Vege engine - good or bad?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by dean_butler, Aug 7, 2014.

  1. dean_butler

    dean_butler TLB Design Guru

    I have to make a decision to go for a vege 1600 ASAP or get one built from a new case with new and old parts.
    Are the vege engines good or not I have heard mixed feelings?
     
  2. same as any new engine, fit it and run it in properly with heatcycles before putting it under load, and when you do put load on it start with short journeys and built it up, don't run it for more than an hour for the first 500 miles and don't whatever you do grind along at a constant 50 thinking you're doing the engine good and it'll last you. Free revving, don't stick at th same revs for very long don't let it labour at all and change the oil at 20 miles, 100 miles, 250 miles and 500 miles and then drive it normally.... mine is now 11 years old :)
     
    areksilverfish, zed, Paley and 3 others like this.
  3. Baysearcher

    Baysearcher [secret moderator]

    Same as all the mass re-builders you'll hear good and bad about them.
     
    steveagain likes this.
  4. From experience with a type 4 Vege, i'd not buy another. Had problems from the start and it lasted under 5000 miles (after I sold it on) Better to re-build the og engine if you have it. Saying that, yours is not a pancake engine so the type 1 motors might be different. Subaru?
     
  5. dean_butler

    dean_butler TLB Design Guru

  6. how much?
     
  7. Baysearcher

    Baysearcher [secret moderator]

    You wont find any engine refurbisher who gets unilaterally good feed-back.
    Even some of the engine builder gurus arent as good as people will have you believe.
    Its a case of make a decision and go with it I'm afraid.
     
    Paley, 75swampy and vanorak like this.
  8. Vege have been going a long time, like you say there are mixed reviews but is that down to the engine or is that down to poor owner maintenance / operation? I guess it is like everything else - you takes a chance whatever the case - even with brand new.
    Mine has come from these guys:
    http://www.thevwenginecompany.com/index.html
    I have since been told that they build the VW air-cooled engines for Vege. It's being installed tomorrow. It will remain to be seen how it goes, but fingers crossed and all that ;)
     
    steveagain likes this.
  9. We've got a Vege 1600 in Hamish. The history's a bit vague but as far as I can tell it's done about 16,000 miles since it was fitted a decade or so ago and still seems to be going fairly well. We did about 3000 miles in it last year without any big problems. It's starting to be a bit leaky now, but I suspect that's possibly due to some iffy/patchy maintenance by previous owners rather than any inherent problems with the engine. @Paul Weeding has had a poke around it before. He might be able to confirm or shoot down my general impression of it.
     
  10. I think Vege were good in their day, but have gone downhill since. Likely there's no money in air coolers these days. My Vege recon lasted about 2k miles before seizing solid. Shame, as it had a brand new crankcase...
     
  11. TES or rebuild original was laurie pettits advise
     
  12. For Vege its down to the franchise holder...in theory they should all be of a standard but its still a lottery. TES went through a patch of negatives on VZi some years back how true it all was I've no idea but my re-con gearbox from them is still fine.
     
    snotty likes this.
  13. Are new vw mexico engines still available?
     
  14. Likely yes, but I think folk have stopped importing them as they were getting so expensive. Pity - they seemed to have a good reputation.
     
  15. I wonder where they are made
    Brazil or mexico:thinking:
     
  16. If I was buying a 'new' air cooled engine I would only buy from someone who makes bespoke engines to order in small volumes. You get what you pay for. A 'new' engine listed at <£2k might last you, it might not - you take a gamble. A bespoke one will cost in the region of £4.5k upwards.

    I think today the only volume manufacturer i'd trust would be VWH.
    :)
     
  17. Moons

    Moons Supporter

    I sometimes wonder about where people perceive where a supplied engine starts and where it finishes.

    What mean by that is, for a lot of people the criteria starts and finishes at does it start, run for a bit and switch off, and repeat.

    I wonder how many good short engines have been let down by poor ancillary set up, that having nothing to do with the actual engine...yet it's the 'engine' is crap.
     
    Woodylubber, snotty and fritt like this.

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