I know if you tally up the individual prices to do a full rebuild, you are not far off from a new engine - but there is no way that should cost that much. I suggest that you call around and get timing chain quotes by telling them you have a 2003 GTI instead. Sounds like another case of somebody wanting to rip off a naive eurovan owner.
Well they aren't wrong, I am quite naïve! I guess I could try calling them and telling them I have an '03 GTI, but I'd feel weird about telling them I have a GTI then popping in with a van.
If EricD says it can't be done - you'd best believe it. I don't really understand your rational behind this swap anyhow. Do you think that paying a bit more for an off the board swap is going to save you from paying for major engine service or is this meant as performance enhancement? Either way, I'm pretty sure whatever engine you put in there will need service as well -- and so you're just digging a bigger hole.
The VR6 is a great engine -- other than going to a tdi, or to a 1.8t with a manual transmission -- I really don't see much reason to change it out.
Well, having exchanged some PMs with Eric, it seems like the real problem is that I wanted to swap in a DSG. The engine swap itself doesn't seem to be the impossible part. I figured that if I'm going to be spending big dollars - I'd want to at least investigate if its possible to do a reliable swap of some sort. The 2.0T TSI has a few advantages over the VR6 - better fuel economy, lighter, more power, quite a bit more power with a cheap tune. He's also sent me a forum post where someone has installed a DSG with a 1.8T (MKIV gen, I believe). I don't think this is an impossible swap with the right person doing it.
The main reason I was looking into the engine swap - was because I thought it would allow me to move away from the 4 speed automatic currently installed. Obviously I don't have enough information yet - which is why I am asking questions and figuring out what is possible and what isn't.
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