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How are people proving age of engine?
rcx718 - 17/10/16 at 03:31 PM

Hello everyone. I'm fitting a used eBay engine into my kit car, but the IVA manual says that I will need to show the age of the engine for it to be tested to the correct standard. But the manufacturer (Toyota) and DVLA said that they won't confirm the age of the engine without the VIN number of the vehicle it came from. Which of course I don't have!

How have others got around this issue?

pekwah1 - 17/10/16 at 04:22 PM

with the ford engines, the age can be proven by the engine code stamped on the block.
Might be the same story with the toyota's, i'd give that a google and see what i could find....

loggyboy - 17/10/16 at 04:25 PM

Also with ford, you can send a dpt £25 and they will write a letter back confirming, but they need the donor car details.
No use for you though!

[Edited on 17-10-16 by loggyboy]

nick205 - 17/10/16 at 04:50 PM

quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
Also with ford, you can send a dpt £25 and they will write a letter back confirming, but they need the donor car details.
No use for you though!

[Edited on 17-10-16 by loggyboy]



That's what I did with my donor Sierra and the SVA people were happy with it.

loggyboy - 17/10/16 at 04:52 PM

Maybe pop down a scrapyard and borrow the vin from a car with an identical aged engine and send that off.

snapper - 17/10/16 at 04:55 PM

At my IVA I took a Burtons catalog that shows Ford engine number age codes in an easy to read grid

loggyboy - 17/10/16 at 06:49 PM

Its a Toyota engine

[Edited on 17-10-16 by loggyboy]

adithorp - 17/10/16 at 07:36 PM

What year is it?

If it's pre-cat' cut off date you will need to prove it. If it's newer than '95 then it doesn't matter as they'll test to the latest emission spec' irrespective (so will need a cat).

rcx718 - 17/10/16 at 07:44 PM

quote:
Originally posted by adithorp
What year is it?

If it's pre-cat' cut off date you will need to prove it. If it's newer than '95 then it doesn't matter as they'll test to the latest emission spec' irrespective (so will need a cat).


It's a 1999 VVTi 4.0 V8, usually simply called "The Lexus Engine".

I thought I read that the newest engines had to comply with even stricter regulations. I will need to re-read then.

ChrisJ15 - 23/3/17 at 05:31 PM

Hi,
Does anyone have the Ford address to request the engine age?

obfripper - 23/3/17 at 06:45 PM

I don't know if it would be acceptable for this purpose, but the ford etis website will give you vehicle build information from registration number or chassis number.
If the vehicle has been scrapped, only the chassis number will work.
The last 6 digits of the chassis number is the engine number.

https://www.etis.ford.com/vehicleRegSelector.do

Dave

ChrisJ15 - 24/3/17 at 08:01 AM

Thanks Dave, I had spotted that site and like you wasnt sure about whether they would accept that.

For anyone finding this link I found the Ford Customer Relationship site here: www.ford.co.uk/Footer/ContactUs and emailed them at UKCRC1@ford.com. I'll update the post with their response.

ChrisJ15 - 24/3/17 at 10:13 AM

Hmm, so my advice would be dont bother with the Ford Customer Relationship site:

Thank you for contacting us however we recommend that you continue to liaise directly with your local Ford Dealership regarding the concerns you are having. They are best equipped to diagnose and resolve any issues you may have with your vehicle. We hope this information helps and if you have any future queries then please do not hesitate to get in touch. Kind regards, (name removed), Ford Customer Relationship Centre

Dont think he even read my email!

theduck - 24/3/17 at 10:31 AM

Burton catalogue is fine for Ford engine ages.

ChrisJ15 - 24/3/17 at 12:28 PM

Burton site runs out at 2004 but maybe the text ' (the last part of the chassis number is always the original engine number)' along with evidence from the Ford Etis website to tie vehicle reg, chassis number and engine number together may work.

Maybe ill try calling the IVA centre and asking.

tims31 - 27/3/17 at 03:39 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ChrisJ15
Hmm, so my advice would be dont bother with the Ford Customer Relationship site:

Thank you for contacting us however we recommend that you continue to liaise directly with your local Ford Dealership regarding the concerns you are having. They are best equipped to diagnose and resolve any issues you may have with your vehicle. We hope this information helps and if you have any future queries then please do not hesitate to get in touch. Kind regards, (name removed), Ford Customer Relationship Centre

Dont think he even read my email!


I wrote to an address that I think I got from here and supplied the engine number on the block and Ford wrote back with details of what vehicle it had been fitted to and the year. I'll see if I can find the address and the letter I sent.

tims31 - 27/3/17 at 03:41 PM

I think this was it:

Technical Information Centre
Ford Motor Company
PO Box 300
Walsall
WS5 4QH


or looking at recent posts it may be this one.

Ford Technical information center
PO Box 12060
Colchester
CO1 9PF

Also an age table on here http://www.toyne.org.uk/docs-age.html

[Edited on 27/3/17 by tims31]

ChrisJ15 - 28/3/17 at 10:06 AM

Thanks for that.