Advice needed on used crate engine

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BrianT

BrianT

Here we go again...
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I found through a friend of a friend a '92 MP 300 hp 360. It came out of a Duster that he parted and supposedly has 60k miles on it. He called it a "built little small block".. Roller LA block, roller rockers, forged pistons, Mopar intake. The guy selling it is a stand up guy, and I've bought parts from him in the past. He said if I'm unhappy for any reason with the engine he will give me my money back. He's asking $500.

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This will just be an interim engine to drive around with for a year or two. I plan on building a stroker some day when my finances are in a better position. I would like to buy it, maybe check the clearances in the bottom end. Swap intakes, I have an Air Gap. New gaskets through out. Seal it up and drive it. Sell whatever I don't use, Shumaker mounts, old intake, distributor etc.

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What do you guys think? Decent deal, or should I just keeping limping along with my old worn out 340 until I have enough money to build an engine correctly?
 
How do find all of these steals, I sure can't. I would snatch that in a heartbeat.

Around here a 360 that needs a rebuild would run 2-3 hundred bucks.

Looks like you already loaded it up, LOL.
 
hypereutectic pistons came in the crate engines...speed pro h116cp

good buy for 500
 
70aarcuda said:
hypereutectic pistons came in the crate engines...speed pro h116cp
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Good to know. He specifically said "forged pistons" I wonder if he's been inside the engine? Time to fire off another email to him.

Any idea what compression? I couldn't find any specs or part number for this engine.
 
That a la 360? Looks like it but hard to tell.

If so its a roller block but most likely not a roller cam .

They also didn't have forged pistons. They were usually a .020 over sealed power hyper piston I believe.

Or is that just their short blocks they used to sell ?

That being said $500 doesn't sound bad if he will refund ya if not happy.
 
BrianT said:
Good to know. He specifically said "forged pistons" I wonder if he's been inside the engine? Time to fire off another email to him.

Any idea what compression? I couldn't find any specs or part number for this engine.
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I have two of the MP crate shortblocks...both have the speed pro H116cp pistons...both are 89-91 LA 360 that are set up for the roller cam...but came with the mopar hydraulic cam....

they are two different part numbers...one has the pistons down .037 in th bore...and one has pistons above the deck .018...

tell him to take off the valve cover and take a picture of the roller rockers too
 
He emailed me back and said that no one has been inside the engine that he knows of. It was in a Duster that he sold to a friend, and then pulled out of that car later. So basically, I have to take his word that it is a solid engine. He said he would take $450 for it without the valve covers that I didn't want anyway.

I am going to go see it today and pull both valve covers. I should be able to tell a little more about the condition of the engine after looking under there. If everything looks okay, I'll report back later after I go watch the race.
 
great buy for 500 bucks, i remember giving 700 for a "built" 318 as an interim engine.
 
Yeah, I've been doing some number crunching this am. I figure if I spend another $200 bucks I could tear it down to the short block and put it back together with all new gaskets, oil pump, water pump and timing set. I can easily sell the unused parts for that amount.

Plus, shortly I'll have a worn out 340 for sale!!
 
yeah you might be able to sell your 340 for that amount for someone looking for a numbers-match block. i'd keep the valve covers on it for now just to keep the dust and dirt out lol, until you get time to work on it
 
moparlover said:
yeah you might be able to sell your 340 for that amount for someone looking for a numbers-match block. i'd keep the valve covers on it for now just to keep the dust and dirt out lol, until you get time to work on it
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If I buy it, it's gonna be on engine stand next weekend getting torn down. I have a mini tub, four wheel discs and new wheels and tires that have less than a hundred miles on them. I want to cruise this summer!!! :cheers:

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Sounds like a deal to me. Freshin it up with some paint and seals and your cruzin next weekend! Good luck
 
I would definitely do it, if it checks out o.k.
Love the look of the black Dart BTW!
 
I think 500 bucks for a turn key crate engine is a great deal may not make the power you want but freshen it up drop it in have fun cruising. better than looking at the car sitting in the garage. When you get your new engine ready sell it and I'm sure you can get all your money back. Especially if someone can hear it run before you pull it...
 
torred0319 said:
I think 500 bucks for a turn key crate engine is a great deal may not make the power you want but freshen it up drop it in have fun cruising.
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Yeah, but it has to have more power than my 340. The pistons are slapping pretty bad, and the rings are shot.
torred0319 said:
When you get your new engine ready sell it and I'm sure you can get all your money back. Especially if someone can hear it run before you pull it...
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I was going to make a short video of it running before I pulled it, showing that there is no antifreeze in the oil and vice versa. It will be sold as a rebuildable core only. I figure the block and the X heads should be worth $500.
 
abodyjoe said:
That a la 360? Looks like it but hard to tell.

If so its a roller block but most likely not a roller cam .

They also didn't have forged pistons. They were usually a .020 over sealed power hyper piston I believe.

Or is that just their short blocks they used to sell ?

That being said $500 doesn't sound bad if he will refund ya if not happy.
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Both Joe, the MP stuff came with those slugs and they had the 2 versions for the short blocks, AKA 9-1/10-1 versions, the engines were listed at 9-1 IIRC. I do not remember anymore.

BrianT said:
Yeah, but it has to have more power than my 340. The pistons are slapping pretty bad, and the rings are shot.
I was going to make a short video of it running before I pulled it, showing that there is no antifreeze in the oil and vice versa. It will be sold as a rebuildable core only. I figure the block and the X heads should be worth $500.
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An easy $500 for each in good shape.

FWIW, the MP create engines use the same pistons IF IIRC and the only difference between the 300 and 360 HP versions or later 320/380 HP versions was intake and cam. Suggested headers were different IIRC as well.
 
Quick update. Drove up and looked at it today. Pulled the valve cover and it didn't have roller rockers, but everything looked pretty clean. I was a little disappointed, and I let him know. He was a little taken back. What else was he wrong about? We agreed on $400 for everything. He is going to hold it til next Saturday when I can come back with a truck. Here are some pics.

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That should give us something to talk about while I go watch the Daytona 500 at my buddy's house!!!!
 
Hey Brian if your really disappointed let me come up and get it.
 
BrianT said:
Yeah, I've been doing some number crunching this am. I figure if I spend another $200 bucks I could tear it down to the short block and put it back together with all new gaskets, oil pump, water pump and timing set.
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if you could schwing it, by scrimping and saving, looking at what i see... i would say new lifters / cam / springs if you could. not so much the cam, but lifters and valve springs. it's from '92 - 20 years

not sure how much a decent cam/lifter/valvespring set costs. as long as you dont go wild you can use the stock rockers.

you have a carb already, everything else you need.

if you do pull the heads to look at the bores, that will cost you more since you will need a head gasket set too. but as long as the bearings and bores look ok, you could probably just drop in a cam and get another 50k out of it.

the valve springs under pressure for 20 years are probably a bit saggy. especially the ones that have been sitting there compressed down.

you got an awesome deal :D
 
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