Van engine replacement

[Jameshow]

Hi

My movano van engine died yesterday its a 2002 2.2 lwb.

RAC said most likely turbo failed burnt its oil and killed the crankshaft bearings.

So a rebuild / replacement / scrap engine seems likely.

Has anyone had this happen to them?

If so what the best option is. I have a local garage lined up to do the work.

Cheers James

 

[fenhayman]

Try quality vehicle breakers who should have information on engines from written off vehicles.
Is the rest of the vehicle worth the expense? How many MOT's will it pass?

 

[Doug B]

I had to have the engine in my 59 plate transporter rebuilt last year, I thought about getting a second hand engine but the guy who did it said I could be buying as bad or worse than I had.
The cylinder head had to be skimmed & it had a new crank shaft & associated parts, all in all it cost 2k which I figured was worth it on what is a sound van, that was 13 months ago & im pleased with how it worked out.

 

[Jameshow]

The van itself is in very good nick considering its 18yo.

It's ex police camera van. 53k on the clock.

However I'm wondering how much time it had been idling....?

I converted to a camper it last summer as a means to seeing my parents covid securely. The interior is from our old damp caravan.

Thread here.... Vauxhall movano conversion

I'll get it fixed just to annoy my kids!!

Cheers James

 

[Jameshow]

I had to have the engine in my 59 plate transporter rebuilt last year, I thought about getting a second hand engine but the guy who did it said I could be buying as bad or worse than I had.
The cylinder head had to be skimmed & it had a new crank shaft & associated parts, all in all it cost 2k which I figured was worth it on what is a sound van, that was 13 months ago & im pleased with how it worked out.

Stupid thing it we didn't take my mrs 2012 caravelle because mine has a toilet. So we spent 6 hours at Durham services in the freezing cold for sake of a private toilet!!

Anyhow we saw the Alnwick castle lights for my daughter's birthday.

Cheers James

 

[Terrytpot]

Had a Renault megan that kept overheating on the way to a holiday at the new forest. Hired a car to use whilst there as when the breakdown service we'd paid for took it to a local Renault dealer who told us the head gasket had gone and it was just all thrown back together so it was all in one piece for us to take away as a non runner (as we certainly weren't about to pay the thousands they wanted to fix it ). Long story short, we recovered it all the way home at our expense with hired cars and trailers only for a local dealer to have a look at. Ended up with them keeping the car to pay for looking at it and me out of pocket for all that recovery expense. For a 2002 van I would be asking myself just how much I could afford to spend on it for it to be ridiculously uneconomical which is what I failed to do with that Renault!

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/van-se...ANO&include-delivery-option=on&year-from=2005

 

[artie]

Engine blew up on my daily driver a few years back.
Classic F1 style cloud of smoke behind and engine oil trail on the road, a con rod through the block.
The car was in otherwise pristine condition for 7 years old.
When I found out the price for a replacement engine and labour to remove the old and fit the replacement, with no guarantee that it would be any good, I accepted scrap value and bought a car I could evaluate before parting with any money.
You position I know is a little different.

Would it be easier to buy a replacement van and install the camper bits.?

 

[powertools]

When you say it died do you mean it has seized up due to lack of oil?
Paul (retired vehicle mechanic)

 

[Spectric]

RAC said most likely turbo failed burnt its oil and killed the crankshaft bearings.

That sounds very lame coming from the RAC, most likely could equally be unlikely. You need an experienced auto engineer who is capable of undertaking proper diagnostics to give you an actual failure mode. Then work out how much the vehicle is worth and decide if it is worth repairing, you dont want to start throwing money at it like a bottomless pit. If you buy a secondhand lump then you are taking a chance, if it is duff then you will probably get your money back but not the cost of having it fitted, I know several people who have ended up in this situation. A proper recon lump would be a better option but you may also need a new turbo which may or may not be supplied so take time before deciding.

 

[Spectric]

Forgot to mention security, these days keys matched to modules and electronics to imobilise but also to prevent parts being easily reused so need to ensure if engine changing it is a proper match, not as easy as when you could drop various engines into your cars and vans without having to worry.

 

[Jameshow]

Hi

Thanks for the wisdom.

I'm not sure tbh what is up with it, that was one thought from the rac chap...there was no way we were going further so no point wasting his time.

However the engine is covered in oil, so something might have bust? An oil pipe somewhere?

I await the garage assessment probably in the new year now.

No rush just seeing what my options are....

S/h engine £500 - 700 or recon £1500/£2200 fitted.

Or have the engine refurbed for£???

Cheers James

 

[alanpo68]

In the scenario the recovery driver has suggested then you would know about it. The engine uses the oil as fuel and goes to maximum revs until it basically kills itself. You need to get a mechanic you trust to have a look at it.

 

[lexi]

Don't believe everything RAC tell you. I got a call last year from daughter when I was up North. Wee Pug wouldn't turn over. The car had oil in header tank and I was to do head gasket when I got back from trip. She put me onto the RAC man. He assumed that because head gasket was away the engine had seized . I asked him to turn the engine by hand and see how it went. Daughter phones me later and says he tried it and seized right enough.
She was ready to scrap the car, but I said to hold on till I got back. When I got back I put the ratchet on the Crank Pully with appropriate socket and it turned no problem. He it seems was turning the wrong pulley as he mentioned that it needed an 18mm spanner......................nope wrong size mate . It was a bad starter motor and fitted an exchange one to go with head skim and new cam belt water pump etc. It is a cracking wee car with 50k on it and was nearly scrapped because of RAC.
Your Van. That is a tough position to be in and paying a garage to do work as well as find and pay for parts. Suppose if you are in business, then it is against your tax, but you still have to earn that money. Is the van good otherwise in body etc, because that is an old van with most having had a hard life.

 

[Jameshow]

Hi no the rest if the van is in good condition tbh.

I fitted the interior + 3 windows, so I've invested a lot in it.

I have several options for engines / rebuilds.
I'll wait for further advice from the garage.

Cheers James

 

[Jameshow]

Awaiting inspection.

Cheers James

 

[Spectric]

AA can be as bad, freinds BMW started smoking, engine covered in oil and the AA just said engines blown. Got recovered several hundred miles and once back home pressure cleaned the engine bay, topped engine up with oil and started ok. The oil was coming from the oil pressure switch, traveling up the wiring sleeving and discharging over everything. New switch and away it went so how many cars are scrapped for no reason due to AA / RAC?

 

[Jameshow]

So update 4/5......



Took to garage as above ...



He agreed didn't sound good.



Noticed the wires are a mess in the fuse box. Also leaking oil.



Brakes were dodgy too.



He went to get it pre mot but they didn't finish it due to the oil.



However in the way home I took a longer route round the moor and thrashed it up to 50mph for about 10mins. This had the effect of getting rid of the bag of nails sound and the brakes were better v odd???



So I've got an oil leak from the crankcase seal I thing just above the power steering pump, wiring that needs a sort out, sounds more do able???



Any thoughts?

Cheers James

 

[Jameshow]

3rd garage this morning who said it was a cam chain casting leak. They couldn't fix it.

Perhaps a loose chain had worn through the sky casting?

Looks like end if the road. Poor thing as it's running really quite well!

Cheers James

 

[D_W]

Remanufactured engine.