I was thinking about ordering a crate motor off of e-bay, but the last thing i want to do is get shafted by someone and lose $2700. I'm not a know it all of engine performance but I am trying to learn a few things. I am planning on putting this into my 88 IROC. He says that it is 325hp with 375 lb of tq. I'm just going to copy what he says in the description. Any help will be useful. I trust your guys' opinion over his, considering you aren't trying to sell it to me.

WOW!!! WRITTEN WARRANTY!!! FREE SHIPPING IF YOU DO EBAY'S "BUY IT NOW" (savings of $200 to $500)!!! STARTING AT ONLY $2700!!! Chevy 350/375 Horsepower UNFIRED COMPLETE Crate Motor offered by Mark's Performance Engines in Phoenix, AZ!! Comes with a 1 year/unlimited mile WRITTEN WARRANTY!! QUALITY MACHINE WORK, PARTS, COMPLETENESS, VALUE & A WRITTEN WARRANTY SET OUR MOTORS APART FROM OTHERS ON EBAY!!! This will make a dynamite Street/Strip/Race motor that'll also be dependable and will run on pump gas (9.5:1 compression ratio)!! It's COMPLETE right down to the carb/air cleaner to the oil pan! Rebuilt motors are SUPERIOR to "new" crate motors, because rebuilt crate motors are disassebled, remachined, and then reassembled after any "core tempering" has occured with all new QUALITY aftermarket/performance parts rather than generic factory/production parts like "new crate motors! "New" crate motors only have to be warmed up and then cooled down one time ("cycled") before "core tempering" occurs thus changing their critical clearances!! Block Casting #: 3970010 (High Nikel Content, 2 Piece Rear Main), Cylinder Head Casting #: 333882 (170cc intake runners, Outflow Camelhump "fuelies"). NEW PARTS: Speed Pro (Federal-Mogul) Hyperutectic Flat Top HP Pistons, Forged 5.7" Rods, Speed Pro (Federal-Mogul) Rings, Crane/Clevite 292 (duration @.050" 230I/230E, Lift: .480"I/.480"E, Lobe Seperation: 109) Hydrallic Flat Tappet High Performance Camshaft, Clevite Lifters, Elgin High Performance Valve Springs (Z-28 Style), Cloyes/SA Gear Double Roller Timing Chain Set, Clevite Rod/Main/Cam Bearings, Dynagear High Volume Oil Pump, Fel-Pro Gaskets, GM Valve Locks & Retainers, Valve Guides, Pioneer Brass Freeze Plugs, Melling Pushrods, Melling Oil Pump Pickup Screen, Melling Oil Pump Driveshaft, Oil Pan, Oil Pan Bolts, GM "Bowtie" Timing Cover, Timing Cover Bolts, Professional Products Power Plus High Performance 360 Degree Aluminum High Rise Single Plane Intake Manifold, Intake Manifold Bolts, Edelbrock/Carter 750 cfm Carb, HEI Distributor (with HP advance curve), Taylor High Performance Spark Plug Wires, AC-Delco Spark Plugs, Spark Plug Wire Looms, GM Head Bolts, Edelbrock Aluminum "Elite" Series Valve Covers & Air Cleaner, Valve Cover Boltss, Water Pump, Upper/Lower Pulleys (for style long water pump), Harmonic Balancer, Harmonic Balancer Bolt/Washer Kit, Low Pulley Bolts, GM Oil Dipstick & Oil Dipstick Tube Holder, High Performance Fuel Pump. MACHINE WORK (Block): Vat (clean completely inside & out), Magniflux (check for cracks), Bore/Hone, Check Main Caps for Alignment (Line Hone/Bore if necessary), Deck, Grind Crank, Resize Rods, Assemble. MACHINE WORK (Heads): Vat (clean completely), Magniflux (check for cracks), 3 Angle Competition Valve Job, Assemble. This motor would even be more INCREDIBLE with a 125 horsepower nitrous kit!! Either way, it's a GREAT deal when one considers all the parts, machine work, what the motor is, and it's capabilities!! Payment: Personal Check (wait until clears), Cashier's Check, Money Order, VISA, M.Card, Discover, AMEX, Western Union. Shipping: Buyer is responsible for shipping costs. Remember: comes with a 1 year/unlimited mile WRITTEN WARRANTY!! This engine is TRULY UNFIRED & COMPLETE (UNLIKE many other small block chevys) & STREETABLE (will run on pump gas with a streetable compression ratio) UNLIKE other small block Chevys that're incomplete with a claimed higher compression ratio!! This will save headaches and $$$!! QUALITY MACHINE WORK, PARTS, COMPLETENESS, VALUE, & A WRITTEN WARRANTY SET OUR MOTORS APART FROM OTHERS ON EBAY!!! Any questions can be emailed or call me at Mark's Performance Engines, Phoenix, AZ (602)252-4309. Don't Miss Out!! Happy Bidding!!

Thanks again for the help

 

You're risking a lot more than $2700. Don't forget shipping. I'm not an ebay expert, but does "...starting at $2700" mean that's the minimum bid? Typically in ads like this, it means you aren't getting the described engine for that little money.

What do you plan to put this in and do with it? It certainly wouldn't pass emissions muster. I've never heard of that intake manifold. I wouldn't use that carb. "Pump gas" perhaps, but premium is very likely all it will tolerate. If you have an auto tranny, you're going to need at least a 3000 RPM stall converter. They don't tell anything about the heads they're using, just giving whatever they are a basic rebuild (for that much money, you should be getting new aftermarket performance heads).

They sure are bragging about the "unfired" part. A dyno printout would not only prove the engine runs properly, but also prove their power claims.

I don't know, I see a bunch of holes here. They may be okay, but I'd say you're taking a pretty good sized risk. Perhaps someone who lives down there or has done business with them can vouch for them.

 

i wouldn't buy it, but then again i usually do my own engines

 

Thats all the reassurance that I need. I thought it sounded a little odd as well but as I said I am no pro. Thanks for the help guys, I am going to let my dad look at it, but i am definitely leaning toward the no. I was thinking abot putting it into my 88 IROC.