Has anyone heard of or bought an engine from API Engines? My father in law reccomended them and they look like a decent outfit.

http://www.apiengines.com/

Haven't dealt with them lately but service used to be good , never had a problem with any of their engines and they used to deliver. Also had several branches around country.

I'd never heard of them until yesterday when a V6 Vectra came in (with one their recently fitted reconditioned engines) with a missfire. 300 miles outside of their warranty. They told the customer that the cylinder heads JUST needed re-tourqing.
Turns out it was a faulty coil pack. Although not their fault not particularly helpful advice either. My boss reckons not to touch them, but he hasn't used them for many years.
Talking of not very helpful advice I'll get my coat.

Just read that their warrany is 12'000 miles so he has done quite well to only have this one problem in that time. Although he still hasn't learned to how to check the oil level. I withdraw my previous statement but I am still getting my coat.

[Edited on 7/1/06 by DAN57]

they still going?thought trading standards shut them down long ago

API , the company that used to import jap engines? Used to be a company called Heathrow Engines that I wouldn't touch with a barge pole but always found API to be good . Are we talking about the same company?

oooh what you heard john?

API seem to specialise in jap engines. My father in law bought a Toyota Celica engine years ago (mk1 !) and was very impressed with it. They say on their website that they check every engine and hot test it and wet test it!

As I said in my first post Andy there used to be a company called Heathrow Engines that I wouldn't let work on a push bike . Suspect they may have changed the name but I have been more than happy with API engines ,having had about a dozen engines from them in the past . The only problem I ever had was with a Toyota engine in a taxi which wasn't the fault of API . One of the heater hoses was in very poor condition and should have been changed but the owner wanted the car back on the road ASAP. The new hose was ordered but the guy didn't come back for it to be fitted .3 weeks later the hose split causing a blown head gasket , the taxi driver phoned API and complained API supplied a replacement engine the next day . I would never recommend anyone I wasn't happy with myself .

Never heard of API selling vauxhaul vectra engines even the V6 ones unless they are jap.

I've know of one person who has purchased a nissan engine from API and they had no problems whatsoever.

Just make sure the address your dealing with isnt rugby road Twickenham or they are part of the Brightsun group of companies which was formaerly heathrow engine centre or direct engines.

If you look at the website they recondition engines and do fork lifts too. I can only assume he had it reconditioned by them. I may have it wrong though, I have slept scnce yesterday.

Not saying its wrong info,just intersting really as they are local ish and i though they only supplied or reconditioned japanese engines.


another one to try for is Sehmi engine centre in Southall

0208 571 4206

They will rebore and supply anything

api jap imports,used to be one near me,and heathrow engines (owned my thames valley trader) are as far as i know different companies,its just that the chance of a come-back on a reclaimed jap engine is a lot less than a european one,there is also api international,who do gaskets and seals etc.
the jap stuff normally wont fit euro spec cars as everything seems different,you have to strip it down to bare block/head and start again

What you fitting Andy?

Another company to try taht I used once was (I think) JAP in Stowmarket ? Suffolk Danzoman lives in the area , perhaps he may be able to give more info ?

How many do they sell a week. My friend George used to deal with a company who claimed to run their engines on a test bed. There would have to be 5,000 hours in a week to cover the time to connect them all up and run them for the volume they claimed to be dealing.

Andy
If these are heathrow engines do not go near them with a barge pole. They claimed to have replaced oil pump, new shells and reground my crank but when all oil pressure went at 10.000 miles it was evident that they had not.There are others in the area who I believe have better reputations I believe there is one in Twickenham and another in Guildford who have been around for quite a while