Club 80-90 Forums

Hi Folks,

looking for a 1.9 dg to rebuild so I have a replacement ready for when my current engine expires. Van is 1984 so current engine is an early DG. How easy is it to fit a late DG or should I hold out for an early one?

Thanks

Bob

Go for a late, core engine is a straight swap, differerences are larely internal.
cooling system and other bolt on parts are different but all swap over to core engine

Thanks Itchyfeet - that answers the question perfectly. Now to track down an engine.

There are considerable advantages to having a late (improved) cooling system etc but that would mean exhaust, front>back pipes, engine bay hoses and pipes, exhaust etc. The wiring is also different for a late engine (oil pressure DOPS and cooling) so you would have to retain/swap all the ancillaries too.

Ian

There’s quite a few different, hoses, wiring, I tried it recently, late to early but was having trouble finding some of the pipe work

A question from a newbie...

When was the 'late' DG engine introduced?

My numbers are:
Chassis WV2ZZZ25ZGH046714
25 GH046714
Engine DG106862

According to the Brickwerks site this makes it November '85.

Is this 'early' or 'late'?

Michael 4, It changed in 85 so I'd say it's a late.
Just checked the BW gizmo and it says
"Your Van has Dynamic oil pressure monitoring",
so that pretty much confirms it.

Back to the OP, you can rebuild an early or late, you'll just need a different main bearing set, the rest is the same. As it's a DG, early or late case is otherwise unimportant. What is important is the condition. Ideally you will want to know some history, and/or the failure mode (if applicable). A good standard early case is far better to build in than a 0.5mm line bored late case with a knackered thrust face and leaking helicoiled sump bung, for example. Although it's very hard to know until you strip it. Oversized mains for machined cases are very hard to find at the moment, so try to avoid anything that's obviously been rebuilt before.

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Thanks folks - looks of good information. So from what you're all saying I'm assuming the core engines are interchangeable. Its cooling system (water pump, thermostat housing etc) that is different and if using a late engine will need transferring.

Current engine is running fine but nothing lasts forever and I fancying rebuilding an engine in slow time and not when I need it to get the van back on the road.

Interested to now what the advantages of a late calling system are.

thanks for your help

Bob

early cooling system has parts that are obsolete, that's the main benefit that late will have pattern parts available.

In particular early thermostat housing in aluminium is obsolete and very often the bolts sheer off so machine shop or experience is needed to repair it.

Don't go into a change lightly as the cost of some of the parts for late swap is quite alot.

I should add that the head studs snapping or corroded is the hard part of any rebuild,early engines suffer more because they are older but also, I think they changed the composition of the studs to improve it in late engines.

ajsimmo wrote:Michael 4, It changed in 85 so I'd say it's a late.
Just checked the BW gizmo and it says
"Your Van has Dynamic oil pressure monitoring",
so that pretty much confirms it.

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Thanks and sorry for hijacking the thread!

Very relevant to me as when I went to a shop with my early DG and a doner late DG and asked them to do a bottom end rebuild they came to the conclusion that the doner was in better shape than my original so now I have to do an early to late conversion using a combination of parts from both.

Itchy, is there any way to get ahead of this and get the parts in advance or is it best to work it out when the heads are on and I am ready to fit it?

Thinking about it again, is it not easier to stick an early water pump on a late DG and stay with the early thermostat housing and coolant line layout rather than changing the lines?

All the ancillaries will swap over from your old engine to your better engine. It's really the van that's early or late, the core engine is practically similar and interchangeable.

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Ciaraneng wrote:Thinking about it again, is it not easier to stick an early water pump on a late DG and stay with the early thermostat housing and coolant line layout rather than changing the lines?

yes keep the cooling system if you can.I didn't suggest changing it.

The problem may be the obsolete thermostat housing if you break it getting it off but they can be found. Might be worth trying to get hold of one first and have it reconditioned by a machine shop ready then there is no headache on the day. ( try Mick at NW VW ph no here http://www.nwvw.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

All the late cooling system can be fitted but it will be quite expensive and a lot of work.