Engine swap question.

[Bald Eagle]

Succinct yes, happy no.

[BUSHWHACKER]

...... does anyone know of a small capacity engine which would bolt straight in and connect to the original auto box or am I looking at a complete bast##d of a job?

No.
Yes.

Is that succinct enough?

[Bald Eagle]

It wouldn't be a situation where I'd constantly have to do engine swaps every year, that would be ridiculous. The inspection is only done once and from then on you pay tax for the smaller rated engine. It's only being naughty if the original engine is put back in, which I now realise, from talking to all you wonderful, mature, intelligent and above all law abiding gentlemen, is something I would never consider. . Now that all the morality is out of the way does anyone know of a small capacity engine which would bolt straight in and connect to the original auto box or am I looking at a complete bast##d of a job?

[Sclerotic Hen]

MOT or the Irish equivalent is every two years but more stringent. There are far fewer test centres all of which only carry out MOTs as no private garages are authorised to do this. I was really glad to have the Surf while we were in Ireland. Not so much for the 4 wheel drive but for the beefy construction - the amount of relatively new smaller cars (with the much lower tax banding) failing their MOTs due to knackered suspension due to the dreadful condition of all but the major new roads was shocking.

[Sancho]

Is this a joke? Doing two engine swaps a year to save a little bit of tax would be about the most insane thing I've ever heard.

If you're absolutey convinced you have to do it, I would start looking for a scrapped RWD car with a smaller high power diesel engine. You could look at the 2 litre BMW diesel (M47 and variants). That would give you similar BHP and torque to what you've got at the moment. You could find it in a 320d, 520d or, I think, a Rover 75 diesel (but the box would be set up for FWD in that). I think the same engine was in some Freelanders so that could work.

The only other option I could think of is a Lexus is 200 or 220 diesel.

In any of these cases, I'm advocating a permanent engine swap to something smaller and more modern, not dicking around changing it constantly to try and defraud the tax man.

[Sclerotic Hen]

When we moved to Rep of Ireland I was told they had stopped letting you register Surfs as commercial vehicles for tax purposes even if I removed the rear seats and blanked out the side windows. The amount of money I saved by not having to pay Council Tax while we lived in Ireland was taken up by road tax and private rubbish collection charge. There was no water rates either but seeing as the stuff that came out the tap rarely resembled anything you'd want to drink that was only fair, I think.
On the new toll roads you get charged more for a commercial/crew cab vehicle than a private large 4x4. But you'd have to use the toll routes a lot to make up the €1000 difference in road tax.

[Bald Eagle]

http://www.hiluxsurf.co.uk/showpost....9&postcount=19

When they peel my cold dead fingers off the wheel and they'll have to dig us up to do it.I'm putting it in my will, to bury me in it.

[Predictable Bob]

Good job I didn't read this after couple of beers, could have got in a lot of trouble...

You must be getting old - I don't need beer to get in the sh!t !

[Albannach]

Any other ideas?

http://www.hiluxsurf.co.uk/showpost....9&postcount=19

[TonyN]

PS
Are you and Linda at all interested in purchasing an 18 year old ? ...

Good job I didn't read this after couple of beers, could have got in a lot of trouble...

[Bald Eagle]

Just measured the 3rd gen. I took two measurements from the back of the seats to the inside of the tailgate. Shoulder height on seats 37.5" (952mm), floor level = 45.0" (1145mm) wheelbase centre to centre of wheels = 105" (2667)mm. This works out at either 35.58% or 42.88% so it looks like that idea is f@*ked. Any other ideas?

[Predictable Bob]

Bobs way is the way to go TBH, I've not had the back seats up in my surf for over six months now anyway, they are overrated!

remind me again just how many legs the other occupants of your house have ?

My kids would whinge like hell if I was to just drop them in the loadspace not to mention the legal implications !

PS
Are you and Linda at all interested in purchasing an 18 year old ? She can cook, clean, moan, shout etc ...

[flounderbout]

go the route i have, you'll find the boot is just about the right size to actually turn the truck into crewcab for tax purposes €288 a year...

On balance, this is probably a better solution then spending large amounts of money doing two unnecessary engine swaps solely for the (publicised) purposes of defrauding the tax authorities.

[BigBobE]

i still have my back seats tony, dont know how much smaller a 3rd gen boot is and how longer/shorter wheel base is compared to 2nd gen....

[TonyN]

Bobs way is the way to go TBH, I've not had the back seats up in my surf for over six months now anyway, they are overrated!



As a forum moderator I HAVE to point out anything illegal isn't to be endorsed on here.





but its not a personal opinion....