How to sell a used engine?

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cascius

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Ok guys, I've got a question and want some opinions. I bought a '69 Dart that someone put a 360 in. I haven't ran the numbers to see what year it is and don't know a whole lot about it. I was told by the kid that I got it from, and the kid that owned it before him that it was a fresh build that was .060" over but that's about all they knew about it. I can see the 360 "J" heads on it, it has an aluminum Edelbrock Victor 340 Air Gap intake, and an electronic distributor. The Holley that was on it was dumping fuel so I pulled it off and put an Edelbrock 600 that I had on a truck at my dad's. The carb had just been rebuilt by myself and when we put it on the 406 Chevy in my dad's truck it would idle good and was tuned well enough to drive around but not perfect. We had to hotwire the ignition system as the wiring was cut and spliced everywhere. I just wanted to see if it would run before I pulled it so didn't care about the wiring. I got it to start and run, but it would never idle. Seemed no matter what we did it would sputter and die when you let off the throttle. Granted, I'm fairly new to tuning at all, but the guy I had helping me has been around it a lot longer than I have so he knows a little bit.

So here's my main question. There's a member here looking for a 360 to get his Dart going. I know this engine runs, but don't know anything about the internals or if it may have other issues. I don't want to sell him something that's trash, or is going to cost him a bunch of money. How would you go about pricing something like this? Is it basically a core engine that may have new parts? Do I take it apart to look at everything and the put a gasket set in it so I have an idea of what's there? I have no confidence in what the previous owner's have told me and I want to halfway know what I may potentially be selling someone. I'm just curious how others may go about this. Thanks.
 
As for myself, it is either open it up and know something or leave it be and sell it "As is" for less.
 
You may get close to the same price by just selling the Air-gap and the Dist alone...
I would explain everything just as you did here to the buyer and go from there.
Are you dealing over the internet ? If so video it running for him.
If you have nothing to hide then you nothing to worry about.
 
68-GTS said:
You may get close to the same price by just selling the Air-gap and the Dist alone...
I would explain everything just as you did here to the buyer and go from there.
Are you dealing over the internet ? If so video it running for him.
If you have nothing to hide then you nothing to worry about.
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The external parts that I could see were the main reason I bought the car. I have a 340 shortblock sitting on the floor that needs rebuilt and I figured that I could use the heads, intake, and distributor when I'm ready to build it. I never really had intentions of running the engine in anything. The engine is already out and the car hauled off so running it isn't really an option at this point. I am talking to him via PM right now but he doesn't live far from me (90 miles or so) so it would be a face to face deal if he wants to do something with it. I definitely don't have anything to hide with it. It is what it is and I'll tell anyone everything I can about it. I just worry about people coming back calling me a no good SOB even though I've given them all the information.
 
Sell with the words printed on a receipt saying "Sold as is"
Have him sign twice.
 
You could pop the pan and look up at the pistons they should have a part number and bore size. If not sell it as a good runnin 360 with good intake and dist and be done with it.
 
Not to sound snotty, but you can either delve into it enough to make yourself feel better, or price it so the buyer agrees to assume some of the risk... It's either you trust it, and he trusts you, or it's you don't, and you give it away... I've sold a lot of engines, and it all basically boils down to that.
 
If I was going to buy an engine that wouldn't idle I'd want the results of a compression test first so I could rule out any major valvetrain issues.
That way I could be pretty sure it was just a fuel/air or timing issue.
 
First, engines are best sold locally since shipping is $$$$. I bought 2 engines in the last 3 years via craigslist. Best if they can run the engine to check for blow-by gases. You can sometimes do that with it out of the car (Mopars need a tranny connected to start). Otherwise, you can turn the engine over by hand w/ a socket wrench and feel for the compression from each piston (4/rev for a V-8 ). In a good engine, it feels like an air spring and you can hear the pressure hiss down over >5 sec.
 
It's still connected to the transmission but it's sitting on the shop floor. I have no problem bolting the starter back up and hooking a start trigger to it to do a compression test, but it will only be a cranking test and not a running test. I know that makes a difference to some people.
 
You said you ran it.
If it didn't make any odd noises, but just died at idle I'd be ok with it if the comp looked ok.


cascius said:
It's still connected to the transmission but it's sitting on the shop floor. I have no problem bolting the starter back up and hooking a start trigger to it to do a compression test, but it will only be a cranking test and not a running test. I know that makes a difference to some people.
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Ok. I will try to find some time to do a comp. test on it and see what I get. It seemed to run good and was very responsive in the (estimated) 1500-3500 RPM range. Had to hold the throttle open just enough to keep it running. If you let off the throttle the RPM's would drop to around 1000-1200 and hold for a second, then keep dropping slowly until it died. I would imagine the old gas, carb, and sitting for who knows how long didn't help that any. Didn't hear any strange noises, but hard to tell for sure with open headers. Seemed real smooth off idle though. Thanks for all the responses everyone. What kind of numbers should I see with the comp test? Obviously I want them all within a certain percentage of each other, but overall what range should I expect to see them in?
 
All about the same (within 10% or so) but about 135-150 for a stock motor if I remember right, and higher with non stock pistons of course.




cascius said:
Ok. I will try to find some time to do a comp. test on it and see what I get. It seemed to run good and was very responsive in the (estimated) 1500-3500 RPM range. Had to hold the throttle open just enough to keep it running. If you let off the throttle the RPM's would drop to around 1000-1200 and hold for a second, then keep dropping slowly until it died. I would imagine the old gas, carb, and sitting for who knows how long didn't help that any. Didn't hear any strange noises, but hard to tell for sure with open headers. Seemed real smooth off idle though. Thanks for all the responses everyone. What kind of numbers should I see with the comp test? Obviously I want them all within a certain percentage of each other, but overall what range should I expect to see them in?
Click to expand...
 
TrailBeast said:
All about the same (within 10% or so) but about 135-150 for a stock motor if I remember right, and higher with non stock pistons of course.
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It don't matter the compression #.... it could have 100 pounds on every cylinder and be a good eng......if it had a big cam wasting compression out the ex. If you have 150 in all but one, and its at 100, Now you would have a problem.

Are you selling him a long block(with the heads?) or a short block?
 
Cudafever said:
Are you selling him a long block(with the heads?) or a short block?
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I priced it as the complete engine and trans combo ready to drop in minus a carb and exhaust manifolds. If he wants it as a shorblock or a longblock only I'd sure sell it that way also.
 
If you bought a motor that had a stock compression of 145 from the factory and you tested it at 100 on all eight, what would you think of that motor?
You'd think it needed a rebuild.
Of course numbers matter.
 
Ahh, i Made my assumption by this statement.

The external parts that I could see were the main reason I bought the car. I have a 340 shortblock sitting on the floor that needs rebuilt and I figured that I could use the heads, intake, and distributor when I'm ready to build it.
Click to expand...
 
TrailBeast said:
If you bought a motor that had a stock compression of 145 from the factory and you tested it at 100 on all eight, what would you think of that motor?
You'd think it needed a rebuild.
Of course numbers matter.
Click to expand...

Yes, but, we don't know if it is stock compression or if it is even the stock cam........

If it was stock compression and a big cam. IT COULD be a good motor with 100 psi.

If it was me, trying to buy this combo i would bring a leak down tester, as that would tell me much more then a compression test.
 
Cudafever said:
Ahh, i Made my assumption by this statement.
Click to expand...

I'm so far away from ever doing anything with the 340 that I'm not too worried about those parts. If I can get rid of it now and help someone out I'll find them when I'm ready for them.
 
May not have wanted to idle because the initial ignition timing was way off. Pretty common problem especially when you start throwing performance cams in the mix.

Vacuum leak too...
 
^^My thought was more vacuum leak than anything, but like I said I didn't dig into it very far. With the initial intention of buying it for parts I just wanted to hear it run without blowing a hole in something.
 
I would just be up front with the buyer & tell him everything you have said here & whatever you do know about the engine & what you'd like to get for it. Make no claims that you don't know for sure about it & tell him to make you an offer. If it's what you'll take, sell it. If not, no harm done.
 
How to sell a used engine?

Tell them it is a boat anchor and to expect nothing they can't see. The trouble comes when the buyer thinks that used parts are new and uses no common sense. If they buy it and it turns out to be a pos then there is no hard feelings. If it turns out good then they will be happy. Price it for what you want and sell it where you are willing to if you have a buyer. You would be surprised of how many parts I sell as boat anchors when I know they are good. I sell cars the same way... everything is a boat anchor so be your own judge. I have sold a lot of cars and have never had a complaint. If I have an engine I keep it with the car until sold. Since the car is gone you can't start it for them unless you rig up something.
 
I wouldn't pay a whole lot for it without being able to listen to it run, drive it, etc. Without that, its just a core until proven otherwise. In fact, I'd say that unless it runs perfect the buyer should consider it a core. It may be that it doesn't idle because of a vacuum leak or timing, or because its down a cylinder. Until its proven (ie, fixed), you don't really know.

A compression check might make me feel a little better, but the 318 in my Duster has GREAT compression and still smokes like crazy because of the valve seals and guides. But I only paid $250 for it, so its not a huge deal. On the other hand, had I seen it smoking before I bought it, I probably wouldn't have bought it.
 
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