Are crate motors really cheaper?

[Irishman999]

I have been looking around at options for a replacement engine in my 85. The cheapest crate motor I found through Summit was about 2500 bucks.

The more I price parts the more it seems like I could rebuild a 350 to stock for WAY under 2500 bucks.

Are machine shops seriously charging that much?

 

[Irishman999]

Lets pretend I find a core on craigslist for 100 bucks, (have seen alot).

I do the electro voodoo trick hot rod demonstrated saving on having someone vat my block.

I buy this rebuild kit from Summit racing for 230 bucks-

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-SBCKIT1-300/

330 bucks subtracted from 2500 leaves 2170 bucks.

Would it cost 2 grand to get the block machined and the heads re done?

 

[towman]

if you are looking for a stock motor check with your local chevy dealer, brand new 350 with the two piece main seal are about 1,600 around here, yes you can rebuild one cheaper if you don't need all the works, when i did the motor in my oldsmobile i had it bored, rods done and all new valves, springs ect, a lot of work, had 1,700 just at the machine shop, there is a big differance between a rebuild and a overhaul

 

[Irishman999]

if you are looking for a stock motor check with your local chevy dealer, brand new 350 with the two piece main seal are about 1,600 around here, yes you can rebuild one cheaper if you don't need all the works, when i did the motor in my oldsmobile i had it bored, rods done and all new valves, springs ect, a lot of work, had 1,700 just at the machine shop, there is a big differance between a rebuild and a overhaul

Summit is listing the base 350 for over 2500.

If I got a rotating assembly from Eagle and set of new heads it would be about 1200. Add 400 (very generous) to either bore 30 over or just hone and I will still be well under 2500.

 

[davbell22602]

Crate is better than Jasper and cheaper in cost too. Jasper runs crapy in a gm truck. Jasper runs better in a Ford.

 

[dhamp]

Summit also has this one http://www.summitracing.com/parts/NAL-10067353/Application/?prefilter=1

The one for $2500 is set for about 100hp extra over stock. I guess $10/hp ain't too bad. LOL! However, you can supposedly get like 260hp out of the GM performance one. That's still way more power than stock.

 

[Jims86]

Summit also has this one http://www.summitracing.com/parts/NAL-10067353/Application/?prefilter=1

The one for $2500 is set for about 100hp extra over stock. I guess $10/hp ain't too bad. LOL! However, you can supposedly get like 260hp out of the GM performance one. That's still way more power than stock.

In my experience, I would get the engine in Dhamp`s link for $1520...just for easy install, no headaches. And i remember reading that engine actually puts out over 205 when HotRod mag dynoe`d it.
Keep in mind, that $2500 one may have a cam in it for a car, and would no be well suited for a truck, And there`s a 95% chance that the GM block is machined to accept roller cam if you want it.

FYI, stock from the factory, you only had 165hp, and 285 ft lbs @1800 rpm

 

[dhamp]

it also depends on your long range plans for the truck. I expect to keep mine at least 10 more years, if possible. To me, it makes for sense to have all new internals, if I'm going to spend the money. Plus, I don't know engine building, so I'd have to spend a lot of labor $$ on top of parts $$ to redo mine. I'd rather spend my money on the parts that I'm going to keep vs labor.

However, if you're looking for a quick fix on it that you may only have for another year or two, I definitely would not go the crate route. You'll never get your money back out of the truck/motor combo nor selling the motor outright.

 

[Old77]

When I was building mine (originally had a 305...) we priced out all that we'd need to get a good core 350 plus all the stuff for the overhaul. At the end of our tally for parts the price of the overhaul of a 350 we'd get compared to the crate motor we ended up buying the price was almost identical so we went with the crate motor and I'm happy I did. We've had 0 problems with it in the 6 years we've had it. It performs well. Has plenty of power (rated at 330 fwhp) and was basically "plug and play". All we had to do was tweak the timing and adjust the carb a little bit and we were off and running. I'd do another crate motor in a heartbeat for a truck I was keeping for the long term.

 

[Jims86]

I`ve had my crate(86 truck only) engine for 10 years and have never had an issue, runs strong, and gets great mileage...even when it had the Q-jet.
I have had too many victim vehicles on my tow truck after a Jasper install and would not recommend anything from them. Machine shop engine should be good also, but finding a reputable shop, with a favorable track record is almost impossible.

 

[Jims86]

Duplicate, please delete.

 

[dhamp]

Then there's always the issue of whether the valve springs are right, if the cam was pre-lubed right, etc, etc. These type issues are much less common with the good crates. All those kinks are worked out during design & testing.

 

[Irishman999]

Summit also has this one http://www.summitracing.com/parts/NAL-10067353/Application/?prefilter=1

The one for $2500 is set for about 100hp extra over stock. I guess $10/hp ain't too bad. LOL! However, you can supposedly get like 260hp out of the GM performance one. That's still way more power than stock.

Yes, thats the one I was looking at a while ago. I thought they suddenly jacked the price WAY up for some reason or discontinued it.

 

[davbell22602]

Yes, thats the one I was looking at a while ago. I thought they suddenly jacked the price WAY up for some reason or discontinued it.

Buy it Iman

 

[Irishman999]

Buy it Iman

I gotta start my next job and save up a little bit, Or I could buy parts here and there I find and just build my own, on the fence about this one.