Replacement engine

I am trying to find a replacement engine for a 53-plate Ford Focus 1.6 petrol. I have looked at various remanufactured units at £1000+, but they seem to get a lot of bad press, suggesting all-alloy engines with cast-iron liners can apparently not be remanufactured. How do I find a good secondhand one, as my car is burning half-a-pint of oil every 250 miles? I don’t want to spend eight hours fitting a new engine and have the same problem. The engine is otherwise running very sweetly, with good compression both wet and dry. William Burns As your engine is running sweetly and has good compressions, it may be worth considering rectifying the oil-burning problem rather than replacing the engine. If the oil burning is due to valve guides and valve stem seals, having the cylinderhead overhauled would very likely fix it. However, if the oil is entering the bores via failing oil control rings, the overhaul would be a little more involved.

Finding a secondhand engine from a trusted source can be difficult. Some breakers do give a guarantee, but this is limited to parts and will not cover labour costs, although it is sometimes possible with a local breaker to hear the engine running in the donor vehicle before it is removed. This allows you to check the mileage on the vehicle and for any smoke from the exhaust, giving a slightly better chance of buying a reasonable unit.

An engine can be remanufactured providing it is done properly – units supplied by VEGE or Ivor Searle are completely rebuilt, but could cost more than the value of the vehicle.