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Personally, I'd use OEM mounts if possible, that way provided the mounting plates are located on strong sections of the chassis you know the engine will stay firmly in place, and that replacement/upgraded mounts can be fitted with ease.
Putting the MK4 mounts on the marlin really would be easy.
Audi tt 225 engine's at the minute are quite rare (and expensive). Plus they will come standard with a 4 wheel gearbox, so that would need replacing.
So I went the other way. 180 BHP and beef it up! Bigger turbo (I already had re-conned for the Rover) , injectors, aftermarket ecu. These three things should make it see around 300BHP hopefully. Also exhaust manifold to fit turbo.
There's always the Leon Cupra R engine / 'box, though equally rare!
I’m curious to understand why Marlin are going 1.8t, when as far as their sponsor is concerned (a local Seat dealership I understand) the 1.8t is a bit old hat. The current performance engine is the 2litre turbo direct injection engine. Okay, the direct injection makes the choice of aftermarket ECU somewhat limited, but I’m told there is at least one standalone ECU (an MBE one) that can run the injectors.
We have not been idle since the last post. Far from it. Been scratching heads (me and merlinman).
We have tried the engine/box in engine bay. 6 speeder is a no go. Just too big. But a plus point has come out of the exercise. A PG1 box (1.8 K, 2.0l T series) may fit with the VW engine. This is after trying the VW 5 speed route, but at a cost.
My good friend Dave Bence found a website for a company called Reyland Engineering who did exactly, that mated a PG1 to the VAG Turbo engine. Try them in google it should take you straight to their site.
Next on the list.
Fit these engine bits.
Rebuild gearbox with steel cage bearings with type B diff.
Fit engine to box with Helix race clutch.
Finish ecu electrics.
Once the installation is complete you may well find that you need to weld in the rear frame and provide additional chassis bracing. I have just had this done with mine even though I am only running a VVC as even with extra bolts in the rear frame the rear end was still flexing.
With your considerable extra power it will probably be worse than mine. Hope this helps.
Initially I put an extra 4 x 10mm bolts through the rear frame Bl**dy tight and it still flexed. I have since had the rear frame welded in with additional round tube bracing welded in diagonally using the stiffness of the roll cage to the back end.
John Dry has also welded his rear frame in and put an additional cross member in. With the power you will have going through the back end once the new engine is up an running you will almost certainly need to upgrade and do something similar.
Opened up my "working" box yesterday that I had been using on the Marlin.
Found this.
Diff failure. Bearing has sheered the diff. Common on the type A diff's. Lucky I had another type B one spare in another gearbox. Which was stripped before this one.
Can't help but thinking that you are a free test bed for Marlin engine fit?....or are they helping you out on this one (seem to remember that a new engine would have 'free fit development' done by the factory in the sales pitch)
..anyhow, (if misses Limpabit isn't too close) what's total cost on the car now?.....just intrigued as to value vs fun vs performance vs elise....
Getting no help from Marlin. Though I have not asked for any.
Ian (merlinman) has done the mounts as I have no experience with welders!
This is not a stand VW build either (Am I trying to justify the costs. ). Lots of after market goodies from standard. Like a T28 turbo I had about waiting to go on the Rover engine. Know going on this.
But with that, comes baffled sump (as a safety measure, aftermarket ECU, gearbox rebuild, Rover gearbox conversion, etc ,ect.)
Not added it up accuratley at the moment but looking at th 3K mark I would have thought.
Yes at the beginning, it may have been worth getting an Elise. But with a broken car, thought I knew the car better than anyone as I built it. I could have put another Rover lump in it for a couple of hundred maybe. But decided ages ago, I was looking for a different engine, more modern.
I made the decision with the VW as this looked like a good modern alternative.
It's taken quite a bit of time, but the gearbox is now beefed up and working. main problem I had in the end was getting the gearbox shimmed (Rover don't do them anymore). But now all together and working.
A picture of the gearbox ready for the case. All steel caged bearings. Type B diff so should have better grip than the broken one above!
Custom flywheel locking tool! The bolts for the adapter plate was not the ones I ended up using. Ended up routering out a litttle and using cap head bolts to sink the bolts slightly.
Custom 6 paddle race Helix clutch.
Walbro high flow 225 PL Fuel pump in Rover case.
And engine in car. Could not use MGF mount as mounting was way off.
Next on the agenda. Complete water system, mount plumb in oil cooler, and electrics. Should not take too long. Then ready for first start.
I noticed you mentioned a charge cooler. I was going to start a tread about this, I wasn't sure if it had been discussed yet - the search facility on this site doesn't work very well....
Toyed with the idea of a big front mount (have pulsar intercooler already) but never fitted. Thought it would introduce lag as well as problems and looks on mounting it.
So....
Idea I have is I bought a cheap chargecooler off ebay similar to this but not at that price!
When I drove the car round Woodbridge, the car handled ok. Springs need to be harder, but seemed ok. It seems more funny on normal roads???? But I see what you mean about power.
I intend to have it on a roading road to check these things as that is where I picked up my engine was rocking!
What weight of springs did you go with in the end?
I am looking at AVO coilovers, as i have a trade account with them. However, i dont know what weight of springs i should be going with. I want firm firm, predominantely track type ride.