Technical Cost of a new crate motor compared to rebuild question.

Back in the early 2000’s, I helped a friend install the GM 290 HP crate.
I don’t know if he did a proper break in or not, I do know it wasn’t taken apart, cleaned, etc.

He sold the car with 70-80k miles on the engine without any issues.

Since then, we’ve all heard the stories of folks dropping the pans for a look, finding machining chips, etc.

Seems if one has to go the way of taking a fresh engine apart, putting it back together, may as well look for a replacement block/engine that can be stripped, machined, then clean it out and swap your stuff into it.

 

And before you pull it, look through this thread, could be worth a shot.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/k-seal.1326434/page-2#post-15436687

 

I have a ‘crate’ 350/290hp. No problems, runs strong. Made in Mexico, maybe that’s why they get so much bad press. Too bad you can’t get them anymore.

 

Joe, wish you were next door. You would have more R&R business than you could handle.

Agree, S&J does good work for the money.

jack vines

 

The last small block I did about 2 yrs ago I had $4000 in machine work and parts.

 

Forgot about the time frame, shops around here, Kansas City, are months behind or longer.

 

After the frustration of getting good machine shop work on my last two builds, plus the expense, I doubt I ever rebuild another engine. I will just buy a crate engine.

 

I haven’t spent more than $1500 on a rebuild

drove the crap out of em

 

Crate motors aren't as cheap as they were back maybe 5 years ago, so I think if you can find a good 327 block cheap you'll save money having all your internals swapped into it once the machine work is done.
I've always gone the build your own route, or have a short block built and then do the rest myself.

 

In the future if I build another hot rod I will most likely purchase a crate engine, my good friend and engine builder passed away last year, I am not an engine builder and relied on him, over the years Jerry built me 11 engines, Ford and Chevy. HRP

 

I built my current motor in my parents basement in 86. Machine work was done and assembly done by me. I was 19.

Motor sat for close to 20 years and I have replaced everything but the short block.

I have a Mexico crate motor sitting on a cradle in my garage in case.

I would re do that one with new heads cam etc for a cruiser

 

That is nuts. Machine work has gone up around here but 1K all the machine work on most street engines without assembly would be high here. That means, cleaned, cam bearings, Block bored, pistons fitted, pistons pressed on the rods, crank turned, new guides installed and valves and seats installed. You load it up and haul it home and clean and assemble it.

I'm thinking that is becoming the issue here. My go to guy retired several years ago. There is one machine shop left in that town now. There is no shop here in the town of 8000 that I live outside of that even has a valve and seat grinder that I know of. It's 20 miles in either direction to the closest ones. Several shops in Yakima have gone out of business in the past 20 years because the owners aged out and retired and no one stepped up to buy the shop or buy the equipment to start another shop that I know of.

GM performance doesn't show a 2 piece rear main 4 inch bare block anymore but you used to be able to walk into the local dealer's parts counter and order one. or order a fitted block with pistons.

Still if you do swap blocks and have the machine work done on a block you need a rings, Rods, mains and gasket re-ring kit so you have new rings and bearings. 20 K is a used engine not a just rebuilt engine.

 

I would not buy ANY engine with headers on it , way to high a risk of an abused engine that's been messed with .

 

I’d have no issues using my 20k stuff on a rebuilt machined block.

Edit: besides, OP probably doesn’t even have near those miles on it. “Got it running “ after rebuilt, maybe a test drive or two?

 

Local shop sells 350 vortec roller long blocks for $2500
1 year warranty

 

@rusty rocket , can you give us a better idea of what you have available for doing this project?
If you can swap it out (turn wrenches), have a loading dock for the crate to land and a way to get it home? Are you comfortable with a first fire when a warranty is on the line? Is it going to be a solo project or can you get a few friends over? Is there anyone local you can trust with building from you broken block or is it just like the crate, with shipping out added?

 

So I have a 68 327 that was fully machined double hump heads roller rocks had it in my 32 sedan and put maybe 1500 miles on it. Froze and cracked the block(bad). If I get a donor block what’s it going to cost me to put the internals in a new block? Just a rough estimate.

 

Will cost $350 to $4k depending on who does it
I’m on the lower end. I got a block laying around somewhere
My guy would probably charge $300 to clean, bore, install cam bearings and freeze plugs.
I’d purchase a gasket set and assemble it myself.

 

For what it’s worth, GM no longer sells first generation small block Chevys. They quit building them about two years ago. The closes thing they still sell is a “Vortec” 350. Those were originally built in the late 19990’s. They have a one piece rear main seal, and use a different intake manifold than the old small block Chevys.

 

I feel your pain , a couple years ago there were 3 of us who combined , had the equipment to fully machine an engine , I'm the only one left now , so no more engines for me . The biggest problem with crate motors , other than you have no idea what you've bought , is you can't build it with the components of your choice ( without buckets of money) .

 

I would just find another block, have it prepped, and put it together like Anthony said. I see no reason to get a crate motor when all the internals are basically new.

 

And can be just a generic 350 block if that 327 is LJ

 

Well, the block you obtain needs to match to bore it for your pistons.
Ie you have .03 pistons now, it the block you find is already.030 overr

 

First you have to find a block that hasn't already been bored and can't be sized to fit your pistons. Figure about $200+/- for that. Cleaning and machining, new rings ,cam bearings and gaskets.....and assembling it all. Total $1k to $1.5K. Probably the latter.

 

Any 350 block that's 2 piece oil seal will work with your 327 . Make sure the dip stick is on the correct side or you will need the right oil pan .
$100-200 will get you a used block. I find them free occasionally.

It will need to have the cam bearings , removed the oil gally plugs removed and to be hot tanked and cleaned . The line boring checked then bored and honed to fit your pistons, (I'm assuming your 327 is oversized) and possably decked.
Then it will need the cam bearings and plugs replaced.
I'd guess about $450 in machine work ??
Then you need a re ring kit for about $150.
Now if you want to run the old cam and lifters on the original lobes is a question and I'd personally not .
So figure another $175 or . OR much more if you update to a street roller cam.
Then IF the crank and pistons are good once there clean you can swap it all over . If you do it your self I'd figure a grand or so depending on cam. Another $800 to $1000 to assemble.
That's no rod reconditioning , oil pump

I'd expect surprises once you get the bad engine apart.
Heads might not still be flat .

What's nice if you can build your self is you can control things like deck height, squish, ring gap for your application , bearing brands and quality , cam timing , even some light porting .

My advice is buy a new or rebuilt short block 350 and put your heads on it if there good. Saves a lot of screwing around and time trips to the machine shop .

 

I've had good luck with FB marketplace, and swap meets.

I found a fully machined/ cleaned/ decked/ honed block for my roadster for $500

$250 for a set of built double humps

$60 for a set of used pistons on rods

and about $250 in gaskets, rings, timing chain, bearings, ect from summit or jegs.

and I had the rest from my old motor.

overall I've probably got 1k in my motor not counting what I used from my old motor. (cam, roller lifters, external parts)

way cheaper than what they want for a 'new motor"

but I also horse traded some welding to a buddy to stick it together.

 

You sure about that? SBC 327 were mostly 2.30" mains, and 350's were 2.45" mains. Only late 3227's had the large mains, so if his 327 isn't a later 2.45" main his crank wont fit in a 350 block.

 

Useless trivia: the old guys probably know that the original GM targetmasters were all machined in Mexico. Many were warranty returns with problems repaired. I saw one with one bank of lifter bores bushed. I can't remember if a long block was $950 or $1050 back in the early 80's.

 

I belive the 68 327 is large Journal .
Not sure when the change was made exactly .
If its a spin on filter it should be large journal. My 69 327 block is 327. I don't recall when in 68 it was made.

SJ 327 blocks are not impossible to find.

I'd tear down the old engine first and be sure it's GTG internaly .
If not and wasent married to having to have a 327 personally I'd build a new engine likely 383 or bigger.
I'm all for the original old stuff but a extra 150 pounds of torque or more can really make you forget the dampner or some small identifying feature in a hurry.

If one can do the work and has a correct block get it machined and buy a rering kit and go for it.