notfarnow, question on VW turbo diesel
 

Is this engine worth $1,350? I know someone that purchased it for a project and may need to flip it since his plans have changed. Can he flip this for a similar amount or break it down for profit? Is it a desirable engine?

The Ebay item # is 250239243003

for an eco - I would not have paid that

you can get a alh is great shape for $2000 - loads more power and torque and the same or better fuel economy

He got it for the 1,350 not the 2k and he wanted the older version to avoid computer issues on the unique swap.

I still would prefer the ALH and convert the IP to mechanical control to avoid the computer issues.

Yeah, ~1300 is probably about right. He paid a "premium" price because it is a complete, low-mile engine. He's probably best to sell it as such, instead of splitting it up.

The EcoDiesel isn't all that desireable AS-IS... it doesn't have boost enrichment on the injection pump, meaning it doesn't give an extra squirt of diesel under high boost. On the other hand, because they don't have that, they generally last longer and don't have their pistons burnt up from abuse. So, an engine like this is generally a great starting point for an engine swap, but you'd want to change the injection pump for one with boost enrichment.

If he broke it down, here's what the "bits" would probably be worth:
-Pistons & rods: $150
-crank: $75
-turbo $300 (that looks like a really good k14... a great turbo)
-Head $350
-injection pump $100 (no boost enrichment)
-manifolds $75
-turbo downpipe $40
-injectors $80
-injector lines $40
and then another $100-200 for assorted bits & pieces

So, in summary he's better of selling it as a complete low-mile engine because that's the only reason it was worth ~1300. I typically buy a 1.6 turbodiesel like this for 2-500, but never with low miles like that. I can usually squeeze $700-1000 in parts out of it, assuming nothing's too far gone. I have a 1.9 turbodiesel I just picked up for $200... THAT's a desireable engine. I may crate that one into the states... it's only got 100k miles on it, probably worth a quick 1500.

Hope that helps!

what was he going to swap it into?

I've never even touched an ALH engine, so I don't really know much about them. Do they share the same mounting pattern as the earlier VW diesel and gas engines? The beauty of the early idi engines is that they bolt right up to any VW i4 transmission. Same with the early AHU TDi, which shares much of the earlier 1.9 AAZ idi engines' hardware.... even the crank.

It was going into a custom trike. He's a lifelong BMW MC rider but has a degenerative neck disease that is seriously limiting his mobility and this was going to be a method of keeping him on the road. Long story really. He's a machinist by trade and has the ability.

Kennedy Engineering has adapters & flywheels to mount watercooled VW i4 engines to aircooled VW trannies. He could literally bolt up a VW diesel engine to a VW-based trike.

Hope his illness hasn't progressed so far that he can't continue his hobbies

Thanks,

The downside is that it has. He sold his BMW 2002 racecar earlier this year and sold his home with massive hobby shop as crawling under cars is done.

He's 60% or so I'd say now but it's an unknown on how fast it will degenerate. :(