If you're planning on making any physical mods to your car, there's no point WHATSOEVER in getting a remap until you've finished. Cancel your appointment at Jabba. Seriously. The remap will be based on how the car's running at the time you take it in. Change something afterwards, and the map will no longer be optimal...

From my memory of tinkering with my wife's MPi, the inlet for the air filter isn't attached in any way to the slam panel like it is for the PD130/160; it just sits in the air flow though the intake port. You will therefore need to get hold of the necessary gubbins to allow you to attach the trumpet of your PD160 to the backside of the slam panel. I think this part incorporates a weir to protect diesel engines against hydraulicking, although you'd probably be OK to cut that out for your petrol engine. The most important consideration on the induction front, though, is that the amount of air you can intake is ultimately limited by the area of the throttle body as has already been mentioned. Anything more you stuff though the filter will just end up being vented through the outlet you can see just this side the breather pipe for the cylinder head (ignore the yellow oval):

(As it goes, the black plastic slug thing sits on top of the throttle body, and you can see the bottom of it peeping out underneath.)

I really would try to get hold of TT before you head down this path, as the MPi engine is already pretty highly-tuned considering the vintage of the engineering it's based on, and so you really will be looking at making drastic (and expensive) physical modifications to your engine, induction and exhaust systems. Much as it pains me to say it, if a power boost is what you're after, your best bet is probably to get yourself something like a Fiesta Zetec S or a Saxo VTR, 'cos that will give you the 100-ish bhp you're aiming for, and while the cars are several insurance groups higher, I reckon the premiums will be comparable for a standard one of them compared to a highly-highly-highly-modified Fabia MPi. I doubt most places would even quote for a Fabia with a different engine if you were to go down that route, and even specialists would probably look for a technician's report to confirm that the tyres, suspension, transmission etc. had been suitably uprated to cope with the bigger engine (yet more £££)

If you're doing it as a project "to see what happens", then go for it - there are plenty of members on here who'll be more than happy to help. But if you're doing it because you want a faster car, I really feel as though you're barking not only up the wrong tree but up the wrong tree, in the wrong forest, somewhere in completely the wrong country!

I'm sorry to be a doom-sayer, I really am, but save your pennies and put them towards something that's faster in the first place. You may be thinking "Yeah, yeah, another know-all, beat-all vRS driver" which is fair enough, but I can't bear the thought of you shelling out hundreds - if not THOUSANDS - of pounds doing something you think's possible based on the experiences of other members on here. Cars like Ross's Golf, Tom's Felicia and Jason's Fabia have taken masses of time, money and trouble to get into the state they're in. Without putting words in their mouths, their cars are their passions and what they do is about far more than simply squeezing a few extra bhp from what's already there...

Sorry again, but honestly stop NOW and think about why you're wanting to do this...

Some good advice on this thread Dug.

I know you really want to go for it, and i'm sure we've all been there in the past regarding wanting mods NOW, rather than waiting, but my honest opinion is to save your cash, there's no doubt there may be a difference, but is it really worth the cost ??

I dont like to be negative, as it's your car, and you have the right to do what you like to it, but do take into consideration, the advice you've been given so far.

But if you do go ahead as planned, good luck and enjoy my good man.

You know what? This may be a first for me, but i've listened. I figure if I want the engine transplant, i'm going to need the money and, you never know, i might want a different car at some point. Due to this, the remap has been cancelled... that's £375 in the 1.8T fund then...

duggie, sensible choice...

put the money in to brakes and suspension for now as they will come in handy later.

Yea, the suspension is done, Weitec coilovers... may look for some bigger disks up front but the lure of a new headunit (mine doesn't like Cds, it clicks, and an ipod connector would be great) is beginning to make me wonder.

Thanks for the advice guys.

Duggie, it makes sense buddy, thats a lot of cash.

I have a set of standard Fabia vRS brakes here, calipers/discs...

Also have an ipod connector..and no ipod

Good Choice Duggie, would've been a waste imo for the remap

Also, if you do decide on the 18T transplant - i'll be here waiting and watching with great enthusiasm

I have a set of standard Fabia vRS brakes here, calipers/discs...

Do i sense a slight hint? would they fit?

Needless to say, if I do go ahead with the conversion, it will be heavily documented on here...

you need the vrs hubs IIRC

would they fit?

No. Not unless you replace the whole hubs etc. More trouble than it's worth IMO. Better off uprating your pads.

Thought so... uprated pads and disks it is then!

Plenty of cars with the correct hubs in the breakers

Have a chat with Tom duggie, I'm sure he can give you some excellent advice and he knows a few people when it comes to looking for parts.