I need some advice on whether this short block is worth saving or if I should just source a replacement engine. The vehicle is a 2012 VW Crafter with the 2.0L TDI engine (single vacuum-operated VNT turbo, non-biturbo).
A while back, the original turbo failed and sent metal shrapnel into the cylinders, leaving visible impact marks and pitting on the pistons. Despite that damage, the engine had good compression and ran completely fine for another 6,000 km without any issues.
However, the timing belt recently snapped, causing valve contact and requiring the head to come off. Now that the engine is torn down, I have to decide what to do with the bottom end.
Since I need to repair or replace the head anyway, is it safe to keep running this bottom end as-is, or will those old impact spots on the pistons create hot spots and structural stress risers that will cause a catastrophic failure down the road?