I'm about to replace the heater matrix, so while I'm working on the car was wondering what I could do to the engine at the same time.
Please no 'buy a GTI6' comments :p
Would the inlet manifold from a 6 would fit the XU10J2 engine?
What else could I do to squeeze more power out the old thing without costing the earth?
No you can't use a GTi-6 (or any other 16v) inlet or exhaust manifold on the 2.0 8v engine.
Inlet port shape is different to the 205 1.6/1.9 GTi engines too, so you're limited in off the shelf parts for that.
I don't know how well the standard management copes with modifications, but the standard cam is very mild so a hotter one (even standard 205 GTi) would help.
The basic 2.0 8v head is actually quite good (by 8v standards) and has bigger valves and flows better than the 1.6/1.9 GTi heads, and obviously it's coupled to a higher capacity bottom end with the torque improvements that should bring - yet in standard form it's held back by the cam and induction side of things (exhaust manifold isn't great but it's the same as a 205 GTi one)
That said, whilst you don't want to hear it, the easiest and cheapest route for considerable power increase is to swap the engine to a 16v unit.
Thanks for a detailed reply - Appreciate it!
So looks like I'm buggered a little to do anything with it.. Ahhh that's a shame, fancied tinkering with the engine a little.
Might have to get myself a newer version. ..Or a 6 :p
Throttle bodies or turbo it!
But both more expensice than a 16v lump!
There's 16v up for sale on ebay at the moment - £50 can't go wrong... famous last words!
I have converted my xsi 8v to a s16 engine easy swap and wiring plugs straight in.