buying a new engine

[MarkTres]

i expect my 2.0 to blow anyday, then again maybe not. its got 218k miles, and sometimes has its quirks and leaks but then again it never fails me.

at least not the mechanical aspect of it, unlike electronics.

and because i cant afford to pay for a new car, and because i like the body of the mk3....i want a different engine on it.

could a 1.8t engine of the mk4 be put in this car? if so, an average of what im looking at in price?

or perhaps a vr6...the same question

[keehn]

The cheapest way to obtain a different engine is to get the same type of engine for your vehicle. You need to take into consideration the following:

Engine mount points: Could widely change between different engines.

Engine management system: By putting in a different engine, you need to make sure the Motronic software is compatible, injectors work, emissions work, etc...

Transmission bolt-up: Shouldn't be a problem. However, consider a transmission that was fine for a 2.0 ABA may not be able to handle a VR6 engine. You may be fine for a while, but accelerated wear is the norm in these circumstances.

Exhaust hookups: You may get lucky and simply be able to bolt up your existing exhaust. However, the headers for the VR6 and 2.0 ABA are different, therefore, more money to dump into your investment.

IMHO: I would rather just get a VR6 MKIII if that is the engine I want...it will be a far less expensive investment. Just think of the junkyard mentality: the parts are worth more than the whole of the vehicle. Then, you will have a donor vehicle if you merely want to transplant everything over. I only suggest this as you indicated you have a budget to work with.

[ps3dragon@gmail.com]

Check out dealparts.com they have a bunch of that stuff.