Are these motors any good?

[Jambo1]

Alright, It was stuck in my head to rebuild my 360 until one of my freinds came buy and told me to buy a rebuilt one instead. He continued to tell all the horror stories about rebuilding his and how much it was for the heads and problems with all the machine shops etc.

So after calling many auto shops to find someone who could get me a 360, I decided I would just call Schucks(Local Chain Store) out of couriosity.

He told me they buy there motors from three places; Sparten Engines, Recon Engines and Evergreen Engines. I got to Spartans website and I want to know if you have heard of these guys and are they good motors.

I have to say, they seem to have a good thing going. Run down to schucks, pick up your motor, pop it in, return your old one with the box they give you and bang....your in buisness. It's like changing a battery.

Does seem nice to be able to go to schucks for warranty items rather than some of these shady places.

What am I not seeing here!!! I just want a engine = to or better than what I got, which is a leaky stinky pig.

spartanengines.com (http://spartanengines.com)

reconengines.com (http://reconengines.com)

Sorry so long!!!!

[ September 13, 2002, 05:36 PM: Message edited by: Jambo1 ]

[bill tomlinson]

read this and understand it is ONLY HEARSAY!!!!

the shop that does most of my work said the word
is that ChryCo is bringing out a line of remanufatured engines with massive warranty...
one of which is the FSJ 360!

i'll post more info if i find it

bill

[Stuka]

bill...are you sure they arent bringing out a dodge 360??

I dont see why they would bring out a AMC engine...

[Jambo1]

I think the last AMC piece of work was ended with the Renault Alliance in the late 80's. At least they funded it.

[Dan G]

I can only tell you about my experience with Recon.

Run, very fast and very far in the opposite direction.

After following ALL the instructions provided with the 4cyl rebuilt engine for my former Dodge Colt, within 500 miles, something 'let go' in the head (IMHO, tech didn't torque the valve train properly on an SOHC motor). SO, there I was on the side of the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn, NY, and a kind NYPD officer pushed me (with his car) off the highway onto a side street.

Needless to say, I ended up replacing the head myself on the street in Brooklyn after they Fed-Exed the cylinder head to the nearest Pep-Boys. And no, recon didn't pay me for my day's lost wage or for the labor to install the head.

THEN, #3 cylinder died within 3 days of the end of the 12 month warranty. Compression Test (180, 175, 0, 175). They wanted to tell me that I was running too rich or something and 'scored the walls' (geez think that could have been from the valvetrain fubar above?) so again they didn't pay me for the labor to rip out their POS engine and reinstall another rebuild from them...

I hope this gives you a fairly good picture... By the way, if anyone thinks this is 'slanderous' I still have the claim numbers and they can look this stuff up themselves to see that this aint no crock o stuff.

I heard Jasper is ok though.

[Jambo1]

Thanks for the info, I thought they seemed a little iffy.

[Damage, Inc.]

I can say that Spartan is very good for reman engines. If you've got the money, go that route.

[gp_frk]

Damage please elaborate.

[TexasJ10]

I was involved with the liquidation of an engine rebuilder in Dallas a few years ago. It was called Sun Engine. They sold a lot of engines to Autozone and other national parts outlets. These large auto stores demanded the absolute lowest prices and Sun accomadated them. To do so required that they cut every corner possible and the company eventually folded under the weight of numerous warranty returns. If you went to their shop, they could build you a good engine for a fair price, but if you tried to buy one delvered to Autozone, it was hit or miss. Long story here, but this experience leads me to believe that you are much better off going direct to the remanufacturer and holding them responsible than trying to go through the chain stores. I have heard Jasper engines are good rebuilts and are delivered to your door. They may cost a little more, but if you are repalcing an engine you really want reliability.

[Bandit-CO-]

I had a bad experience with Kragen auto (the same company as schucks) I bought a rebuilt chevy 350 for my '80 Blazer(not sure who manufactured it) with a two year warrenty (paid extra). It ran good for about a year and a month, then blew up. I had my uncle(mechanic) pull it apart and he said that the reman had two different heads on it. A light truck head on one side and a heavy duty head on the other. The light truck head blew. I went back to Kragen who wouldnt honor their warrenty, they said that this engine only had a 1 year warrenty, even tho my reciept said two years. Thats my horror story, take it how you want. smile.gif

Bandit

[ September 16, 2002, 12:29 PM: Message edited by: Bandit-CO- ]

[Damage, Inc.]

Elaborate, eh?

Well...Spartan is on of the largest engine manufacturers in the States. I used to work for CSK (Checker/Schucks/Kragen) in Phoenix and worked with numerous mechanics who went this route.
I worked there for 3 years and never did an engine warranty. I still keep in contact with many of the mechanics I used to work with and still haven't heard of engine problems. (Course that doesn't mean they don't exist!)

Now, growing up in Montana we used to go through an engine company in Washington. I, for the life of me, can't remember the name. They did absolutely *QUALITY* work.
Bottom line, I guess you get what you pay for.

On kind of the same note, while working for CSK, I learned something very disturbing. The store manager's job is to post profits. If his store is the top seller for the quarter, he gets a bonus.
To maximize his bottom line, the store manager must limit warranty returns as much as possible.
I knew a manager that informed a customer to take the warranty part back to the original Checker that he bought the item from because we didn't have any in stock (we did).
How many times have you walked into a Checker and seen one parts counter guy and one checkout guy? Too many times.

Keep receipts and notes. Manager names is a good idea as well. Good luck!

[gp_frk]

Damage,

Were they in Spokane?
If so...
http://www.rebuilt-auto-engines.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/home.html?sid=1AlF2z0WhF1SBss-48102029336.63

[Jambo1]

Gp have you ordered from these guys before? Whats their reputation?

[kreb]

i bought one of those motors that Texasj10 wrote about. it was from alamo motor supply. it died within 12,000 miles. it was bored 0.060 over and the crank was bent in a rainbow shape due to poor align bore procedure. most of machining specs were way out of tolerances. the heads were pieces of Great Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley Moogley. stay away from sun and alamo motor supply. got one done from a rebuidable builder here in town.

benjamin

[gp_frk]

jambo

Dunno,
I am in the same boat as you. Every place i find has a rap sheet a yard long. These guys look pretty clean tho. And they have to be better than 'Zone or Shuck

[Damage, Inc.]

Yah, I think they were in Spokane. That was YEARS ago though!!

[gp_frk]

D the company in the link goes by the name of S&S ring any bells?

(Please say yes Please say yes)

[Jambo1]

nope!

[ChrisCollege]

I just put a new Jasper engine in 4,000 miles ago. Dave Cook in PA did the install for me and said he would not touch any of the chain store engine's with a 10 foot pole. You pay a lot more for the Jasper but you see quality parts in it. If you are looking for a stock replacement (no increased performance over oem) I would recommend it.

[Mike D]

I live in Spok-a-loo.....

S&S is ok, i had one done by TDK(formally known as bennets..because his kids now run the place) and the third slips my mind right now....oh, ram engine( they rank at the botom...unless you have a 350sbc)

[Mike D]

Originally posted by gp_frk:
Damage,

Were they in Spokane?
If so...
http://www.rebuilt-auto-engines.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/home.html?sid=1AlF2z0WhF 1SBss-48102029336.63 (http://www.rebuilt-auto-engines.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/home.html?sid=1AlF2z0WhF1SBss-48102029336.63)I dont seem to see a name..unless its rebuilt auto engines(not a verry rememberable name)
but the number is local for me....

mabey ill call itand see what the answer the phone by....???!!!???

[Mike D]

well..yep its S&S,...... being sneaky i guess....just a bit.

[FSJ Thing]

I bought a rebuilt Chrysler 360 for my Ram from a Checker in Colorado, and it's worked great! But like everyone else is saying, I guess it's hit or miss, I might have been one of the lucky ones who got a hit.

[trssho]

Call your local Chrysler dealer, and they should have a listing for a reman AMC 360. Not sure on warranty. At least 3/36, maybe 3/70

[rustywag]

I have had good experience with Jasper. My former work truck (94 Ram) got a Jasper re-built trans at around 100K. 56 (yes 56) miles later the re-man one blew, so, why do I like Jasper? The mechanic that did the install got paid for my tow bill and his time to R&R the replacement for the replacement. Any company that backs up the parts warranty with a labor warranty can't be all bad. I have also just finished putting a Jasper long-block in a neighbors Ford. It was a quality unit and has had no troubles. Think about it - if you but the cheapest re-built motor you'll get the cheapest rebuilt motor. Simple as that! If you really want cheap buy cheap but buy a good set of gaskets and some plastigauge and do a mini teardown before you install it. Its way easier to do it before you put it in and probably easier to get a warranty return on the bent crank two days after purchase as opposed to two months.

[Bob Barry]

Originally posted by WagoMonkey:
I bought a rebuilt Chrysler 360 for my Ram from a Checker in Colorado, and it's worked great! But like everyone else is saying, I guess it's hit or miss, I might have been one of the lucky ones who got a hit.Before I had my GW's engine rebuilt locally, I checked into mass-rebuilders. One place boasted that they only had a 10% rate of returns on rebuilt motors. I told him to call me when they sell an engine that blows up, so I could hopefully be among the next nine customers to get a good engine... ;)

[Damage, Inc.]

LOL!! Mike has it right...it was Ram Engines. We used to get short and long blocks from them all the time. 'Course that was back in the 80s.
Since Mike says they're at the bottom, I guess I'll let him set the record!!

Times are a changing!!

[Mike B]

I've researched the national rebuilders quite a bit,even though my mechanic,who installs quite a few rebuilt engines,swears by ATK rebuilts.He said he has tried most of the others and has problems but rarely if ever has any problem with an ATK.
S&S in Washington(rebuilt auto engines.com) sounds like a quality builder,they were nice on the phone,they would do a cam or a 3-angle valve job,etc.for you and their pricing was very LOW(almost suspiciously Low)but I couldn't find anyone who used them and that scared me so I'm going to go ATK. Quite a few on the FSJ list have given ATK the thumbs up as well.
Don't know anyone personally with a Jasper but see that there are a few out there apparently doing OK ,although they have been bashed pretty badly by some on the list as being a crappy rebuilt. The name I see coming up most these days as the best bet for a quality supplier is www.powerpro2000.com (http://www.powerpro2000.com)
Powerpro adds 2 years labor warranty on top of ATK's 3yr parts and labor/100,000 mile warranty and knock $100 of ATK's price too.
I'm buying an ATK engine from Powerpro.
It'll be a few weeks before it's in,but I'll report my results.

Mike B