DVLA & engine changes

[elansprint]

It would appear that to change the engine no. on your log book if replacing your engine you will need to supply them with a receipt from the company you buy it from this raised its head a month ago when a customer wanted a copy invoice for an RV8 i sold him. There is now an article in Practical Performance car where if you do not have an invoice eg a private sale /bought some time go etc you need a letter from the manufacturer or PAY for an inspection. They will know from the engine no. if it is stolen or not so where is there problem ? All this will do is cause people not to tell them as most MOT places just work from the old MOT
Ian

[Jason1]

Hi Ian

This was in Practical Classics a few months back. If you look at any engine number on a twin cam it looks to have been stamped by a 14 year old work experience boy in the Lotus factory after a friday afternoon pint. How the police or anyone else could tell if the number is original or ground off and re-stamped by the owner is a mystery.

I think this idea was thought up my someone who does not understand the second hand parts market and will quickly become useless and ignored by all.

Jason

[andyelan]

Hi everyone

I spoke to the DVLA just the other day to try and get some clarification of this very subject. Didn?t get very far though.

From what I could understand, what they are really after is proof that a real engine change has actually taken place rather than it just being a case of someone trying fiddle numbers as a means of hiding a stolen car. To this end, what they would want is proof that the engine actually exists and that it isn?t stolen (i.e. receipt or proof of purchase) and also proof that it?s actually been fitted to the car in question (receipt/covering letter from garage who carried out the change or an inspection by the local DVLA). The problem is, as far as they were concerned, they could imagine anyone would want an engine except to replace an existing one which had broken. They did not seem to be able to comprehend why any one would simply want or have an engine if they weren?t going to do something with it. It?s this lack of comprehension which is the biggest worry as far as I?m concerned

Regards
Andy

[Spyder fan]

I had this problem with my +2 when I changed to a 2.0L zetec, I also had a conversation with someone at the DVLA and was told that changing your engine for one with a different capicity required me to produce an invoice from the supplying dealer or an approved inspection. This obviously wasn't a problem for me as I had a receipt for the crate engine from Spyder, but I did wonder how others would get on with second hand units or spare engines sitting in the shed like many of us have. I expect that they are applying this to all engine swaps though just to be difficult.

It took 3 goes for them to get my V5 correct, the first time it was returned with the right engine number but the wrong capacity, the second time it was the right capacity , but they had put the engine number in the chassis number column, 3rd time was lucky I guess.

[richardcox_lotus]

But what constitutes an engine change ?

When my block expired a couple of years ago, I had the engine rebuilt around a 2nd hand block. The cylinder head with its - & the cars - original number on it is still used, as is the original Crank/camshafts & 3 out of 4 pistons.

The block has it's own original number on it.

Do I tell DVLA about that one ?? Which number should they use ?

Regards
Richard

[bcmc33]

But what constitutes an engine change ?

When my block expired a couple of years ago, I had the engine rebuilt around a 2nd hand block. The cylinder head with its - & the cars - original number on it is still used, as is the original Crank/camshafts & 3 out of 4 pistons.

The block has it's own original number on it.

Do I tell DVLA about that one ?? Which number should they use ?

Regards
Richard

I changed my block a year ago and had the V5 changed with the number stamped on the replacement block.
I am building another engine with a new 1600 block from Ford Racing, and using existing 1600 crank and conrods - I'm still debating with myself what to do about a new engine number.
Perhaps I will stamp the original scrapped engine block number onto the new block.

[elansprint]

Brian i would think you should stamp the old number in the new block but you have a receipt for the new block anyway
Ian

[kstrutt11]

I recently had to go through this when I fitted a RV8 to my Tr7, I had to get a confirmation of the engine capacity and number from a garage on headed note paper. Fortunately for me one of the engineers who works for me has his own limited company so he did it as a favour, otherwise I understand most MOT stations will do it for a small sum of money.

One of th main reasons for doing it was apparantly people declaring their car had a smaller capacity to get lower road tax, though I don't understand why they also need it for fitting a larger or similar size engine, this looks to me like the sort of saving and cuts the government should be making long before health etc!!

All that is going to happen is people will grind the number off and re-stamp with the original, or just never tell them, I've never had a MOT tester read the number anyway and apparantly some cars don't even have a number on the reg doc (seems to be common for Jap Grey imports) because they can't be read with the engine installed.

Kevin

[AHM]

When the DVLA update the V5 is theree any note of an engine change?

My car had an engine change in 1977 - I know because I have the receipt!

Neither I or the previous 2 owners informed the DVLA - I suppose I should just to keep the record straight, but if the are going to be difficult I may wait a few years more.

Simon