which crate motor would you choose

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rudyscuda

rudyscuda

rudyscuda
Joined
Feb 18, 2010
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Location
alaska
I'm looking to buy a turn key crate motor, this is my first mopar. I don't have place to build motor, and trying to stay under $8000, have insterest in indy cylinders 408 magnum with x heads, blueprint 408, or cme engines 408. Does anyone have any input which would be help full? indys sounds the best to me but more spending, the blueprint is cheaper (but would perfer to have mopar single plan over edelbrock rpm, and told not to trust there dyno sheets). I have gone through it and painted, installed new 4 disc brake package from mpb, brand new 8 3/4 sure grip with 323, and all new suspension.
 
What kind of car? Race or pure street? Hughes also has crate engines I believe. They have a 426 small block that makes close to 600 hp. I think it's in the $8,000 range.
 
68 barracuda notchback, I'm building it for street but would love to hit high 12s
 
Humm, sounds like a stroker motor for you to get into the 12's with a 3.23 gear set.
 
rudyscuda said:
I'm looking to buy a turn key crate motor, this is my first mopar. I don't have place to build motor, and trying to stay under $8000, have insterest in indy cylinders 408 magnum with x heads, blueprint 408, or cme engines 408. Does anyone have any input which would be help full? indys sounds the best to me but more spending, the blueprint is cheaper (but would perfer to have mopar single plan over edelbrock rpm, and told not to trust there dyno sheets). I have gone through it and painted, installed new 4 disc brake package from mpb, brand new 8 3/4 sure grip with 323, and all new suspension.
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We ship engines all the time. Our basic 408 is a 360 .030 over, Scat crank and I beam rods, KB forged pistons.
We use the RHS head LA style, roller rockers, rpm air gap intake.
All setup with dist. wires, carb, dyno tested is about 7K before shipping. We usually eat half the shipping too, to help with cost.
Only thing you'll need is headers.
Brian
 
Whatever you do don't go with Blueprint. I've known a couple guys get them and they were absolute junk and they won't stand behind them.

OU812 Brian's sounds like a real good deal and he's got a real good reputation. I'd trust him.
 
now is a magnum better than LA style (less oil leaks, and better oiling)
 
rudyscuda said:
now is a magnum better than LA style (less oil leaks, and better oiling)
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Oil leaks have nothing to do with Magnum or LA. Good gaskets have control over that. What are you meaning by Magnum or LA style? Do you want to compare Magnum heads and LA heads or Magnum roller cam blocks and LA blocks?
 
the engine blocks was what i was after, I'm shopping for turn key, but I don't have any experience with mopar and I want to be happy with the motor I end up with. So if anyone had their chose for under $7000 (small block) where would you go?
 
rudyscuda said:
the engine blocks was what i was after, I'm shopping for turn key, but I don't have any experience with mopar and I want to be happy with the motor I end up with. So if anyone had their chose for under $7000 (small block) where would you go?
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I prefer the shaft rocker setup, and the LA version has more intake options.
If you want hyd. roller cam though, the magnum will be cheaper so long as the price of the short block is not higher than the LA short block (junk yard).
 
rudyscuda said:
the engine blocks was what i was after, I'm shopping for turn key, but I don't have any experience with mopar and I want to be happy with the motor I end up with. So if anyone had their chose for under $7000 (small block) where would you go?
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Do you have access to any small blocks??..i would find a 360 core to start with any find a machinist/builder you can trust, supply them with the parts YOU want to use then you know exactely what went into it and who built it,crate motors are a "crapshoot"..i'd never buy one........
 
I personally would not buy a crate motor.

I believe I would be leaning towards a board member in good standing and reputation before I would throw my money at an unknown engine builder.

I trust Damon at Diamondbackengines.com, although he has recently joined here, I have know him for a few years and he won't steer you wrong. He has talent, experience, AND integrity. Tough combo to find nowdays. His screenname here is FUGLY. Great carbs too!

I don't know how bad shipping would be to Alaska though.

There are at least 5 or so others here I would trust to build me an engine but I know Damon the best.

I believe board member TK lives in Alaska but I can't remember his name here.
Maybe he will see this and chime in.

Edit: He is dodgetkboy78 here.
 
ou812 said:
We ship engines all the time. Our basic 408 is a 360 .030 over, Scat crank and I beam rods, KB forged pistons.
We use the RHS head LA style, roller rockers, rpm air gap intake.
All setup with dist. wires, carb, dyno tested is about 7K before shipping. We usually eat half the shipping too, to help with cost.
Only thing you'll need is headers.
Brian
Click to expand...

That is a good deal there.
 
I have a LA motor now if I go to a Magum style motor will my front motor brackets fit(power steering,alt. etc.)?
 
I was one of those guys that bought the blue print short block 408, my advice straight up is spend the extra money AND DON'T buy the blue print engine.nothing but problems they did send me a new short block 11 months later haven't installed yet waiting for spring.
 
AJ71DUSTER said:
I was one of those guys that bought the blue print short block 408, my advice straight up is spend the extra money AND DON'T buy the blue print engine.nothing but problems they did send me a new short block 11 months later haven't installed yet waiting for spring.
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Could you elaborate on this a little more? I was thinking about getting their 408 short block for my next build.
 
sure can, I followed there start up to the letter, and used everything they suggested oil and start up procedure at about 600 miles I started to hear a slight engine knock,i call Blue print right away,just to cut the thread short all i got was a list of excuses as to what was wrong, but nothing with there short block. the best one that they gave me was that my TQ was balloning, how could that happen when i haven't even drive over 55 yet, but straight to the point,found on the mains that the thrust bearing was wasted,main 1 had middle wear in the center of bearing cap side only, No 2 had middle wear on bearing on block side, 3&4 were ok 5 or rear cap had wear on the corners where the cap meets the block only all damaged mains were down to the copper.Took the short block to a machine shop once they pull the piston out they found that they used 1/16th rings in the 5/64ths ring groove with no spacers, call Blue print and informed them what the machine shop found. so they re-reviewed my claim and told me that they have restructure and that the would send me an new short block,cost to me pulling engine 4 times, price of a new TQ, yes i bought there excuse about balloning,3 new gasget kits, another new oil pump and 1 wasted summer of not driving my car, So Sorry about the long post but i'm still very flustrated with Blue print engines.I hope the new one that i have is good. just read this and make up your own mind.
 
Thanks for the explanation. They were really the only place that I had found with a decent price for a short block. I guess you probably get what you pay for. Let us know if that short block holds up. Anybody else know where to get a decent price on a short block (hopefully I'm not hijacking the thread)?
 
thanx for the info guys, sounds like no blueprint for sure, and I guess I'll start calling machine shops.
 
Stay away from crate engines, I see some comments about 360 engines, the factory recommends .020 overbore max, are the larger bores sonic checked? Cheap pistons and old grind cam shafts are a recipe for failure. Mopar was using a vendor for crate engines, after a high failure rate (mine included) they switched to Cummins in Canada, I am having a problem with that engine blowing excessive smoke. During assembly The intake manifold would not fit a call to Cummins revealed that they had milled the head but did not know how much.Most crates have a short warranty period sometimes it expires about the same time it takes to install an engine and get it sorted out.If you have an Autozone or similiar type parts store in your area check on a reman with a longer warranty, it will not get you the numbers but could be a better option. The bsr option is to find a machine shop state your objectives and remember speed costs!!!!!
 
I've been looking at crate short blocks. I have a MP 360 crate short block in my car now that has served me well but I did go through it when I got it, checked everything, cut deeper valve reliefs, balanced it and installed ARP main studs and rod bolts. I did find the cylinders to be dirty and the balance job wasn't very good, in fact two pistons had pins that were thicker and heavier then the others. I got a hold of some guy at Cummins Recon and he sent a whole new set of pistons and rods to me at no charge.

Anyway I don't have any experience with these people but they have good prices, you might do a google search for reviews on them. I saw the advert here on the forum, one of the ones that show at the top and bottom of the page. They have a pretty good price on an all forged rotating assembly short block with good parts in it. Might be worth a look.

http://www.cnc-motorsports.com/default.asp

I figured though that as long as my engine is still getting the job done I'll just build my own short block since I have the time. Gave the machinist my 74 360 block last night for sonic checking. I have nearly everything except pistons and bearings to put this engine together so it will be cheaper for me this way and I'll end up doing my own oil mods and knowing exactly what is in my engine.
 
Guitar, that is indeed a good deal with a really nice set of pistons to boot.
Do they put them together right though is the question, and I wonder what the customer service is.

Does the shipping seems a little high to you?

Last time I shipped a motor, it was about 150 bucks a couple years ago. But maybe something changed?

If you bought it, then went through it and corrected somethign you found, and were willing to do that, then yes, I agree it's a good deal.
 
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