Help needed with my GTI conversion

[Dee-vub]

This is prob more based towards dubbprince and randy!

But i have 2 spare plugs! Its only a couple of 2 pinners....one with black/red and brown(earth) and one black/red with blue! I have no clue where they are meant to go, so do you lads have any ideas??

Also......we are fairly sure the immobiliser is stopping the car from starting! Did you guys have any problems with this, or did you get the ignition barrel with the new engine? because i am using my original barrel and key and i am thinking they wont be coded to suit the new immobiliser? Do i need to get a key cut and coded to suit the new immobiliser?? Sny help would be brilliant guys as i am so close to finish here

[SteveB]

In the mk4's keys there is a transponder inside the key, if you split it open you can change it over with another transponder. If its the same on the Gti engine and you've got the other key, that might work.

[dubbprince]

hi mate, sorry the reply is a bit late in the day...i'm at work.

In regards to the plugs being spare, can you take a photo of them? or describe where they are located once the loom is in...is it the interior loom or the engine loom?

ALSO...

The way i'm doing my conversion is...i've swapped the engine harness for the GTI one so its all plug and play...the interior loom is now a mk5 1.4 mpi one so the engine harness plugs into that.

What i've got is the little black box which has the immobilisor code stored inside it and its situated above the headlamp switch inside the dash on a mk5.
On a mk4 its under the steering column...
I swapped the boxes over, the key i have that is coded to that particular black box/ecu i have also...i.e. the GTI key.

so my plan is to take it somewhere to have the chip taken out of the gti key and transplanted into the mk4 keys...the firm will find out whats on the chip and reprogramme my own keys to suit.

On the mk4 i didn't change the ignition barrel because thats NOT where the chip is read, the ring transponder coil AROUND the ignition barrel is the reader of the key chip...when the key comes close to it (i.e. inside the barrel) the code is sent down the wire to the black box and it disarms the immobilisor...or so i hope thats what will happen!

The ring around my ignition barrel was bigger than the mk5 one, so i had to rewire that to suit, you won't have that problem...all you need to do is swap your black box over for the GTI one and take the two keys somewhere to have them coded (vw does it i think...)

Sanj.

[dubbprince]

those wires 'could' be the following off of memory:

black/red and brown(earth)- heated washer jets?

black/red with blue!- expansion tank water level sensor?

[Dangerous Dave]

Get someone with VAGCOM to code your current key to the GTIs ECU will save you a load of hassle. Thats assuming you still have the port attached up to the loom. You would also be able to scan the car which might give details on why its not starting if coding the key doesn't work.

[Dee-vub]

Cheers for that guys.....so how exactly do i go about getting the key coded at vw??? what do i take to them? i'v got a blank key for them to cut, so obviously i'll take the key to them and what else?? do i need to take the full car or just the ecu etc?

The plugs are in the engine loom, both of them....well we think! we taped it up and assumed this is where they were meant to be. Dubbprince, you see for your fan, well did you get a GTI fan because i am using the original 8v fan and its got a different plug to the GTI fan looking at the plugs on each loom......should i just splice the old plug on or go all out, keep the plug and change the fan??

[dubbprince]

i'm running twin pacet 12" slimline fans mate and a VR6 radiator...a totally different kettle of fish.
Only reason is because they were destined for the 20vt conversion.

If I was you, i'd splice the connectors onto your new loom from the old one. Just make sure your 8v fan has 3 wires, one is ground and the other two control your fan speeds-slow and high...
If you only have two wires (brown is ground) then you'll need to join two wires onto one and brown to brown which means the fan runs at high whenever it kicks in.

What else are you stuck on mate? I'm almost there with mine, dash is all in, interior loom is all in...all switches etc plugged in, engine loom is in and power wire runs to the rear where my battery is...

fingers crossed it starts with the gti key close by!

Just wondered...if any mechanics are reading this:

Can you turn the Airbag, EPC and ABS lights off using Vag Com?

[randy]

Can you turn the Airbag, EPC and ABS lights off using Vag Com?

If you use vagcom it will clear it.. or you can simply reset it by taking the fuse out. Thats what i did as i didnt have vag com.

[randy]

DeeVub - you bought your engine of the exact same guy as me on ebay. You should have been provided with the GTI ignition barrel and key.

At first i thought i didnt have the key but this was tye wrapped to the engine so have a closer look.

Did you not get the ignition barrel and key with the engine? Or are you simply using your existing key as you are using your original wiring loom?

I think my mechanic had minimal problems as we used the gti wiring loom. The only electrical problem was getting the car started.. again i do not know what the fault was but i remember my mechanic telling me the fault was found using vag com.

Also, have you upgraded your brakes? I didnt and had all my pads and discs replaced with new but after some crazy driving they look like they might be on their way out soon so thinking of saving up and upgrading these

[vdubit]

Remove the sensor from the ignition barrel on your car. Hide this somewhere in behind the dash. Glue the gti to the sensor. Job done!

Unfortunately the car wont have an immobilizer, so put an aftermarket one on if you must.

[dubbprince]

Can you turn the Airbag, EPC and ABS lights off using Vag Com?

If you use vagcom it will clear it.. or you can simply reset it by taking the fuse out. Thats what i did as i didnt have vag com.

hmm...will try that out then, i don't have EPC (whatever that is) or Airbags or ABS anyway...hence why i dont fancy failing the mot on those lighting up. Or option 2 is to take apart the clocks and blank the lights out, but i'd rather do it properly.

There is like a coil that goes around the ignition barrel, it has a thick insulated wire going down the bottom of the steering column to a box which is just above the headlamp switch, if you remove the dash parts in the way you can get to it easier.
Once you find this...you basically have to have a key that 'talk's to this box...the coil bit is just an aerial for picking up the signal for the chip.
Best bet is to get the GTI key and your old key and have the chip re-programmed in your old key to match the GTI one, which means not changing anything...apart from that immbilisor box near the headlamp switch.

If you don't have the key, your gonna need to have the car looked at by vw...i donno how they do it, what they require but i'm guessing they use the diagnostic port for Vag com on it.
UNLESS they remove the black box and use that along with your key to find out what code is supposed to be on the chip for the key...

Keep us posted whether you have the origional GTI key mate, i'm in the same position but i had the key, the box and ecu that all went together.

[randy]

Not sure how VW do it either BUT if you want a new key set up to your new engine you will have to prove to VW that the engine you have is from a car that is either a write off or an unrepaired damage car.

Best bet is to talk to the mechanics manager as i only realised that after talking to every other tom, dick and harry at VW. Had plans to take the car in and apparently i would of had to pay for a brand new key and a few hours labour. Plus as your car prob isnt starting you will need to find a way of getting it to your local VW garage.

Thankfully i found the key and now im enjoyig the new engine

[dubbprince]

randy...did you use the ignition switch too that goes to the key??

OR did you just pay to have the chip re-programmed in your old key using the gti key?

I've been told that if you go to vw to do it, you need the plastic red key...the main key you get with the code on it.

[Dee-vub]

Randy, i was given the key but NOT the ignition barrel! Thats not much help eh!! Anyways, i'v got my original key and the GTI key. I'v bought a blank blade so i am going to get that cut to the shape of the 8v key and coded the same as the GTI key! bloody annoying he never gave me the ignition barrel!! Wouldnt pose a problem! I also have to get the car trailored to VW to get the coding done which is costing me £35 + VAT.

One more thing......my battery has gone totally flat, any idea why?? I'm going to charge her up over night and then see what happens. I dont think i'd left lights on or anything so doubt its that.

Cheers, phil

[dubbprince]

If you left the battery on concrete ground, or the garage floor...it would loose its charge really fast.

as for getting keys cut etc...

all you need to do is take the gti key and your old 8v key and have them read the chip on the gti key and reprogramme the 8v key. No need for the whole car i've been told.

Why doesn't your engine start with the gti key close to the ignition and you using the 8v key to turn the ignition switch??? have you tried that?