Advice on reconditioned engine

[mariner]

Hi all

Hope the winter is treating you and your campers well. Unfortuntely, our lovely 1982 2l air-cooled has spent it parked up waiting for a bit of tlc and we have just been told that the engine is beyond redemption and replacing it with a reconditioned engine would be best. We've had the van since last May (it wasn't our best buy ever but we still love her!) and we're still total novices. If anyone can help me with any of the following points it would be much appreciated.

What's a reasonable price? We've been told we can get one for about a grand and get £300 back on ours as part ex. Sound about right?
Where's the best place to look/stay away from?
Do we have to replace the engine like for like?
Anything else we should know/be thinking about?

Thanks in advance for any help. Still holding on to the dream of sunshine and fun in the summer!

[Ian Hulley]

Who

we have just been told that the engine is beyond redemption and replacing it with a reconditioned engine would be best.

Who said that and on what was it based ? The aircold engines are incredibly simple pieces of kit.

Still holding on to the dream of sunshine and fun in the summer!

Ahh, 'Jamie Oliver Syndrome'

Ian

[jason k]

and pretty unbreakable unless your running round without tinware and engine bay seals or incorrect timing and mixture

find a garage who knows what they are up to.

[CovKid]

Lot of people don't know how to work on them and just give up. That said, if its been around a while, it can take a lot of maintenance in the engine bay to get everything working as it should. Get a compression check and then decide.

[mariner]

Who said that and on what was it based ? The aircold engines are incredibly simple pieces of kit.

The guy who currently has it who spends his time overhauling bays and t25s and Jason down at Interpro so pretty sure they know what they're talking about. Like I say, don't know my way around an engine so have to put my faith in someone.

Jamie who?

[billy739]

so they spend there time overhauling engines but cant give you a good / best price?

after all its basically a bay 2.0 engine

or is it you trust there diagnosis but not there prices?

[mariner]

so they spend there time overhauling engines but cant give you a good / best price?

after all its basically a bay 2.0 engine

or is it you trust there diagnosis but not there prices?

They have given me a good/best price. I put it above. He was going to replace the pots and pistons which are £298+vat and quoted 10 hours work at £30 an hour. Do the maths and it seems it might be a better idea to go the whole hog and replace the engine.

A mate at work today who knows more about these things suggested maybe taking a punt on a second hand engine which are around for about £300.

Just canvassing for opinion/experience really so that I can be more knowledgable.

No worries if you can't help.

[Ian Hulley]

Unknown s/h engines are the cheap option IF you're not paying for the labour to swap them ... nowt of a job on an aircold BUT how long will it last ??

Known good s/h are expensive because every 1.6CT owner covetts a CU really.

'Reconditioned' is a vague term with varying quality, prices and guarantees, remember most will still need fitting.

Ian

[mariner]

Cheers Ian

Like you say s/h might save me some cash short term but put me back in the same place a few months down the line but then I'm sure I've read a few stories on here about recons giving people grief almost immediately too. No guarantees either way I guess.

John

[Ian Hulley]

I've read a few stories on here about recons giving people grief almost immediately too. No guarantees either way I guess.

John

We bit the bullet and bought a recon ... our's (a 2.1 wbxer) was special in that it came from someone of the utmost integrity, it was known before rebuild and was fitted with lots of new parts which other 'reconditioned' units may not have been. It came with a 2 year warranty and has done 60,000 in the 3.5 years since then and I've never regretted the decision for 1 minute.

I'm just sorry I cannot comment on the aircold engines or therefore suggest a reconditioner for you.

Ian

[billy739]

as always cheap is cheap

not always best to go for the cheapest option as thats what you will get!

find out what is replaced , or tell them what you want replaced, its not cheap but it will pay in the end!

as always the common problem is an engine replacement will cost nearly as much as people have paid for the van!

after the engine you should consider the gearbox!

a good used 2.0 Aircooled should be no problem , they are good strong units , problem usually arrive when people neglect them or run the incomplete / untuned or drive them like they are a modern car.
any one who tell you they regularly do 70+mph should be avoided!

[luto]

Info: T25 1980 1970cc air-cooled (think that means 2l CU engine?) based in West Sussex, engine in bad shape also....

Sorry if this is listed anywhere but I couldn't find what the final outcome of this post was ?

Unfortunately, we are in the same position. Novice T25 owner last year, we had a fantastic time but because we developed a sun-vent leak we put it in the garage at Xmas and then did not do what this forum seems to always recommend - don't just leave them without running them.

So, I've always used what I believe is a really good mechanic for many years, and he diagnosed that the fuel pump had siezed up. He replaced it, but then just had the dreaded call - oil leaking into exhaust, terrible noise. He thinks the engine has had it.

He said that this engine does not have hydraulic tappets apparently, and what with the oil it ruled out one faint hope that it just needed a good run.

Oil had always leaked out of each end, and although rocker cover gaskets were replaced when I first got it the small leaks continued.

They shouldn't let people like me own VWs - feel a right idiot for not looking after the engine properly

just kampers and Vw heritage list what I think are Vege and Remtec engines at £2,500 - scarey. The same engines at VW heritage were £1,650 not so long ago, so that's a fair bit of inflation.

Our T25 is pretty sound bodywork-wise, and we love having it, but having difficulty knowing where to strike a balance between investigating what can be repaired/salvaged versus as a full-blown replacement. Suggestions really welcome !

Thanks.

[sarran1955]

Hello,

Please Please stop looking at these engines as something knocked up by GM.

In (both) your cases, get the oil pressure and the cranking voltage checked

If your garage cannot do this ...... run away.

If ok, then do a top end rebuild.

Cylinder heads, pots and pistons are so simple...... and cheap....

Look at the price of a 16valve VW head.

A how to video For you :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB6LAQR8 ... fFz3R8g%3D" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If all else fails, send it on a pallet to me and I'll sort it.....

I haven't paid for this years German F1 holiday yet...

Cordialement,

[ajsimmo]

just kampers and Vw heritage list what I think are Vege and Remtec engines at £2,500 - scarey. The same engines at VW heritage were £1,650 not so long ago, so that's a fair bit of inflation.

Not a personal recommendation as I've not bought an engine from them myself, but Elite VW do a 2.0l CU for £950 and £150 fitting charge.
Maybe worth a call....

[luto]

To sarran1955,

Sorry, I somehow missed this reply but just wanted to thank you for posting a bit of common sense ! Thankfully, my regular car mechanic thinks along the same lines and now the decision is whether to let him do it or have a go myself during my copious amounts of spare time :-/ family has suggested that they would prefer the van to be working sometime this year, which might rule out the latter....

Hello,

Please Please stop looking at these engines as something knocked up by GM.

In (both) your cases, get the oil pressure and the cranking voltage checked

If your garage cannot do this ...... run away.

If ok, then do a top end rebuild.

Cylinder heads, pots and pistons are so simple...... and cheap....

Look at the price of a 16valve VW head.

A how to video For you :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB6LAQR8 ... fFz3R8g%3D" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If all else fails, send it on a pallet to me and I'll sort it.....

I haven't paid for this years German F1 holiday yet...

Cordialement,