Knackered Engine - dilemna of what to go for next?

Removed my engine yesterday and stripped it down to determine what's the cause of its low performance, low compression and general all roundness rubbishness.

On inspection it turns out I've got a 'full house' of knackered bits.
Cracks in both heads,
Piston rings gaps of about 2mm!
Wear in pistons around the gudgeon pin clips,
Case needs line boring - but has been done previously,
Cam/followers worn,
Main bearings have tried to make a bid for freedom,
Etc etc,

Any option below is going to involve me parting with plenty of money so I'm trying to decide what direction to go in, the dilemma I'm facing is, do I stay with a T1 engine but go for 1776+ or go with T4 which would require me to get a complete turnkey unit including exhaust/tins etc, and then also...

Go for Subaru power / but my reservation here are the potential pitfalls of mot changes coming in next year.

Any thoughts people?

 

go subaru, by the time you have messed about upgrading to a t4 engine you may as well go scooby power. forget the MOT changes, its will be optional to not get an MOT. if you need an MOT you get an MOT simple as really.

or go for a bog standard replacement type 1 engine


just my opinion

 

polo engine not really worth it for the tiny increase in power and same faff as a scooby

 

Rebuild it yourself? Sounds like you've got it in bits anyway.

 

My personal preference would be Subaru. Assuming you are going to do it yourself, it won't be any more expensive than the other options, and I can't see many mot inspectors caring about your choice of engine.
You also have the benefit of plenty of power, but from a bog standard engine that will last, without need for tinkering or rebuilds.
Second choice would be a standard ish type 4.

Other opinions are available..

 

Cheers Matt, I'd been thinking about A Subaru sea before, just now I'm more concerned about the possible introduction of IVA type tests for modified vehicles... I need to do some more reading up on this though.

I need a whole long block -as the case is too far gone, henca with the expense looking at the other options.

 

Forget type 4 they are all on borrowed time as far as crank cases go.

Choice is Scooby or collect parts for another T1.

A good secondhand case could be as low as £50.. After I was prepared to drive a long way to collect one in Barry South Wales. Never line bored and melted a valve and dumped in a garden so long a go it had not done many miles..

Basically I managed to build a 1641 T1 engine with new forged pistons, cylinders cam and followers for £600 (recycled old heads, case crank, flywheel so call it £1000 if I had bought heads).

 

Forget type 4 yes, but not because they are all on borrowed time as far as crank cases go. The crankcase is bullet proof but if hit by a bomb it can be welded, and welded again - it will last forever. However, the cost of changing from a type 1 to type 4 is probably close to the cost of changing to a Scooby and repair costs for a type 4 are relatively high.

If you’re concerned about the possible introduction of IVA type tests for modified vehicles your only choice is to keep a type 1.

 

Scooby vote over here , i can see the appeal of having a reliable modern-ish motor for the same price as a reconned VW T4 lump .
I got my 1600 done a couple of years ago at a very reasonable price but if it goes pop i`ll be going scooby - not for the extra power but most reconditioned units have been doing the rounds for decades - ask any `true` VW mechanic ....

 

Scooby if you want to keep the bus and use it loads, just throwing good money after bad.
Mot is easy if you know them and it's not a shed.

 

If you keep your eye out you can get a type 4 non running engine for a couple of hundred quid, cheapest way to get all the tinware etc, they are few and far between but do come up. Get complete and rebuild, thats what I did, get a CU code from a T25 and they are cheaper. Just a thought, parts are dearer and cams are always knackered

 

Still undecided on what route to take as just picked up an engine case of unknown history - so going to strip it down to check if it's any good....but,

Been offered a complete 2.5 Subaru Legacy (auto), are these a lot more hassle to fit? than the 2.0/2.2 which seem more common in the conversions I've been looking at. @pkrboo or anyone else who knows, thanks!

 

No harder than other Subaru engine to fit. It's the auto bit that needs a bit extra doing, Just needs a different starter and flywheel and clutch etc, and a belt guide over the crankshaft timing belt to stop it skipping(for some reason they didn't put them on Autos)

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Cheers mate, so a manual is the easier option if going 2.5, going to get reading tonight and work outs what's what, what's easiest, and what's too expensive!

 

What year and mileage?
The ej25 have had issues with head gasket failure (though I think it can be prevented).
Auto engines are usually better candidates for engine swap as they are less likely to have been driven recklessly.
And they are less popular because it's quite a powerful engine for a bay.

 

Auto isn't harder, just extras to buy that you will need if you buy a full car. If you buy just a manual engine you may need other stuff anyway. Depends on the price of the Legacy as well

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I have considered fitting a Subaru engine but understand its radiator is mounted under the bus floor.
That would mean that when I pulled up on a hot day, all the heat would rise up making my bus scorchio inside.
I might also have similar problems when the fans cut in in slow moving traffic.
Sadly, I think that's a deal breaker for me as all that extra heat might cause my B3 to go out of tune.
Don't think that the dog would be too keen either.

 

Go Subura. Save yourself a lot of pain