Vauxhall frontera- help please

[kev b]

I have a Frontera with a worn out X22XE engine.I cannot find a similar engine but have been offered an X20XE motor, will this fit straight into my vehicle using the original ancilliaries?
Does anyone have an engine for sale in the east midlands area?

[Compo_Simmonite]

What year is the Frontera ?
If post March 2001 then road tax band is based on engine emissions and change to non original specification engine might get a DVLA request you take it for an inspection.

Paul H

Edited by Compo_Simmonite on Wednesday 29th December 14:50

[bimsb6]

no it wont.

[kev b]

It is a 1998 Frontera A LWB facelift model

[N Dentressangle]

There are one or two results here which suggest you can swap engines:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=X22XE+engine&...fficial&client=firefox-a#hl=en&expIds=17259,17291,20782,24472,27147,27812&xhr=t&q=X22XE+x20xe+engine&cp=12&pf=p&sclient=psy&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=vVl&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB%3Aofficial&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=X22XE+x20xe+engine&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=de610b7113b09eab

This one's a bit inconclusive:

http://www.vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk/archive/ind...

but this one, in German, suggests that the engines are interchangeable:

http://www.omega-freak.de/forum/16329-x20xe-kopf-a...

One poster makes the point that the engine management software would need to be altered if correct fuelling is to be maintained.

I'd try this question on a Vauxhall tuning forum, or something Omega / Frontera specific, perhaps?

A search for 'frontera breaking' on ebay does throw up this and about 4 other 2 litre Fronteras, mind you:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1996-VAUXHALL-FRONTERA-2-0-S...

so you could make life easier for yourself and stick with the original.

[kev b]

Thanks for replying everyone. I think I should clarify the situation.

My car is a 1998 yr lwb frontera "a" facelift (coil spring axle) it has a 2200cc petrol engine X22XE which has covered 155,000 miles and is worn out.The car is just used as a workhorse to save wear on my main car and is otherwise in good shape.I have tried to source a 2200cc motor but cannot find one for less than £500. A local garage has a complete 2000cc X20XE motor for £250. I am willing to bet that this engine will drag my car around much better than its current misfiring oil drinking heart IF it will fit. I am disinclined to buy a 10 year old engine from hundreds of miles away on EBAY. I have dealt with breakers for decades and would never buy an engine again without hearing it run,once bitten twice shy etc.

Edited by kev b on Thursday 30th December 01:20

[sebhaque]

I bought my 'terra from a 4x4 dealer, and one of the passing commnents he made (when I asked if the 2.3D in mine had a cam belt or cam chain) said that so many different engines were put into the Mk1 Frontera that you could really get away with any engine in it as long as you had the corresponding mounts. If you can secure the powerplant properly there's no reason why it wouldn't work with your existing setup.

[kev b]

Thanks Seb,I really wanted to know if the 2 litre engine would slot straight in . I don't want to change the ECU ,manifolds ,sensors etc.

[Batlamb]

Hey Kev

Word to the wise before you get a new engine put in open it up and make sure the head gasket is ok. Reason I say this is that my daddy have two engines replaced in his because they just kept breaking.

[Vidal Baboon]

Is it really not viable to repair the worn engine? There will be all sorts of problems with fitting a different engine.

I don't know if they use a separate wiring harness for the engine ( like Mercedes did on the 190E- makes swaps much, much easier)

Not only that, you may need a new clutch, ecu, air flow meter & air box, exhaust, radiator, pipework. I bet you will spend as much doing the conversion as you would repairing what's already fitted.

[kev b]

The two engines in question are identical in appearance, the larger capacity engine has a slightly taller bock as the stroke is longer ,the bores head gasket etc are the same.
I posted the question in case anyone on PH had actually carried out this swap, having had no luck finding the answer elsewhere on the net.