Dyno Don

iTrader: (7)

For any of you considering a crate engine, you should read this:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tpi/...ml#post3158546

SchwarzCamaroRS

wanna know something fishy.. my 350 TBI longblock that I think i overheated and lost a valve... was purchased from SDPC and, it burned oil... with less than 10k miles on it... i think after this thread im gunna hurry up and pull the valve covers and see if this Spring problem might have something to do with my Vert being on jackstands right now...

injdinjn

As my sig on another board says

AFTER MARKET PRODUCTS SUK.

james_85Z28

Springs break. Engines break. No surprises there. I think the bigger problem not lies in the spring breaking, but in that SDPC knew of the bad springs but didn't comp him a set of new springs. The have been batches of bad springs, bad roller lifters, bad cam cores, etc. coming from the aftermarket industry for the last 10-15 years. The good companies will make right. The bad companies run.

I had good results from my SDPC engine but it wasn't one where some monkey opened up and swapped parts on either. I was always weary on the semi-GM crate motors as there is no accountability and they come with short warranties. The beauty of a real GM crate engine is the warranty and the fact that some pimply high school kid in Texas (or Mexico) wasn't the lackey bolting it together between hits off the Naws bottle....they are put together by some older lackey who does it all day (and who can afford the good stuff).

langss

Most likely Mexico.Thats where the Goodwrench 350 that's currently dieing in my Blazer was Mfg. I will say this although it did have a few small problems which probably contributed to its current condition over the long haul,I did get over 130,000 out of it before it became to ill to take out of the Valley.Its replacment coming sometime this next summer will most likely be another one since the are still right around $1500.00 plus shipping. I think if you need it now and cannot wait,or its not that important as in every detail right on the money, the "GM" crate motors are a pretty good deal.I would never buy anything modified and not carrying the same warranty GM offered. Just my

Parrydise7

iTrader: (1)

BretD 88GTA

I agree with James. Plus, I don't think you can really call that motor a "crate engine". It's really more of a custom engine that's getting produced as the orders come in.

Bad parts can happen to anyone. The crappy part, as others have stated, is that SDPC didn't stand behind their product.

Dyno Don

iTrader: (7)

Yeah, if you're not fussy, but most of them lack the good parts that we want in them. They are just a cheap replacement not intended for hard use.

langss

One thing to be said,for the Goodwrench 350,It pushed that fully loaded and I dont mean power equipment Blazer on 33 in tires,weight at just under 5000#,to 70+ (I have the tickets to prove it) everyday from 91-98 and never so much as gave me a hic up.But when it started to go sour it went really fast.Like I said it all depends on what you want for your money.

james_85Z28

I think for a couple hundred bucks more the L05 engine comes with a lot better parts (roller cam, better pistons, powdered metal rods , roller timing chain, 9.6:1 CR, etc.). My short block took a lot of beating before I destroyed it stupidly.

EDIT: the part number is 12513151 but is now ( $2067 @ Pace, $2219 at SDPC) instead of the $1500 I got it for in 2002. Not quite the deal anymore.

BadAssIROC