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Engine number change for v5
Amplefosters - 9/1/14 at 01:46 PM

Help!

I'm afraid I'm new to the world of kit cars and wet behind the ears on forums so please forgive me if this has been answered elsewhere!

Essentially I brought myself a locost car last year which had 1.3 engine replaced with a Ford zetec 1.8... I am now getting round to amending v5 so there are no issues and can't find engine number. I have looked at many websites and suggestions and just simply can't find in any of the obvious places.

What I want to know is what are the consequences of there being no engine number to update the v5.... For instance I don't know about the identification of the donor engine vehicle, nor do I have a receipt for the engine... Also I assume I now also need to pay more tax as it is now above 1.4ltr?

Many thanks for any responses.

mcerd1 - 9/1/14 at 02:26 PM

hello and welcome

was it one of those brand new crate engines ?
I don't think all of them actually got engine numbers...

Amplefosters - 9/1/14 at 02:30 PM

No definitely not a new engine... I would guess its from an escort or mondeo judging by the general look.

I have read loads where people are saying that there is no number.... Just don't want to get fingers burnt by dvla!

BTW the car is on a Q plate if that makes any difference whatsoever....

Not Anumber - 9/1/14 at 02:48 PM

Drop into a small local independant garage who do MOTs - ask what would happen if they saw it was a differnt engine capacity to that registerd, would they still test the car or refuse it until the V5 was amended ?

[Mke sure they dont think you are some official doing a spot check on them though as you wont get the right answer]

TimEllershaw - 9/1/14 at 02:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Amplefosters

BTW the car is on a Q plate if that makes any difference whatsoever....


I think all Q plates pay the same basic rate, so the DVLA are not too bothered about changes to the details on the V5.
( If you were changing your tin-top to a low rate tax band then they would probably be more interested )

When I got my car it was still showing as 1600cc on the V5 but has a 2L zetec. As with yours, it doesn't have any engine number. I just wrote a short covering letter saying what it had along with the correct details filled in on the V5 and sent it off to the DVLA in the normal way.

Got the V5 back a couple of weeks later all correct.

cliftyhanger - 9/1/14 at 03:01 PM

I just made a number up. Dvla seemed fine, as they have no idea about what the engine actually is, just the CD. My current build is registered as a1998cc triumph engine, I might just stamp that on the zetec. Or if the xflow is being scrapped, just change the cc (though that may raise an eyebrow?)

mcerd1 - 9/1/14 at 03:31 PM

chances are your engine number is really faint and could eve be corroded enough that its almost impossible to find/read

if you can post a few pics of it we can try and help you find it...

quote:
Originally posted by TimEllershaw
I think all Q plates pay the same basic rate, so the DVLA are not too bothered about changes to the details on the V5.
( If you were changing your tin-top to a low rate tax band then they would probably be more interested )

1300cc to 1800cc will go up a tax band

all kitcars are on the old system for tax - regardless of the plate they got:
not over 1549cc = £140 /y
over 1549cc = £225 /y
just the same as a car registered before march 2001
(this also applies to 'new reg' and 'age related' kitcars or scratch built car)


the only thing the the Q plate affects is the emissions test at the MOT - q plates only need to pass a visual smoke test (the same as a pre-1973 car) - this is regardless of the engine you have fitted
but the DVLA don't care about that - its VOSA that do the MOT's...


[Edited on 9/1/2014 by mcerd1]

TimEllershaw - 9/1/14 at 03:45 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mcerd1

all kitcars are on the old system

[Edited on 9/1/2014 by mcerd1]


Ahhh, the old system. I was thinking of the OLD OLD system

h4887 - 9/1/14 at 03:45 PM

Zetec engine number is stamped at the back of the block on the exhaust side on the flange where the gearbox is attached. It can be very hard to read...I had to provide a letter confirming the number, but they didn't seem to care about the capacity.

Amplefosters - 9/1/14 at 10:22 PM

Thank you so much for all the replies... Genuinely cheered me up, started to think I was in trouble....

I think I gather the following points...

1) tax will go up, but I thought that would be the case
2) A letter to the dvla appears to be the best course of action... Explain the issue and send V5 at same time... Tim, if you read this again, can you confirm what you wrote to DVLA
3) I really don't think the engine number is there.... I have looked in the place suggested above and all that appears to be there is a blank surface

Many thanks once again.... Hope to contribute to others issues in the future!

Cheers

Benzine - 9/1/14 at 10:43 PM

I recently changed engines, tax band remained the same but I couldn't find an engine number. I emailed the DVLA explaining this and they replied:


"Dear Mr Green

Thank you for your email received on 10/1/13.

As the engine is not a fixed component of a car, the engine number is not a permanent identification feature. If the engine is changed, the registered keeper should notify DVLA using the V5C Registration Certificate.

In your case you would need to enclose a letter explaining that the number of your new engine is not known."

[Edited on 9-1-2014 by Benzine]

TimEllershaw - 10/1/14 at 12:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Amplefosters
Thank you so much for all the replies... Genuinely cheered me up, started to think I was in trouble....

I think I gather the following points...

1) tax will go up, but I thought that would be the case
2) A letter to the dvla appears to be the best course of action... Explain the issue and send V5 at same time... Tim, if you read this again, can you confirm what you wrote to DVLA
3) I really don't think the engine number is there.... I have looked in the place suggested above and all that appears to be there is a blank surface

Many thanks once again.... Hope to contribute to others issues in the future!

Cheers


1) A dishonest person would not tell them

2) I seem to remember my letter was just along the lines of : I have just purchased vehicle Q123 ABC..... on dd/mm/yyyy. The previous keeper had changed the engine but this is not reflected on the V5. It is now a 1988cc Ford Zetec engine. The engine was, I believe, supplied as a new "crate" engine by Ford, and as is not stamped with an engine number.

3) This is often the case. Don't worry about it. If you are really bothered, some people have made up their own and stamped them on. Others have used old numbers from blocks being scrapped. Have a bit of a search, it has come up several times in the past.

Cheers
Tim.

Amplefosters - 14/3/14 at 02:41 PM

Well.... 3 weeks on and to my great annoyance no v5 received. I just got off the phone from the DVLA to be told that they have not received any correspondence from me! Their only solution is to fill out a V62 and send £25 and the accompanying letter... The cynic in me says how convenient this is for the Dvla as I am now forced to spend £25. When I pointed out my annoyance I was met with the attitude of "if it is that important to you sir you should have sent it registered post". It's great in hindsight to suggest, but since this way I'm forced to spend £25 it's win win for the dvla me thinks!

mcerd1 - 18/3/14 at 12:04 PM

when dealing with the DVLA - always take photo copies of everything before you send it and always use recorded & singed for post....