutely ZERO gains from the intake side if the exhaust side of things cant keep up with whats on there now..

usually the exhaust is more restrictive than the intake on an un-modified car..

 

[Ross74h]

Oh I didnt think the throttle body and MAF were a restriction. I was planning ahead for if I try and get a high power N/A output from the car but I wasnt sure if I would need to replace them in order to allow for the greater flow requirements.

I know I have pictured both air intakes and manifolds, I should have re-phrased the question to if it would be better to just replace the stock airbox with an air filter and hard pipe (resiting the MAF to the end of the hard pipe rather than the current flexi-pipe) or if it would be best to replace the entire intake assembly with an uprated one, again allowing for future power upgrades.

I am going in the same order I went with my old 205 air filter and manifold back exhaust as stage one, then uprate the manifolds (and the 205`s case replace the original single carb with twin 45s), then replace the cam and have headwork done.

In the case of the Polo, I will be adding in a "Generic" remap after the new exhaust and sports cat are fitted to optimise the car to allow for upgrade in airflow.

 

[fwdvw]

.....By Polo GTi I meant the 6n2 GTi, I think that was the 1.6 16v engine.

What do these blocks look like? We never got those in the US but I'd live to build a 1.6 16V

Anyone have the spec on this motor online? Bore and stroke? I guess this block is derived from the earlier small engines 1.3 correct?

 

[WaterWheels]

We never got those in the US but I'd live to build a 1.6 16V

Anyone have the spec on this motor online? Bore and stroke? I guess this block is derived from the earlier small engines 1.3 correct?

Yes, it is what is refered to as a "small" block and came in 1 through 1.6 liter combinations (maybe larger not sure). The original Polo GTI was a 1.6L 16v version, 76.5 bore X 86.9 stroke making 125hp. The new Polo GTIs have a smaller 1.4L 16v TSI engine making 180hp. I know some people think using Google is cheating or unfair or shows a lack of knowledge, but try it any you'll get all the info on these engines you will need. Making a 1.6L big block 16v really is not hard, might already be one in Europe but never checked, you just need custom rods or pistons and a European 77.4mm crankshaft. The PL or 9A heads will bolt right up but their pistons will not work with 144mm rods (or the shorter ones). So either custom pistons or rods are required to make the thing fit together.

 

[Ross74h]

We did get a big block 1.6 16v in the UK in the Mk 4 Golf etc but it was rated at a slightly aneamic (for a valver) 105bhp so barely more than the 8v in my car, if any at all. We also got it in FSI form in the Mk 5 Golf but I'm not 100% certain it was a 16v. As far as I know the 16v unit stayed in service right up to the pre-facelift Fabias (ie about 2010) but still in the 105bhp form.

Not sure on the FSI's output. Think it might have been between 105 and 115 bhp. Don't know any of the engine codes I'm afraid!

 

[Ross74h]

Just thinking, its a shame that the VLIM from an R32 couldn't be modified to fit the AKL. That would have a much bigger flow capacity so it would easily be able to cope with a higher output.

Is there anything in the VAG stable with a bigger displacement and power output I could use the VLIM from?

 

[Glegor]

Just thinking, its a shame that the VLIM from an R32 couldn't be modified to fit the AKL. That would have a much bigger flow capacity so it would easily be able to cope with a higher output.

Is there anything in the VAG stable with a bigger displacement and power output I could use the VLIM from?

why do you think that the intake is such a restriction?

you are aware you are working with an 8v engine right? the heads dont even flow all that well..

if you had a huge intake, and an unrestrictive manifold, does it really matter if your intake ports are still drinking straws?

i would TRY TO KEEP your stock intake manifold on there at all costs.. i dont think you understand what you actually have there..

seriously tho, give me some factual evidence as to WHY the intake system needs upgrade?

cut the cat off, run a bigger exhaust, drop a cam in it.. you are going about this BACKWARDS.. you dont need to upgrade the intake manifold until it is the last piece of the puzzle thats holding you back from BIG POWER..

 

[Glegor]

Just thinking, its a shame that the VLIM from an R32 couldn't be modified to fit the AKL. That would have a much bigger flow capacity so it would easily be able to cope with a higher output.

Is there anything in the VAG stable with a bigger displacement and power output I could use the VLIM from?

intakes are tuned specifically to an engine, and a certain displacement..

if you put an intake off a bigger engine onto your 1.6, it would probably lose intake velocity, and just become doggy off the bottom end..

and forget my comment earlier about BIG POWER..

you have a 1.6, and you are NOT going to turbo it, so forget about making big power..

if you want more power on the cheap/easy, just do as everyone else is telling you, and swap a GTI engine in there.. preferably a 16v..