I'm watching this to see how it goes

Zetec on ebay

Swap the head for a worked one and it's a decent motor? Surely worth £400 for whats there?

Welcome any thoughts

Apart from the obvious spelling and grammar issues that make an interesting read, five words that would scare me off - "I've never run this engine".

I bought a dummy engine once off ebay, guy told me it had been rebuilt. As it happens, I stripped it down to upgrade parts that I had on my current car at the time before swapping the engine in my old XE Calibra 16V. Took it apart, and it was utter cr@p inside. Looked like it had been to the moon and back, and used to feed a dog in the meantime (no offence to dogs).

If you've got the time to take it apart and inspect it before fitting, then maybe worth a look in. But I'd never buy or fit an engine that I'd not personally rebuilt or seen running and inspected.

But then that's just me, I'm funny like that!

Yep, worth it for anything under £500 if his claims for all the new bits are correct.

Charlie - you hit the nail on the head regarding my concerns.

It would have to remain at a price that made it worth the risk in my opinion, but I'm confused about why you'd have a knife-edge crank in an engine with a standard head.

I've emailed him asking for receipts for the work that's supposed to have been done so will see what he says.

....and they are not bike CARBS, but throttle bodies.

However, that might be a good thing??

I must emphasise the caution needed over 'rebiult' engines that have never been seen running. I bought a rebuilt engine once that had been rebuilt with all the old parts put back in - including a bent con rod........

It could be a bargain or it could be a dog. With the mods if it all runs ok it's well worthwhile but if it implodes when u fire it up obviously a waste of money. Good standard zetecs are fairly worthless. I've got two. One on nearly 100,000 miles which is a great engine still smooth and revvy. The other at 146000 is getting a bit rough. I wouldn't want to rev the blox off it.

The guy is selling it as a racing engine it seems (despite the standard head) and is looking for £1500.

I'll pass thanks

Thanks for the comments

Mark