Bottom end shell
 

Would a bottom end shell gone on No4 piston mean a new engine if not what would need replacing i.e full new crank

i've got 2 good spare engines if need be.

It would depend on how far it has gone. If the car was run with a bad knocking shell then chances are the crank and the conrod could be damged. If it was only a slight rattle it may be posable just to replace the shells only.
You would need to find out a bit more infomation and inspect the damage.

Whats the milage and what kind of price

And how hard are they to swap

the bloke said it's quite a rattle on it

i once swaped a Rover 25 engine by myself in 6 hours if that means anything lol

i'll check the milage in the morning,ones mine and perfect on a auto and had no thrast at all, the other is my nieces boyfreinds s12 that i'am stripping at the moment, i've took it steady today and nearly got it out in 2 hours, i've just got to get it jacked up to get the down pipe of.both start first turn of the key.:) i'll find a price for the engine, i'd like to keep my auto in one piece for a while and maybe go on holiday in it as it does lots more to the gallon than mine.

i got the engine out my mk2 last weekend in an hour before breakfast :trout

there ya go, easy job:D

omg i was expecting a cocky answer.;)

I had the fact that the engine had only been in there for 4 months on my side though(no siezed nuts and bolts) and that me/adz and Dr silvia have done 7 or more s12 engine removal/changes in less than a year between us.

Being rwd and in a nice big engine bay there very easy engines to remove. ;)