No engine number for replacement new engine

Ella_fella

Bought a used car a couple months ago from a car supermarket within a couple of weeks the cam belt failed, car supermarket recovered the car and told me a new engine was required which they replaced at their cost. 

Asked them for the new engine number so I could tell DVLA and get my V5 updated and was told that their supplier didn't provide them with this information so I inspected the engine myself and the metal plate on it is blank where the engine number should be.

Told car supermarket I wasn't entirely satisfied with this and the final answer they gave me was that "a lot of V5s state engine nunber unknown on them or that as the engine was supplied by the OEM then I should just use the old engine number."

Am I bothering too much about this or is there something I should be concerned about?

facade

Some makes, I think Ford is one, supply new engines under warranty with no number, and the fitter is supposed to stamp it with the old number, because the engine number is the same as the VIN number.

The old engine goes back to the manufacturer and the little elves that make them smash it up with tiny hammers so there can't be two engines with the same number.

Same thing happens, or always used to, with motorcycle replacement frames, the part of the headstock on the old frame with the number had to go back to the manufacturer and the new one was stamped with the old frame number, as you cannot change the frame number on a registration.

Presumably they will sell you a replacement engine under the same terms- use the old number if the complete destruction of the old identity is confirmed, or if you won't do that any old number will do but the V5 has to be changed.

Ella_fella

facade said:

Some makes, I think Ford is one, supply new engines under warranty with no number, and the fitter is supposed to stamp it with the old number, because the engine number is the same as the VIN number.

The old engine goes back to the manufacturer and the little elves that make them smash it up with tiny hammers so there can't be two engines with the same number.

Same thing happens, or always used to, with motorcycle replacement frames, the part of the headstock on the old frame with the number had to go back to the manufacturer and the new one was stamped with the old frame number, as you cannot change the frame number on a registration.

Presumably they will sell you a replacement engine under the same terms- use the old number if the complete destruction of the old identity is confirmed, or if you won't do that any old number will do but the V5 has to be changed.

Yes in this case it is a Ford engine. I was told by the car supermarket that they had to return the defective engine to Ford and Ford classify the new replacement engine as a like for like swap and therefore has the same engine number as the old defective engine.

The only bit which appears to be missed is that the garage whom undertook the fitting of the replacement engine didn't bother to stamp it with the same engine number as the old one.

Am not sure how practical this is now to retro do or whether I should concerned about it being done at all?

facade

I wouldn't worry about it. The engine number is the one on the V5, it just hasn't been marked.

chrisw

I had a new engine fitted to my Volvo under warranty which had a different engine number. I never told DVLA and subsequently sold the car through one of the we buy any car type places. The number's never been checked or been an issue as far as I know.

BikingBud

Wouldn't we expect and encourage buyers to check VIN and engine numbers with V5 and other docs, insurance data, MOT records etc as part of the due diligence when buying a used car.

I would be concerned if there was no number on the engine, perhaps with appropriate evidence it may be considered acceptable but it would be a question. How old is the engine, what has happened, what maintenance is required and when especially timing belts etc, car odometer or car odometer with an adjustment?

facade

BikingBud said:

Wouldn't we expect and encourage buyers to check VIN and engine numbers with V5 and other docs, insurance data, MOT records etc as part of the due diligence when buying a used car.

I would be concerned if there was no number on the engine, perhaps with appropriate evidence it may be considered acceptable but it would be a question. How old is the engine, what has happened, what maintenance is required and when especially timing belts etc, car odometer or car odometer with an adjustment?

If you are buying a Ford with a wet belt the question to ask is "When was the engine last replaced?" rather than "what has happened?"