Is it worth it?

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Sinister.

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I think I have a lead on an '03 truck 5.7.
Apparently it broke a valve spring and dropped a valve.
He's asking $150 for the engine. It looks like it might have the wiring harness, but no accessories.

If it did drop a valve, how much do you think it would cost to repair? Gaskets, valve, spring set, single piston?
 
The Piston/rod assembly from Mopar is ~$78. Head gaskets and oil pan gaskets are re-usable I believe. Head bolts can be re-used once (per Stu @ intertia). I don't think springs are too bad- I'd upgrade to 6.1 springs (or better if throwing a cam in).

Have you pulled the head? A set of core heads go for ~$250 (sell) -450 (buy) for a set, and a bare block without damage probably $100-200. What all is damaged would determine what I'd do.
 
I haven't pulled the head, nor has he. I don't personally know the guy but saw he was looking to get rid of it.

so
engine - 150
Piston/rod - 78
springs (would need replaced anyways)
heads - 450
sleeve (worst case scenario) - 80

vs 1500 for a runner.

Sounds fair enough to me. What do you think? I'd love to be able to pull it apart first but I doubt the guy would let me do that.
This would be a good candidate for my dart, no?
 
What's the total mileage?

Since the motor is an '03 at 15K per year the motor could have 120K miles on it. Although these motors routinely go 200K I'd consider it a rebuildable core. If it dropped a valve, why? Bad spring, should you put in a new set of springs? Did it eat the cam in the process? Any motor, that's dropped a valve needs to be torn down and completely inspected, did it bend a rod in the process, or just put a smiley on the piston?

For $150.00 it might still be a good deal, but it depends on what EXACTLY do you get, find out first. Most Junkyards around here would include the wiring harness and the accessories, including the throttle body and exhaust manifolds. Though the truck manifolds won't work in an A-body, unless you're going to carb the motor, you might need the harness. The alternator, is also useful and expensive.

So long story short, if it is just a long block for $150.00 you might want to pass, but if you are getting the complete motor from oil pan to throttle body along with the exhaust manifolds and it happens to be a relatively low mileage motor that you think you can repair than it might be worthwhile.


Regards,

Joe Dokes
 
I've got some spare parts, head parts, 1 spare head. I bought an engine and one if the pistons was melted down and took out one of the heads. So I have 1 good head still, I think it's a drivers side head. But let me know if you need anything.

Riddler
 
It has 75k on it.
I think it has just had the valve cover off to confirm a broken spring and dropped valve. Looks to be pan to TB, but no exhaust manifolds.
 
Since you can't use the exhaust manifolds anyways, and the low mileage I say go for it.

I have a Brand New 5.7 head, not sure if it is drivers or passenger side. Needs to be cleaned though, I do wood working and it got covered in saw dust. :toothy6:

I'll sell it to you for 75.00 plus shipping.

Regards,

Joe Dokes
 
This should be a non-mds motor, right?
Would there be a better candidate short of an '09+ engine?
 
One of the core motors I bought had dropped a valve seat and beat the whole motor to crap. There were fragments of pistons and pieces everywhere. I can't find the pictures anymore, but the whole motor was trash. At least try to look down the plug holes with a boroscope before spending the money.
-Jon
 
One of the core motors I bought had dropped a valve seat and beat the whole motor to crap. There were fragments of pistons and pieces everywhere. I can't find the pictures anymore, but the whole motor was trash. At least try to look down the plug holes with a boroscope before spending the money.
-Jon
At least try to look down the plug holes with a boroscope before spending the money x2
 
Well after talking the guy down to $125, I went out and got it last night.
It is in fact complete from pan to TB, including exhaust manifolds.
The valve cover was off on one side to confirm the problem. The spring was nowhere to be found and the valve was still in the guide. After fighting to get it into the garage and on the engine stand I pulled the head and found.... a rather bent valve and some good marks on the piston. What a relief.
 
If it looks better than this you are golden !!

PA161325.jpg
 
good deal man. i cant stress enough though REPLACE ALL THE VALVE SPRINGS buy 16 6.1 exhaust springs and run them. (the intake on the 6.1 were at a differnt installed hight) they are a good upgrade for the 5.7 springs. the 03 motors were known to have weak valve springs, and were revised in 04. they now come with a shield arround them (if you look at yours they dont)
 
I definitely see a new cam going in, so springs WILL be replaced. Think it would care if I honed the bores, re-ringed the 7 and put in 1 new piston?
 
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