CRATE HATE. Crate engines are rubbish.50% failure rate is normal.

[Low84]

I never take advice from anybody who stands to benefit from what they're telling me

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by Low84

I never take advice from anybody who stands to benefit from what they're telling me

Wisdom right there. Whether its truck stuff or anything else. Smart approach to live by.
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[88Jimmy4x4]

Most guys on hotrod forums don't like them due to low Nickle content block and mainly the "mecho en Mexico" factor. However just ignore that and enjoy your engine.
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[gchemist]

I've put ~15000 miles on my ZZ4 crate motor. I bought it with ~20,000 on it. Drive it like I stole it!! Performance motor may be better built because of a dedicated manufacturing place.

[tucsonjwt]

A couple of side notes:

Although I don't like rebuilds, my current 83 C20 has a rebuilt 454 which the previous owner had installed. It has a brass plate on the side of the block which says something like: "rebuilt for General Motors" and states the amount bored over. This engine was installed by the Chevrolet dealer, so I assume that it was a Goodwrench rebuild. I put 36,000 on this engine with no work on it, but I won't say anything good about this engine because every time I mention that my truck is running well - that's when something breaks.

I think when you modify a factory engine in any way (including exhaust enhancements) you are risking the longevity and reliability of the engine. Others will disagree, but having owned many different types of vehicles, both new and old, I have found that factory parts and settings are almost always the best for reliability.

[BONUSCAB]

653 people have died in my home town from crate engines. No lie. They are the devil.

[LynnJr]

Ozkiwi
I think everyone here is referring to GM crate engines and the guys telling you horror stories are not.
The guys telling you horror stories are referring too rebuilt motors put in a crate and shipped to you.You can buy these motors everywhere including E-Bay and what happens is the various builders try to beat everybody else price by cutting corners and the end user suffers from it.
Do a simple search for crate motors and factory GM engines will be a small part of what you find.
I have bought several GM crate motors and the last one I bought was the 290/350 and it had a bad head on it from the factory.I had no compression in one cylinder and the shop doing the work fixed both heads for $540 additional to the $1750 purchase price.
Every "crate' engine out there for sale except factory GM crate engines are rebuilt or used that I have seen.The Edelbrock crate engines use GM short blocks that have had cam swaps and heads aded to them.I have never seen nor heard of a shop assembling all new untouched GM parts.

[ozkiwi]

Originally Posted by LynnJr

Ozkiwi
I think everyone here is referring to GM crate engines and the guys telling you horror stories are not.
The guys telling you horror stories are referring too rebuilt motors put in a crate and shipped to you.You can buy these motors everywhere including E-Bay and what happens is the various builders try to beat everybody else price by cutting corners and the end user suffers from it.
Do a simple search for crate motors and factory GM engines will be a small part of what you find.
I have bought several GM crate motors and the last one I bought was the 290/350 and it had a bad head on it from the factory.I had no compression in one cylinder and the shop doing the work fixed both heads for $540 additional to the $1750 purchase price.
Every "crate' engine out there for sale except factory GM crate engines are rebuilt or used that I have seen.The Edelbrock crate engines use GM short blocks that have had cam swaps and heads aded to them.I have never seen nor heard of a shop assembling all new untouched GM parts.

This is what I got and it has the GM crate number for a 330hp HO so I figured it was a mistake that it has a hydraulic roller cam but when I got the motor it proved to have a a roller cam instead of the flat tappet cam listed for this motor by GM.Nobody can tell me what the hell it is but it is for sure brand new.Maybe it is only the Australia that gets this combination?

http://www.outlawspeed.com.au/shop/i...89ce69d56d6214

Either way it has a lumpy cam and performs really well.

[88Jimmy4x4]

You got a good deal, enjoy it

[ozkiwi]

Originally Posted by 88Jimmy4x4

How do you know it has roller cam? Does it have the very tall valve covers ?
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Because the guy that fitted it said so and he showed me a flat tappet cam and then a roller cam he had on the bench and took the time to explain the difference in profile then he showed me the cam in my motor by shining a torch on it through the bottom of the V and also pointed out the lifters which are different for each type of cam.And after that little educational session I believed him.

Was he lying to me?

[Desert1957]

Originally Posted by wraprail

Check the casting number on the block.
If its any of these,
10036033
10066036
10066038
And it says this

"Hecho en Mexico"

These are Goodwrench and Target Master crate engines sold by GM and are total garbage. They are all 2 piece RMS and were made as late as 1994 i think. They may last 100,000 miles. Mine did, but everything in it was junk..
These are throw away engines.

None of the parts including the block was worth reusing

Mine has none of those casting numbers, It has a 2 piece rear seal, who cares. If it eventually leaks I replace it. Done it before I'll do it again.

Hater or what? WTF?

Desert

[Desert1957]

This is a great motor, good HP and Torque.

http://www.outlawspeed.com.au/shop/i...89ce69d56d6214

Couldn't see it for MY work truck, many people are happy with spending Half the price on the 290 HP , Flat tappet Cam , 2 piece rear main seal motor.
With free shipping.

I you can afford it to upgrade to this , Go for it.....

Desert

PS: More Engine Info
http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Arti..._engines_.aspx

[83swb]

Originally Posted by Desert1957

Mine has none of those casting numbers, It has a 2 piece rear seal, who cares. If it eventually leaks I replace it. Done it before I'll do it again.

Hater or what? WTF?

Desert

What wraprail said is spot on. There is nothing wrong with buying a crate engine and running it as it was built to be run (in a daily driver/beater/cruiser) and chances are with someone like you behind the wheel that motor will last the remaining life of the vehicle. Truth is, these Mexican blocks are USELESS when building a high performance motor, mainly because of the lack of attention to detail when machining, the poor casting design, and the extreme low quality of the material used. No different than any other foreign made product.

I do have personal experience, and I have been burned while attempting to build a mexican block (330 hp crate, same motor you linked to above).

[Zach B]

A lot of people have bad blood towards them because they are simply miss treated. Most people who buy crate engines hot rod them and think they will be perfect until they find that it could not handle what it just did. If you treat it right it will last as long as any engine out of a chevy truck from the factory.
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[ozkiwi]

Originally Posted by Desert1957

This is a great motor, good HP and Torque.

http://www.outlawspeed.com.au/shop/i...89ce69d56d6214

Couldn't see it for MY work truck, many people are happy with spending Half the price on the 290 HP , Flat tappet Cam , 2 piece rear main seal motor.
With free shipping.

I you can afford it to upgrade to this , Go for it.....

Desert

PS: More Engine Info
http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Arti..._engines_.aspx

This engine is already installed in my truck.I am very happy with it.
It is dead cheap here in Australia.A 260 hp crate retails for $2800 and 290 is $2950.The motor I have retails for between $3400 and $3900.
Everything here is really expensive.Mechanics charge $100 an hour!

[Desert1957]

Originally Posted by ozkiwi

This engine is already installed in my truck.I am very happy with it.
It is dead cheap here in Australia.A 260 hp crate retails for $2800 and 290 is $2950.The motor I have retails for between $3400 and $3900.
Everything here is really expensive.Mechanics charge $100 an hour!

Mechanics (Dealer Labor) is over $100 here also


http://paceperformance.com/i-6484484...te-engine.html

READ the desription, NEW PARTS, no mexican used parts.

Surprising how some self proclaimed Chevy guys still do not relize GM had these poor casting problems many many years ago. This is why ALL crate engines now are built to much higher standards.

Its been so long ago it was refered to as a "Target Motor" and it was blue, so long ago most of you were not born yet.

Desert

[BigBlocksRule]

It's because the world turns the other direction down under!!!
You really need to build your own...and I have just the block. I bought it a couple of years ago just for the novelty.
The casting number is upside-down on the bellhousing. Made just for Australia!!!