4G63T Buildup
(2 litre, 16V turbo - Lancer Evo/Eclipse/VR4 Engine)

Having read around various forums (mostly 4G61T.com and dsmtalk.com), and having seen pictures of Insane Import Performance's C10 Colt Evo - it was apparent that the 4G63T engine fitted quite nicely into the Colt - providing around 220-280bhp, depending what car it comes from.

Only trouble is, while scrap Eclipses/Talons/Lasers are fairly plentiful in the US, and Galant VR4 and Evo engines are the same in Japan and Australia, no car was ever officially sold in the UK with this engine. This made getting one for me either very difficult, or very expensive.

So, one day I'm surfing around the net, thanks to Google, and I find Christian Wimmer's Galant GTi website. This tells us all how much he liked his father's GTi, but more importantly this page points out the major differences between the GTi and the VR4, as illustrated here (pic hosted by me):

This set me thinking, as Galant GTis are somewhat easier to find than VR4s! Roadworthy ones tend to fetch around £300, and engines in good condition fetch around £100 at the scrappies.

A little more research, courtesy of this page and some questions asked on 4G61T.com, and I was happy that I could attempt to convert the GTi engine to VR4 spec.

So far, at this point, it appeared that I would require to change the pistons (to VR4 ones), use coated pistons (as the non-turbo engines lack the oil squirters that the turbo models have. They fire oil at the underside of the pistons to cool them.), use turbo cams (or HKS ones, already being eyed up on DSMotorsport's site), an Eclipse or VR4 ECU, and obviously get a turbo, manifold for the turbo, as well as oil and water feeds and drains. In addition, I would require the top passenger side and both parts of the bottom rear engine mount from a Hyundai Lantra (also plentiful in the scrappies).

Having decided to proceed with this, I went to find a Galant GTi and/or engine. I found one in a matter of days - still complete, fitted and running in a car at Irvine Car Spares. I told them I would remove the engine myself (as I wanted to both know where everything went and also get the wiring loom complete), and was charged £80 - very good for an engine, loom and all accessories (apart from the alternator).

I removed the engine and picked it up in my van.

Once I got an engine stand, I began dismantling this engine, things got interesting - lots of unexpected occurances!

Knock Sensor - good thing, required for the turbo ECU, and also it turns out the Galant GTi is the only non-turbo to have it fitted.

6 bolt flywheel - expected. Means this is a 1G engine, and not prone to crankwalk. Also means that crankshaft main bearings were not a dealer only part. What I wasn't expecting though, was that this flywheel was fine for use with my gearbox. I had been under the impression FWD and 4WD (Eclipses anyway) had different flywheels. Once I removed the flywheel from the Colt's engine, they are the same height, tooth pitch, diameter and everything. I kept the Colt's clutch as it had far more meat than the Galant GTi's one did.

Oil Squirters! Nobody else on the net that I have found has ever seen these in a non-turbo 4G63 before. Bonus!

ECU. It turns out that, as I have the knock sensor, The GTi ECU has the circuitry required to use it (obviously). It now appears that in addition to fitting it to the Colt's ECU bracket - info - it may be possible to simply fit a socket to the EPROM and put a VR4 chip in it. More on this once I've done it of course.

And the other surprise (as yet unconfirmed) is that the block I have may in fact be an Eclipse block (would explain the oil squirters). This is because the bottom end gasket set I ordered (only one listed for the GTi) doesn't fit. But there is a different gasket set listed for the Eclipse. I haven't picked it up yet, so I don't know for sure.

Having completely dismantled the block, and having thoroughly checked it (and had it double checked by Kenny (madk, works for Pistons and Components), I Hammerited the block and mounts and began reassembling it. (Obviously currently being hampered by having the wrong gasket set)

Galant GTi (left) and Hyundai Lantra (right) engine mounts. Lantra mount has the L bar sit about an inch further back and at the top of the mount instead of the bottom.

Empty engine bay - ready for seam welding, triangulating the chassis legs and repainting. I will also run the wiring loom before the short block and gearbox are refitted.

Galant GTi front lower engine mount (left), standard Colt (right) - as you can see, this will also put the bottom of the engine about and inch further back.

That's it for just now, more when I've done it!