Hi all,
I've been offered a Beetle that has been off the road around 15 yrs, due to family and such (i.e. not a car problem). At the time they had installed a recon'd 1600 and say it would have driven no more than 10000 k's before the car was parked and left. The engine turns manually now (i.e. not seized) but has not been started for a number of years.
Apart from the usual fresh oil, fuel, maybe plugs and points, etc, should the actual engine be OK, or can there be more serious things lurking if it has been sitting?
I realise there is the question over the condition in the first place, i.e. was it actually recon'd etc, but if it was a good engine, is there anything inside that can deteriorate and become a problem now?
Thanks.

I recently started one in a similar situation, it is missing on one cylinder and down on compression. I'm guessing it has rust on the valve or seat. I've had ones in the past that have had moisture in the cylinders and rusted bores/stuck rings when I dismantled them. It's just a gamble if they run ok after sitting for so long. Just start it and see after fresh oil of course.
May need a new fuel pump diaphragm from sitting and the clutch may stick/rusted on.

As Mr930 said it is entirely a gamble, in the bike industry I'd be budgeting for at minimum replacing all rubber lines seals etc, unfortunately sitting around for extended periods does no mechanical object any favours. I think I read a good tell tale is if there is rust inside the rocker covers don't start it just pull it down. As there is a very good possibility that it has a rusty bore/seats/valves. I would use it as a bargaining point (if you are buying it) might be in poor taste if you are being given it!

Thanks all for the comments. If the engine is pulled apart for an inspection, what kind of time and labour is concerned? Obviously there would be cost of any parts, seals etc, but what would be an average price you would pay for an engine to be disassembled and inspected?

That's a big can of worms your opening there! Motor rebuilds range from 3-10000k+ but all depends on what you want to achieve from the car, top end of the motor could be done for around 1000+ in bits then depends on how mechanically minded you are I guess,
If you can bring the motor to someone you'll save some coin. Are you able to pop off a rocker cover and see if all the valves are moving? No rust in there?