Engine swap
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AudiWorld Member
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Engine swap
I have a 98 a4 that I owned, sold 3 years ago and bought back after the guy broken timing belt. The guy I sold it to decided to disassemble the engine without knowing what he was doing. I bought it back very cheap and want to put a new engine in it. Should I put in the stock 2.8 12v or swap out for the 1.8t? What would I need to successfully install the 1.8t? Pros vs cons?
Thank you!
Thank you!
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2003
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If it's a 98, it's not the 12v 2.8, but the 30v 2.8, code AHA. You didn't say the milage or what kind of trans it has, but I would guess the value is $5,000 +/-. So I would think you'd want to do this as cheaply as possible. The going rate for a used 2.8 AHA seems to be about $2,000. Might as well to a timing belt as long as you have the motor hanging on a hoist, add another $230 or so for parts. Figure another $100 for exhaust gaskets and other miscelaneous stuff you'll break/need.
If you swap for the 1.8, add the cost of a used wiring harness, and lots of labor there, and the cost of a used ECU. And depending on what peripherals you get with the new motor, you might also need some different air intake, throttle body, heater hose kind of stuff. I'm not sure what other hardware you'd need, but that 2.8 is a darn good motor. Smooth, and it pulls all the way to the redline.
It's a 13 year old $5,000 car. You won't take it to Pebble Beach. Just get it back to a reasonable driver for the least $$ possible.
If you swap for the 1.8, add the cost of a used wiring harness, and lots of labor there, and the cost of a used ECU. And depending on what peripherals you get with the new motor, you might also need some different air intake, throttle body, heater hose kind of stuff. I'm not sure what other hardware you'd need, but that 2.8 is a darn good motor. Smooth, and it pulls all the way to the redline.
It's a 13 year old $5,000 car. You won't take it to Pebble Beach. Just get it back to a reasonable driver for the least $$ possible.
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: N.E. Ohio
if the T-belt broke it will be much faster and cheaper to just replace the valves in the heads then to replace the engine. Plus then you end up with a enging with all new seals and gaskets which take care of the pesky oil leaks on the 2.8.
if you do the work yourself you are looking at about $500. Intake valves are like $9 exhaust are $14-19 thru ECS, head gasket set is around $100, and then the Timing belt kit. it is possible to damage a guide but I have yet to have a 2.8 damage one when it bends valves. if the car did not overheat then the heads should be fine.
the only reason I would ever change out a 2.8 would be do to a oil pump failure causing a bad lower end! anything on the top end is a "easy" fix
if you do the work yourself you are looking at about $500. Intake valves are like $9 exhaust are $14-19 thru ECS, head gasket set is around $100, and then the Timing belt kit. it is possible to damage a guide but I have yet to have a 2.8 damage one when it bends valves. if the car did not overheat then the heads should be fine.
the only reason I would ever change out a 2.8 would be do to a oil pump failure causing a bad lower end! anything on the top end is a "easy" fix
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