Engine or car?

[pirata]

Hi,

Is it better to buy an engine on its own or to buy the whole car and take the engine apart? I've found an AHU in a Seat Cordoba (165k) for about £800 and was wondering whether its worth doing it this way or to get only the engine. Is this engine a good one for a TDI conversion - currently JX?

Cheers

Rob

[big red bus]

ALways get a complete car. if you get jut the enigne you will spend hours and ££'s hunting for little brackets,pipes etc which should all be complete if you get whole car. Also you get to run it upto temp and make sure its a good'en.
Once used wehat you need from donor simply sell the bits on ebay/forums to make some money back and weight in the rest. This will bring you out almost equal so enigne will not cost alot. Not to sure about engine. Is it mechanical or fly by wire pump?

[pirata]

ALways get a complete car....?

Thanks for reply, great info! I thought so myself too, but as there are companies that sell only the engines (for less than 400quid) it seems to me that paying more than double (including insurance and road tax) for essentially the same engine...but as you're pointing out, I might be better off in the long run...

As for mechanical or fbw, I don't really know. It's all very new to me. I'd say being a TDI is a fbw, but not sure I'd be bollocking

[big red bus]

Not really "pooh" hot on diesel as petrol scooby myself but know aaz's are commonly used but are getting old now and are turbo diesel. 1Z tdi from passats are fly by wire and think thats basically the same as in the seat AHU. Do plenty of research into what works and what other people are using. Some make them into mtdi by fittting different injection pump/injectors but if you search other posts you will find the info needed. Good luck

[pirata]

Not really "pooh" hot on diesel as petrol scooby myself ...

Hey, thanks for the answer...I've been doing a lot of reading (TD, TDI, Pumps, Gearboxes) and one thing is clear: I'll probably buy a whole car if I go TDI and I'll try and keep the original set up including fuel pump and accelerator pedal...but I'm not sure about TD or TDI...I think I'll do some more research into gearboxes...

Thanks!

[silverbullet]

TDI means intercooled so a LOT more power