VR6 Engine Rebuild

[jamin 0]

A bit vague this question, but how much can I expect (roughly) to pay for an engine rebuild?

 

My car has nearly done 130k miles now and I'd ideally like to restore the car to last me a few more years (it had done 65k when i bought it!), but I will only do this if I can be sure the car is mechanically sound first...

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[dr_mat 0]

Depends what you mean by rebuild...

A full rebore, piston rings, valve guides, valve seals, timing chains job will cost you near £3k, no matter how you slice the cookies.

A top end rebuild, however, is likely to be more palatable ...

[Taggart 0]

I've got a Stealth bill for a full rebuild for around £3.5k

[edd 0]

yep stealth = 3.5k got one of those bills too (and a nice engine to go with it)

[steve @ 0]

If its not using oil and water and still producing the goods then theres no point IMO. Mines on 143k and still going well. Having said that I think Stealth do a full top end rebuild inclucing new followers as well as chains, tensioners and clutch change for £1400 all in. Which Iam looking at in a couple of months

[was8v 0]

Little point unless its gone bang or uses too much oil / down on power? Some have done 200k without a rebuild.

 

I'd be tempted to do a 24v conversion for that - more modern smoother engine etc

 

Search on here a few have had it done.

[DaveVR6 0]

out of interest what does a full engine rebuild involve? and what does a top end rebuild involve?

[jamin 0]

The engine seems fine on power :D but drinks oil, which I am told could be piston rings, hence the rebuild. I originally thought valve stem seals, but it doesn't kick out smoke when I start it.

 

I also have to replace the plugs fairly often ~8k as I am getting ALOT of carbon build up.

[dr_mat 0]

You may benefit from a rebuild if it's drinking oil, yes. Pressure and leak-down tests should isolate whether it's rings or valves though.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Plug fouling (1 and 6 presumably - the other bores rarely go) every 8K is very good!! Worn bores will foul the plugs up a hell of a lot quicker than that.

 

I'd say it's more likely to be guides but you never know with these things until the suspected parts are inspected visually, or tested.

 

A chap on http://www.vr6oc.com has his motor rebuilt for £1800 allegedly, and £650 of that was forged pistons. I'm guesssing that must be just a block build, sounds too cheap to be a full build....but worth asking him just in case. It's in the general chat section.

 

Rebuilding is not just for those that don't like the thought of an old engine, or to cure smoke & noises. Most people that have their bottom ends done report a much improved engine, smoother and power fully restored, if not bettered. Like suspension, we get used to the gradual wear of engine blocks and don't notice until you drive a better one or notice by some other way, i.e tonnes of smoke.

 

Old original VRs don't pull with anything like as much vigour as a more youthful or rebuilt one.

[jamin 0]

Plug fouling (1 and 6 presumably - the other bores rarely go) every 8K is very good!! Worn bores will foul the plugs up a hell of a lot quicker than that.

 

I'd say it's more likely to be guides but you never know with these things until the suspected parts are inspected visually, or tested.

 

A chap on http://www.vr6oc.com has his motor rebuilt for £1800 allegedly, and £650 of that was forged pistons. I'm guesssing that must be just a block build, sounds too cheap to be a full build....but worth asking him just in case. It's in the general chat section.

 

Rebuilding is not just for those that don't like the thought of an old engine, or to cure smoke & noises. Most people that have their bottom ends done report a much improved engine, smoother and power fully restored, if not bettered. Like suspension, we get used to the gradual wear of engine blocks and don't notice until you drive a better one or notice by some other way, i.e tonnes of smoke.

 

Old original VRs don't pull with anything like as much vigour as a more youthful or rebuilt one.

 

Thanks for this, would I be able to tell (or a garage for that matter) by taking the head off first and inspecting it - might be worth doing before committing to a full rebuild?

[Stan 24v 0]

PSI Tuning quoted me around £2k for a rebuild on my VR, before I saw the light and spent a few hundred more for 12 extra valves ;)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Jamin, you can generally tell by lifting the head, yeah, but ideally you need to check the pistons on 1 and 6 for scratching of the skirts aswell.

 

Stan, stop it! I'm quite tempted to pay PSI a visit! Can they source an engine aswell?

 

Unfortunately VRs are pricey (and indeed 24Vs when they need it) to build because it's 6 of everything and the pistons are expensive..... and you need a workshop with a tiltable milling bed that can bore at 15 degrees...it all adds up.

[Stan 24v 0]

Kev Andy Walker is the main guy, and he sourced my engine for £1100. He actually has the whole donor car still as the scrappy dropped it off for him to use what he needed to. He's gonna make it a show/track car to advertise the company.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Hmmmm.... defo worth thinking about.

 

He had your car for 3 weeks tho didn't he? I can't be without it that long.

 

Maybe now that he's more familiar with the process, he could source everything in advance and then just have the car for a week or few days?

 

I'll speak to him I think.....

[Stan 24v 0]

He gave me a loan car while it was in, so no probs there mate ;)

[24V Renshaw 0]

Stan are you coming down for the stealth rolling road day? Would be interested in having a look at your conversion. See what he has done differently/the same.

 

Jay

[Stan 24v 0]

When is it? Im sure I cant make it for some reason. he is trying to get it on his mates Porsche rolling road for me anyway. Its backing in getting some bits sorted at the mo, and once Im back on the road again I hope to do some meets up this end anyway mate, so you'll get to see it ;)

[24V Renshaw 0]

9th April

Yeah I will definately see it at some point, but there will be a good collection of rados at stealth.

 

Jay