Replacement Series 3 engine

Looking to replace my engine which is now extremely tired, smokey and rattly - more than normal. Haven't time or cash for a rebuild.
Saw one advertised last week for about four hundred pounds, reconditioned, but it had stood for three years. Tempted but I feel that unless its been filled up to the rocker box with oil it will need a strip down and that defeats the object. Any one got any advice what to look for

400 quid for a recon that hasnt been run is ok, beware though you see loads and loads of ads that say recon when it hasnt, only accept its a recon if you see the receipt for it, and even then if the receipt's 4 years old the engine could have done 100k in the time since.
Take some tools with you and remove the plugs/heater plugs and turn the engine over by hand a few times, the 'feel' will tell you a lot it should be tightish and smooth.
I have run a few engines on the floor in breakers yards and people garages, thats allways an option.
I got a low milage disco tdi engine complete for £250, and you can find them even cheaper.

See this thread also active at the mo http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f6/15j-sherpa-engine-92039.html

If you need to get it up and running quickily and cheaply then putting in a Disco 200Tdi without the turbo as per the 'Glencoyne engineering' method would seem like a good idea. It's bound to be more work than just fitting like for like, but then it is a much better engine than the 2 1/4 diesel so you might find it's worth the extra effort. You should be able to get a decent 200Tdi engine without the radiator or intercooler for less than £200. If it's a 2 1/4 petrol engine you're after then I'm sure you could find one of those in reasonable condition for a lot less than £400.

I have just replaced my 2 1/4 petrol for a 200tdi and managed to fit it with a hand from a mate of mine in two weeks. The engine with rad and intercooler cost me £300 of ebay. I have now gone from 8 mpg to roughly 25 - 30 mpg.

RobinT has a good 200tdi injun for ya.

two of my college mates swb tigger and tdi spud have put 200 tdi's in there series with turbo and inter cooler we are now finishing off swb tiggers one after about 3 weeks but wedidn't have all the parts and we only had a few whole days and a few afternoons on wednesdays thursdays and fridays to do it and tdi spud is just having the head skimmed on his and sorting stuff out after the breather got blocked and dumped oil into 2 and 3 pistons but the main thing to worry about is eating gearboxes and snapping halfshafts mind you i have somthing that is just as bad for that a possible tuned 2.25 petrol

I've been using my 200Tdi conversion as everyday transport for a couple of months now. I've been greenlaning with it twice and given it a good hammering and I've done a couple of heavy towing jobs including moving a dumper and a 1.5 ton lathe last weekend. I know it's early days but there have been no broken halfshafts, diffs or gearboxes so far.

Thanks a lot everyone.
Dr Pepper, the engine has not been in a vehicle since the recon but I take your advice although I don't think I can jury rig it at the guys premises.
Cheers

I got rollocked by a guys neighbour for revving an rs 2000 engine on the floor with no exhaust or even manifold, I spose it was next to a load of retirement bungalows, you can run an engine anywhere, just some might get upset, a diesel on the other hand is fairly quiet 'bout the exhaust due to the compression ratio.
What engine are we talking about a petrol or dizzy.

Dizzy. Apparantly its on a pallet!

I sold one the other week a pug dizzy that is, and I ran it on a pallet for the buyer, just need a pop bottle of diesel a battery and some jump leads.
If you know its not been run since the recon then you might not have to got to that extent, when it was reconed, did they do anything with the injector pump and injectors, they can be the most problematic bits.

Sorry been away. Got to ring the seller this weekend to ask a few questions.

OOh!
anyone Know of a low mileage Tdi engine?
my next project???