Engine swapping: effects on your car

Before swapping your car engine, the person doing it has to make sure that the technology of your car matches the one from which they are getting the new engine from. Photo by Rachel Mabala

What you need to know:

If your car engine fails, the only solution is to replace it. However, if you fail to get a replacement, the only alternative is a swap. Edgar R Batte explains how you can do it and its effects.

What effect can switching engines between a Subaru and a Vitz have, a colleague asked, albeit jokingly. The first thought was to relate that to what would happen if people switched hearts.
Well, experts say if technology and power are matched, then there is a fair likelihood that both cars will function well and because of this, you can by-pass a petite woman in shades cruising a Vitz with a turbo engine that will leave pedestrians in shock and awe.
However, while switching car engines can work for some cars, it can be challenging to others. last week, a one John Ismail wrote asking, “I have an Escudo V6 it got a problem with the engine and my mechanic advised me to replace it, unfortunately I failed to get a V6 engine so I had to settled for a Mark II one which he fitted in, that’s when I began experiencing problems.”
He added, “It cannot move on drive or at times it goes off, for it to move you have to drive it on 2 or L . The car cannot even climb the smallest hill around Kampala. My mechanic has run out of ideas. What can I do?”

Why it’s done
When the question of changing car engines is put to Paul Kaganzi, a mechanic, who is also the managing director of Duke Car Technology, he explains that people switch car engines if the engine of a particular car cannot be found or when it is damaged.
“It can also happen if someone wants some kind of modifications on their car,” Kaganzi observes.
Peter Amadi, a car technician, adds, “More and more people, especially in Kampala, nowadays prefer to put in different engine models into their cars, which are not compatible with the vehicle. This is mostly brought about by the fact that most people bring in cars whose spare parts are hard to find thus opting for engine swaps as the only resort,” he explains.

DANGERS

Eric Amadi, a car technician, discourages people from switching car engines because it has several effects on the car, “for instance, you might find the new engine is much smaller than the previous one hence forcing the mechanics to modify crucial engine parts such as mounting, gearbox, bell-housing and drive shafts, which translates into more costs and vehicle instability,” he says.

Failed mounting
Paul Kaganzi, the managing director of Duke Car Technology also warns that sometimes the challenges in fitting engines fails during mounting. For example, if you want to mount a Range Rover Sport engine into a Land Rover, it might fail to fit because of a mismatch since the cars are of different makes and models. Kaganzi adds, “The problem could be in failure of the gear box or general driving system of the car as a result of mismatch and power demands for the two cars.”

Affect braking system
Peter Amadi, also a car technician points out that engine swaps also affect the handling and braking system of a car since, in most cases, the replaced engine tends to be lighter or heavier than the existing one hence affecting the amount of weight on the axles. This, therefore, ends up greatly affecting the car’s existing brakes and may lead to premature wear and tear of the suspension units.

Insurance policy disqualified
Eric Amadi also warns that in tampering with a car’s engine in case it is insured, you may have your insurance policy disqualified since most insurers do not cover a vehicle once they discover it was tampered with from its original factory state.

Change in drive terrain
“Also, the drive terrain changes since people fit four wheel drive engines into two wheel drive cars or change smaller engines with low power output into a bigger car designed to produce a high torque. This can increase the car’s fuel comsumption,” Eric further observes.

Explaining how the car engine works

Car engines are built around a set of “cooking pots” called cylinders (usually anything from two to twelve of them, but typically four, six, or eight) inside which the fuel burns. The cylinders are made of super-strong metal and sealed shut, but at one end they open and close like bicycle pumps: they have tight-fitting pistons (plungers) that can slide up and down inside them. At the top of each cylinder, there are two valves (essentially “gates” letting things in or out that can be opened and closed very quickly). The inlet valve allows fuel and air to enter the cylinder from a carburetor or electronic fuel-injector; the outlet valve lets the exhaust gases escape. At the top of the cylinder, there is also a sparking plug (or spark plug), an electrically controlled device that makes a spark to set fire to the fuel. At the bottom of the cylinder, the piston is attached to a constantly turning axle called a crankshaft. The crankshaft powers the car’s gearbox which, in turn, drives the wheels.

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caution

Eric Amadi a car technician at technical consultant cautions that most people are not qualified to give advice on engine swaps hence poor technical advice. This leads to poor installations and tampering of crucial wiring components in a vehicle, putting the driver at risk at any given time.

Let the professionals do it
Amadi therefore advises that if you are to switch engines, take it to a professional technician to do it.
“Professional technicians can give advice on how to go about an engine swap and recommend a specific type that you can put in your vehicle. This will help to ensure you do not fall victim to poor handling, braking, unnecessary modifications and loss of life in the event of an accident, so always ensure you consult a reputable technician,” Eric Amadi advises.

Be careful
Paul Kaganzi, a mechanic, warns that care needs to be taken lest you lose your car as a result of switching engines. “This happens if there is a mismatch of power and technology between two cars whose engines are being switched.”
He explains, “This could happen if one of the cars is of inferior power, technology or supreme connection in terms of fuel consumption. It is not advisable to switch engines of a car because of fuel consumption. The car will fail to perform.”
Additionally, while responding to John Ismail’s question, Kaganzi says, alot of planning and skillful execution is needed to make sure that all the mechanical and electronic parts required to make the engine run smoothly are migrated to your car and fitted well during the conversion.

Pay attention to detail
“Very often, attention to detail will be needed to ensure that the engine is mated with the transmission, drive system (propellor and drive shafts), suspension and harnessed securely. It’s better to work with an engine and the gearbox of the same type. You need a good engine electrician to ensure that the engine computer, sensors and wiring harness are transferred to the new car, rigged correctly and tested with a diagnostic tool to ensure that they work seamlessly.”
Therefore, if you choose to have an engine swap, let it only be because you cannot find the same type in your car and only let professionals do the job so as not to put both your car and your life at risk.