Engine DEAD!! What now?

[Afondo 0]

Life just keeps getting better & better!!

Not sure why or how, any help or info would be great.

Here is the history in short.

Before buying, I checked the car over with several knowledgable mechanics and all seemed good bar the lambda sensor.

No leaks, compression test had good results and water/oil temps good.

Week or so later bought the car and the very same day put new cables, NGK plugs, air filter.

Next day find car leaking coolant from radiator and heater matrix!! At no point was the car driven or even started with low/no fluid.

Replaced both radiators for new original units and the top radiator hose too.

Take the car out for a test run and the clutch goes to the floor and doesnt come back, after a little testing and general fukkassing around find the master cylinder is on its last legs and the clutch is starting to slip when under heavy load.

New master cylinder and complete clutch later......

All running well for about 3 days no fluid loss etc. Changed the oil for magnatex 10w40 with new oil filter and seal.

Two days of trouble free driving and all seems well.....

Driving down the motorway at about 95mph taking it easy, revs round 3.5k suddenly engine dies and I can hear a beeeeeeeeep.

Dip the clutch and stop the car, put the car in contact and checked the water and oil temps, all as they should be.

Under the bonnet car seems a little short on water but hard to see as the header tank a little brown and just filled with water while testing for leaks. open the oil filler and a steam like smoke wafts from the hole shortly followed by the same smoke coming out of the air filter (KnN jobbie).

Try starting the car, starter moter turns but as soon as it engaged with the engine, KLUNK, engine doesnt crank a single milimeter.

Now at this point Im thinking, shite, cylinder flooded with water. Nope Im not that lucy!!

Mechanic takes out the sparks, still wont turn.

Drop the sump, first off the oil comes out clean, no water contamination.

Now I know bugger all about engines and dont pretend that I do but this mechanic does. tells me the pistons look OK not discoloured or purple, but the con rods and that (expensive) metal thing they connect to are jammed stuck.

After a little inspection he tells me the bottom end has recently been repaired and shows me where it has a new sump, oil pump and 1 used con rod from a VR6 Passat (we know that because it was written on the con rod in blue paint. He notes the fact there is 0 carbon build up anywhere and suggests it was repaired to sell.

How did it sieze when the oil level was perfect? Bodged rebuild?

Now im trying to find out exactly what happend to the car for it to need a re-build in the first place (75.000 miles on the clock although probably clocked seeing how it is) but the previous owner denies the faliure and rebuild so getting the truth out of the lying cnut may be difficult.

Buying a new engine is out of the question as VR6 moters are rare as rokking horse shite in Argentina.

Is re-building the engine worth while? Will it work like it used to or will it die again in a few weeks/months?

Here in Argentina they tend to rectify anything they can, what parts are OK to repair and what parts are a MUST replace?

Sorry if you fell asleep reading this post and thank you for getting this far!!

Please help....

Olly.

[craggsy 91]

Well if engines are as rare as you say then you gotta rebuild it then.

I dont know why it happened but strip it down and have a look then rebuild from bare block if needed

[VRG 0]

hi guys

i recently had a very similar problem where my engine had also siezed on my highline. . .

i havent a clue where i could get a re-con engine for a decent price and where i did find a place local to me in london. .turned out to b dodgy b****** though offered to fix the problem fo a re-con replacement engine at approx 1500 quid. .which a trusted mechanic said is a fair price but he cant carry out the work himself due to other commitments. . .

can anyone help. . .

ram