who has done the Golf brake servo mod

[Toby_Unna]

i installed a mk2 golf 1.3 brake servo today

to give me more room between inlet plenum and servo, so i can move/tilt the engine a little to the left to install my alpina exhaust manifold. things r never simple!

it's all done but installing it wasn't quite what i was expecting. i assumed the output rod of the servo that pushes against the master cylinder would be too long, and i'd have to put a spacer between master cylinder and servo

but in reality the servo rod was an inch too short, so i had to make up parts to overcome this.

i'm wondering if anyone else had this issue or if i got the wrong servo or something? i guess i got the wrong end of the stick from reading the m50 developments thread a while back?

anyway it works lovely, firmer brake pedal but that not a problem, and i now have LOADS of space to move the engine around
the old servo was almost touching the plenum.

[Karan]

cool

i'll prob do the same....

i dont think there is any servo where the rod is too long...
i remmeber m50dave made a spacer up from a cut up bolt

[jmc330i]

So which part did you have to mod?

The bit that pushes against the master cylinder or the bit inside the car that connects to the brake linkage across from the pedal.

[Toby_Unna]

cool karan what i did just seemed a bit of a bodge, didn't know if anyone else had done the same.

james: the servo output rod that pushes against the brake cylinder was too short. it still poked into the hole in the cylinder but not all the way. i made up a short rod (from an old bolt lol) to bridge the gap, then to be safe also made up a sleeve the same length as the rod i'd made, to sit around the servo output rod and push against the edge of the master cylinder input rod (the input rod is like a tube with the hole blocked off a little way down, so one part i made goes in the hole and the other pushes against the end of the tube)

hard to visualise, picture would be better but it's all installed on the car already

i tried to find a mk1 golf gti servo but no luck.

the inside-the-car linkage parts of the 1.3 servo are perfect, bolts straight in.

[jmc330i]

That sounds like what Dave did to fit his. He used a cut down bolt as well

I was expecting the in-car bit to be ok, it was on mine except for the E30 linkage pin was too big, so I had to drill out the hole on the servo end to fit it.
Good to hear another one has done it and it works!

Ive been on the look out for some more Mk1 servos, but have not seen any, I think I was lucky

So when is the Alpina manifold coming??

[Toby_Unna]

bloody thing's been sat on my desk for months

heres a pic again prob seen it b4 but it looks soooo nice



had to sort the servo before i even think about installing it. i know andy335touring tried it on his e30 and it was a long way from fitting

i need to cut and weld it, after i've shifted the engine around to make more room.

iv never seen a mk1 gti in a breaker, did u go to a specialist? that was the servo i was looking 4 but got fed up waiting and went and got a 1.3 mk2 one for a fiver.

[jmc330i]

That looks and is going to sound so nice when its fitted

Is it much cutting thats needed or just a quick trim? Im guessing the bloody steering joint gets in the way

I got my servo from a VW/Audi garage/breakers. It was the only Mk1 Gti they had in for breaking and its obviously rarer than yours because it cost me Ԛ£15
There were quite a few Mk1 1.3s, but that servo is so small I wouldnt want to try it in a standard E30. I dont even want to think about it trying to stop an E30 with M30/S50 conversion

[Toby_Unna]

this one gives a noticeably firmer pedal but i don't mind that, get used to it and will be fine.

the manifold is very very in the way of the steering joint

if i crashed mine (heaven forbid!) i wouldn't think twice about reshelling it with a LHD car. as mine is a basic car with all the fancy bits bolted on afterwards it wouldn't matter. i wouldn't mind the LHD and would mean i could put a turbo on easily (that's the plan eventually)

i think my manifold is worse than an s38/s50 one in terms of clearance, it's HUGE

[Karan]

yeh looks worse than mine

[Toby_Unna]

that makes me feel better karan

i think one whole collector is in the way

[jmc330i]

Ive got to admit, LHD and turbo'd S50 do sound very tempting
But I think I should get this one finished first

That manifold does look very 'bulky'. My S50 manifold and probably the S38 one, is quite thin looking compared to that, probably because its long, so the runners arent so bunched up.

I would guess that you are going to try to get both downpipes to run between the steering joint and the block, rather than one either side?

[glenn]

exhaust manifolds

i'm still having nightmares about them

[Karan]

s38 turbo babyyyyyyyyyyyyy one day.............

[Andy335Touring]

Nice one Toby, i've got to do this mod to mine

[Dan318-is]

if any body wonts a mk2 1.3 golf servo, iv got one, and i dont tend to use it

[Jhonno]

i've been thinking bout sourcing a LHD shell for the s50.. be novel as well as making life a little easier..

wonder where you could get one cheap..

[jmc330i]

Ive seen a few LHDs around, but most have accident damage of some sort or are a bit rough.

Could always try bringing a shell over from Germany.

[jaistanley]

Is there much difference between the LHD and RHD shells? With my old golf mk2 you could change drivers side by swapping bits (OK quite a few bits admittedly).

I imagine you have to weld in new steering column bracket but is there much else needed appart from the obvious steering stuff and dash?

Jai

[Stevin]

I wouldn't think so, cause we got a couple of E30 M3's over here that are converted to RHD, cause we aren't allowed to import any LHD cars without doing this convesiob .

[Karan]

Is there much difference between the LHD and RHD shells? With my old golf mk2 you could change drivers side by swapping bits (OK quite a few bits admittedly).

I imagine you have to weld in new steering column bracket but is there much else needed appart from the obvious steering stuff and dash?

Jai

its not a bolt up thingy,,,,, u have to weld a new steering column holder thingy on

[Dan318-is]

got a mk2 1.3 golf servo if n e one wonts one

[Andy335Touring]

got a mk2 1.3 golf servo if n e one wonts one

How much do you want for it inc' postage ?

[Dan318-is]

assuming ic an get it

il give it to you for 20 quid posted?

if postage is cheaper than anticipated il put some cash in the parcel??

[jmc330i]

Is there much difference between the LHD and RHD shells? With my old golf mk2 you could change drivers side by swapping bits (OK quite a few bits admittedly).

I imagine you have to weld in new steering column bracket but is there much else needed appart from the obvious steering stuff and dash?

Jai

its not a bolt up thingy,,,,, u have to weld a new steering column holder thingy on

Have a look at the 2nd pic down here, the one with the dash removed.

It looks like the mount for the steering is already there, and just needs the bits moved over, then its steering rack etc etc. I dont know if it would be that easy, but didnt Birds convert some M3s to RHD?

[gareth]

just resurrecting this thread....

as i'm fitting a M30 and have a suspect servo, i'm thinking of trying the gold servo mod.

what models are ok to use? mk1 & mk2? i assume a gti one is the one to have?

[jmc330i]

I used a Mk1 GTi servo, which I believe is pretty much the same size as the cab servo and it was a total straight swap. I did drill out the hole in the golf forkhead so I could use the E30 pin and clip to make everything a nice snug fit.....


I think the Mk2 1.3 servo is the other one that works, but a spacer is needed as described above. The Mk2 GTi servo is too big - about the same size as the e30 servo.

[gareth]

i'll see if i can get my hands on a mk1 gti one then...

ta.

i wonder if it's the same as the scirocco? that's mostly mk1 based...

[buster]

toby,i have a solution that works.

Use the golf mk 2 1.3 servo but instead of the bm master cylinder,use an audi one.Its a direct replacement ,ie its longer inside the servo so basically it bolts together with no mods.Thats what ive used on my s50 conversion.I also upgraded to a 25mm master cylinder at the same time.The master cylinder is also shorter .

If you want the same size master as the bmw one (23mm i think) then get one from an audi 2.2 coupe if its the 25mm one that you want then get it from a 2.3 coupe, 200 turbo, 100 turbo .The 25mm one should have cast into it 25zv


heres a pic (courtesey of Ian Haynes) of the 25 mm one

[Andy335Touring]

Nice info mate as i've got a Mk2 Golf servo i want to fit !

Did the 25mm one just bolt straight on including the pipe unions ?

With a smaller servo and a larger master cylinder how is the brake pedal going to be ?

I'd guess it will take a bit more effort to use but how will the travel/bite point/feel be affected ?

On a kind of related subject i need some rubber engine mounts with offset studs so i can move my engine slightly to the passenger side of the engine bay, they need to be roughly the same thickness as the M20 mounts i'm already using.

I've been told E28 M535, M5 (E28 or E34 ?????) and the 850 had these offset type mounts but i would welcome some advice as to which would be best to use ?

[Brianmoooore]

toby,i have a solution that works.

Use the golf mk 2 1.3 servo but instead of the bm master cylinder,use an audi one.Its a direct replacement ,ie its longer inside the servo so basically it bolts together with no mods.Thats what ive used on my s50 conversion.I also upgraded to a 25mm master cylinder at the same time.The master cylinder is also shorter .

If you want the same size master as the bmw one (23mm i think) then get one from an audi 2.2 coupe if its the 25mm one that you want then get it from a 2.3 coupe, 200 turbo, 100 turbo .The 25mm one should have cast into it 25zv


heres a pic (courtesey of Ian Haynes) of the 25 mm one

Usefull info! The shorter projection of the Audi cylinder intoo the engine bay will help the clearance issue between the connectors off the AFM to TB air hose and the end of the cylinder.

[buster]

The 25 mm one did bolt straight in,the 2 brake pipes needed extending to reach although you may be able to bend them to join up.
The pedal feel is stiffer and better.Its apparently 18% more push so will be handy when i get some whopper stoppers on the front.

The mounts :
I used e28 m5 on the drivers side which has offset studs,
the passsenger side i used a think was an m5 one,it has offset studs but is taller than the drivers side one.

11 81 1 128 932 - Left - approx Ԛ£18
11 81 2 225 201 - Right - approx Ԛ£28


cheers
andy

[Andy335Touring]

The 25 mm one did bolt straight in,the 2 brake pipes needed extending to reach although you may be able to bend them to join up.
The pedal feel is stiffer and better.Its apparently 18% more push so will be handy when i get some whopper stoppers on the front.

The mounts :
I used e28 m5 on the drivers side which has offset studs,
the passsenger side i used a think was an m5 one,it has offset studs but is taller than the drivers side one.

11 81 1 128 932 - Left - approx Ԛ£18
11 81 2 225 201 - Right - approx Ԛ£28


cheers
andy

Cheers mate, very use full info

[randomdave325]

thats exactly what i did toby. i think the bolt is just under an inch but i just played with a few till i got it right. i had no probs with it tho. fits sweet doesn't it! i've fitted a 944 one with the reshell n space is tight. i've had to file the plastic ribs off the inlet manifold as otherwise it rests against it when the engine settles on the mounts but hopefully it should be ok! i may have to revert back to the golf one but only time will tell. don't dis the cutdown bolt idea peeps. it's cheap and works. it can't go anywhere when it's in the master cylinder. plus you can just throw it if you cut it too short with no hassles!

[Toby_Unna]

toby,i have a solution that works.

Use the golf mk 2 1.3 servo but instead of the bm master cylinder,use an audi one.Its a direct replacement ,ie its longer inside the servo so basically it bolts together with no mods.Thats what ive used on my s50 conversion.I also upgraded to a 25mm master cylinder at the same time.The master cylinder is also shorter .

If you want the same size master as the bmw one (23mm i think) then get one from an audi 2.2 coupe if its the 25mm one that you want then get it from a 2.3 coupe, 200 turbo, 100 turbo .The 25mm one should have cast into it 25zv


heres a pic (courtesey of Ian Haynes) of the 25 mm one

quality!

i know where there's a 2.2coupe, at my local breaker!

assume u mean the later shape coupe? as the squareish one is a 2.1 i think

some good research there

[buster]

yeah the 1990 coupes,make sure it looks like this one mind as my m8's coupe (2.2) looks different