As part of a deal, I may come into the possession of a good condition 4 cylinder 2.5l VM Turbo diesel motor. No idea of mileage yet. This is not the standard LR 2.5l diesel. These were used in at least one Camel Trophy for the participating Range Rovers.

Bottom line, what is one of these worth?

there was two versions of this engine available in the classic range rover, a 2.4 and 2.5. both had the same block (i think) but slightly different crank. bit either way, there was only a few CC's different between the swept volume.

these engines had a tendancy to blow head gaskets (they also have individual 'heads' for each cylinder).

not sure about in the US, but over here they're pretty worthless.

won't fit a 'standard' 4 cyl LT77/R380 bellhousing stud pattern either.

In Australia they are worth nothing. Worst motor ever made IMO. My buisness partner had one in his rangie (factory) and it lasted about 100 000 miles and started blowing head gaskets. Started fixing them (one by one) and then worked out you got to do them all at the same time so we did that. But we realised that the motor was falling apart (rings cracked and bores cracked) so started looking around to rebuild the thing (very $$$$). We basically worked that getting 100000miles out of a VM was incredable. Heard lots of storys of guys getting less than that from a full rebuild. Basically all the recomendations were to swap the motor out (we swaped in an isuzu 3.9l)

The only way you are going to shift it is if its in good condition and sell it to a guy that has a stuffed factory one.

No idea whats its worth though.

Sam

Thanks for the replies, I guess this thing is a good candidate for scrap.

George,

Before you scrap it there is ONE guy I know of who loves that VM diesel.

Franklin Stimpkins from Portland, OR. He has one in his 109 and has gone through some serious gyrations to not only get it into the country (years ago) but to keep it running.

Always seemed like it was more work than it was worth, but people say that about my stuff, so I shouldn't judge.

Plus, I'm a total diesel newbie and don't know much about it in general other than they were in the early RR's and they weren't very popular (all of which you knew already).

So...you might put it up for sale on Ebay or LRX and see what kind of bites you get.

The VM diesel engines in Range Rover does not have an althrough good reputation. I however like it a lot and have driven on for ten years.
I have contact with more than 100 people with the HR engine in various cars and some do have problem - always related to overheating since the driver has not given the engine time to go down in temperature before close down.
The Land Rover people do admit thet the installation wos not perfect - the expanssion vessel was placed too low on the early modells.
To give room for discussions on a wider range I have started a group on Yahoo; VM diesel engine group.
More information on applications of the engines is found on www.vmmotori.it and www.hwag.com/deutsch/vm/referenz.htm.

Supply of spares is always interesting and spares sold for insustrial use seems to be much cheaper, although they are identical, than the same part sod for automotive use, eg for a Range Rover, Jeep, Alfa Romeo, Ford Scorpio or the like.

All the best!
Krister

It´s the same junk that TDI DC Jeeps mounted for the last 10 or so years........ forget it.
Eduardo