Hello Again! I have been AWOL

Hi Everyone

Not been on here for a while. Family stuff and dodgy computers amongst other things

And now to top everything off, I'm in need of a new engine

It's been hanging on in there by its fingernails, but a couple of days ago my engine finally gave signs it's had enough. Its been losing power recently and all the normal bits and pieces (timing, valves, carb, dizzy cap etc) have been checked, adjusted/replaced. It was leaking oil and generally getting tired. However, when it only just got me home I thought I would replace the spark plugs (they'd done nearly 10K and were the last thing I hadn't touched) - only to find the plug in number 2 has welded itself in and snapped off.

So I'm taking this as a hint that I need to do something. I've been saving up for this to happen anyway, so I reckon now is the time. Problem is that I use my van as a daily driver so a slow home rebuild of the old engine isn't practical. And Laurie Pettitt has about an 8 week waiting list (although he might be able to sort something out).

I know it's probably gonna open a can of worms, but has anyone got any recommendations for a decent recon engine supplier?

Dependent on the cost of the engine, I might also go the whole hog and change the gearbox which is also also just hanging on in there and wailing like a banshee. If the engines out, what the hell

Help please......I'm currently borrowing my Dads Wolseley 1500 to get to work and that's not much fun in Basingstoke rush hour traffic!

Hi Chillicamper. Haven't seen you on here for a bit.
Sorry to hear about the engine. Have you done a compression test to see if there is anything like barrels and pistons or heads that can be repaired / replaced?
I take it that the snapped spark now means that the head on the RHS will need replacing at the very least?

Don't know much about factory engines, I've owned a Vega which was the best runner from a factory. Had a Volkspares which died after a short couple years and a TES which was supplied in a very poorly contructed state and was rattling from the moment it was started. Sent that back.

I would just recommend having a search on some forums even ebay for a good block. See if you can see it running beforehand check end float etc.

I've got a couple old heads that can be cleaned up if that's any help. Now lets see if you've unleashed a can of worms...

Cheers for the reply. I haven't measured the end float other than pulling the pulley - nothing really to feel so I assume its not too bad. I've seen much worse. The engine has sounded a bit 'gasping' rather like compression is low, but I need to check that properly yet.
RHS head is gonna go at least. On the same side there's a pulled exhaust stud so its not worth messing with. It would be nice to keep the old block, but I don't want to pull the engine and just patch it up again (thanks for the offer of the heads though).

I reckon the time has come to sort the engine properly. Last time I changed the oil (about 1000miles ago) there was a sheen of tiny metal particles in the oil. Plus the obilgatory bits of what I assume is a valve guide seal.
The van gets used daily and does about 7-8K a year. Therefore I can't be doing with pulling the engine too often to keep fixing it.
Trouble is I'm an impatient bugger and want to get this done ASAP rather than wait for someone to build me an engine in 8 weeks time. and I'm not sure that I trust myself to build an engine.

Interesting what you say about recons. I had heard from someone that the quality of Vege engines had gone downhill recently and to avoid them. Also heard that TES was OK ish - not perfect but OK for the money!
I just hope it stops peeing it down. I need to get the engine out to start looking at it properly, but as I have no garage, I think I could be getting wet

I hears vw heritage are doing new (nos- not recon) engines. Might be worth looking into. I would also avoid tes. Buying something like an engine thats "ok for the money" is crazy. Especially if its your daily and dont have time to do rebiulds like you say id want to put the best i could in there!

Most engine builders take a while we had one built by Stateside we ordered in mid/end september built by Christmas. Would agree with Liam VWHeritage are the best place for off the shelf engines at the moment 2 year warranty otherwise there are a couple of respected home engine builders on volkszone they also advertise on ebay engines they have built now and again but you take a gamble on any aircooled engine I think. The TES & VEGE you get good and bad reports but it all depends on budget and time usually lots of second hand ones available on ebay and the forums too especially if you can see it running before hand.

Thank for the replies - time is important, but not so that I want to risk getting a dud engine. Reports about TES/VEGE ones are a bit mixed.
I am hoping that I might have sourced a rebuilt one through Laurie Pettitt. He's got one that has new heads, will be fitted with Mahle pistons, new bearings etc but needs a line bore first. As he has a long waiting list he has suggested another trusted engine builder friend of his to put it together and for no more (and probably less than most off the shelf recon engines). Fingers crossed that this works out. It might take a couple of weeks more, but should be worth it.

Well that's good news sounds like a deal cant go wrong wit Laurie Pettitt.

winner!

Yup and as it's hopefully less than I might have had to pay from some places, I've decided I can afford to swap the gearbox at the same time! Its really been whining like a diving spitfire and it seems sensible to change it before I put a new engine in.

Looks like a busy weekend getting the engine/box out. I've no garage so I could be getting wet