GM Goodwrench SB engines are craptastical

[Greubin]

I have about 1500 mi on mine, it started burning oil about 300 mi ago. I dropped it off at the chevy dealer along with my warranty paperwork and they initially quoted me a $2000 estimate, ya right, that's more than I paid for the POS to begin with. Anyway, their prognosis was that a few of the intake bolts had backed off which was allowing oil / water to enter the combustion chamber thereby causing the tailpipe smoke. They then quoted me $500 to fix the intake to which I said thanks but no thanks. I fixed the intake myself, knowing that wouldn't fix the oil burning problem. Sure enough, after I got the intake job finished the engine still burns oil.

Today, I pulled the rocker covers and removed the drivers side valve springs and found all but a few of the valve stem seals are damaged. Another user on this board had the same problem and it turned out that the valve guides were not machined to the correct height.

See attached pic, I'm going to show this to the dealer and see what they have to say. Wish me luck...

[Stroker]

I've never been impressed with GMs crates. They are assembly line products built for GM by the cheapest bidder. The one my brother-n-law had dropped one of the rod caps within 30 seconds of firing it up. He had the engine installed by a second party and all GM would do is provide him with a new engine. Cost him another $600 to R&R again.

[Longhorn Man]

i always laugh when ppl rave about 'build quality' and the warranty they put on these engines.
Crate motors are OK, but factory remans are a joke. (BFG remans)

[Greubin]

Never again!!

[LeftEar55]

Has anyone ever bought from Jasper or Grooms engines? I heard Jasper wasn't worth a damn, but I've been thinking about buying from Grooms next year, if I can afford it? People around here are insane in papers, trying to sell engines. Just an example, I saw a 427 in the paper a few weeks back and it said "blah blah blah, engine will run, but removed from vehicle blah blah blah $2500!!!" It's getting where ya can't trust anyone on anything anymore...

[timcos]

I just bought a Jasper. It will be delivered Wednesday. I will give you an update when it is smoothly running.

350 2 bolt main, run for testing, 1599, plus 360 core delivered to my mechanic. They will also pick up the core at no charge.

I also bought their parts kit, water pump and all the tune up parts and gaskets.

Groom's says they have the lowest return. How do they know that...Doi you think they called Jasper, ATK and Recon and asked them what theirs was...and they told them? Phooey. That is pure marketing lies. That turns me off immediately.

I am in business and I see when people lie and if they will do that they will screw me too.

Jasper has some cool videos. As long as they control the process...it does not matter too much who does the actual work (IQ and all).

Tim

[Tim Christian]

I have a ZZ-4 and IMO it is GREAT and would buy it again!

[centsless]

We quit buying Jasper engines because we got tired of replacing them. We now use OE crate motors and have had very few problems. Yours is obviously not right. Don't take no for an answer, and go up the line until they make it right.

[timcos]

It is funny the different opinions and experiences ones gets.

I have had no less than 7 people tell me to go with Jasper.

I went with it...I hope I did not make a mistake.

[junkyardjohn]

Originally Posted by LeftEar55

Has anyone ever bought from Jasper or Grooms engines? I heard Jasper wasn't worth a damn, but I've been thinking about buying from Grooms next year, if I can afford it? People around here are insane in papers, trying to sell engines. Just an example, I saw a 427 in the paper a few weeks back and it said "blah blah blah, engine will run, but removed from vehicle blah blah blah $2500!!!" It's getting where ya can't trust anyone on anything anymore...

A BUDDY OF MINE IS AN OVER THE ROAD DRIVER. DELIVERING TRAVEL TRAILORS & FIFTH WHEELS. HE PUTS OVER 150000 MILES ON A YEAR. HE HAS A DODGE 1 TON DUALLY & TWO SUMMERS AGO WE PUT A JASPER TRANS (AUTOMATIC) IN HIS TRUCK. JASPER HAS REPLACED IT TWICE SO FAR. HE TOOK IT RIGHT TO THERE SHOP IN JASPER INDIANA & THEY MADE NO BONES ABOUT REPLACING IT, LABOR & ALL & IT DIDN'T COST HIM A CENT EVEN THOUGH HE USES IT AS A COMMERCIAL VEHICAL. I WAS WITH HIM THE LAST TIME & I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THERE CUSTOMER SERVICE. I WOULDN'T BE AFRAID TO TRY ONE OF THEIR ENGINES OR TRANNYS. JOHN

[Greubin]

Originally Posted by centsless

We quit buying Jasper engines because we got tired of replacing them. We now use OE crate motors and have had very few problems. Yours is obviously not right. Don't take no for an answer, and go up the line until they make it right.

Yup, I'm pretty fired up and prepared to file with small claims court if need be. I'll post more soon..

[WLPTMP]

thats why ac\delco doesnt do engines any more

[Longhorn Man]

we stopped using jasper too, there quality control went in the crapper. The last one we did was a 318 dodge, fired it up, it didn't even make it to the parkign lot when it locked up. They replaced it ASAP, and it came back 2 weeks later knocking. I don't think the priest was pushing it hard, but I could be wrong.
We mostly use factory crate (new, not rebuilt) engines, or from a small local shop.

[71Rat]

i had a jasper rear in my tahoe, the axle bearings went on it within 6 months, i put a jaspser rear in a dakota at work, came back in a week with the ring and pinion chewing eachother apart. and the best i have come across from jasper is a reman 350 that i installed at work fired up low oil pressure after about 30 sec.s of running NO oil pressure, shut it down checked everything to make sure no leaks, pulled it out and before jasper got it checked the rod and crank mains... yup crank was turned 10 under with std bearings. our shop put in a gm crate in a van and have yet to have any problems with it, just taught the owner not to go 42,000 miles on an oil change...

[QKENUF4U]

man thats a bummer. ive had two of these crate 260hp 350's in the last 2 years and never had a problem with either one. hope it all works out for ya.

[wibilly]

i have a gm 290 horse crate engine in my vette was put in years ago 2 owners ago and i don't know how many miles or quarter miles ago and it runs great no smoke no noise and turns well over redline often i personaly beat it for 6000 or better

[jimmydean]

That sucks dude. I have heard nothing but good things about the crates that the dealer here sells. I think they are $1200?

There is a shop just outside of town called Oregon Engine Rebuilders (In Sandy) that offers a lifetime warrenty on rebuilds. The 350 is $980 and as long as it's for street use, he will cover it.

I have had friends who have gotten motors from him without issue. He sells on ebay too from what I've been told.

He built a Ford 460 with RV cam for one of my friends and he has had it for over 10 years. About 7 years ago, the timing chain came loose, so he took it in and the guy went through and rebuilt the whole thing free of charge. Had it done in 4 days.

<edit>
http://stores.ebay.com/Oregon-Engine-Rebuilders-Inc

Looks like Toyota motors right now (that are the sweetest around too), but the contact info is there.

[Dean]

I've had three bad ZZ4s. They finally stood behind one of them, I fixed the 2nd one and the third one is still sitting on the stand in my shop. I hope this 572 I just bought is better but I don't have much faith.

[junkyardjohn]

I'M NOT STICKING UP FOR THE DEALER, SO DON'T TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY OR GET DEFENSIVE. DO YOU THINK IS IT POSSIBLE THE DRIVING AROUND FOR 1500 MILES WITH YOUR INTAKE BOLTS LOOSE TO THE POINT OF WATER ENTERING YOUR COMBUSTION CHAMBERS HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOUR DESTROYED VALVE SEALS??. WHAT WAS THE LENGTH OF TIME???.IT'S EASY ENOUGH TO CHECK THE HEIDTH OF THE VALVE GUIDES & SEE IF THEY ARE CORRECT. IN MY 35 YEARS OF WORKING ON 350s I'VE NEVER HAD OR EVEN HEARD OF INTAKE BOLTS BACKING OFF & BECOMING LOOSE ON A PROPERLY TORQUED & INSTALLED INTAKE MANIFOLD, EITHER CAST IRON OR ALUMINUM. JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT COULD POSSIBLY HAVE GONE WRONG. JOHN

[68Stepbed]

I have the 260 hp engine in my 68 with no issues. My dad has a Jasper RV350 in his ElCamino and hasn't had any problems. He must've got lucky.

[Greubin]

I had my truck towed to the dealer this morning. The service writer agreed with me that there was definitely something wrong with the cylinder head valve guides. But alas, GM shot me down, as well as the general manager and area representative. I plead my case in every detail, but all they would say "was sorry charlie, you removed the valve cover and rocker arms..warranty is void!! " I called GM customer care, they're weren't much help either - basically if you buy a GM crate engine and install it yourself ( 3rd party ) the warranty is useless.

I called Summit Racing from whom I purchased the engine. They were much more helpful and understanding, and also stated that they've have had several complaints regarding the GM parts they have sold to customers. Anyway - Summit Racing gave me contact info for they're engine builder..yup, the engine parts are made in Mehico, but they're built here..go figure. It sounds like GM sells the engine parts to a 3rd party "GM certified" shop ( whatever that means ), and they in turn build and sell the engines to Summit Racing, Jegs, etc. Pretty f-ing sad if you ask me.
For what it's worth, I'm going to file a small claim with the local courthouse - I'm not going to roll over that easily.

I'll never buy another GM crate engine again...NEVER or for that matter a new GM vehicle.

Hey GM, this ones for you

[68Stepbed]

Man, that sucks.

[panhandler62]

The only thing harder to get a company to stand behind than a warranty is a rebate.

I wouldn't take your experiance as a comment on the quality of all GM crate engines, but I would absolutely take the piss-poor customer service to heart.

I had to replace the motor in the ex's [censored] wagon a few years ago. The Jasper engine we got was even crappier than the original engine [censored] put in the car. It lasted about 1800 miles and did the same thing as the original -- dropped a valve and ate a piston.

The upside is that Jasper never even blinked about the replacement and even split the dealer install cost with me (after I bled on the phone about having two samll kids, a mortgage, yada yada...)

I don't know if they would have been as accomodating if I had installed the motor myself though (not that the installation had bupkis to do with a bad valve keeper.)

GM has always been a bioch about standing behind their stuff (the new 100k warranty just means you have 70,000 more miles for them to find a BS excuse to invalidate you.) I have found dealers, who live and die on reputation, to be more accomodating, but more so with work in their shop (where they can flim flam it into a warranty repair) than with parts.

Now I'm going off on a tangent -- I wonder if their is a "minimum install" that you could get a dealer to do to preserve the warranty, like just have them drop it in place for you to tow home and finish?

[1970 CST Short Wide]

I'm the other member that had the same problem with a 290 HP crate from Chevy HP. My dealer pulled the old manifold leaking trick too. I let THEM put on a NEW manifold so it would be on them when it didn’t fix the problem. I stayed on them and when they finally removed the heads and found the guide and seal problem they refunded ALL my $$ for the manifold R&R. You have to stay on their a$$

Be ready for them to say YOU ruined the seals taking the springs off, I know you didnt I'm just sayin be ready for them.

All my springs were bad also. I was lucky and knew the shop that the dealer had do the head work so I ended up with a nice set of heads.

[Greubin]

All is not lost, I spoke to the engine builder this morning. Turns out it's a chevy dealer as well. They took all my information and are going to call my dealer this morning. I hate to get my hopes up, but it sounded encouraging. Stay tuned...