What to look for in a used running engine

I am looking for a used engine for my roadster and some guy has a sbc posted on Craigs list that is currently in his truck. Pics look ok (below) and I can hear it run and drive it - the price he's asking isn't cheap - $1300 - but the engine would be complete with everything except headers and carb. When I asked if it was ever rebuilt, he said it has recently been freshened up, what ever that means. If I go look at it, what should I look for? I will pull dip stick and check oil, look for smoke on start up and listen for knocks, and look for leaks. What else? Do a compression test? What do you think about price? Thanks for help - I need it.

 

The only way to tell the condition of a motor is a compression check ,I would ask him If you could pull out the plugs and do a compression test .Otherwise hear it run and offer him a grand .Thats my 2 cents .

 

Make sure it runs................

 

x2.

Ask him his definition of "freshened up" and if you can, check those "new" parts.

 

$1300 sounds a little high to me for a "freshened up" sbc engine. That could mean anything from new bearings and seals to simply a paint job. Depending on where you are on your roadster and what else you might need. $1300 can buy you a complete driving donor car and you can get your tranny and a carb and lots of other little stuff you might need. just something to think about. I recently sold a complete sbc to a guy for 350.

 

Drive it, listen carefully, look for funny things in the coolant and oil. Rev it up and see if it blows any smoke.

$800 should be the most you'd pay for a used 350....$400 would be better.

For $1300 I'd be building an engine myself. And it would probably be a big block.

 

About 2 years ago ,I paid 200.00 for a Motor ,I couldn't here it run ,But I trusted the seller ,A friend Check into a Jasper motor for pricing .

 

thats alot for a complete motor. I paid $150 for a complete 195 hp 283 chevy from a 60 belair. It had been sitting outside for 15 years, but still turned over.

Pulled it apart, and it had .030 over pistons and hone marks on the cylinders. No rust either.


Then again, i also paid $30 for an HO 305, and it ended up having 3 broken pistons and 4 cracked pistons.

Still ran good though. Those heads are currently on my 283

 

I agree; especially the $400.00 part.

 

Small block Chevy's are usually "a dime a dozen" that's why so many guys run them (including me). $1300 should buy you a fresh rebuild. I don't know what the prices are now, but a few years ago you could have a new, guaranteed crate motor delivered for that price.

 

Too much $$$! Jeez, you could probably score a 350 crate engine for close to that! Or at least something with a known rebuild history...

 

The advice that I got from an old wrecking yard operator was to look for an engine that was evenly dirty. If it looked as though it had had recent attention it may be suspect. It's always worked for me.

 

What he said.

 

Sounds like the dude ain"t trying to hide nothing from you,if you are satisfied with engine make him an offer and stand on it. These guy"s are right though,you can get a crate for about $1500 bucks. Just don"t throw any money into a jasper engine if you ever have a chance to take one apart you"ll see why!

 

I have purchased several running engines. The first thing I look for is what comes with it and could I part it and get most of or all of my investment back.

The first red flag to me is "freshened up" - Need details on what that means, and why is he selling it if just freshened it up. Sounds fishy to me.

2) for $1300 I wouldn't even consider it w/o reciepts for everything, the carb, air cleaner, trans, yoke and/or drive shaft, all the brackets pulleys, alternator, ps pump and belts, radiator and exhaust.

Compression test is a must, driving it helps to how it runs because firing one off on a stand just tells you that it idles and revs up but no load on it.

A comparison for you - In the past year I have purchased two "running motors"

First one is a 350/350 combo. Paid $375. Had reciepts from when it was rebuilt both motor and trans in 05. Car was wrecked in 08. Owner claims 10k miles. Wife was relieved that someone was getting that thing out of her garage. Has a comp cams cam, Edelbrock carb, all pulleys belts and accys. exhaust to the tail shaft. I can part it out and get my investment out of it if it turns out to be a turd.

Second one is a 75k mile original motor that was getting pulled for a big block. Second owner car with all reciepts of maintenance. Runs and drives great. All stock from fan to drive shaft yolk with exhaust to the trans pan. $150.

Deals are out there if you look and I don't think this is a deal. Like stated in another post, you could buy a driver car and then sell what you don't want. Might even come closer to breaking even if you score the right deal.

 

For ANY prospective running engine purchase, a compression check is a must. Test all 8. If the seller wont allow the test, walk away.

For this one in particular, you might do better new, or fresh rebuild, with a warranty, even if it is a few hundred more.

 

I picked up a running/driving but rusty '77 Monte Carlo a few years back with just over 67,000 on the clock for $250.00. I drove it for a couple years, and then pulled the engine and trans (350/350) to put them in a 52 F1 panel I had. The car went to scrap, and I got a hundred bucks for it. The guy that got the panel, sold the engine and trans for $400 bucks. The deals are out there, and they seem to be pretty common.

 

way to much,freshened up means he degreased it usually it.

 

All these suggestions were very helpful and I think I will take a pass - my instinct was telling me this was a boner deal. I'll keep looking, unless one of you want to give me a deal on a sbc . . .

 

The webster swapmeet is this sunday and the 3-day webster swapmeet is feb 12-13-14 you might find something there and its not but 16 miles from you

 

I can buy motors in the local you pull it yard all day for about $175, as long as it's not a cash for clunkers car it's no big deal. Was a real clean mid-80s Suburban that turned up last month, hit in the front but not too hard - you have to figure that one was running right up until they hit whatever they hit.

Yeah, you can't comp test them or see them run, but on the other hand you can pull the intake and heads right there if you want to check it out and if it's junk, leave it that way - and most of those places give you a 30 day guarantee on the stuff, too.

A couple years ago I happened to look at this pickup truck covered in bird crap from being in a pole barn or something (birds love to roost in the rafters of those things). I open the hood and here is an Edelbrock carb, aluminum intake, M/T valve covers, and headers. Motor looked good inside after I pulled most of that stuff off it - the kicker is it had been there for a while and no one had found that stuff.

So it's worth looking and taking a gamble.