Hijet Engine Swap

Forum: 

Hi all,

Need some help with our sick hijet van.

Its a 1993 3 cylinder 998cc van in white but painted to look like a freesian cow! It also has a full cow interior, cow seat covers, cow steering wheel cover etc.

Unfortunately, 7 days after we had it serviced, the head gasket blew and the engine died Sad

A mechanic has told us it would be cheaper to get another second hand engine rather than rebuild it.

We would like to know what engine/year will fit in. We have seen one on ebay from a 1998 998cc hijet, is this OK or will it not fit.

The van is only used for camping and it has been off the road all summer, now we would like to look at our options, whether we repair it or buy another van or sell it or even scrap it.

We would ideally like it fixed as it took us ages to redo the interior and give it its unique look!

Cheers

Viv & Dave

If it is definitely the HG -

If it is definitely the HG - and if your 'mechanic' thinks it's better to change the engine, then I'd certainly be getting a second opinion pronto - then a HG change is straightforward enough. Try a larger, approved garage if you are not too confident of DIY. Best to go down this route than changing an entire engine of which you don't know the history of and could well be disaster waiting to happen..

The garage will make more money fitting an engine than doing a HG, and if things go wrong after they can wash their hands of it, as they can justifiably say they only fitted it.

Why did the HG blow in the first place? Was it filled with water/oil correctly after the service?

Dave with a Sporty

Dave with a Sporty

Thanks for replying Dave. We

Thanks for replying Dave.

We are still waiting for the mechanic to sort this out. Our cow van is still in his yard rusting away Sad

We are looking to get it fixed before camping season next year.

When the engine blew, we were on the motorway, driving along nicely at 65-70, suddenly the engine temp indicator (which hardly ever moves) went all the way over to the right, engine popped and died and lots of smoke/noise. Pulled onto hard shoulder (luckily was in inside lane), turned everything off, try engine again, nothing nada, dead, wouldn't even attempt to turn over.

Are there any specialist garages near us (rossendale) that can help? The van would need towing from where it is now.

BTW, the van also needs a new radiator, some sill welding and new sliding door handles - that we know about!!!

We are willing to spend some money on this old van as we got it for next to nothing and spent a lot of time customising it, the kids love it and miss it - just needs a hijet specialist to save it!

Cheers

Viv & Dave

Hi all again We are hoping

Hi all again

We are hoping there will be someone on here that can fix our broken hijet, please contact us and give us a quote, we live in rossendale (north west).

Here's what it needs:

Head Gasket - engine dead
New radiator
Sliding door handles
Bit of sill welding

Anyone that can do this work, we would appreciate your help.