Best engines that fit with a little persuasion?

[magicbus]

Getting really stuck into these T25's now and the obvious issues are rust and unreliable under powered engines I've got 3 engines at the minute a 1.9 diesel out of a golf, a 2.2 V6 out of a Cortina and a Scooby turbo but what else will fit? and what else needs to be done to them to make them fit?

Also do people object to having more powerful, more reliable or move economical engines fitted? I know if you have an air cooled dub you have to keep it that way but I'm sticking with watercooled 82+ so what are your thoughts?

Staf.

[DentedDevon]

Try browsing through the alternative engine section.
Anything is possible. And mostly its been done before.
Inline vw 4 cylinder diesels and petrol engines form the 80's bolt straight to the diesel bellhousing.
You can often buy a complete set of parts to do a diesel conversion, check out "for sale and ebay.
There are kits and parts available off the shelf for Subaru conversions.
I dont think any one will hate you for fitting a different engine , its your van, you can make it whatever you want it to be.

[toomanytoys]

^^^WHS^^^ plenty of info in here.. have a read...

if you have those engines available.. the 1.9 golf engine is the easiest.. I'd forget the 2.3 v6 cortina engine.. its a boat anchor.... the scoob is doable, but prob be less reliable and will eat gearboxes...

a good std 2.1 wbx is a pretty nice drive.. and as with most things.. the unreliability is often due to age, hamfisted owners and mechanics and poor maintenance..

[magicbus]

Thanks for that mate, I spotted the wiki bit after putting that message up. Didn't think anyone would hate me for it mate but will it be a help or hindrance when selling on? I love projects like these usually sticking to old sports cars and bikes but I've kept 2 cars and a bunch of bikes that I've built over the years, they don't take up to much space but I can only keep one van so I think what I'm going to do Is keep each one for as long as it takes me to restore the next one and so on therefore doing anything to a van that will devalue it would be daft. . .That being said I am going to do a Baja bus at some point which I would think is a seriously limited market

[DentedDevon]

I dont think a well done diesel or subaru conversion would case any problems when selling the van, although you may not get back the money you have spent on the conversion.
Other non standard engines may prove a hinderance to resale. Mind you I know someone who bought a T25 with a rover V8 in it ..... unseen .......

[magicbus]

The last response was to dented devon. Thanks for your response too many toys I think I'm going to give the V6 a shot still as it's come from a T25 and comes with everything need to install it.

Is the turbo idea not a good one then? I thought with a reconditioned gearbox geared correctly would be a good goer!

[faggie]

at least with the v6 you will save on lowered rear springs as we fitted one and it was nearly sat on the bumpstops with standard springs due ti its weight out of the 3 i would fit the subaru but if i had the option i would choose another more reliable engine

[toomanytoys]

The last response was to dented devon. Thanks for your response too many toys I think I'm going to give the V6 a shot still as it's come from a T25 and comes with everything need to install it.

Is the turbo idea not a good one then? I thought with a reconditioned gearbox geared correctly would be a good goer!

Mmm.. you said it was from a cortina....... you failed to mention you had all the parts from a prev T25 convresion.. I am not a mind reader I am afraid...

220 bhp (more if an sti etc) quite aggressive power will give the box a hard time.. unless you are gentle with it... a rebiult box with strobger gears would be good but you'll need to throw a reasonable sum into that... it still wont like 1st and 2nd gear full throttle starts tho...

A lot depends on what you want from it.. and how you gonna use it...

[Kent Joker]

I love people that come on and ask for advice, and in the main get some pretty good suggestions, then do just what they wanted in the first place, this might make it clearer NO NO NO NO to the V6 and that’s not to mention any possible resale that it may have had.

[Fin]

Scooby every time - It'll cost you more than you'd think though