Engine swap choice - future proofing.

[mike.g]

I’m very slowly starting to think about the engine choice for my van. I have an asthmatic 1.6d with no oomph and on its last legs.

Over the last couple of years I’ve acquired a nice low mileage 1.9 which was my initial plan for the sheer simplicity of the swap and then a 5 speed petrol gearbox appeared locally so I grabbed that in case I could put the two together and make it even more useable.

However, over the last couple of months, I’ve left the Hobbit-like safety of Cornwall and ventured to such places like Bristol and London and wound up paying clean air charges on my newish modern diesel but, being able to drive in for free in my 20+ year old Audi TT and it’s got me thinking about which way should I go with a conversion to future proof my van?

I retire next year and I’m looking at using my van (if I get it ready in time!) to start going on a few adventures both here and in Europe.
I’m assuming a lot of major European cities must do similar schemes and I don’t want to preclude myself from locations or, be constantly paying out for the privilege of driving there.

I’m guessing that the obvious choice is petrol but, should I be looking at engines of a certain spec - the various Euro specs - or, will it make any difference if my vans over 40 years old and MOT exempt? The reason I ask re the MOT exemption is I’m not sure whether changing from from diesel to petrol is classed as a ‘significant’ change and would affect its eligibility to be MOT/Tax exempt?

Finally, and a biggy for me is the relative simplicity of a potential conversion.
I don’t mind going out and buying a conversion kit to get the right bellhousing and engine mounts etc. but, I don’t want to suddenly enter a world of electronic quantum physics trying to get a component to ‘recognise’ another component - essentially everything I hate about modern cars!

[shepster]

I believe once the van is 'historic' then ULEZ doesn't apply, you may need to check that though, a GTi conversion would be pretty straight forward as you have a Diesel so engine mounts etc are already there.

I'm not sure if just putting a more modern Diesel engine in will automatically make your van ULEZ compliant but I doubt it.

Not sure what you mean about the 5 speed box being more usable because as far as I'm aware the final drive ratio is about the same, could be wrong though.

[clift_d]

My understanding is that you get ULEZ compliance for your van when it reaches the 40yr threshold and has been registered as a historic vehicle. At least that’s the situation currently - there have been recent rumours that the Chancellor is thinking of ending the historic vehicle scheme.

The “no substantive changes” requirement relates to whether there is a requirement for annual MOT testing once the vehicle has been registered as historic. So if you changed your engine you could still register it as a historic vehicle, but you’d need to continue undertaking an annual MOT.

As far as I am aware it is not possible to make a vehicle compliant with the ULEZ through an engine change, except in the case of a limited number of TFL certified modifications, which are only generally available for specific models of HGVs / coaches.

[R0B]

Hopefully, the chancellor will be out of a job next year. And hopefully, his successor will decide not to drop the scheme.

[mike.g]

Cheers for the replies.
So in a nutshell, if I replace the engine with a diesel one, I’ll still be able to get the historic/MOT exempt status and be ULEZ exempt?

[clift_d]

The historic vehicle status relates to the age of the vehicle, so my understanding is that this is correct.

[mike.g]

Ideal. That’s how I read it when I looked at the .gov page re exempt vehicles.

The only thing I have in the back of my head is the slight concern that as we move forward diesel will become a really dirty word and maybe excessively taxed and then the petrol option will have made more sense?

For me, the tax exempt status is the main thing, I’ll continue to MOT even though it doesn’t need it, just so I know everything is ok!

[Marktwain]

I did an engine swap recently , after going through the thought processes you describe in your OP. In the end I went for a VAG diesel engine / gearbox from an Audi a4 . Eventually, Driveability,usability and economy were more important (to me) than wobbly unpredictable green lobby politics, after all who knows where all that will end. GTI engine simpler conversion but thirsty, 1.9 tdi AFN withe variable vane turbo, does 50 mpg and has transformed the driving experience, the van drives more like a T 5. My final thought processes were: I will get 2 to 5 years of enjoyable (perhaps less frustrating) driving/camping for my money, maybe more. Then if it all goes to hell in a green handcart, the process probably won’t be over night, and then whatever our cockamamie politicos come up with ,I will just have suck it up. In another 5 years the said government will probably ban me from driving anyway as I will be over 80, so I will make the most of the next few years, the see how the land lies

[Marktwain]

I should add that as I live in the back of beyond avoiding major conurbations should not be so difficult, but I accept it imposes limitatation on your freedom of movement, I would not dream of driving through London anyway,
M 8 Glasgow/ Edinburgh is a different matter , but I shall wait and see. Adapt and survive!!!

[JeffRoo]

Just a note. Be careful with an engine swap and then getting historic vehicle status. A change of engine to a more modern one will be classed as a major change. Subsequently no historic vehicle status even if it’s 40 yrs +

[clift_d]

I think you’d still get the historic vehicle status, i.e., ULEZ and VED exemption, but you wouldn’t get the MOT exemption:

https://www.gov.uk/historic-vehicles

[mike.g]

I did an engine swap recently , after going through the thought processes you describe in your OP. In the end I went for a VAG diesel engine / gearbox from an Audi a4 . Eventually, Driveability,usability and economy were more important (to me) than wobbly unpredictable green lobby politics, after all who knows where all that will end. GTI engine simpler conversion but thirsty, 1.9 tdi AFN withe variable vane turbo, does 50 mpg and has transformed the driving experience, the van drives more like a T 5. My final thought processes were: I will get 2 to 5 years of enjoyable (perhaps less frustrating) driving/camping for my money, maybe more.

Sounds like you’re happy with your combination/choice. I’m not sure how long you’ve had it done but, depending on how much driving time you’ve had with it, is there anything you’d have done differently, different gearbox/gearing or maybe a bigger engine - I haven’t done much research but I’m guessing that there was probably a bigger engine of the ‘right era’ etc?

[Marktwain]

Sorry about tardy response
With the benefit of hindsight, I would not have done anything differently, but it was a bit a a gamble as I went for the 1.9 TDI engine gearbox option with little pre knowledge. As it turns out, the a4 gearbox really suits the van , you don’t really need 5th gear unless you are on the autobahn, as the engine is much more torquey than the original wheezy 1.6 JX turbo. The conversion is not just a matter of taking the old one and slinging the new one in the hole. There are lots of special parts needed . It was done by Busmeister. One issue is that these engines are becoming hard to find now. If you are still havering, you might try giving Robin at Busmeister a call , his workload is fully booked up now , so he will not be taking on much new work, if any, however I have found him to be very helpful and knowledgable

[mike.g]

Thanks for the info, it’s much appreciated!