Well I hope you guys like long videos HAHA!! Some context about what is also happening here. Last year I bought a $1300 TT with the engine completely disassembled. BUT the pervious owner had bought a ton of upgrades including the rods and pistons you see in the video. There will be a complete TT series coming out as soon as the car is up and running. With the turbo and upgraded parts, we should be around 400HP... Allegedly anyway HAHA!

The extra cleaning you are doing is NOT overkill. Its the mark of excellence

I can only imagine the time and effort that went into this video, mad respect dude.

I've built about a dozen VW engines now, and I never get bored watching someone else build one! Also good to know that my best practices match yours during assembly... Looks great, it should be a runner for sure!

wow, literally the perfect video for me rn, was just getting the urge to go bigger turbo on my mk4 gti lmaoo i love the synergies of life sometimes! keep it up charles!

A person could learn to be an engine mechanic from this one single video. Much respect, dude. You're amazing.

i have a MK4 GTI 1.8T and it's awesome to have guys like you still working on older engines / vehicles like this!!

The 1.8t was such an amazing engine, I had the 224hp BAM one in my 2004 Seat Leon Cupra R. Ran very smooth, had tons of power even at low rpm (you only needed 6th gear on the Autobahn) and it was always fun to mess with luxury car owners, that bought the smallest engine and then got smoked by a 16 year old spanish car.

Hey there Charles, always appreciate your videos. I have to say, this is your best one so far. How you take the time to carefully explain everything is to your credit. your friend, volvo snob.

Much respect. You told us the even minor details which often people forget while assembling the engine. Keep up making great videos. The car owners who come are really blessed by your great effort n attention which needed to roll there cars in next many many years.

Humble, engine builder here. If you're going to use the piston it self to line up the ring for gapping. It's best practices to put the oil scrapper ring on the piston, if you don't there is enough play between the piston and cylinder wall to "tilt" the ring just a little and it will make the gap out a thou or so (tight when put in parallel). Buy placing the oil scrapper ring on the piston it lets the ring land square up the ring to the bore. I have a plastic tool for this that makes its easier and faster as you're not fighting a whole piston and or rod. Love the build.

i watched 58 mins of a guy mounting an engine and i didn't for a second think about anything... this was the best hour i ever spent honestly, great to find a channel where to pass time not wasted (i learned a lot)

Awesome video Charles! The one hour flew by in an instant! You kept the conversation light and lively and not overly technical to bore us. I look forward to part 2 to flesh out the rest of the build and firing up that bad boy! Cheers!

You are truly a Bob Ross of engine assembling process❤

My MK4 GTI just ticked over 200k miles. Bought it 6 years ago as a temp car to get me to work for $1000. It took my daughter to appointments and has never failed me. I love that car and want to rebuild it. This video came out at the perfect time

Bro I took my a4 1.8 out 6 years ago... now u got me contemplating get back to rebuilding it with this guide. God bless u.

Hey Charles, here in Hellas Europe when we change the Dual mass flywheel with Single mass flywheel the flywheel comes with bolts with hex head because the triple square bolt heads are very tall and the clutch disk "grind" to them. Thanks for the very detailed video 🙂🙂

I do not comment often. but this is an insanely good video. Great dude, great knowledge and a evem better video. I like your extra cleaning etc... THIS is real engine-building like every engine should be build

What a wealth of knowledge from an awesome person. You kept me glued to the build from start to finish. In awe throughout the video. Thank you.

I've wanted to see a rebuild of this engine, because at 204K and the second timing change recently, the internals on my GTI might be getting tired. I have the AWD version and looking at your process it's of course complex but not any more complex than a recent rebuild of a Chevy 283 I saw on Hagerty. You can watch these videos back-to-back and only see the different engine design between the two companies. They are virtually alike step by step during the build. The process is the only difference between the makes. This video dispels the notion that because it's Volkswagen, the complexity is higher. Now all you need is the plaque that says, "built by Charles AKA Klaus". Many thanks.

Very cool to see this! The EMD locomotive engines I work on have piston oil squirters as well - both for cooling and lubricating the piston thrust washer. The pistons in the EMD engines are a floating design so they'll rotate inside the cylinder in order to increase the piston life and prevent excessive wear in one area. Edit: as a side note, I've had to loosen the end cam cap to remove an old cam seal while doing a timing belt job - if you're fighting a seal and you can easily access the cap bolts, totally worth it to make the job easier.

GREAT VIDEO 1.8 T.......Awesome powerhouse

Watching you put the sealant on the oil pan sped up was extremely satisfying. 20/10 highly recommend!

I owned a MK4 2003 Jetta with this exact engine (AWP) and did the timing belt job at about 65,000 miles and replaced the water pump with the euro spec metal impeller version. For me personally it was peace of mind regardless of how good the current plastic ones are. This was a great watch - I had that car for 11 years and aside from 2 coil failures and a blown turbo I never had an issue with the engine itself. Still miss that car

Love watching engine rebuilds. Brilliantly done sir.😎👍

I can't believe I just spent an hour watching an engine rebuild for an engine I don't even own ...

I'm not a volkswagen guy, but I can't help but watch every video you make. Keep up the good work! I learn so much

you asked about the sound of the torque wrench . i just got my first digital one and i have to say i would never go back i love the sound and the adjustments are so much easier . its like a carpenter going from a hand held hammer to a nail gun lol . loved the video thanks for going into so much detail i loved it

Charles can i say how much I love these detailed Mk4 builds!! This makes my weekend! The level of detail is epic as always

One thing I did on my last engine build was I had the ring gaps checked with a torque plate on. As most builders know they use these for boring the cylinders so they're the right size, because apparently the cylinders can change up to .001" in diameter. However the circumference of the cylinder (and thus ring gap) changes by .003" for every .001" of diameter change (because C = 3.14 D), which is not insignificant.

I’ve been rebuilding a Fiat 16V 1.3 turbo diesel. 75 bhp out of the box. 111 with a remap. The top end was clogged with soot but all bores were good. Main bearings and cam bearings were as new so they have gone straight back in. Turbo core and one injector have also been replaced along with cam chain rockers and lifters. The trick is to get everything really clean. I washed the outside with engine degreaser followed by a solution of biological laundry detergent. Inside everything oily was cleaned with brake cleaner and oiled with clean oil during assembly. Piston rings were replaced because oil control rings were sooted up. Annoying because the ring gaps were fine.

I LOVE long videos from you. Your demeanor and intelligence and HUMBLENESS make you a great guy to watch and learn from.

Super useful! Thanks so much for putting it all together into one clear and concise video! Now lets just hope I can replicate this.

This was awesome can't wait to see the rest of the build!

Can't thank you enough for putting out this video. Sure there's rebuild info on this motor already on KZfaq. But not the humble mechanic way!. I have my 04' GLI sitting waiting for my first rebuild. It's people like you that can help me achieve my rebuild goal

Videos like this is why Humble Mechanic will go down as the the best automotive mechanic in history.

Badass H rods!

Nice build 👌 very educational, I thoroughly enjoyed the video.

I rarely rarely watch videos like 30 mins or longer, but Charles, your videos no matter how long they are I can watch every second of it, and enjoy it. I actually probably learned a lot of new stuff just from this almost hour long video. Keep up the great work!

I waited until I got out of work and got home to watch this. this was very therapeutic 😊. I'm one of those wierd people that torque EVERYTHING, including drain plugs🙃

Great video. I’ve been doing a ton of research on assembling this engine and you’ve hit every nail on the head. A thoroughly enjoyable video. Great job!!

Did you make a parts list/ parts overview for this build? I am going to be doing this EXACT same thing on my TT and a full cost breakdown and parts list would be immensely helpful. I cannot find any full lists online and I have put together my own list but am not sure if I’m missing anything

One day I want to rebuild an engine I’m already certain I’ll choose based on what videos you’ve got, and the 1.8T would be an awesome one… Ty for the time and attention to detail that goes into stuff like this, it’s really incredible 💯

I dont currently have a VW or Audi but do enjoy watching the channel, its really informative and I learned alot. I had no idea what setting ring gaps was so thanks alot for showing what it is and how to do it! Nothings more annoying than watching a video and having someone say make sure you do xyz but never showing how to do it.

definitely want those piston squirters good. they keep the bottom of the pistons cool for the turbo boost. And if one is leaking like that it will make the oil pressure really low. Maybe that is why it spun a bearing?

Love it mate thank you🙏by far the best guide on youtube👍🏻 planning on forging mine and putting a different turbo on my tt

I have this engine on my tt and it’s probably the most reliable engine on a Audi/VW I ever had I love it and I like how high power it can make

My first new car had this. I had a 2002 Jetta with this. It was so much fun. I did not know about the 1.8T back then, because I didn't know much about German cars. I thought I would be buying a VR6 12V. However, the 1.8T was less expensive than the 12V VR6. I wanted to own something different from what my parents owned, they mostly owned Hondas and Toyotas, and that made me not like Hondas and Toyotas. I went way too fast one night and nearly went to the Darwin Awards. Side airbags saved my life. 1:52 Piston squirters are great. It has been said to be a major reason the Nissan 300ZX could endure people turning up the boost. I learned so much about cars when I read the May 1998 issue of Sport Compact Car about how to get 450HP from a 300ZXTT. 5:43 I thought if you had a damaged bearing surface, you could have the crank reground at the automotive machinist, and order undersize bearings. However, some situations leave the crank too far gone for that. 7:55 It is interesting to see thrust washers. I usually see American and Japanese engine rebuilds, and they integrate that into one of the main bearings. It makes me think about how in most American and Japanese gasoline engines, they get 3 piece oil rings, and only diesels get 2 piece oil rings. Seeing a 2 piece oil ring in the VR6 really surprised me. I just thought "Who puts diesel rings in a gasoline engine?" 8:57 Worse, some people will end breaking a main cap or damaging the block if they don't seat the caps first. 13:01 In almost all cases, the top compression ring is plated and the second compression ring is unplated. That is why the top ring is a different color. This is important for newcomers, not all engines have a different ring groove width for 1st and 2nd compression rings. 13:24 No, the reason the ring gap can't be too small is because expansion will cause the ring to close and break something. 22:86 I was always told to make sure the 1st compression ring was 180 degrees from the 2nd compression ring. 33:54 The most common 5V cylinder head in the USA. Some people have never heard of a 5V cylinder head, so I tell them to look at a cylinder head for a B5 Passat 1.8T. 34:41 Also, some bolts will require you to apply sealant. Some manufacturers have cylinder head bolts that reach the water jacket. 36:04 If you mix up used flat lifters on an OHV engine, it will end soon in disaster. People who work on OHV engines build a tray that holds the removed lifters. 38:59 I always found it weird to have a timing belt engine, combined with a timing chain. This isn't just a VW/Audi thing. Many Toyota engines would have a belt to drive the cam on one end, then a timing gear that attached the cams to each other. If figure if a company is going to use timing belts, just put a belt on everything. The upside of a timing belt is that there is no metal to lubricate, and no wear metal to end up in the oil. The downside is scheduled replacement, or belt go boom. The people who choose to design a timing belt engine should be hung by one. Nobody in my family knew what a timing belt was until 1994. It went boom on mom's 1985 Maxima and made the car not worth saving. I loved that car and hated to see it go. I guess some guys at Nissan decided that the VG engine was too unbreakable, so they had to add something stupid to it. There were too many Datsun Z cars on the road that didn't make money for the parts and service department. In order to keep those people employed, a timing belt was installed on the 1984 Nissan 300ZX. I am so glad the 2002 and later Z car got timing chains. 41:55 I prefer a click. I like the pure mechanical feel. What's funny is that I like all my stuff to have a mechanical feel, even though I would rather have EFI engines than carb engines.

This gives me confidence as I prepare to build my 2013 genesis coupe 2.0t( I know, not relevant) but your videos are just so awesome!! 😎 I'm soaking up all the information available 😁

I can put 1.8t together with my eyes closed but still I watch this video whenever I’m bored.

This literally could not have come at a better time. My 1.8t is at the machine shop getting all fixed polished up and ready for my build.

As someone with two Mk4 Jettas, I've watched this video three times... And will probably watch it again as I breakdown and rebuild the GLI... THANK YOU for this video. I'm NC if you want to help; but you already have the content so..... lol

The "twe-hey-valve-ter-bow" oh yes many many of those here in the UK too. As you say fitted to loads of different models Audi Seat Skoda VW, and lots of after market "replacement"(upgradeable) parts avaliable. ANYHOW I'll sit down and enjoy your video thank you so much for your time and effort bringing us this vid.

Next time put a drop of the engine oil on the back and front of crankshaft bearings and pump some engine oil into the engine block oil gallery's and into the crankshaft oil lubrication holes.THIS WAY YOU DONT START THE ENGINE AND HAVE THAT LAG OF THE OIL NOT GETTING TO LUBRICANT THE BIG END ,SMALL END AND CRANKSHAFT BEARINGS by doing this the oil pump will pump up the oil from the block gallery and the crankshaft is also full so no chance of a split dry milliseconds this will cause a slight drag on the new bearings that I'm sure you've seen before. Good video thanks. everyday is a learning day ❤

I know I'm late to this one Charles, but this was a great way of unwinding after having to work on the weekend. After this I almost feel like I spent the whole weekend fishing.

Blew my s3 engine few days ago, probably went lean and burnt a piston, soo that video will help me alot bc it's going to be my first rebuild

When your fitting the piston rings and their not marked you can figure this by squeezing the ring in your hand with you fingers and the ring WILL buckle in only one direction always . That side up keeps the compression it's the way all rings are made straight is that way up again oil the rings especially the oil ring lightly. Ting smoke when starting but a guarantee that its not going to move and have a dry contact on the barrel . It's the little things in life that makes one happy.

Hello, many thanks for one of your professional video about our engines. In my opinion, probably the best and comprehensive video on how to assemble an engine and with very good advice and educational explanations. You become captivated by watching the same video over and over again. In short, "Top of the line" on the web. Highly recommended.

This is how you would want any mechanic to work on your engine. Top job

this video is awsome, as a early student on carmechanics this makes everything come to light so easy

Love your video superman. I have 14 tts and 2 heads to replace and the obvious timing belts and other inspections. I have my work cut out. Thanks so much. Regards, irish man.

I love the box trick with the "peggy hooks". Never seen or thought about that before!

You remind me a lot about my ex-father in-law. Best believe you could have been twins. I respect him so much. He taught me a lot. What's better? He is a Master Tech on VW/Audi. When other Master Techs cant fix something, he fixes it. And he does not brag about his skills or knowledge, ever!. Just as humble as you are, and you two look exactly the same. It's so weird. I love watching your videos as it reminds me alot about him and my ex-family. If you're interested, i'd like to show you a pic so you could see the crazy resemblance. From South Africa, Peace out!

I just picked up a project MK4 GLI with the 1.8T. This is a very informational video. I'm sure I will be watching many more of your videos. Thanks Charles!

Love my 2004 AWM 1.8T with 5speed manual trans. Saving this for future. Rite now after 150k the coolant temp sensor has finally started acting sketchy. Never had a leaking issue because the person who worked on it last used high temp gasket maker so I'm gonna carefully do the same. That's a long time with no issues and no leaking from that common issue.

I love this long very well explained videos! I can watch all day long. Thanks 👍🏿

Funny I'm not a mechanic and yet I find so satisfying to watch your work, specially on this video that you are just working on the engine of my Passat ha ha

I wanna yank out my 383 small block in my first Gen s-10 and use this platform. Good rod's, pistons, exhaust valves, and springs. Mild cam and goal of 300 -400 whp. People say hondo but, I like German engineering better than Japan. I want reliability and some fun with good fuel mileage and this seems like goals that are realistic. I've always like Volkswagen with bug's, rabbit's, and siroccros. The diesel rabbit is my favorite. You cannot break them and if you do, you've done something you should be proud of.

That thing is going to be wicked, Ive driven a stock 1.8t car and it was no slouch!

I love these in depth engine rebuild type videos. I have always wanted to rebuild an engine but have never been brave enough to try. Maybe I will build a 1.8t like this one to swap into my 944 some day lol.

Transverse Engine- quite a significant pain unless out of the car. Long - Engine so much more fun. Good video as always brotha

Thank you doesn't do this comment justice! Going through this process for my TT this winter. Greatly appreciate all the videos and the sense of community you help bring to the Audi/vw world. Cheers!

Also in the Seat Leon here in Europe 🇪🇸 I have 1.8t BAM in my cupra R 🇬🇧 😎👍

Just got a free AEB. Finally going to go turbo for my Scirocco, this will come in handy!

Absolutely an awesome video, I've got a mk4 gti AGU which is soon to be rebuilt, has 400k kms on it, curious to know whether a part 2 of this has been filmed where you fit everything to the motor and get her started up, Charles you're an absolute legend

love it how you make it look soo easy and calming. bob ross of engine builders

Dude I’ve had such a fun day watching your videos. Thanks

Extra cleaning is the best of all. I know it can be quite the luxury, but even when I rebuild small engines, I always thoroughly cleaned them via pressure washing before even turning a bolt loose. It's more pleasant to work with a clean engine, it's also less prone to debris finding their way into something they shouldn't be.

This is awesome, learning quite a bit from your humility the humble one 😀

You're the best engine builder i've ever seen!

Love the long video. It may not get you the quick, high views, but you can be sure that it will rise to the top of the list over the next several years for "1.8T Rebuild". You've done the VR6 video, now you need to look for a good 07K 5 cylinder to do the same.

This was a great video to watch. Now, I'm not a mechanic or even much of a car guy at all. I don't own, and don't plan to own, and VW/Audi/etc cars, and I certainly have no interest in ever rebuilding a car engine. And yet, I couldn't stop watching this. Fantastic job.

love the content brother! the only thing i think the channel miss is you puting a playlist just working on engines love from UK

That's one of my favorite 1.8t blocks AWP for the win

Brilliant video probably the first long video I haven't skipped through loved it keep up the great content nice work

When will we be able to see the next video in the series? In the middle of the same project and could use the help. This is by far the most valuable video resource I’ve found and have watched it several times. Can’t wait for more!

Thank you from Singapore!

What’s funny is I am not a fan of Volkswagens in the slightest but watching these videos makes me want to build one of these motors

I have this one in my Škoda Superb 1.gen. - such a great engine!

I was looking for videos about this engine because I once had a 2004 Audi A4 1.8t and even though every few months I’d pay over 600 bucks for cracked breather hoses or other plastic parts braking I loved it. I’m seriously thinking about finding one and doing an engine overhaul. Looking forward to see what you do about the Breather system, I’ve heard about delete kits I hope you talk about those options. Cheers!

Super vid, watched it now 5 times.

Well played bloke. Fantastic build. I'm not at the stage where i'm keen to pull my 1.8t out of my A4, but fascinating to see the level of detail that goes into the build. Keen to see this when it's all buttoned up and running.

Your videos are not just entertaining, but also very informative and thorough. Thanks! I believe you answered the questions faster than O could think of them lol.

In the future I plan to build my a3. I will just chuck a set of rods in but this video is a massive relief as a source of information. Thankyou for the video! Took ages I bet! Thankyou

I noticed you mentioned spun bearings. Every time I've assembled an engine I put two-three drops of Loc-Tite red on the back of all the bearings rods mains upper and lower. I think I'm the only person who does this. Account for it in oil clearance usually halfing bearing undersized ID is enough. If oil pressure is lost for a few moments it can save you a spun bearing.

I had a 2000 skoda octavia 1.8t One of the best cars i ever had. It had about 220hp. I drove it 80000km and nerver left stranded. I know that i get a tune about 2002 and had a hard life. When it had 400000km on the clock it left the road and become a stubrace car. Love the early 2000 vag car

i could watch you assemble engines all day long man, flawless work!

I could never do this all while working, wouldn’t make money. But I applaud the effort, this is the exact same thing as a brand new engine but better due to the personal care given.

Great job my friend, I always love to watch your videos. Greetings from Romania

Bookmarking this for when l do the strip down on mine, only ever done 8v Vws so handy to know the slight differences when building a 1.8T