Engine identification

[Florence the Komet]

Hi all. I'm a new member with a recently bought petrol 5-speed 1989 autohomes komet. Loving the vehicle, and loving this forum. Thanks to all who have contributed to such an amazing wealth of information.
Ok, im trying to identify my engine. I've located the engine code which reads to me as 'DJ053863*'.
Thing is, from reading on here and the Haynes manual, this suggests a 2.1 engine.
But it was sold to me as a 1.9l, and the v5 states 1915cc and gives a DG engine code. The chassis number does match mine though.
I will upload pictures once i've learnt to link to photobucket. But i have two questions:

Firstly, how do you visually distinquish between a dg and dj? I realise that i should know how to spot whether i have fuel injection or not, but please bare with me as this is just the beginning of my journey into vehicle maintenance!

Secondly, if the engine has been changed at some point, what are the implications? I'm assuming i'll need to update the DVLA and my insurer, but is there anything else vehicle wise?

Thanks in advance people
http://s36.photobucket.com/user/Florenc ... sort=3&o=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://s36.photobucket.com/user/Florenc ... sort=3&o=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[itchyfeet]

[itchyfeet]

That is very much a DJ 2.1 injection, a 1.9 DG looks very different
I'd say that was a DJ from the factory
1.9 DG


2.1 DJ


Have you checked the chassis number here...

[Florence the Komet]

Ichyfeet, thanks so much for the detailed reply. The two engines do indeed look very different! I hope your reply will also assist my fellow incompetents.

Ok well I guess its good news that I have a surprise DJ engine.

The chassis numbers on the VIN plate and V5 match, but I will see if I can get under the van to double check the other chassis number when i get a chance.

Right i'm off to find out about 'fuel injection'...

[itchyfeet]

VIN plate can be swapped, chassis number is hard to change as it's punched in.
You wan't to be sure you gave a V5 error and not a stolen van

[Florence the Komet]

By way of an update,

After scrubbing away with a wire brush I found that neither the engine code or the chassis number under the B pillar match that on the V5 and VIN plate. Obviously I'm now quite anxious that the van has a shady history. I do believe that the people I bought it from (who had it for 2 years) were genuine and were not party to any skullduggery. Interestingly I've already had it to a local garage a few times, and they did not spot the V5 error either (they of course knew it was Injection engine, but didn't know that the DG code on V5 was NOT an injection engine if that makes sense)- it's only because of this forum that I decided to have a go at deciphering the code etc. So this situation may go back quite some time. Thanks guys for the info to explore this.

I've had a garage verify the 'correct' details, and have written off to the DVLA to come clean. I'm of course hoping that this is just down to errors in the documentation/undocumented changes over the past 28 years etc, but my Wife and I are more than a little anxious that we will get a knock at the door and the vehicle we bought in good faith will be removed as a stolen vehicle. Not what you want with a new baby and a planned Norway trip later this Summer.

I was also worried that as I have a surprise 2.1 engine, I was not properly insured. But one happy outcome was when I phoned the insurance company (can I name them here?), they spoke with the underwriters giving my new horsepower etc, and amended the policy without even an admin charge. Lucky as I have about 10months left on the policy! And this atleast means I can continue to use the van whilst trying to sort this out.

I'll update the forum with the outcome from the DVLA. But note to self, and to prospective T25 buyers, it may take an hour or so, and be fiddly to do, but if considering buying one of these vans don't just go from the VIN plate number in the doorway - get under the van and in the engine with the wire brush to give yourself peace of mind that you are buying what you think your buying.

[Highroller]

The Vin, V5 and Chassis No.'s match on my late 2.1DJ Devon Microbus but it is registered as a 1915cc DG (112). Unless someone with total OCD has converted it then I would say that the bus is definitely a DJ from factory.

[itchyfeet]

Sorry but don't kid yourself its likely a ringer if the chassis does not mach the plate
Engine number is irrelevant they all have had new engines
Go after the seller at the end of they day they probably sold a stolen vehicle and I'm sure you have rights

[Skyegirl]

Hi there,
I am in the process of trying to register my T25 campervan ("Ruby") in Ireland. I have found the VIN plates screwed on the inside of the driver's door post but need to be able to show the Irish authorities the actual chassis number stamped on the vehicle's body. Can anyone tell me please where I might find the chassis number?
Ruby is a RHD 1986 yr 1600 turbo diesel engine camper van with high top.
Many thanks.

[R0B]

See Itchys second post above.

[Florence the Komet]

Lie on the floor just behind the drivers side front wheel, looking towards the front of the van. That view should match the one in itchyfeet's pic above. Code is circled in red in the pic. But mine was hidden behind 30 years of dirt so I had to scrub it with a wire brush...

[Aidan]

the genuine vin number is also on the pressed steel build plate under the left front seat on the inner support for the seat next to the rail, this plate is riveted to the body prior to paint so will be the original paint colour and have paint coated rivets so it's easy to see if it's been swapped over, most people don't know it's there so on a ringer it may not be swapped even if the chassis has been doctored, you want to ensure that all three match and haven't been tampered with , you don't have to move the seat to see it you can look through the gap under the seat from the foot well, a torch helps.
Sometimes the bar code paint shop bar code sticker is still under the left bumper end cap that also has the vin number on and surprisingly the vin number can also be on a white paper sticker at the back of the right side door frame especially on commercial based vans as they don't get always get peeled off and as not visible with door shut they get ignored, but on most campers they will have gone as kids pick at them and on the darker colour vans they are obvious so more likely to have been peeled off

[Florence the Komet]

Just thought i'd give an update on my situation.
After findinfg that my codes were different from those on the V5 and VIN plate, I decided to come clean and wrote to the DVLA a few months ago to flag that the chassis and engine codes were incorrect and (optimistically?) requesting to amend the V5.
I heard nothing for months despite frequent calls to them. Eventually i got a knock st the door at 9.30pm at night from a very nice local police man. He'd been sent by the DVLA to verify the numbers id given them and get more info. Long story short he explained that the vehicle (or atleast the vehicle with the chassis number I found under my van) was repoted stolen 12 years ago. It looks like the number and VIN plates were swapped with a clean (and disappeared) vehicle which i had the V5 for
There was no suspicion of wrong doing from me but that was little consolation.
The police have decided not to investigate the theft, which is fair enough i guess as they've had 20% cuts and probably have more important things to do than investigate something that would be so hard to prove this far down the line (theres been multiple owners since the date of the theft). But an insurance company paid out on this at the time, and so have a claim on it.
That company has been bought be LV. LV mechanic came to investigate the van the other day. He believes it is their van and im waiting to hear firmally from them, but he said they are likely to want £2k off me to retain the van. Ive spoken to my insurer who will not pay out if LV take the van. So we are trying to decide what we can afford to do as a family.
Motto is, take a wire brush with you when you buy one of these vans, and check the actual chassis number for yourself.

[itchyfeet]

Sorry to hear that but 2k isn't as bad as I thought.
You could go back to the pervious owner and say they need to pay it as they old you stolen goods, they may at least split the cost with you.

[tforturton]

Bloody hell, what a nightmare.