Salvaged Engine - Asking for Problems?

[MickityMike]

Ok, so tonight while finishing up replacing a bad lifter, we got on the topic of doing a major overhaul (complete with sending it out to a machine shop) on an engine vs. buying a salvaged engine from a junkyard. The disagreement is thus:

Two people said that buying a salvaged engine from a junkyard was - assuming it had reasonable miles on it, etc. - a much better solution than putting in the assload of work into rebuilding an engine and sending it out to a machinist. Participant no. 3 claims that if the salvaged engine was from (presumably) a totaled KJ, that there could be all sorts of major internal problems from the accident and that you're just asking for problems later. So, my question to you all is, is this 3rd guy right?

Personally, I think his judgment was flawed from the incredible amount of beer he drank this evening in conjunction with the cold-ass weather we have at the moment.

What do you guys think? Salvage vs. rebuild? Our argument isn't so much over price as it is whether or not a salvaged engine is reliable? So, is a salvaged engine reliable?

 

[MickityMike]

Yeah, we know that. Our argument is mainly over what (if any) major internal damage could happen to a salvaged engine if it's from a totaled vehicle.

 

[S1Loki]

At the very least the salvage yard engine would require a thorough inspection and going over. Pulling the pan and checking the bottom end to start with.

As a side note. Something that happened to me. I bought a certified used Dodge Ram, I put 45k on it and spun a rod bearing. When I pulled the motor it had little to no compression. I could turn it over by hand, with the plugs in and using the crank pulley. When the block was sitting on the floor, was the first time the salvage yard markings could be seen. The lifter valley had coked oil higher than the lifters.

As a quick fix, putting the long term onto someone else. Drop a salvage into it and sell it.

From the perspective of someone who has built my share. If you are looking at building a stock engine. The most cost effective direction is to buy a reman long block. Then transfer all the accessories over from the donor. Plus you get a decent warranty with the reman long block assembly. Going after some performance mods during the build is another story.

 

[S1Loki]

The short answer is this. A salvage motor is a roll of the dice. A rebuild is only as good as the people doing it. A reman long block is the best option short of a crate motor from the dealer.

 

[ShafferNY]

Yeah, we know that. Our argument is mainly over what (if any) major internal damage could happen to a salvaged engine if it's from a totaled vehicle.

You're answer. No.

If there is going to be damage, it is most likely going to be on the external of the engine.

As to the reliability of a salvage engine, I think if you do your homework you'll be okay. Most come with a small warranty when bought from a reputable salvage yard. And depending on the engine, it can be a cost effective choice.

 

[maverick7321]

I have heard really good things from coworkers who have got salvaged engines for their different projects from Certified Auto Recycing in Alabama.

http://www.barbersauto.net/index.htm

 

[TAHOE]

Anytime you buy an engine it could be the roll of the dice, I've seen new rebuilds throw a rod after just a few hundred miles or could run for another 100K, like said, it's depends on quality of builder.
Same thing with a salvage motor, even though those are more of "getting lucky" in most cases. I agree though, I don't think much damage occurs to motor in a totalled situation. My brother in law pulled a motor from a 78 Vette guy wrecked @ 60 mph, put motor in to a nother vette, ran like a top, no issues. ( granted it was a small block chevy, not a jeep motor.... ) Anyway, how many people have rebuild a car with a salvage title and they run forever?
I would say it mainly boils down to the almighty $$$$$$, do you only have enough for junkyard motor, can you spend the $$ for a rebuilt one, etc???
I've gotten lucky and bought my motors off individuals that did motor swaps or parted vehicle cause of other issues.

 

[guitarzan]

I've taken many chances with salvage engines over the years and only had one bad one. It's been while since I've done any engine swaps, but there used to be quite a few salvage yards around the STL area to buy from. Quite a number of them would fire the engine up for you so you could hear it run and give you a decent warranty with it. Of course you're out the labor if it's bad. You can tell a lot with a pull of the dipsticks and using your overall judgment on how the vehicle looks.

Is Scratchy's still out there in O'Fallon? Got a motor for an old Ford from them that was in good shape.

I've had better luck in the long run with salvage engines than with rebuilds.

 

[brucebotti]

Most of the local yards will guarantee an engine for at least a little while. The problem is that you then have to pull it out to return it, and then install another.
Bruce

 

[ThunderbirdJunkie]

Front end damage is a bad thing. Radiator=busted, engine sits there running and puking coolant

There's no telling what's done to that engine.

 

[kb0nly]

TBJ is right on that one... I have seen more than a few accidents where the engine kept running, or they restarted it to move it, and its sitting there bleeding to death while running...

The other worry is a rollover.. Friend of mine got a good deal on a very low mileage engine for his truck, didnt find out until after it was installed that the vehicle it came from was rolled, well the engine must have ran for a bit while upside down... It smoked like hell, burned more oil than gas. He ended up pulling that motor back out and doing a ring job on it, honing the cylinders, and new crank bearings as it was starved for oil when it was upside down, the cam and bearing were fine cause all of the oil was pooled at the top of the motor.

Anyway, got it back together and put it back in and not a problem after that, that was two years ago. The reason for replacing the motor in the first place? Cracked block... He had a radiator spring a leak on the way home from work and his only choice in the middle of the night was to keep dumping water in it to get it home, never overheated though, parked in garage and couldn't get all the water drained out before falling asleep on the couch, woke up the next morning and engine was frozen solid and cracked. It was -40F wind chills that night, probably also why he didn't overheat with just topping off with water all the way home.

 

[MickityMike]

Damn, so most of you seem to agree that my drunken friend might have a point? Oh well, I still think I'll tell him he's full of it.

 

[kb0nly]

Well he has a point, its buyer beware, but thats not saying that every salvaged motor out there is junk!

Rules that i use when looking for one...

Mileage, low as possible

Type of accident, is the vehicle still in the yard somewhere being pieced out, or do they know how it was damaged. Best thing would be a vehicle that was hit in the side or the back end, but i have heard about rear ended vehicles that were hit hard enough to force the driveshaft forward and cause damage to the transmission so just look over the engine good for damage.

Check and see if the oil was drained yet, is it really dirty on the dipstick? Remove the oil fill cap, shine a flashlight down in, does it look ok, not excessive amount of sludge, etc..

Do they offer any kind of warranty? Some yards give you nothing more than a one month or 1,000 mile warranty on a used engine, and thats whatever comes first. Know what your getting into before buying it.

Other than that, your only other choice is a reman/rebuilt engine, but even then you need to know warranty and everything else, and its only as good as the person who did the work.

The benefit of the used salvaged motor is the yards i know they just unplug everything and pull the whole motor out and sell it minus the accessories, alternator, pumps, compressor, etc.. But all the sensors and such are there. Which means you have those sensors and yours now, so you have spares.

 

[MickityMike]

but i have heard about rear ended vehicles that were hit hard enough to force the driveshaft forward and cause damage to the transmission so just look over the engine good for damage.

Yeah, this was pretty much the crux of his argument: force of impact. I'm an engineer so I understand the physics involved, but I'm civil not mechanical so my knowledge of what happens exactly isn't all that great. Now, if he asked about, say, foundation design or something, I'd be all over it!