Club 80-90 Forums

Hi Folks,
after one too many 'very low oil' moments, I think my engine in my 1.9 1987 T25 camper has finally given up - seems to tick over ok but:
- big loss of acceleration
- terrible mpg - gone from about 25mpg to about 15mpg I reckon
- one spark plug swimming in oil
- blue smoke out of the exhaust (varies from hardly noticable to big clouds when going round corners)
- oil filter box swimming in oil
- crankcase breather pipe pumping out smoke with a fair amount of pressure (not sure what normal looks like, but I doubt it is anything like mine!)
- can't get anything other than a yellow flame when adjusting the carb using a colortune.

I use this van daily, and need to abuse it regularly for carrying building materials around as I am renovating my house, so I need to make sure that I can stay mobile. Given that MOT is up in a month or so, ,and I still need some transport, I need to decide where to go with this. I would like to keep the van, and also like the idea of an engine conversion (e.g. Subaru), but don't really have time to think out it at the moment, and even less time to work on the van. So, options seem to be:

1) spend a day or so fitting a cheap second hand engine for the MOT and think about an engine conversion later (but prices of T25 engines on ebay seem a bit daft)
2) get a reconditioned T25 engine and forget about the engine conversion (engine on ebay for about £1000 seems interesting, apart from the price!)
3) take the van off the road when the MOT runs out, buy a cheap tr@nsit as temporary transport, and do an engine conversion when there is more time.

So, does anyone have experience of similar situations? Perhaps my engine is easy to fix? perhaps, Subaru conversions aren't worth the hassle? perhaps reconditioned engines are a waste of money?

Also, if there are any specialist garages or decent second hand parts suppliers in the Swansea area that would be great to know - I did meet a guy once who had a garage business, specialising in VW vans, and also met a guy from Kidwelly, I think,who sold second hand parts - but needless to say, I have lost their contact details.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Mark.

you wanna keep mobile ,fine , Id sorn it rather than rush to nget an engine thatis not your no 1 choice, buy a "pooh" fjord or simmilar for a daily snotter. cane it to death doing as you are and then you can at YOUR leisure sort your van out , when sorted you can then flog the dog
mm

Mark

Andyvan on brickyard is your 'local' t3 breaker, he doesn't come on here much, I saw a post from him on brickies arms just after new year so you should be able to find him

Firstly, from those symptoms, plus the fact it was obviously using oil from your comment re "low oil moments", I would say it is fubar.

I f it was me, I would fit a £1000 "Elite" re-con engine. Link] Most of their customers seem happy with the product and service. As I am sure you know, a Subaru is at least twice that and as far as I know, there is not a one stop "drive in drive out" choice fo that either (I stand ready to be corrected on this )

By the way,
Is this a simple working builders van ?
Or is it a mint(ish) example of a panel van?
Or a Camper of some sort ?

Thanks for the replies - food for thought...

I might see if Andyvan has anything first. The elite engines sound interesting as well - fitting seems reasonable too.

For info, the van is a Bilbos camper in not too bad condition . It had a respray a couple of years ago which is starting to bubble through and had new front panel, grills and bumper last year after an accident. Needs floor welding a bit for MOT but should pass ok once engine is sorted - hence not wanting to scrap it.

Good WBX engines do turn up on here from time to time, but you need one quickly I gather and Murphey's law and all that...

I got the one that is in our "other" van, an 86 TinTop from Billy739 on here. He breaks T25's quite often, based near Bristol. Nice honest guy. ( link = memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=291 )

.

Here's a suggestion, SORN the camper, Buy a cheap van of some sort for work, There's plenty out there. Remove your engine and take it into the LOUNGE in front of the FIRE and TELLY. Strip it down (you'll be learning as you go, so will your wife, if you have one) Then, over the winter , rebuild it to tip-top condition, (My missus loves it when I do this), come springtime un-sorn the camper, sell the old work van for more than you paid for it and away you go. Sorted!

Spanner boy on the yard and VZI does drive in drive out Scooby conversion around 4k which is reasonable for a good job imho. T25 Direct will do you an AAG 2ltr Gti conversion for around 3k i reckon. If you collect all the parts for an AAG conversion and buy a decent s/h 2ltr Golf 8v engine and all the bits you need around 1k. The work is more laborious and mechanical than very complex- wiring is a bit more complex. Search it on here or the Brickyard. Elite are not.

waltraud wrote: If you collect all the parts for an AAG conversion and buy a decent s/h 2ltr Golf 8v engine

I wonder if the KR (16V) motor would fit ? Fits in a Golf, Jetta, Passat or Scirocco, same as the DG (1.8 8V) injection engine does, as often also used in our T25's ? Same block... Nice (137BHP) motor

Cheers for the insight - No room in the lounge for the engine, what with the kids' toys covering the place!Not willing to pay big bucks to get someone else to do the conversion.,but doing one myself for 1k appeals. Feels like SORN is a good way to buy some time to figure out what to do...

porsche engine goes straight in!

Yeah, a mate of mine knew someone who knew someone who had one of them...

could you fit me a porsche engine billy if so how much would it cost