What have you done with your pulsar today?

Sailor96

Member
Guess I was too confident in it's condition. On a longer drive I'd just gotten home when it happened luckily. So no tow required, just some leg work to move it up the driveway. I'll try a compression test once I'm off work to see the extent of the damage. Seems easiest to just drop the engine and get it sorted with some fresh coolant lines at the very least

If i'm lucky, the coolant flow only made the oil so hot, and therefore less viscous, to cause the lower oil pressure
 
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fubar andy

Moderator & N/W Rep
Staff member
Seems easiest to just drop the engine and get it sorted with some fresh coolant lines at the very least
This would be best!

Just a simple rebuild would be a great idea. Nothing too fancy, just get it all refreshed and at least you know its new and ready to go for whatever you've got planned for it.

I would, however add some forged pistons.
These are cheap to buy from the US, (when I bought them) and its futureproofing the engine for whatever you've got planned for it.
 

Sailor96

Member
Engine is out! Wish I could say it didn't take me all weekend. Had some precarious bolts, especially on ps firewall motor mount. Sucker just spun. Found some good info on this forum though for the driveshaft removal. After removing the wheel nut and giving it a tap, undid the knuckle to strut bolts and turned the wheel full tilt. Almost forgot that the ds axle has a tiny little snap ring holding it all together. After that it went semi smoothly. Not the first time rebuilding an engine but first time removing it fully from the vehicle and a totally different platform than what I've worked on (once had a pos s13 that shit out chunks of piston when I pulled them out)

This would be best!

Just a simple rebuild would be a great idea. Nothing too fancy, just get it all refreshed and at least you know its new and ready to go for whatever you've got planned for it.

I would, however add some forged pistons.
These are cheap to buy from the US, (when I bought them) and its futureproofing the engine for whatever you've got planned for it.
I did do some further testing and the compression was good across all 4, or at least to me I think (170,170,165,165) not fantastic numbers but defiantly not blown head gasket or melted piston rings. SOoo I was thinking of leaving the head in tack. Though there is a stud that is broken off in the head. hmm.... will think on this as I really wanted this engine to just work for as long as it took for me to build the spare engine in the shed, which I planned to do up all the way but obviously things have not gone according to :doh

If I'm going for a full rebuild I think: new pistons/rings new crank/rod bearings, but what else? New oil pump, timing chain and guides, water pump, rebuild the trans with new syncros while i'm in there? I feel like the list could just go on forever lol
 

fubar andy

Moderator & N/W Rep
Staff member
If I'm going for a full rebuild I think: new pistons/rings new crank/rod bearings, but what else? New oil pump, timing chain and guides, water pump, rebuild the trans with new syncros while i'm in there? I feel like the list could just go on forever lol
Good news overall it seems!

Regards the rebuild, it depends on how much your budget will allow?

For me, my build was pretty standard:
Forged pistons
Bearings
Valves
Springs etc
Seals
Crank bearings (and new crank)
Oil Pump
Water Pump
Timing chain

As for the gearbox - 100% rebuilt that.
These can be problematic.
If you want to go mad, you could install a QUAIFE gear kit (helicut) and a PAR/PPG 3rd gear selector fork

Also have your clutch line replaced with a bradied line and also have your clutch relase fork renforced with some 4 or 6mm steel to stop it bending if and when you upgrade the clutch.
 

Sailor96

Member
Good news overall it seems!
Regards the rebuild, it depends on how much your budget will allow?
I am stoked it's not already blown, very good news!
The budget I'm not too worried about, need space and time and probably a whole lot more expertise.

Quafie gear sets are all over the forum, seems like it has a really good rep. Added to my list for rebuilding the second engine/trans. I see Par also makes dog gear sets? Couldn't find the selector forks listed from them or PPG

For now, at least, the laundry list I settled for is repairing and replacing ancillary/rad/vacuum ect hoses, all bushings up front, ball joints, wheel bearings, end links, leaking master clutch cylinder which i found after pulling (+paint/undercoat), and a touch of wiring. :sweatsmile:

Progress is moving, the hubs are off waiting on bearing to take to a shop to press in. The lower ball joints are a pain in mine. Already removed all the hoses around back, with the IAC and AAC for further cleaning. Hose kit was missing pieces, burnt a hole in my wallet for Roose motorsport ones. New sensors for coolant and oil. Still have to push or cut all the old bushing rings to make room for the new ones to go in
 

Sailor96

Member
Pretty much all back in there with some upgrades. Filled her with fluids, and what do I hear but a small dripping noise :fearscream: Picked up a bore scope to see where it was sourced from, the main coolant hose coming from the engine block to the backside of the thermostat (brand new hose too). I knew I should have RTV'd it since it had some pitting. Defiantly regretting it
 

Sailor96

Member
Removed the intake without much headache besides the hose that had to come out.

thinking about filling in the pits with some jbweld high temp and sanding smooth for a hopefully better seal. might add in some black rtv just to be sure.

Waiting on lower ball joints and a new thermal intake gasket now :/
 

SKELLZ22

New Member
so guys i recently got my GTIR up and running again ...did a full engine rebuild (myself) and so far its been good i have one issue tho that wasnt there before i put her down
Issue: when im about to get in to boost/load it breaks up/stutters a lil around 4-4.5k RPM....and only there once passed there it will run up to 7k pretty fine.
what i know happened in the drives following the break in some how a wire behine the ecu had a break and possibly grounded and shot the ECU trace on pin 36(if i recal) ...i resoldered it myself and it started and ran but with this break up and also to not if i lower the boost it doesnt happen.
Could my issue be shot or something else im over looking .
 

gtirx2

Active Member
First I would check for water in any of the plug holes as this is quite a common problem from washing etc.

Leads quite often the coil lead it's self breaking down.

Pull the plugs and gap them tighter and see if the miss go's away.

Certainly sound ignition related so that where I would start,these car are hit and miss with ignition stuff some can run no problems with more boost others have issues like you describe above.
 
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