what are yalls opinions on rebuilt engines? i was origanally going to get a crate motor or a used corvette engine, but i could get a rebuilt Z28 engine for a fraction of the cost of either of these (yes i know i'll need a new tranny also). What is actually done to an engine when it is rebuilt? if a professionally rebuilt engine is almost as good as a brand new engine, i can get that and use the extra $2000 to get way more power than i could get otherwise. well, let me know yalls opinions..

 

i think all i should have to say is make sure your getting a "good" rebuild

not a hack job where they just hone the cylinders and re-ring the pistons

make sure all the clearances were measured and if it was overbored make sure a torque plate was used

check for core shift

etc............

 

so i should just call them and ask them a couple questions about that to make sure? the site i'm looking at has a 3 year/100,000 mi. warranty, so i'm pretty sure they're on the up and up, so should i just ask a couple questions about what they really did to "rebuild" it? if so, what questions specifically should i ask? what are the key things that should have been done to the engine to rebuild it?

 

yeah,but what kind of warrenty? is that a 100/100 warenty,where they will pay for 100% of labor and 100% of parts. where we got an engine put in our ford contour, they claimed a 5 yr 50,000mile warrenty yeah but all they covered was the parts....the labor was all on you and that is where they hit you. it was so gay, SO IS THIS DAMNE COMPUTER SPACE KEY.

 

the quality of rebuilt engines runs the gamut from a professional build that is far superior to the original factory engine quality to something that will just run and propel the car through the warranty period. Be leery of anything that uses a reground crankshaft, "refurbished" rods, "good factory cam cores", or other such terms.

You know that you can get a NEW factory engine for $1,279.00, right? 3 year/36,000 mile transferrable warranty, and all.

http://www.sdpc2000.com/cart.asp?act...id=128&pid=110

 

The factory replacement motors run the same gamut, from totally lame to very good.... that cheap "Goodwrench 350" is aimed at telephone companies and such, that have huge fleets of trucks, and don't care whether it runs good or not, as long as it runs and gets their work done; it's not a performance engine in the slightest. I would not put that in anything I had to drive. On the other hand, you can buy what almost amounts to a Winston Cup motor from GM too, but it's priced a little differently. And of course there's everything in between as well.

You need to sit down and figure out what's important to you, and find a builder who will supply exactly that, no more and no less. That way you get what you want without spending money on something that doesn't matter to you. Like Vader said, not all "rebuilt" engines are equal, and they run the range from just get the vehicle moving again to full race-prepped screamers. It's impossible to say that "new" is better than "rebuilt" or vice-versa, and make it apply to all cases.

 

stupid internet explorer, quit on me right before i finished my message, so i'll try again.....RB83L69 - all i'm really looking for is a z-28 engine that runs just as well as the day it was built. i previously was looking at a crate motor, with 325 hp, that'd cost me roughly $4000 w/ shipping. but then i started looking at rebuilt motors, and figure i can get a z-28 w/ 245 hp for around $2000 w/ shipping, and with the extra $2000 can get it pushing higher numbers than the crate, plus the z-28 would be an easier install since i could use alot of the same engine accessories. there's so many rebuilders out there though that i don't know who's credible and who's not...anybody know of a credible rebuild company?

vader - the engine you listed is only for up to 1985. it may fit and do fine, but the warranty is only good if the engine is used in a car that it's listed for

since i'm switching from a v-6 to a v-8, i know there's alot of parts from my car that i won't be able to use on the new engine. what new parts will i have to get to make everything complete and finished? here's a link to a 5.7 350 block that's $1200...http://www.chevy-gas-diesel-engines....ngine-246.html what parts would i have to add to this (including parts i could transfer from my v-6 and parts i'd have to buy new). if you know, please tell me EVERYTHING i would need, don't assume that there are some things that i probably know that i'd need, because chances are I probably don't!

 

the block i'm looking at has a "ground crankshaft"....is this ok, or is any kind of ground crankshaft not good?

the block comes with heads and roller cams....roughly how much $$ would it cost to buy everything else that needed to be bought? the company builds the engine there so i wanna get the parts from them so they can put them on for free


in the link in my above post it lists all the info. about the engine, but here's a list of what is on the engine....

All long blocks have NEW valves, valve springs, valve keepers, push rods, rocker arms, fulcrums, lifters, camshaft, timing chain (belt), timing gears, valve guides (diamond honed), three angle seats, cam, rod and main bearings, pistons, piston rings, rod bushings (if applicable), gaskets and oil pump.

All cylinder blocks, cylinder heads, crankshafts and connecting rods are cleaned and shot peened and magnafluxed for cracks. All bolt holes are tapped.

Cylinder blocks are bored to each piston and diamond honed to 18RMS finish. All oil galleys are hand brushed with white cleaning brushes and cylinders are hand cleaned with cleaning solution and white towels.

Cylinder heads have each valve guide diamond honed, seats are three angle. After assembly, heads are vacuum checked for valve seating.

Crankshafts are ground and polished to 12RMS. Each oil galley is hand brushed with a white cleaning brush.

All connecting rods are honed.

ALL OUR REMANUFACTURED LONG BLOCKS MEET OR EXCEED ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT SPECIFICATIONS

how does this sound?

 

No, that's not true either... some people do an excellent job of grinding them (for instance, they actually cause all 4 journals to be at right angles to each other), and some people just slap em across a production line as fast as they can make them move. Some people verify that their machine moves the grinding stone along the crank parallel to the line the crank is spinning on, so that the journals don't taper from one end to the other. And on and on.

You've heard about how one engine can be way faster than another supposedly identical one.... it's either dumb luck, or attention to details, that creates that situation. I for one don't like to depend on luck since I have none. Details I can control though.

That's also what costs money. Labor is expensive, and is charged by the hour. Every minute of a craftsman meticulously perfecting something, is a minute you pay for; and they can [i]really[/b] add up over the course of an entire engine rebuild; plus, a craftsman costs alot more for each of those extra hours than a production-line monkey. On the other hand, what would a lazy motor job that you had to drive for the rest of its life be worth to you, if it ran slow, leaked oil, used more gas than it should, and didn't last half as long as the original?

Don't ever buy a motor from the low bidder, because that's what you'll get... a low-bid job. On the other hand, most of us don't need the level of care and detail that a Hendrick or DEI engine gets, either. Somewhere in between is a "good enough" job, that gets us the quality we want, at a reasonable price.

 

so do you think that this price is too low to be very good, or do you think $1200 is a normal price for a remanufactured block, heads, and cam? the info i listed in my last post about the engine i'm looking at seem pretty good, but on the other hand, when you get ripped off, you always think that it seemed "pretty good" at first. so what do you think about this deal?

 

here's so more info on the engine, just for reference....

ENGINE SPECS
Engines remanufactured by our remanufacturing line meet or exceed O.E.M. specifications.
- New Manley valves
- New Elgin valve springs and keepers
- New Badger pistons
- New Hastings molly rings
- New Dynagear timing gears and Durabond cam bearings
- New Dynagear timing gears and chain
- New Elgin lifters, push rods, rockers, ***** and nuts
- New Dynagear oil pump
- New FelPro gaskets
- Cylinder heads are pressure checked
- Diamond honed valve guides
- Three angle cut valve seats
- All head surfaces are broached
- Blocks are bored with deck plates, cylinder walls are diamond honed
- Crankshafts are ground and polished for .002 clearance
- Camshafts are ground to O.E.M. specifications, hardened and polished
- Connecting rods are sized to .002 clearance



SUMMARY OF OUR ENGINE LIMITED WARRANTY:
Passenger car and light truck long blocks are covered for 7 years or 70,000 miles. If failure of a long block should occur during the first twenty-four months and it is determined the failure is due to a defect in workmanship or parts installed by S & S, we (S & S Engine) will replace or repair the defective unit to the original buyer. During the balance of the warranty, S & S Engine will replace the long block at one-half of the current retail price.

The Standard limit labor reimbursement covers labor at $35.00 per hour up to a maximum of $400.00. A Premium warranty is offered for $110.00, which pays labor at $55.00 per hour up to a maximum of $700.00. An Extra Premium warranty is offered for $150.00, which pays labor at $65.00 per hour up to a maximum of $850.00.

WARRANTY DISCLAIMERS
- Loss of time
- Loss of income or revenue
- Loss of transportation or vehicle rental
- Equipment rental
- Any towing charges
- Crankshaft thrust damage
- Diagnostic time, fluids, filters or shop supplies
- Oil starvation for any reason
- Piston scuffing
- Overheating, melting of heat tab
- Detonation, pre-ignition (melting of pistons)
- Head gasket with burnt fire ring
- Abnormal wear from contaminated oil (fuel or dirt)

***OR, would this be better for me since it comes with all the engine components?*** (no warranty though)

The 350 HO Deluxe takes the value leading 350HO/330HP Crate Engine a step further by adding a carburetor, distributor, water pump, torsional damper, and an auto trans flexplate. This enhancement to the Vortec head 330 horsepower 350 HO makes it easier than ever to repower your street rod, street machine or sportsman racer. The 600 cfm vacuum secondary Holley carburetor is ideally suited to the 350 HO. And the proven GM HEI distributor will give years of worry-free driving. With a 9.1:1 compression ratio, it's pump gas friendly, and with its muscle car idle it's cruise night cool. With GM Performance Part's lowest priced small-block crate engine there is no reason to rebuild that junk yard clunker and since it's complete from carb-to-pan there is no need to chase parts ! Call us at 1-800-926-4977, ext. 232, to learn more about this great engine, which is perfect for your 1975 or older vehicle or any off-road usage.

Horsepower ...........................................330 @ 5000 RPM

Torque .....................................................380 Ft. Lbs. @ 3800 RPM

Maximum Recommended RPM ..........5500

Compression Ratio .................................9.1:1

Block .........................................................10105123 - Cast Iron 4-Bolt with One Piece Rear Main Seal

Crankshaft ...............................................14088527 - Nodular Cast Iron

Connecting Rods ....................................10108688 - Forged Steel

Pistons .......................................................12361371 - Cast Aluminum

Piston Rings .............................................14089025

Camshaft ..................................................24502476 - Lift: .435" Int., .460" Exh.

Camshaft Duration @ .050"...................212° Int., 222° Exh.

Timing Chain.............................................14087014

Cylinder Heads.........................................12558060 - Cast Iron 64-cc Vortec Combustion Chambers

Intake Valves .......................................... 10241743 - 1.94"

Exhaust Valves ........................................12550901 - 1.50"

Valve Springs ...........................................10212811

Rocker Arms .............................................10089648 - 1.5 Ratio

Valve Lash .................................................Zero

Spark Plugs ................................................R44LTS - Gap at .045; 41-932 - Gap at .060

Ignition Timing .........................................10° BTDC @ 700 RPM


***sorry for the EXTREMELY long post***

 

The 350 HO motor is a very good investment and I think would be your best bet. IMHO of course.

 

oh i forgot to mention earlier....the crate motor is $3250...i can handle that, but i also need a new tranny, so i still don't know what i'm going to do. based on what's listed in the first paragraph of the HO description, is EVERYTHING i need already on this engine?

 

Obviously, the "Hecho en Mexico" replacement 350 is a basic, low compression, run-of-the-mill 350. My point was that if you are considering a crate reman engine from AutoZone, Pep Boys, or some place like that, you would probably do better by getting a GM crate engine which is new, not an assembly lime rebuild.

Yes, the basic GM crate engines aren't "all that", but you stand a lot better chance of success over the entire warranty than with a slapped-together boxed reman for only a few dollars less. On the factory new engines, you can at least trust that the mains are straight, the crank is straight, and the bores are machined perpendicular to the crank. You can also rely on the fact that the bottom end isn't going to be that well balanced, and the castings aren't going to be very well aligned. On the other side of the coin, I've torn into one of those "factory rebuilt" engines from one off those popular catalog houses. One of the bores was 0.010 oversized, the rest were stock pistons with 0.005 over rings. There was a nice mixture of valves, with some reground and some new, and various shimes under the used valve springs. I'm sure a lot of other shortcuts were taken, but that turned me off to these "factory rebuilds" quite some time ago.

If you want a reliable build, you might as well do it yourself. You next best bet is a specialty engine ($$$) or a factory new engine. As RB pointed out, a properly remanufactured engine is usually better than the original factory assembly. The problem is in getting someone to spend the time and effort in the rebuild process to make sure that happens.

 

so what do you think about the 350 crate? it's brand new everything and 330hp/380lbs trq are pretty good numbers. do you think the engine would be quality for $3250?