Club 80-90 Forums

Apologies now for the lengthy question:

What are the best options as far as a replacement engine goes and who is the best supplier? I have read some other forums, looked in magazines and the more I read the more confused I get.

1- The option of replacing with a reconditioned versus a re manufactured comes down to price and availability. I can find places that sell reconditioned engines, but re-manufactured are rare.
2- Reconditioned ones are cheaper, which as long as they are done properly I don't have an issue with. I know the saying “you get what you pay for" definitely exists here.
3- There are quite a few companies that do re-cons. There is: The VW Engine Company, The Engine shop, Just Kampers, VW Heritage, Brickwerks, and another on E-Bay.
4- There is also the option of removing my old engine and doing the job myself. But am I really any further ahead by the time I replace all the gaskets, bearings, pistons, heads, etc? If I was to do this I would replace everything that is offered in a reconditioned engine whether it looked like it needed it or not. My labour would be my own, but how long would I need? (And do I have this time to spare-I don't know)

Who offers the best engines? For example Just Kampers offer Verge, I've heard of Remtec too, and good things about them both. Someone said to stay clear of The Engine shop, another says Elite is terrible.
Any opinions Pro/Con about these or others that could sway me or make me think. Verge use Reconditioned heads, but I'd consider buying brand new heads if a company would do that option.

I realise this is a bit of a loaded gun to be handing around, but I figure that there may be a pattern about who is better, who can offer different options/deals, quality service and customer care and after care.

Thank you

oh goood lord - this has been done to death...many many times.

Its sooooo varied. I have 3 elite recons, and my daughter has one as well. No issues.

In all honesty - I have heard good and bad about every recon/refurb company going. Elite,VEGE, REMTEC, The engine shop (had an Aircooled from them....utter "pooh"....lasted 12 months and 2 weeks...and they wouldn't fix it... anyways....you will find praise being sung and teeth nashed about all the players.

The most reliable recons on here seem to be the ones where knowledgeable folks have done it themselves.

IF your engine is ok..why not buy a second hand one and rebuild it yourself....?
The vast majority of us are backed into a corner when the engine decides it has had enough....

Em
xx

What's your van got in it at the moment?
How 'buggered' is it?
Lots of folk will say 'if you're going to change your engine, pop in a Golf/Passat/Subaru engine' etc.... (they'll be along shortly )
I rebuilt my own from scratch, spent several hundreds doing it.
My only knowledge of replacement engines in vans is my mates van, who bought it with a VEGE engine and he's had no issues at all.
One option would be to seek a second hand engine as a direct replacement (quite a few sold on here) and keep your old one and rebuild it yourself over time. That way you know whats what with it, you learn stacks, you can keep costs down and when its done you sell on the other engine...?
Good luck..

Im sure will have a few along soon saying how bad elite are and some saying how good they are. no help I know

is there not a big grubby sticky someplace with all this on
mm

If your not in a rush then contact Laurie petitt and leave a message as he dont always answer. 018907 81664

hope its not because he is always doing warranty work^^^^^^^^^. only joking ive heard is is good very good.

RCN wrote: 3- There are quite a few companies that do re-cons. There is: The VW Engine Company, The Engine shop, Just Kampers, VW Heritage, Brickwerks, and another on E-Bay.

Sorry, we don't supply engines, we've only sold them to workshop customers and we don't do that any more.
The ones we did sell were always troublesome and we always ended up loosing out big style on them once we'de corrected all the problems with them, or if they went wrong customers came back here, we would fix them and not get anything back from the engine manufacturer.
We've come to the conclusion that they are all rubbish and we now ask customers to source their own and we will fit it.
We don't seem to have a problem with Diesels though, only the WBX.
People will simply not pay what it actually costs to rebuild an engine properly, it is cheaper to buy a new van!

RCN wrote:The option of replacing with a reconditioned versus a re manufactured comes down to price and availability. I can find places that sell reconditioned engines, but re-manufactured are rare.
Reconditioned ones are cheaper

I really wouldn't read too much into the use of one term rather than the other. Both, without any other detail, could be legitimately to describe almost anything from a wipe-down and a good service to a complete strip and rebuild with virtually all-new internals.

bit like the respray v repaint v resto, again one of the most miss-used and misunderstood terms.
mm

Got to agree with Simon, its such a lottery. I'd build my own too - at least I only have myself to blame if its not right. Once you get into warranties on bought ones (reconditioned or secondhand), thats when all the trouble starts and as he says, commercially they're a pain in the places you don't want.

I once replaced some gaskets on a bay engine at the request of the owner to stop some oil leaks and when it blew (as I said it would sooner or later) he then tried to sue me for his entire engine in attempt to get a new one! Never, ever again. If anyone so much as mentions engine rebuilds now, I tell 'em to sling their hook. Do it for yourself on your own engine, it can be quite rewarding. If you buy one, try to find the source most recommended and even then, cross your fingers!

I rebuilt my own and I guess I did a similar job as what elite do. There are many parts that can be reused in most cases although obviously new parts may be better. As a rule if you have original pistons which are as unworn as mine were then reuse them as the new ones are 1mm too short!! resulting in lower compression. Con-rods are generally ok to reuse although the bolts may need replacing if they are stretch ones (I measured my stretch bolts and put them back in!!!) The heads are a gamble but usually ok and the valves can be reground in most cases and seats recut (delicately). A few head bolts may need replacing at a few quid each. The crank on mine was within spec but a regrind is only about £100. All new shells should be fitted to cam and crank. (my camshaft was scrap surface breaking up another £80.00) New oil pump a few new exhaust bolts or helicoils and a gasket set and you are away. It cost me about £500 for the bits but !!! I HAVE LEARNT THAT NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOUR HYDRAULIC FOLLOWERS LOOK OR SEEM AFTER CLEANING DONT REUSE THEM. I have spent a long time playing find the noisy xxxtard each time changing to a new extending pushrod tube and a new tappet. I'm on the fourth one now and I reckon most of the noise has gone but I can still hear one of em ticking a bit!!!! So with a bit of luck most of the time an elite engine will be great. Occasionally though something will go wrong as these engines are built to leak in so many places, I'm suprised they didnt come with a drip tray fitted underneath.

Many thanks to DSM and Carlos at Hotworks who sold and removed a rebuilt engine from DSM's Syncro. Got it back with no problems and now just waiting to get some time to swap out my old one.