Club 80-90 Forums

Hi and Help Please

I have a 1.6td (1988) T3/25 and have a horrible feeling the engine has "cooked" as iu seriously over heated when the alternator belt snapped. It is being looked at soon to see if it is just a head skim and gasket job BUT --- if it isn't does anybody know a good source for a second hand engine please? Maybe put a 1.9td instead if it is not too much hassle. Van currently has a 4 speed box - if the engine is changed is it a major job to put a 5 speed in?. Thing is I live in France now so getting it to one of the UK based experts is not gonna be cheap. Any help greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Brian

When you say 'seriously' overheated just how bad?
I lost my alternator/water pump auxiliary belt on the way up the mountain to our place, nowhere to stop and pull over so just had to keep going, it was only another 2km up then a coast down to the house.
Serious amounts of steam coming out of every orifice at the back and I thought I had cooked it!
I asked advice on here and was told, if the engine was still running and was able to start after cooling down, then chances are it might be OK.
So, duly replaced the belt (s) filled with coolant, bled while running and all appears good, run up to temp and found a small coolant leak in the elbow at the front of the engine, changed that out and since then, all has been good.
I too feared the worst and also like you am not in the UK. A replacement engine over here would likely cost a small fortune!
Just have a go at replacing coolant and belts and see what happens, you may well be pleasantly surprised!

Jon.

PS, there are some on here who will tell you the 1.6TD engine does not really lend itself to having the head skimmed, it would probably be cheaper to buy a second hand known good head.

Thanks Bootie

This was a mistaken repeat posting. Sorry. The engine has since been replaced with 2nd hand one

Cheers anyway