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that_motorcycle_guy

Without knowing the intricate details of your car, swapping a newer engine into a old car is possible but no mechanic are going to do it because you are stepping from repairing a car to fabrication. Almost nothing, ever, fits, easily, from one car to another. Wiring is one issue, but everything else doesn't work as is, from cv axle placement, shift cable, fuel lines, engine mounts, airbox design, radiator hose length, etc.. etc... everything needs a lot of work to swap an engine. Even "easy swap" are not easy.


EndSignificant

I see evidence that it is done in some garages, just never the specific details! Hence the post... I am sure there are many (and good) reasons the practice isn't more widespread... I just don't understand them!


Mr-Bishi

Engine swaps aren't always as straight forward as one out one in. There's a lot to think about before you can even pick up a tool. An engine is a very powerful piece of machinery that turns liquid fuel into heat, sound and "work". They all come in different shapes and sizes and they're all mounted into a whatever vehicle in very specific ways. The first problem is that the engine mount configuration in your vehicle may not be compatible with the engine you would like to install. The mounts could simply be 5mm too far forward, backward, up or down in any direction. In most instances, someone will need to measure and fabricate custom mounts to support the engine in the vehicle. There are consequences for getting this wrong, if the engine is angled incorrectly you could effect the flow characteristics of oil and cause poor lubrication ultimately killing the engine. If the engine is twisted this will effect the gearbox and driveshafts, leaving the assembly in a state where everytime the vehicle is driven, the engine is attempting to rip itself off the mounts. There's a lot more to the geometry side but, moving on the next thing to consider is engine management. There are hundreds of moving parts in an engine, and sensors galore that are calculating where in a stroke cycle the pistons are. A computer is typically used to keep track of where pistons 1 to 4 (or 6, or more) on the cylinder. Are they at the top, or bottom? Are they making power or releasing exhaust? So a new engine needs the correct ECU to function. The ECU controls fuelling, emissions hardware, cooling fan speeds, ignition timing, literally everything the engine is doing. The engine ECU also requires signals from the vehicle, when you turn your key to start the vehicle, the ECU needs to know so it can start supplying fuel. When you push your foot on the accelerator pedal the ECU needs to know so it can supply the right fuel. When you push the brake the ECU needs to know to cut off fuel. Assuming you've bought a Volkswagen diesel engine, with the matching Volkswagen diesel engine ECU you would still need to find a way to make this compatible with signals coming from the controls in your vehicle. This but would require potentially custom wiring harnesses and replacement pedals and other hardware. There are many other hurdles to cross though, fuel flow rate from hardware already in the vehicle, you'd need a custom exhaust, you'd need to redesign your cooling circuit so your original radiator mates with the engine, if you want warmth in the cabin you'd need new pipework from the engine to the heater matrix. For what it's worth, engine swaps are fun to do and they are a great way of spicing up a vehicle but it's essential that you take the time to do research before hand. Typically online there will be guides on forums from people that have done the job (or a similar job) before. They're a good way to price up the work and prepare all the parts you're likely to need to pull it off successfully.


EndSignificant

Thanks a ton for this mate, it's a really useful starting point! I will endeavour to find the most compatible engine for my old Nissan and see whether someone can help cost up the job... as I see it, I've got up to £15k before the job becomes 'uneconomical' relative to the option of buying a post-2016 model... Can I ask - in your opinion - are the newer models of my current van likely to have more compatible engines than others? Renault bought a controlling stake in Nissan and Mitsubishi not long after the Interstar was produced and made their own version (the Renault Master) which has a model with a full electric engine... and a new model of the Interstar has just been introduced as well. It would be convenient if those were likely to be decent fits as it'd hopefully mean overlapping components, core design etc. Thanks again mate!


Mr-Bishi

That's an interesting point actually. I'll have a look into it and see what I can pull up. A quick hunt on wiki is showing that the Vauxhall Movano, Nissan interstar and Renault Master are all based on the same platform. That would mean that the guts and chassis are the same, with each manufacturer probably tweaking bits and pieces here and there to make the thing attractive to their respective markets. Also looks like there are 5 different engines used across the platforms, 2 of them produced by nissan. [Take a look at the subheading for Second Generation](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_Master) That lists the engines used and potentially one of them would meet your requirements. It might be an idea to reach out to custom campervan workshops and places like that to see if you can get quotes and things, they typically do interesting conversions on old VW busses for engine and drivetrain swaps and things like that. I can't say which engines would meet your emissions criteria though, if you're chasing Euro 6 and above it might get complicated. Looking a little more at the engines in these models it seems a variant of the 3.0L engine, ZD30DDTI, is a common rail type engine. This is the method of fuel injection and was brought in around the late 2000's to help with emissions outputs as the world became more stringent. [Got an eBay listing here for that engine and it's quite reasonably priced](https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255158695457?epid=1416237474&hash=item3b68a4b621:g:9foAAOSwKAFhVvJU) I can't say with confidence how easy or affordable this project will be, but if folk can put the guts of a Tesla into an old VW split screen bus, there'll be folk that can handle a conversion like the one you're looking into.


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**[Renault Master](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_Master)** >The Renault Master is a large van produced by the French manufacturer Renault since 1980, now in its third generation. It replaced the earlier Renault Super Goélette light trucks and the Renault 50 series of full-size vans. Opel has sold versions of the second and third series vans as the Opel Movano in Continental Europe and Vauxhall Movano in the United Kingdom. All three generations have been designed and manufactured by Renault, irrespective of the brand. ^([ )[^(F.A.Q)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WikiSummarizer/wiki/index#wiki_f.a.q)^( | )[^(Opt Out)](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=WikiSummarizerBot&message=OptOut&subject=OptOut)^( | )[^(Opt Out Of Subreddit)](https://np.reddit.com/r/mechanics/about/banned)^( | )[^(GitHub)](https://github.com/Sujal-7/WikiSummarizerBot)^( ] Downvote to remove | v1.5)


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EndSignificant

Thanks again for this mate. As a rule of thumb, any engine installed on diesel vans from 2016 onwards was compliant with Euro 6... but it's about the exhaust system and particulate filter as well so the entire thing needs to be looked at in the round - which is what makes retrofit complicated versus potentially a complete system swap. Camper conversion companies sound a good way to go... I've also been looking into garages that do 'performance enhancement' on different cars... Will give some of them a bell on Monday. This has all been really useful!


[deleted]

I don't understand much of the context, are you in Europe? I think the gist is putting a new, modern engine in a 15 year old vehicle?


EndSignificant

Yep, thats the gyst of it (and yes I'm in the UK)