Mk1a/b engine compatability

[J-T]

Just a quick question before i go buying an engine, if i try and fit a mk1b engine into my 1a, will i need the loom and ecu from the b engine, or will it plug and play with 1a ecu? is there anything else i'd need?

[kevin..in]

you can fit a 1B engine into your 1A no probs just use all the 1A wiring,injectors and inlet manifold
job done

[Mk1Chris]

As above, just treat it as a bare block and bolt on all the external gubbins from your existing car and you will have no problems.

[Jimbo_Jet]

What's the deal with the dizzy, will that have to be a MK1 a or b in this situation? Is there a difference? Reason I ask is that I've got a MK1a with a MK1b engine and gearbox in it. It has the MK1a ECU, loom, injectors and throttle body but the rest is MK1b - I wouldn't be able to tell what revision the dizzy is if there is a difference. Problem I have is that when at idle the engine runs quite lumpy, as if it’s misfiring. So I wondered if the dizzy might be the cause?

J-T, you'll love the MK1a ECU however, it makes the engine rev much more willingly!!!! It's fantastic!!! I used to have a MK1b with all MK1b stuff in the engine. My new MK1a now has the best of both worlds, it has the stronger MK1b engine block and gear box but with the more aggressive MK1a ECU! As a result the engine pulls a he11 of a lot more above 6500revs than my MK1b and I now change gear, when I'm booting it, a good 500revs higher than I did before. It's still pulling when I change at 7750revs whereas my MK1b's power would start to peak at 7250 if I remember correctly. It's great

[kevin..in]

the deal with the distributer (never ever call it a dizzy thats for people who don't know what they are on about!!) is use the one specific to the cars ECU/ ignition setup then you will have no problems
mix and match and you will have running issues

[Paff]

the deal with the distributer (never ever call it a dizzy thats for people who don't know what they are on about!!)

Whats wrong with calling it a dizzy, doesn't mean you don't know what you are on about

[kevin..in]

the deal with the distributer (never ever call it a dizzy thats for people who don't know what they are on about!!)

Whats wrong with calling it a dizzy, doesn't mean you don't know what you are on about

whats wrong with calling it what it is

[System-G]

Is the ignition timing between a&b different then?

I'm sure I've run a 1a dizzy on a 1b engine in the past... But it was a very long time ago so may be wrong...

Also when I was having issues setting up the stiming on our current 1a track car, I got the dizzy from another 1a engine that had been running really well before it was removed. According to the part number on the dizzy, it came from a Carina... I landed up not using it as the timing issue turned out to be a knackered TPS.

[Jimbo_Jet]

the deal with the distributer (never ever call it a dizzy thats for people who don't know what they are on about!!)

Whats wrong with calling it a dizzy, doesn't mean you don't know what you are on about

whats wrong with calling it what it is

And people say I'm 'dizzy'! Just so happens that if I can't identify the correct dizz.....er distributer then I probably don't know what I'm talking about!

[Jimbo_Jet]

BINGO! Just ran a search and came upon this thread.

http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/viewtopic. ... ter#754366

Mr Paul Woods says: ".... and also remember to slot your old distributor into the new engine,these are NOT interchangeable from mk1a to b ecu's and it will backfire like mad trying to run the wrong distributor."

Hmmmmmm - think I need to check my distributor out! In this particual instance Paul was refering to putting a Mk1b engine in to a MK1a, just like mine and J-T. Soooo, we both need to keep a MK1a ditributor with our MK1b engines. Anyone know how to tell the difference? Sure I've asked that question once before but can't remember for the life of me what thread it was

[kevin..in]

BINGO! Just ran a search and came upon this thread.

http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/viewtopic. ... ter#754366

Mr Paul Woods says: ".... and also remember to slot your old distributor into the new engine,these are NOT interchangeable from mk1a to b ecu's and it will backfire like mad trying to run the wrong distributor."

Hmmmmmm - think I need to check my distributor out! Anyone know how to tell the difference? Sure I've asked that question once before but can't remember for the life of me what thread it was [/i]

Mr Woods is best placed to advise you on distributer identification
but do you not have the one from your original engine?
this would obviously be the one you need

[Jimbo_Jet]

Mr Woods is best placed to advise you on distributer identification
but do you not have the one from your original engine?
this would obviously be the one you need

In my case unfortunatley not

[kevin..in]

Mr Woods is best placed to advise you on distributer identification
but do you not have the one from your original engine?
this would obviously be the one you need

In my case unfortunatley not

think I have one lying around yours for the postage

[Tiamat]

J-T, you'll love the MK1a ECU however, it makes the engine rev much more willingly!!!! It's fantastic!!! I used to have a MK1b with all MK1b stuff in the engine. My new MK1a now has the best of both worlds, it has the stronger MK1b engine block and gear box but with the more aggressive MK1a ECU! As a result the engine pulls a he11 of a lot more above 6500revs than my MK1b and I now change gear, when I'm booting it, a good 500revs higher than I did before. It's still pulling when I change at 7750revs whereas my MK1b's power would start to peak at 7250 if I remember correctly. It's great

The only reason the MK1a ECU is more agressive is the MK1a engine had smaller injectors than the MK1b. I would imagine that its somethign else making all the difference you can feel.

[Jimbo_Jet]

think I have one lying around yours for the postage

NICE If I can work out which one I've got I might take you up on that. Cheers

[J-T]

J-T, you'll love the MK1a ECU however, it makes the engine rev much more willingly!!!! It's fantastic!!! I used to have a MK1b with all MK1b stuff in the engine. My new MK1a now has the best of both worlds, it has the stronger MK1b engine block and gear box but with the more aggressive MK1a ECU! As a result the engine pulls a he11 of a lot more above 6500revs than my MK1b and I now change gear, when I'm booting it, a good 500revs higher than I did before. It's still pulling when I change at 7750revs whereas my MK1b's power would start to peak at 7250 if I remember correctly. It's great

i won't know, as i've already got a 1a, lol.

thanks for all the help ppl

[Jimbo_Jet]

What's the deal with the dizzy, will that have to be a MK1 a or b in this situation? Is there a difference? Reason I ask is that I've got a MK1a with a MK1b engine and gearbox in it. It has the MK1a ECU, loom, injectors and throttle body but the rest is MK1b - I wouldn't be able to tell what revision the dizzy is if there is a difference. Problem I have is that when at idle the engine runs quite lumpy, as if it’s misfiring. So I wondered if the dizzy might be the cause?

J-T, you'll love the MK1a ECU however, it makes the engine rev much more willingly!!!! It's fantastic!!! I used to have a MK1b with all MK1b stuff in the engine. My new MK1a now has the best of both worlds, it has the stronger MK1b engine block and gear box but with the more aggressive MK1a ECU! As a result the engine pulls a he11 of a lot more above 6500revs than my MK1b and I now change gear, when I'm booting it, a good 400revs higher than I did before. It's still pulling when I change at 7600revs whereas my MK1b's power would start to peak at 7250 if I remember correctly. It's great