[jimk2]

Hello,
I own an early 8v mk2 gti with CIS (EV engine, similar to mk1). Before you ditch me about how CIS is superior, i'll have to tell you that i've spent a lot of time and money on the CIS but at the moment i'm not willing to spend more on a new metering head (and WUR) as im looking forward to a swap. Problem is, i have to temporarily get this car on the road and im looking for the cheapest way to do so. My question is: Not opting for performance or efficiency, what is the cheapest way to do this kind of conversion?
Thank you.

 

[Butcher]

I get the your issues about CIS but the resolution about a cheap carb swap is not going to be cheap or easy.

You'll have to get an intake manifold, then the carb, air filter, throttle cable modification, a new fuel pump [the CIS is too much pressure], removing the CIS fuel pump and hardware to allow free flowing fuel to the carb fuel pump, and probably a whole bunch more that I'm not thinking about.

Your car is too old for any real business to make a kit. If the Chinese are making one, good luck with getting it to work and the support you will need to get it to work.

Sorry for sounding like a Debbie Downer but I think rebuilding your own CIS fuel distributor and a bit of research about warm up regulators is the best approach. If you do not have the fuel gauges to test the CIS system, then you have not properly condemned the system.

 

[garryt]

you can always unplug and bypass the main pump, just run the carb off the in tank lift pump.

 

[jimk2]

Thanks for your input, my CIS was properly diagnosed with an appropriate pressure gauge, i guess a rebuild is the only choice

 

[garryt]

a decent weber carb would never give much bother. I like the idea of "keep it simple".

 

[DbilasTDI]

IF you can find an early carbed rabbit setup, it would be cheap if not free. I would plan on rebuilding the carb, but they are not a hot item. Plentiful in Europe MK2 MK3. By far the most popular and easy to find would be the weber 32/36 conversion. Works fine, lasts a long time

Get a mechanical pump if you ave trouble finding one search for 1.7 dodge omni oump. Also edelbrock has a good electric pump for about $60. run the pump line to a bung on bottom of tank.

Better yet get this manifold: https://www.ebay.com/itm/VW-MK1-MK2...541e:g:BcMAAOSwL29eQzTf&LH_ItemCondition=3000

and this chineesium Weber copy: https://www.ebay.com/itm/40-idf-2-b...=264556912982fb9e0661e0ad4b7eac19a1a6b6819e8c

and a pump and I promise you cant get into a carb for much less than this setup.

 

[shenkerism]

It's not cheap, but Redline makes a kit for this, K402.
https://www.bahnbrenner.com/vw_audi/products/3253/VW_Rabbit_Scirocco_Golf_-_Weber_3236_DFEV_Carb
$530 + Pump and Regulator and time troubleshooting and hoses and clamps and filters and... and...
As mentioned above, there are clones of clones of clones for most of it other than the manifold.

I'm 75 percent through such a swap. Undertaken partially because I had reached a similar point you had, looking at getting a refurbished WUR and/or refurbishing the distributor. Tired of CIS. In addition, I hadn't messed around with carburetors before so I wanted to experiment.

My recommendation is to find an OE carb setup somewhere. Worst part may be managing to find as complete a setup as possible and likely needing to pay shipping cost. One major benefit is that the Bentley (at least mine for my 1980 Dasher) does go into specifics regarding adjustments.