1.8 16v Clio conversion cost

[Magsimus]

Hi guys.

This is very much a 'how long is a piece of string?' question, but nonetheless I was hoping some of you chaps might be able to give me an idea as to the rough cost of buying and dropping a 1.8 16v Clio engine into my 5GTT.

I'm currently at a crossroads where I'm either going to sell Pepe or commit more money to him and go the whole hog with a new engine.

Therefore, I'm thinking about the Clio engine and then turbocharging it.

How much would the whole thing cost including engine, parts, labour etc? Again, just a ballpark figure would be good so I can weigh up the decision. Also open to other options. Currently got the B18ft in it, but want something more modern and faster.

Cheers chaps.

[R5MJH]

well I suppose it could be done on a shoe string but we are doing 1 soon and already we are in for 2k plus but that's a lot of parts matey and a new turbo too, but if everything was secondhand a lot cheaper, ours also includes a adaptronic 420c so that's why ours aint cheap

[rabbitstew]

Your right its how long is a piece of string.

I think the prices will vary drastically, depending on what you can get the parts for and whether you can do the engine swap yourself or have to pay someone else to do the work.

You could get a 2nd hand lump cheap and drop it in yourself, then find that the engine needs work. Plus the cost of all the extra little bits like turbo, ecu, exhaust etc etc will soon add up.

On the other hand, you might be able to make some money back selling your existing engine & bits.

I blew the gearbox up on my R1 the other year. Garage wanted £1200 to repair it. I ended up buying a whole engine/gearbox 2nd hand for £450, swapped them over one Sunday morning, then sold the old unit for £250! So effectively the new one only cost me £200! It was pot luck though as I had no guarantee (other than the sellers word) that the engine I bought was a decent one or not. And I was fortunate I was able to do the work myself, otherwise id have been looking at 5 hours labour @ rip off rates.

[Magsimus]

Cheers for the answers, chaps.

It looks a little beyond me to be honest, both capability and cost wise. My old man and I have worked on motors before (more him than me to be honest, I was more of a 'spanner passer'), but he's getting too long in the tooth to be sodding about hoisting engines and whatnot out of cars - even if I help him with the heavy bits.

I'd most definitely have to pay someone to do the work, so labour costs as well as engine and parts are going to climb a little higher than I can afford at present it seems. Bugger.

Looking more likely then the mrs will get her way and in comes the reliable Focus (I at least want an ST!) and out goes the infinitely more fun 5GTT

Cheers guys.