Other engine options for my current 1.6 FSi

[Martin Pemberton]

Hello all and hope you're well, I've had an A2 1.6 fsi for some years and like all A2's the body and interior are sound and still in good shape but the engine has carried all the usual niggles mentioned on various write ups, it's now producing the top end rattle as if cam followers are stuck when first started, and carries a pinking/ticking/tap as if cam could be worn?? it has miss fire codes that seem to point towards inlet flaps sticking ? etc etc, it never seems to deliver what you'd expect from a 1.6. I'm fond of this vehicle if not for the vast amount of space offered when rear seats are removed offering more than my Q5 or most estate vehicles. I feel an injustice to sell the car when they only seem to bring around £700 if lucky when it still is a vehicle that stands its own for looks against modern, even though it's over 16yrs old. Last year I addressed suspension and running gear issues, changing bushes, wish bones, struts, springs  track rod ends and drive shaft.Before looking at any engine issues and what will probably be quite costly just to renew parts to see others fail I got a little giddy thinking, what about a change out?, upgrade? a project.?. so all the waffle finally gets round to my actual question, are there any spicy options for alternative engines that will go straight into my A2?? (petrol), maybe GTI? or am I looking at it being a ball ache of a job, I'm good at taking them out and putting them in but, if it's a case of doing too much modification in electrics I'm not so good, I don't mind chopping and re fabrication but anything under the dash becomes a pain. Are there any step by step kits out there to make an install achievable for someone who isn't an auto electrician? and recommended engine alternatives. 

Cheers, M.Pemebrton