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Tech / General EngineIs your car making a strange sound or won't start? Thinking of adding power with a new combination? Need other technical information or engine specific advice? Don't see another board for your problem? Post it here!
I have come across an old 454 crate engine but cant seem to nail down any definate specs on it. 10068286 is the casting# on the block, 14096188 are the casting#s on the heads and 3933163 is the casting# on the intake. This thing is still in the crate and doesnt appear to have ever been used. It says 450hp on the valve cover. Im just trying to get an idea of what this motor is worth, can anyone help me out or steer me in the right direction? Thanks
That might be a boat engine. Unusual to show HP for car engines, see it mostly on boat engines. If a boat engine - 454 crates run from 3500 to 5K and up.
Unless that's an oddity of the picture , it sure looks like that engine is used to me . Look at the areas around the exhaust ports , that sure don't look like the uniform dirt pattern you'd see on a new but sitting forever engine , that looks like dirt in various stages of having been heat baked onto the metal . Same really for the valve cover .
And yes , I agree with Jersey89GTA the HP thing looks boat engine to me . Also , being a boat engine , that's a very likely reason for it to be clean enough to be mistaken for brand new , boat engines being spared the road dirt that car engines have to deal with .
I'll be waiting for better pictures so I can tell for 100% certain , but from here I see the used core from what the boat folks call a "repower" .
It definitely looks to be quite dirty even for something sitting for a long time. I suspect that OrangeBird is right and it's a boat motor. Are the coolant passages dry? Any oil in the pan? If there aren't any signs of coolant ever being in the motor then it's possible to be new, albeit dirty.
I popped the valve cover off to get the casting numbers and it looks new in there, this thing has been supposedly sitting in that barn for 20 plus years which is why it's so dirty.
Valve cover came right off too, no prying or bumping with a mallet. Let's just assume it's in good shape and new. What would it be worth? I can buy it for $800
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Is there anything stamped on the pad in front of the passenger side head?
That would provide info as to what it is.
That said, if there's any sort of "guarantee" that's its not junk( demonstrated that when it's taken apart for inspection, the crank isn't broken in half), then I'd say 800 isn't a bad deal.
If that engine was intended for marine usage it should have brass freeze plugs in it. As long as it's in good condition it's worth the 800.00. You'll have to put new piston rings in it and might have to replace or shim the valve springs.
I popped the valve cover off to get the casting numbers and it looks new in there, this thing has been supposedly sitting in that barn for 20 plus years which is why it's so dirty.
And again , looking at this picture , I say that is a used engine because ;
Crate engines do not come with the temperature sender holes in the head fitted with threaded block off plugs , as can be seen in this picture , and speaking of plugs , how many brand new crate engines have you seen be delivered with spark plugs threaded into the heads instead of the little plastic plugs that block off the spark plug holes when it's being shipped ?
Low hours , maybe ... Brand new , no way , not with what I'm seeing .....
And again , looking at this picture , I say that is a used engine because ;
Crate engines do not come with the temperature sender holes in the head fitted with threaded block off plugs , as can be seen in this picture , and speaking of plugs , how many brand new crate engines have you seen be delivered with spark plugs threaded into the heads instead of the little plastic plugs that block off the spark plug holes when it's being shipped ?
Low hours , maybe ... Brand new , no way , not with what I'm seeing .....
Actually GM Crate engines DO come with threaded plugs in all the empty holes. I know because I had to buy the special removal tool to take it out of my engine that wemt into my Express van. Mine also came with plugs installed in it. Those heads and rockers look like they have never seen oil. Any use at all and it would have a thin layer of sooty oil accumulated on all the parts.
All the pessimists in this thread....For that price PM me the phone number of the owner and I will go buy the thing. I have a really good feeling that is a forged crank, 450 hp 454 LS7 crate engine from the 1980s and it looks UNUSED to me. I would say the stickers probably came off from sutting in the barn. What do the exhaust ports look like, are they clean or do they have carbon buildup. Even if it had to be torn down from sitting I bet it could be put back together with minimal investment. Those old LS7 crates where 12:1 compression, ZL1 style heads and a nice solid lifter cam.
I would buy that in a heartbeat. Probably an over-the-counter LS7 from the late 1970's or early 1980's. Even if it is a Plain-Jane big block, it is still worth that price.
for 800 bucks I would buy it regardless of the condition. Worst comes to worst it could probably be parted out for more than that if there is a bottom end issue.
The exhaust ports are just as clean as under the valve cover. Where did you find out the specs on the ls6 and 7 crate motors? That's the info I've been trying to find out. I am buying the motor this weekend. I will get better pics when I get it dug out.
The exhaust ports are just as clean as under the valve cover. Where did you find out the specs on the ls6 and 7 crate motors? That's the info I've been trying to find out. I am buying the motor this weekend. I will get better pics when I get it dug out.
the LS6 was used in 1970 Chevelle SS and Corvette's only from my memory the LS7 was intended to go in the '70 Corvette only solid lifter 460 rated HP but never passed emissions thus was never sold in car only over the parts counter. If you look up the spec's 1970 Chevelle SS and Corvette's are where to find them... And yes I'm old enough to remember them on the lot in '70
Why it has those heads intake???? plus the hoist plate those didnt come on em
the 450hp decal looks like somoene added it and theother removed.
The hoist plate is yet another reason why I believe this is a used engine . Despite an earlier poster's comment , I will repeat that of 15 or 20 crate engines I've been involved with I've never seen one come with either sparkplugs or temperature sender block off plugs already fitted . If you look closely at the block off plug I mentioned you can see that it's dirtier than the rest of it's surrounding metal and it looks to have had teflon tape wrapped on it before it was installed , a sure sign that it wasn't put in at the time of (re) manufacture .....
Finally warmed up so I went and dug this motor out and this is what I've found so far. Pulled the plugs and they screwed right out by finger after breaking them loose and look like new. Motor turns over easy and everything I can see looks like it's never been put into use. Next step I plan on is pulling the oil pan unless someone has a good reason I shouldn't. Here's a few pics to show what I've seen so far.
That is exactly what I thought it was...One of the late 70s to early 80s over the counter high performance crate big blocks. GREAT find and an even better price!!!
So if it's in good working order, what would you think it's worth or what might the equivalent cost today?
Atleast $4500 but the new engines have a waranty now. I am fairly certain if you were to pull the pan that engine would be a fully forged bottem end and likely 4 bolt main caps.
01-25-2017, 08:10 PM
Unless that's an oddity of the picture , it sure looks like that engine is used to me . Look at the areas around the exhaust ports , that sure don't look like the uniform dirt pattern you'd see on a new but sitting forever engine , that looks like dirt in various stages of having been heat baked onto the metal . Same really for the valve cover . 
And yes , I agree with Jersey89GTA the HP thing looks boat engine to me . Also , being a boat engine , that's a very likely reason for it to be clean enough to be mistaken for brand new , boat engines being spared the road dirt that car engines have to deal with . 
I'll be waiting for better pictures so I can tell for 100% certain , but from here I see the used core from what the boat folks call a "repower" . 
