Club 80-90 Forums

Yup, the 1.9 DG engine in our well loved and cared for garaged 1986 Autohomes Komet camper has blown at 95k miles with the usual corroded head studs problem I've now learnt about! Have removed (hard work after 26 years with lots of siezed up bolts) and stripped it and everything is in incredibly good condition, but 6 head studs have sheared off in removal or are badly 'necked' and apart from a couple of failed attempts with welded nuts , no-one up here in Cumbria wants to tackle trying to remove them to reclaim the block and I haven't got the gear or expertise to risk doing it myself. I can buy a recon engine from e.g. Elite or TES (probably will have to), but of course far from everything can be renewed for the price when individual parts are so expensive. Liners and bearings on mine are so little worn (e.g. hone marks easily visible on the liners) that a new set of rings, shells and maybe valve guides is basically all the engine requires to be good for another 50k plus - if only I could rescue the block or find another! There's no point in buying a secondhand engine as same problem likely to occur. So please can anyone recommend someone who could remove the studs or (slim chance) put me in touch with a known good or recon block or engine? Thanks in anticipation.