have 1983 t25 diesel, origionally 1.6 but we believe a 1.9 golf engine is in it now. this appears to have died (white smoke, mechanic says possibly a loose engine ring?)
Mechanic suggests getting a second hand engine then finding someone to fit it. This means phoning round scrap yards, i believe VW engines are fairly interchangeable, but which will work with the current gear box/ water cooling etc which i think are all origional 1983 1.6 parts.
thanks i have looked a that page. Just how specialist is a conversion? would you expect your average mechanic with a ramp to be able to put a replacement engine in?
If it's anything up to an AAZ it's just spanner spinning and a little fixture adjustment - they use the same loom as a 1.6TD but the block is about 20mm taller.
Go TDI or SDI and it's complex wiring or a very expensive mech TDI pump.
Mine has a JP engine from a golf, almost the same as a CS, the only difference that I can see (although not an expert) is that it has only one auxillary belt, less to break and less to buy. The previous owner used this transplant as it was a lot easier to source and cheaper, plus it has one or two break horsepower more than the CS, every little helps.lol..............
it seems to work ok in my 83 Westy......
Although all said, I would prefer a 1.9 n/a if I could find one cheap enough.
lhd...................
if you are going to the effort of changing your engine then I would deffo go for a TD over the non turbo 1.9.
If a 1.9TD had been available when I was doing my swap then I probably would have gone that way. Saying that though, I am more than pleased with the 1.9n/a compared to a 1.6n/a and I got mine from a reliable source and for a decent price
The only time I could have done with a bit extra umph was either when the van was full to the brim when I went to france or when I was racing (trying to) Jokerdub, Ger Man and Strict Machine on the way home from an Arden Dub Club meet
ok that sounds cool, here are my dilemmas, not being a person with much spare cash or mechanical know how
how much is an engine likely, under or over a grand, second hand or re conditioned?
how much to fit (obviosely depends on garage, but i presume upgrading to a turbo diesel will be more hassle so more expensive to fit and more desirable so more money to buy).
Maybe not if you're paying diesel fitter prices. If you do it yourself with help, then it will improve it, and if you look hard and travel a bit you should get an engine for much less than a grand. Whole cars are being scrapped now with those engines in them... the further North the cheaper sometimes, like Scotland/Borders.
But do your homework on exactly what you need and how it fits together
As you look in the engine bay from the back the engine code on a CS/KY/JX is normally past the injection pump then look at where the head joins the block - there should be a flat there with the engine number on it.
A Seat Toledo 1.9 TD could be yours for as little as £250 or less if the clutch is going.
Ask Dubsta on here about it - he's just had an AAZ installed by Simon Baxter at Brickwerks and is dead chuffed with it.
