Debate: is a full engine rebuild always better than swapping in a used long block?

Last month in Nashville I spent 6 days overhauling a DT466 only to find the crank was scored, but a buddy down the street did a junkyard swap in 3 days and his truck is running fine so which option actually saves you time and money in the real world?

3 comments

3 Comments

jessica_ross382mo ago

Man, I feel for you on that crank. Nothing worse than pouring all that time into a rebuild just to find out the block's junk. That's the real gamble with full rebuilds, you don't know what you're gonna find until you're already deep in it. Your buddy's swap sounds like a win, but used motors are a crapshoot too. I've seen guys drop in a "low miles" engine only to have it knock in a month. For my money, if you can get a used long block with a solid warranty from a reputable place, that's the way to go. Saves your back, saves your time, and you're not crying over a scored crank.

parkera222mo ago

Used to think I was saving money going the full rebuild route. This post changed my mind though. Found a hairline crack in the block on my old 350 after I'd already spent 400 on machine work. Never again.

the_charlie2mo ago

Warranties aren't always worth the paper they're written on either. Had a buddy buy a "certified" long block from a big name shop, threw it in his F150, spun a bearing at 500 miles. They fought him on the claim for three months. Ended up costing him more in labor than if he'd just rebuilt the original.