Engine / Gearbox Swap advice

22nd October 2011, 10:58

Hi all

ok - new member - trying to get some advice on an engine swap.

My brothers mk1 VTR stripped the cam belt last week, and after a compression test, i ve decided its smashed valves up, and its dead.

The lump has done 160k+, and the gearbox is leaking, so im gonna dump the lot, and just drop a new lump in. They are cheap enough on ebay - and its less hassle.

The question is - his vtr has a black top (black rocker cover) - and alot of the ones i see on ebay have the silver top, with a citroes logo.(even though they say mk1)

Are these the same engine with a different cover ? I dont want to be messing about with any wiring / ECU changes or what not. I want a straight drop in engine. minimal hassle

Can anyone 100% confirm.

Cheers guys

22nd October 2011, 11:46

http://www.saxperience.com/forum/showthread.php?t=87916

have a read of that mate! answers everything!

22nd October 2011, 14:18

Ok, so i do need a black top then if id ont want to mess about

cheers

24th October 2011, 11:27

Hi

can anyone confirm ?

That thread tells me there ar 3 different engines - nice. BUT - I still dont know if they are interchangable on the same loom ?

would either of the single plug ECU engines work on a black top loom?
so the 1996-1998 or the 1998-2001????

There dont appear to be many blacktops around.

Cheers guys

24th October 2011, 11:53

Ring citroen.

24th October 2011, 12:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by bossman9

Ring citroen.

No don't be stupid..

It would be better to use the loom with the engine provided although if it doesnt come with it, get one unlocked

24th October 2011, 12:34

I am hoping not to mess with the loom at all.
Its a 1997 VTR, and the cam belt has gone, so i just want to get another VTR engine in it.
I know if i drop a 1997 VTR lump in, i can just plug and play the lot, and away we go.
But these are not as easy to find as the later engines.

So I want to know - If i drop in an engine in with a silvertop (from a single plug ECU) - will this be plug and play and run off the blacktop ECU or are the two single plug looms slightly different ?

If i have to, then ill just have to wait to find a black top, but if the earlyer silvertop single plug ecu engine is the same, then ill throw one of them in !
(i know i dont want to use a 3 plug as this is hassle !!)

Cheers

24th October 2011, 13:34

I would try your best to replace it with exactly what came out in the first place.

I know this example is for a vts conversion, but it shows you can easily make a mistake... I fitted a Y reg vts engine in Y reg vtr. The vts engine was whats known as a crossover between the change from mk1 to mk2. So i had a single plug ecu on what looks to be a 3 plug loom. Although it did plug straight in, it didn't work... It was easily sorted by Pug1off, but the point is, it meant spending money and wasting time purely because i never checked everything out before hand.

Try to use the exact setup you had to begin with. Double check the ecu is the same and the engine loom is the same conection as the interior loom on the new engine before you buy anything. If you get the right engine, it's easy enough mate.

26th October 2011, 18:48

just drop a vts lump in it??