Berlingo diesel VTR with the wrong engine in.

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pjbw
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Citroen Berlingo VTR. Uncomfortable, quiet, reliable. Under-engineered chassis. Superb wrong engine fitted.

Berlingo diesel VTR with the wrong engine in.

Post by pjbw »

Hello,
(My brief CV: Driven over a million miles, 20 years fleet engineer and transport manager, 10 years motor racing, retired and then a volunteer driver for local social care trust (sliding doors important)).
This is my second VTR; the first one which replaced my 2003 Berlingo had a steering fault and replaced with my current one.
Going up a steepish hill nearby with a left-hand curve at the top I felt the steering begin to go light - 95 mph! The previous VTR might have managed 70 mph.
I checked the speedo between the mile posts on a motorway and found it quite accurate. A brief spurt - enormous acceleration from 80 mph on and then off the speedo scale at 125 mph.
Not only about double the power of the previous VTR but smooth, quiet, no flat spots, no surges - the best engine I have ever driven.
I have never used this performance since; tyre blowout, brake fade...
I have been in touch with the dealer and Citroen UK and they don't want to know.*
Two questions:
1. This VTR is evidently an oddity. I have a personalised registration and the V5C for the current VTR is identical to the previous VTR's one, even down to the engine number, except for the first registration date. The engine number on the new one is on a white paper sticker on the driver's side 'front' of the engine. I would love to buy a more comfortable, more up-market Citroen with this wonderful engine - how can I find the one?
2. Where do I stand trade-in-wise and Health and Safety-wise and insurance-wise with this potentially unsafe car ?
* Collusion between Citroen France, Citroen UK and the dealer ?
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Re: Berlingo diesel VTR with the wrong engine in.

Post by GiveMeABreak »

I've read through that several times and still haven't got a clue what the issue is and what you want to know.
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Re: Berlingo diesel VTR with the wrong engine in.

Post by white exec »

Have done the same, and remain unclear.
Which engine do you have (or think you have)?
If you can post your VIN (which will appear disguised), we can look at the original factory production spec for the vehicle.
As a diesel, a simple engine re-map could well produce something like what you describe.
More info, please.
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Re: Berlingo diesel VTR with the wrong engine in.

Post by Bick »

I read though your post several times before looking at Marc and Chris's response. Im glad they are saying exactly what i was thinking - what are you talking about as i cant understand anything you are saying, sorry mate but you are not making any sense to me.
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Re: Berlingo diesel VTR with the wrong engine in.

Post by admiral51 »

Was it MOT'ed before the new regulations came into force ?
I know someone who bought through a dealership a car that failed the new rules and is still in the legal process of finding out who did what to the vehicle, not a Citroen, but the DPF had been by passed by cutting out a section, adding extra wires and re welding the section so a quick look everything seemed okay.
It was not a simple DIY job, this was done with some expertise, and this car also went like the proverbial off a shovel.
Other than that i really cannot answer your questions
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Re: Berlingo diesel VTR with the wrong engine in.

Post by GiveMeABreak »

Slightly off topic (while we're awaiting some further info :-D ), but what you're saying there Colin is only going to get worse as more unsuspecting innocent buyers of used cars that have had this sort of butchery done are now not road legal leaving little recourse for the new owner unless they can show the seller knew about it and didn't disclose it.
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Re: Berlingo diesel VTR with the wrong engine in.

Post by bxzx16v »

125mph + in a Berlingo , good luck with that .

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Re: Berlingo diesel VTR with the wrong engine in.

Post by van ordinaire »

Reminds me of a Gas Board Bedford HA van one of friends drove: he couldn't understand why it out-performed all the others in the fleet - turned out the engine'd been replaced under warranty & VX had just stuck an HC 1256 in it (all they had, I s'pose).
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Re: Berlingo diesel VTR with the wrong engine in.

Post by van ordinaire »

bxzx16v wrote: 01 Dec 2018, 21:21 125mph + in a Berlingo , good luck with that .

Mark


Those Mi16/C15 hybrids must be good for that :-D
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Re: Berlingo diesel VTR with the wrong engine in.

Post by Michel »

bxzx16v wrote: 01 Dec 2018, 21:21 125mph + in a Berlingo , good luck with that .

Mark


My remapped M59 2.0HDi 04 plate Berlingo Multispace would pull a sat-nav verified 119mph and cruise at 114mph, fully loaded up an Autoroute. It'd do 0-60 in 8.9secs too :)

It surprised more than one person that's for sure.
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Re: Berlingo diesel VTR with the wrong engine in.

Post by Paul-R »

Michel wrote: 02 Dec 2018, 00:14... would pull a sat-nav verified 119mph and cruise at 114mph, fully loaded up an Autoroute.
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Re: Berlingo diesel VTR with the wrong engine in.

Post by oscar »

Perhaps it's had a V6 diesel in there or could it be a "clattery" petrol someones swapped plates round on?
Maybe it's a McLaren in drag?
Crossed dressed Citroen!!!
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Re: Berlingo diesel VTR with the wrong engine in.

Post by white exec »

Might not be the first...
A DS moment.jpg
:roll:

Inter alia, the rest of us are having a no shortage of fun while pj gets back to us with some vehicle details.
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Re: Berlingo diesel VTR with the wrong engine in.

Post by Michel »

Paul-R wrote: 02 Dec 2018, 09:00
Michel wrote: 02 Dec 2018, 00:14... would pull a sat-nav verified 119mph and cruise at 114mph, fully loaded up an Autoroute.
[-X [-X [-X
Tut, Tut.


Tut tut indeed, but heavy rain for hours earlier in the journey had put me way late for the ferry, and those autoroutes are just soooo empty and soooo smooth.

Only did 31mpg being driven like that though!
pjbw
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My Cars: Peugeot 304. Uncomfortable, noisy, terminally unreliable.
Renault Clio. Comfortable, quiet, fairly reliable.
Citroen Berlingo 1.9D. Very comfortable, very quiet, completely reliable. "How you say in English; over-engineered?".
Citroen Berlingo VTR. Uncomfortable, quiet, steering fault - car replaced. Under-engineered.
Citroen Berlingo VTR. Uncomfortable, quiet, reliable. Under-engineered chassis. Superb wrong engine fitted.

Re: Berlingo diesel VTR with the wrong engine in.

Post by pjbw »

[1 ... I would love to buy a more comfortable, more up-market Citroen with this wonderful engine - how can I find the one?
2. Where do I stand trade-in-wise and Health and Safety-wise and insurance-wise with this potentially unsafe car ?]

Lots of responses!
Maybe 'GiveMeABreak' my post was too long for your mini smartphone. But the engine number used to be stamped into the metal somewhere on the engine on other makes in my experience. Does anyone know where I might find the real engine number on my VTR.
(I thought that the engine management system on my car might have been tweaked but the turbocharger on my engine is much bigger than on other VTR's I have looked at).
Name and registration withheld at present (95 mph, 125+ mph).
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