OK this is a genuine question - though some of you may think the question is silly as you know much more mechanically than me so it may sould daft..... but anyway here goes....

 

As I have mentioned before my Zed has a 'shallow knock' at least that is what Jeff at Zedworld called it. HAving said that the car runs OK but the knock (which happens between applying power and letting off again for example when changing gear) annoys me

 

To be fair to what Jeff told me it has not got worse (or much so) over the last 18 months

 

However..... I am now in possesion of a good running engine courtesy of Noz and the doner car I was buying but he beat me to it..... complete with turbos. plenum, and various other bits. Noz has heard it running and he tells me it's good so I'll happily take his word for it

 

So here is the conundrum:

 

Seeing as mine is running OK and not in need of an urgent transplant I'm not sure what to do with this engine.

 

I want to take of the plenum and cogs/tensioners etc and get them all polished and chromed as that is the look I want to achieve.

 

BUT

 

what else would you suggest I do?

 

Leave it alone and swap it with mine (apart from the chrome shiny stuff I want to do)

 

Rebuild the engine (better start with a good one than a bad one?)

 

Upgrade the turbos (Noz says they may already have been upgraded but does not know)

 

Rebuild the engine to a higher spec than standard?

 

Time is not necessarily of the escence here.... but it is not a bottomless pit of money (though it has some spare to play with) so what is the best options and roughly how much would I be spending?

 

Also playing around with this engine is possibly a good way for me to get from electronics engineer to mechanical one?

 

Cheers

Rich

Edited February 11, 201312 yr by dicky96
bad grammar

You could just tart up the spare engine at minimal cost and when ready transplant it into yours and over time rebuild your old engine.

Change the cambelt and tensioners whilst out at the very least, vvt springs while cam cover is off.

 

Or go the route 2: strip down spare to block and replace all gaskets, general clean and inspect parts.

 

Route 3 full rebuild, downside, cost, time, knowledge or lack of lol

I have stock engine/internals but have upgraded everything else, turbos, intercoolers, injectors, clutch, etc and I bought all these parts over 18 months or so and then engine came out and all got fitted by Lee Dent in 2012, I could call it the 555 route :cool3:.

 

It doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg either and is a significant improvement from when it left the factory.

You could just tart up the spare engine at minimal cost and when ready transplant it into yours and over time rebuild your old engine.

Change the cambelt and tensioners whilst out at the very least, vvt springs while cam cover is off.

 

Or go the route 2: strip down spare to block and replace all gaskets, general clean and inspect parts.

 

Route 3 full rebuild, downside, cost, time, knowledge or lack of lol

 

That just kinda repeats my dilemma lol. I take on board what you say about cambelt, tensioners and springs though

 

 

So if i were to go route 2.... I suppose it would all depend cost wise on what is found when 'inspecting parts'. any rough idea on what I could be getting into money wise assuming I can get it all dismantled and reassembled but have to hope some other members here may help with the actual inspection/work?

 

Route 3 is it even possible to put a rough price on that? If this is the equivalent of a 'reconditioned engine' or even an upgraded engine I'd just like to have some handle on what I am possibly getting into here finanacially (and the benefits of doing so) before I start on this 'good running' engine

 

 

dicky

Edited February 12, 201312 yr by dicky96

In my view if your current engine is actually running ok then keep it in the car until something really go's wrong with it. Think of the 'donor' engine as a small project in it's own right, put it on the bench/engine stand and build it to whatever spec you deem necessary over an un-restricted period of time (as and when funds permit).

Don't be in too much of a hurry to pull the old one out and then run the risk of having two engines on a bench, your zed parked up on the driveway for months on end resulting in an ever increasing credit card balance/decreasing bank balance, in your attempt to get a new all singing/all dancing newly built higher spec'd engine in your zed

 

By taking it slowly you'll have the old girl for the coming Summer months and still be able to work on your 'project' when the mood takes you, with the added bonus of getting your hands dirty and expanding your zed knowledge

 

That's what I would suggest anyway mate

It depends if you are looking for power mods or just a reliable engine that will give you years of pleasure. I feel your thoughts on the knocking, but im sure if you dont rag the arse off it, you will have the time to spend on the spare as Jaffa mentioned.

 

I bought a spare and tarted it up over a period of a year or so and when i had everything needed for the swap i took a week out to do the job. I also did a manual conversion along with a few other bits that could be done with the engine out, hence the week lol.

Cheers guys.

 

It's true I don't need to get the engine in the car urgently, it has had this light knock for at least 18 months and as I mentioned has not got appreciably worse in that time. It does niggle me somewhat but doesn't stop me enjoying using the car either.

 

In fact if anything it stops me from ragging it as I treat it bit more gently because of that, which is good for the mpg as well as keeping points off my license lol

 

This should be an interesting project too

Rich