vRS engine destroyed - any advice?

[Rab W]

take it to trust worth garage and have them carry out a rebuild. the block & head might be reuseable. if so, uprated engine components e.g rods, valves, pistons etc. these can be picked up resonably cheap and the rebuild will be less than a new engine and the you know its reliable especially if you dont go chasing power.

[Stuart_J]

How long are you going to keep it ??

If not for a long time I wouled consider the s/hand route. Find a good independant & you may find they can source engines

[Si66]

Cheers for all your replies and suggestions so far, I do appreciate it. Still waiting for some answers from a few different sources before I make the final call, though for various reasons I don't think I will ever drive that car again :( We will see when the answers are in.

Would have been tempted to go down the second hand and local garage fitted if there was a bit more certainty with the origin of second hand engines, but as B33fy rightly points out the second hand one "could be as shagged as the one you have".

[Golf-Fiend]

If there is metal in the engine regardless of source, if its not stripped fully and cleaned thoroughly then you'll end up with

further damage.

Second hand engine? could be as shagged as the one you have

Yes, I had this problem in a 16v Golf. One of the bores became oval-ish and knackered a piston. Got a scrapper engine from some breakers in Bolton. Apparently it was a "good 'un", "very low mileage". Yeah, right. It looked fine externally. It was only 6 months down the line that I noticed white metal in the sump. The cam bearings were shot due to oil starvation (a killer in these engines). Luckily I still had a very good head that I got reconditioned and fitted that. It was fine afterwards for years.

If you are going to get a 2nd hand engine - go and see it in person. Try and see it still in the car to asses why it's being broken. Heavy front damage might crack the block. If it's side or rear or rolled you will probably be OK.

You are probably lucky. I'm most decidedly NOT! :(

[cheezemonkhai]

A recon engine is a lot cheaper than a new one and a lot less than the loss of selling it as a none runner.

[Harry_vRS]

Harry what was the fitment like on the S3 engine, was it just plug and play as you already had the Dv relocation or did it need lots of ECU recoding etc?

Since I was already running the k04 conversion, the DV relocate as already there.

It was a direct straight swap. Because if you think about it, it's only a mechanic change, no ECU recoding is required. The only thing I can think of is that my Revo is the map used to K04 converted engines which came with a k03 from the factory. If i upgraded it to the k04 based file then maybe I'd gain a pony or two.

[martziniuk]

That sounds so simple, I think I'll go that way if I break mine

It's at 110k now

[pastie]

^^you may have a little wait yet,mines just struck 149k and i can see it being solid for the foreseeable future(touch wood)ive only had to replace the pcv

[Harry_vRS]

My first one went at 45k eek

[El Dingo]

+3, but like the idea of a more powerful engine (S3?) so you end up with a better car than you had before!

+4, but I don't advise going for a different engine, as this will be an insurance no-no, even if you do get all the ancilliaries to fit.

[martziniuk]

My first one went at 45k eek

But yours scored the cylinder walls didn't it? was that through running lean do you think?

[martziniuk]

^^you may have a little wait yet,mines just struck 149k and i can see it being solid for the foreseeable future(touch wood)ive only had to replace the pcv

But I'm at stage 2+ and just about to go K04.......

[Harry_vRS]

But yours scored the cylinder walls didn't it? was that through running lean do you think?

I think the piston rings failed, which scored the cylinders ultimately. One day, if I have the money, I'd love to slap a GT3076R on the engine and push for 500bhp

[martziniuk]

I think the piston rings failed, which scored the cylinders ultimately. One day, if I have the money, I'd love to slap a GT3076R on the engine and push for 500bhp

...... and break another engine

[dainott]

I think the piston rings failed, which scored the cylinders ultimately. One day, if I have the money, I'd love to slap a GT3076R on the engine and push for 500bhp

Thats the spirit and exactly my thoughts once the little un is 6 months and the missus goes back to work. I wouldnt care if i had 2 years of craziness and then it out with a bang!

[Harry_vRS]

Well if you build the engine properly with forged rods etc I see no reason for it to go if well maintained. Would be so epic if it were to be done. Toyo R888 255s needed all round though lol

[dainott]

If i was to go that way then would be looking at 4wd as 500bhp is way to much through the front wheels!

[Harry_vRS]

I disagree. The later spool would half act as traction control IMO.

At the moment I run ~330bhp with a Quaife LSD installed and when it's dry I can have a great time planting in almost any situation. Before the diff was installed, this was just not possible. This is on 235/35/R19 normal road tyres.

Now if you imagine a 255/35/R18 Toyo R888 tyre being used instead, then the grip would be fantastic, even with 500bhp I think it would be extremely drivable. 4WD just adds weight, and isn't particularly needed if you have the sufficient modifications in place to handle to power the engine is making.

Of course I will never actually do any of this as it will cost thousands, but it would be a LOT of fun doing it in a Skoda!

[martinch]

dainott - the car has 58344 miles on the clock, and will be 6 years old in March. I have owned it from approx. 2 years old and it has been meticulously serviced it that time

As you can show it's been "looked after", you could probably argue that it failed to remain of satisfactory quality for a reasonable period of time (6 years/60k miles should be nothing for a modern engine), and get the supplying dealership to pay for at least part of the bill (assuming it wasn't a private purchase). If you have breakdown assistance, this normally includes legal assistance - you could try phoning their legal helpline and see what they have to say ...

[Aspman]

You'll have to act quickly as 6 years is the cut off for the sale of goods act.

[Stuart_J]

As you can show it's been "looked after", you could probably argue that it failed to remain of satisfactory quality for a reasonable period of time (6 years/60k miles should be nothing for a modern engine), and get the supplying dealership to pay for at least part of the bill (assuming it wasn't a private purchase). If you have breakdown assistance, this normally includes legal assistance - you could try phoning their legal helpline and see what they have to say ...

The OP has no knowledge apart from a stamped book that it was looked after in the first 2 years. Several different garages have serviced it so you cant point the finger of blame at any one. Its really your word & belief against theirs. It will be a long battle with not a massive chance of winning, especially after owning it for 4 years with no issues

[Si66]

Dealer wanted £5000 for a new engine going up to £5700 if it needed a turbo, various breakers wanted £1200 to £1300 for an engine, but if it didn't drop straight in then fitting costs could have escalated to who knows where. Could have tried to negotiate a fixed priced with a garage for sourcing and fitting an engine, but didn't bother trying in the end. Skoda UK did not want to know about it. I have a chance to escalate the claim but to be honest I think the chance of them replying any different is pretty slim anyway.

It's taken some time thinking and throwing numbers around but decided to sell the car as it is, and it went today. My mum passed away unexpectedly a few days after the engine broke so lets just say I have had a massive reality check on what really matters in life, and it was not the Skoda. Carl and Lucy at Farmers Skoda in Leicester have been absolute stars so thanks go to them for helping as much as they could under the circumstances. Skoda UK could learn a great deal from these 2 people in terms of customer service.

Just wanted to say thanks for all the advice and comments on here, for this post and others over the past few years, and wish everyone all the best. Maybe catch you all again if I make it back to Skoda, but that won't be for some time.

[DGW]

I can understand your decision about the car. My sympathy for your loss and I hope that life will be kinder to you in the future. Come back when you can.

[Stuart_J]

Put like that it is the right decision, its got rid of un neccesary worry that you dont really need at the moment & at the end of the day its only a car. My best wishes for the next few months & maybe you will pop back here again, you dont have to own a Skoda to stay around.