Engine reconditioning for passenger cars
Is the engine burning oil, blowing blue smoke or starting to knock? It does not have to mean the car is finished. An engine rebuild restores the engine to as-new condition, often at a lower cost than a used engine of unknown history.
We take on passenger car engines of every type, petrol and diesel alike. You can ship your parts to us by post from anywhere in the world, or drop the engine off at our workshop if you are nearby. After inspection you get a clear quote.
Common problems we fix
Most passenger car engines come to us with one of these symptoms. Behind every symptom lies a measurable cause.
High oil consumption
Worn piston rings or valve stem seals let oil into the combustion chamber. Fixed with cylinder boring, honing and new rings.
White smoke and coolant loss
Coolant leaks in through a damaged head gasket or a crack. We pressure test and resurface the cylinder head before anything is replaced on a guess.
Bearing knock
A metallic knock under load points to worn main bearings or big-end bearings. The crankshaft is ground to undersize and fitted with new bearings.
Tired turbo
Power loss, a whistling noise or oil in the charge air. The turbocharger is reconditioned to OEM specification with new bearings and seals.
Diesel engines
Timing chain wear, sooted-up intakes and worn cylinder bores are common on modern turbodiesels. We recondition both older and newer diesel engines.
Vintage and classics
Classic engines are reconditioned with care and respect for the original specification, including unleaded conversion of older cylinder heads.
What does an engine rebuild include?
The scope is driven by what the measurements show. We start with disassembly and inspection, then you get a quote for what the engine actually needs: a partial rebuild or a full rebuild.
Typical work steps
- Disassembly, cleaning and inspection of all components
- Measuring cylinders, crankshaft and cylinder head against the manufacturer's tolerances
- Cylinder boring and honing to oversize
- Cylinder head reconditioning with pressure testing and resurfacing
- Crankshaft grinding and polishing as needed
- New bearings, piston rings and gaskets
- Assembly with documented clearances and torque figures
- A measurement report that goes with the engine
Petrol and diesel, old and new
We recondition everything from four-cylinder engines of the 1960s to modern turbodiesels and direct-injection petrol engines. The guides below show common faults and prices for the engines we most often have on the bench.
Common services for passenger car rebuild
Here are the services most often involved when we rebuild engines for passenger car.
Engine reconditioning
Full rebuild or partial rebuild of your car engine. Short block, long block or complete engine.
Cylinder head reconditioning
Pressure testing, valve seat cutting, resurfacing and unleaded conversion.
Cylinder boring
Boring and honing to oversize on our Berco ACP 151.
Crankshaft reconditioning
Grinding to undersize, polishing and a straightness check.
Turbo reconditioning
Reconditioning of turbochargers to OEM specification. All the common makes.
Price list
Current workshop prices for boring, cylinder head work, crankshaft grinding and more.
Common passenger car engines we recondition
Each guide covers the engine's common faults, what a rebuild involves and workshop prices for that specific engine.
Volvo
BMW
Volkswagen & Audi
Does your car engine need reconditioning?
Describe the engine and the symptoms and we will get back to you within 24 hours. Quote after inspection.