Second hand or recon engine?

My engine has a crack in the outer wall of the block and although I have managed a temporary seal, the engine will need replacing.
It is Defender 90 200 DTI, so I could source a Disco engine, swap my bits over, have the head gasket changed, new cam belt and of course the clutch and fitted for about £1500 depending on the price of the engine.
Or have a recon engine fitted for £2600.

Will be doing low mileage, some off road shooting with my dogs...

What would you do...?



Sealed with K Seal...

I'd fit it myself and save a fortune

Marmaduke said:

I'd fit it myself and save a fortune

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Me too. But if you are not up for that, then it depends on knowing what you are getting. If you can get a second hand engine, that you know is in good order, do that. Otherwise you could end up spending a lot of money getting it put in to find you have different problems, but just as bad. Likewise, I wouldn't buy a reckon engine unless the supplier had a well known and excellent reputation for that sort of work.

You could buy this and have your own rebuilt

Land Rover 200 TDi engine Spares or Repair | eBay

£1500 and you source the engine or £2600 for a supplied recon one, I'd say for the extra £500 ish you'd be better going for a recon one, at least you'd get a warranty.

If buying recon get a short motor, ie just the bottom end so you can at least check if its had a hone and maybe a rebore, I always remember the engine I saw on a stand that the guy was reconning/bodging and there was a step in the bore!

Is the engine itself good? Why not weld it up?