The engine of any car has an identification number. The number must be displayed in the main document on the car - the technical equipment passport (PTS). In some cases, the engine number may not be indicated in the vehicle title or the data may not match. In such a situation, the driver may be denied registration of the vehicle, so the car owner needs to correct the data in the passport.
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How to check the number
The engine number is indicated on the power unit housing. There are no uniform rules for placing the number on the engine, so automakers can indicate information in various parts of the engine:
- on the cylinder block body;
- at the junction of the engine and transmission;
- near the intake manifold;
- near the dipstick to check the oil level, etc.
The engine number is also indicated on the information plate along with other information.
The decal is usually located on the front passenger door pillar, but may also be located in the engine compartment or trunk.
The engine number is also indicated in the PTS and vehicle certificate. The combination of letters and numbers in the documents and on the power unit itself must match completely.
Mismatch of information in passport
There are often situations when the number on the engine itself and the data indicated in the PTS do not match. This is due to a legal conflict that happened several years ago.
By Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs No. 28 of January 20, 2011, the mandatory verification of vehicle identification numbers with the information in the passport when registering a vehicle was abolished. Two years later, the order was canceled. However, during this period, many car owners could change the engines of their cars without reflecting the changes in the title. As a result, a large array of cars with inconsistent information was formed.
A discrepancy between the numbers on the engine body and the documents is a limitation for vehicle registration. It is possible to correct the situation - if the engine is not listed in the database of stolen engines and has the same technical characteristics as the original, then it can be legitimized by changing the number in the vehicle title.
In rare cases, a discrepancy in data is caused by a simple mistake by the employee filling out the PTS. In this case, the VIN number determines what number the engine should have. If a simple error is detected in a document, then a simple correction of the data is made.
Is the car engine a spare part? No, this is a numbered unit! Checking the engine number.
I often hear from drivers the careless “The engine is a spare part!” If it knocks, I’ll buy the engine from disassembly.” But today the engine number is strictly checked by a criminologist at the inspection site at the traffic police. The engine became recognized as a numbered unit. The article is required reading for all drivers who want to purchase a car on the secondary market.
1. How to check
engine number when buying a car?
2. How and what kind of engine should you buy
if it breaks down in your car?
1. When buying a car, you must definitely ask the seller to show the title and the area with the engine number. The model and its number must match the number in the documents. If the seller refuses to do this, then immediately refuse to buy such a car.
If you find that the engine number is illegible or destroyed, then it is better to choose another car for purchase, because car registration is regulated by Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia dated June 26, 2021 N 399 “On approval of the Rules for state registration of motor vehicles and trailers for them in the State Road Safety Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, a sample form of a certificate of vehicle registration and invalidation of regulatory legal acts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and certain provisions of regulatory legal acts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia,” which clearly states:
General provisions. Clause 3. Not subject to registration
in the State Traffic Inspectorate and registration actions are not carried out with vehicles on the following grounds:
signs of concealment, falsification, alteration, destruction of
vehicle identification numbers, numbers of components and assemblies (body, frame, cabin,
engine
) identifying the vehicle were detected, or forgery of submitted documents , non-compliance of vehicles and numbered units with the information specified in the submitted documents or registration data, as well as in the presence of information about the presence of vehicles, numbered units on the wanted list or the submitted documents among the lost (stolen),
with the exception
of vehicles with changed markings of vehicles funds and numbered units
as a result of natural wear and tear, corrosion, repairs or returned to the owners or holders after theft
, subject to their identification.
If you have already purchased a car with a replaced engine, then the criminologist, when registering the car with the traffic police, will write it down on a piece of paper and check it with the Ministry of Internal Affairs databases, and what car did this engine belong to? The problem is that you won’t be able to find out this information on your own in advance.
If the engine belongs to a car on which the bailiffs have imposed restrictions on registration actions
, then the inspector
will refuse to register the car
and ask you to replace the engine with another one.
If the engine belongs to a car that is on the wanted list
(that is, it was stolen), then you will go home on foot, because an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will draw up a report, the car will be sent for examination, and in the future the question of
initiating a criminal case
. And it is virtually impossible to prove the fact of an honest purchase of a car. If you arrive with a stolen engine, you will be held accountable by law.
If you bought a car with an unreadable or destroyed engine number, the car will also be sent for examination, as a result of which the number will either be recognized as destroyed naturally
(corrosion, photo above), or they admit that the engine belongs to a stolen car (the consequences are also indicated a little higher)
2. A reliable and safe way to buy an engine is to purchase a contract engine
similar model with documents.
It will be legally clean, so you can safely install it in your car as a replacement for a faulty engine. After such a purchase, be sure to save the documents! When you sell a car with a replacement engine, you can show the buyer that you purchased it honestly and legally. When registering such a car, the buyer will hear from the inspector at the traffic police during the inspection of the car something like: “The engine is in order, its new number will be indicated in the “special notes” field
in your PTS.”
Conclusion: When buying a car, check its engine number. If the number differs from that indicated in the PTS, then ask the seller for documents for the engine. Refuse to buy a car: if the seller does not have such documents, if the engine number is illegible or destroyed. When purchasing an engine, avoid engines that have been dismantled without documents; invest in a contract engine.
Thanks for reading. If the article was useful, then give it a thumbs up, thereby helping other readers familiarize themselves with it. You have questions? My profile on VK, Instagram, page on Avito. Best regards, Bogdan.
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How to change data
The ability to change the engine depends on several factors.
- Legality of the motor.
- Technical characteristics of the engine.
- Availability of documents for the motor.
The legality of the engine means that the engine is not listed in the traffic police database among stolen car parts. Specifications are important to determine that the engine is suitable for the vehicle and can be installed in it. Documentation for the power unit confirms the legality of the purchase and the compliance of the engine with the characteristics of the car.
What you need
If the engine model does not match the one that was installed on the car, then a technical examination will be required from an accredited organization. The list of organizations is posted on the official website of the Eurasian Economic Commission. As a rule, these are regional inspections and technical supervision departments. The possibility of changing data in the PTS depends on the expert opinion of the organization. If the car owner still has a conclusion from the seller, then there is no need to undergo the examination again. .
To smoothly make changes to the title, you will need documents for the new engine (registration certificate and installation documents).
Step by Step Actions
The procedure for making changes to the PTS is as follows.
- The car owner applies to the traffic police MREO with an application to change the information in the vehicle passport.
- When submitting an application, you are provided with a full package of documents for the car (PTS, STS, OSAGO policy, purchase and sale agreement), engine (registration certificate, purchase and sale agreement, declaration-statement from the car service center where the replacement was made), as well as the personal passport of the car owner.
- The driver fills out an application to change the data and pays the state fee.
- An MREO employee inspects the car, checks the engine against the database. If there are no complaints, changes to the PTS are made immediately.
If you just need to correct the engine number in the PTS, then a new passport will not be issued. The MREO employee makes a mark on the old sample document.
Do I need to carry my PTS and STS together?
It is not necessary to take both documents with you at all times. According to clause 2.1.1 of the traffic rules, when checking documents, the driver only needs to show the traffic police or traffic police officers a compulsory motor liability insurance policy, STS and a driver’s license. If the certificate is missing, the driver is given an administrative penalty - a fine of up to 800 rubles, the car is confiscated and placed in a impound lot (Article 12.1 of the Administrative Code). In case of repeated violation, the driver is deprived of his license for 3 months, and the amount of the fine increases to 5,000 rubles.
There is only one exception to this rule - the ten-day period allotted for re-registration of a purchased car. During this time, when making trips, the car owner can only use a registration certificate, that is, a PTS. If the new owner of the car has not managed to register it with the State Traffic Inspectorate, he will be fined in the amount of 1500-2000 rubles, officials will have to pay 2000-3500 rubles, and organizations - up to 10,000 rubles.
Changes to the vehicle registration number when replacing an engine
If the number in the PTS changes due to an engine replacement, then the procedure is as follows.
- You must contact the traffic police MREO to obtain permission to replace the engine. When applying, you must provide documents for the power unit (purchase agreement, transfer and acceptance certificate, part registration certificate). If the engine model is different than what was previously installed on the machine, then it is necessary to obtain a conclusion from an expert organization.
- After obtaining permission, it is necessary to replace the engine at a licensed car service center. After the replacement, you need to obtain from the service a copy of the organization’s license and certificates, as well as a declaration for the work performed.
- Then the vehicle undergoes a technical inspection and a new diagnostic card is obtained.
- Next, you need to contact an expert organization and re-examine the car.
- With a positive expert opinion and documents, you need to come to the MREO and submit an application to change the information in the PTS, paying a state fee of 800 rubles.
- As a result, the car owner is issued a PTS with corrected data and a Certificate of Changes to the Design of the Car.
What can be the punishment for mismatching engine numbers?
If there are discrepancies in the engine, a fine will be imposed.
During the inspection process, employees check the car for theft. A fine of 500-800 rubles.
The car is being detained until the circumstances are clarified. The employee calls a tow truck, the car is sent to the impound lot.
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Moscow: St. Petersburg: Russia:
Since October, new engine replacement rules have been established. If, after registering the vehicle with the traffic police, it turns out that the engine is not original, and the designations do not match the title, then the new owner will have problems.
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FAQ
The question is often asked whether it is possible to drive a car with a replaced and not legalized engine. According to the rules of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, the operation of vehicles with unauthorized interference with the structure is prohibited. Formally, the driver is not required to carry a PTS with him, but if, when stopped by a traffic police officer, it turns out that the car is equipped with an engine with a number that does not correspond to the information in the PTS, then the operation of such a vehicle will be prohibited.
Violation is initially punishable by a fine; repeated violation may be punishable by a fine or deprivation of rights.
Where in the STS are the PTS numbers indicated?
Sometimes drivers confuse such concepts as PTS and STS, believing that both are the same document in terms of their functional role and significance. But in fact, they have their own differences and are intended for different purposes - the first reflects technical information about the car, the second - the right to its legal use in Russia.
Certificate of registration of the vehicle The series and number are located on the back of the STS (vehicle registration certificate) at the very top next to the hologram, which is found on all STS of the new type.
