Engine and components

Engine and components is the most branched section of the catalogue - everything that makes the engine run, keeps it cool, feeds it and controls it lives here. Sellers list single parts as well as complete units, so the same assembly can usually be compared across several offers.

What sits where

The mechanical internals - block, cylinder head, pistons, shafts - are gathered under engine parts. Overheating questions lead to the cooling system, the feed line from pump to injectors to the fuel supply system, and boost hardware to turbo and components. Ignition and starting, intake and exhaust, belts and pulleys, seals and gaskets, and engine electrics each have a branch of their own.

Search by engine code

In this section the engine code decides more than the model does: the same model shipped with different engines depending on year and market. Before calling a seller, have ready:

• the engine code - stamped on the block and written in the registration papers
• the VIN for cross-checking
• displacement and fuel type
• the OEM number from the old part, if it survived

With these, the seller can tell you precisely whether their part will fit.

New or used

Heavy metal parts - the block, the head, the crankshaft - serve for years even used, and for older engines there is often no other route. The opposite rule applies to wear parts: gaskets, seals, belts and chains should only go in new, because a second teardown costs more than the saving. Sensors and electronic units sit in between: used ones work, but need a test before installation or a return option. Price, meanwhile, is set mostly by originality, condition and completeness.