Going w/408 crate.
- Thread starter 73fish
- Start date
ramenth
Well-Known Member
And from I've read on other forums you'll need the warranty, too.
Best bet when it comes to crate motors is to take the money for the engine, add a little more to it, sit down with a reputable engine builder to plan your build, and have him build an engine for you.
Best bet when it comes to crate motors is to take the money for the engine, add a little more to it, sit down with a reputable engine builder to plan your build, and have him build an engine for you.
sheetmetaldan
Well-Known Member
Thats what I did! I just had the 318 yanked out and dropped in a 408 with any luck I might hear it fired up for the first time tonight! Only no crate for me I did have a local shop do the work. As far as cost I forget the exact amount or my mind just wont let me remember how much I spent $3500.00 seems to stick in my head.
btceng
Well-Known Member
Sounds like a bargain. My 422 build has ballooned to nearing $5k after the addition of some new Eddy heads and an air gap intake. I had $3k in the machine work and stroker kit. Dan, let us know how she runs. I may get to hear mine on the dyno soon but a long way from a test drive.
sheetmetaldan
Well-Known Member
It`s almost ready couple minor things left, need a new rear seal in the tranny and may need to make a bracket for the kickdown linkage. My friend doing the work says it sounds awesome! I heard it running over his cell phone but it didn`t do it justice I may have to get by there tonight and hear it in person. Saturday looks like when i`ll have it back.
Good luck on your build 73fish asking questions here, working with a reputable builder and having a solid plan and sticking to it will avoid headaches later on!
PlumCrazy340
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I can't say I have experience with the 408 but I did have a Blueprint 383 in my old chevelle and it screamed, ran like a top and was reliable. Nowhere near the claimed horsepower but good little engine.
All crate motors get a bad rap on forums but the truth is they are a good bargain.. A guy I know did his 340 at a local " reputable" machine shop for 7k and had to have it redone a year later..
I think it's all hit or miss
All crate motors get a bad rap on forums but the truth is they are a good bargain.. A guy I know did his 340 at a local " reputable" machine shop for 7k and had to have it redone a year later..
I think it's all hit or miss
Chryco Psycho
Well-Known Member
If you are considering a Mopar crate don't do it , they are crap
btceng
Well-Known Member
Well??????????????? Hope it went well.
73fish. I know that crates get a bad rap but I have no experience with one. Dan gave good advice about seeking help here and learning through the vast knowledge base on this forum. I have learned a lot in the last couple of years, being a Mopar newbie. Now, I have two projects going that evolved from this place. Most of the decisions that I made on my own turned out to be wrong. Good luck.
I have 408 from Blueprint with the iron Magnum heads. Got it in 2009. I have 5K miles on it. It runs very strong and is frankly all I need for a driver car. It is a torque oriented motor and fun to drive on the street. It isn't faster than EVERY car on the road of course (esp with all the high HP new Mustangs, SRT8 Challengers, etc out there), but for the money and time saved by getting a ready built package to me it is a good deal.
Hear it running here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9Wzbd9Y4OU
About 14 seconds in, you see why I like the torque on this engine!
Here is the idle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3vUXmQ6RN0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNU_vvCyXsw
In my humble opinion, you roll the dice with any choice. You can use the internet and forums to prove whatever point you want. I find the internet is good to give you the extremes of good and bad, but mostly the bad - people feel they got screwed and want to vent (and rightly so). In my view, the vast majority of satisfied people with whatever product you name don't ever say a word and don't post reviews or give feedback..... be the product lawnmowers, cell phones, video cameras, OR crate engines. I have friends who got screwed with a custom built engine (turned into a money drain, took forEVER, no warranty, etc) and others who got screwed with a crate engine.
One choice that might be safer but filled with its own problems is to go with a modern Hemi engine that gives you all the benefits of modern technology. Those old engines, crate or custom are old technology and they leak and wear faster than the new engines. I like the old engines and that is what I used of course but as I said I think there is a possible downside whatever you do.
My 2 cents worth.
Hear it running here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9Wzbd9Y4OU
About 14 seconds in, you see why I like the torque on this engine!
Here is the idle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3vUXmQ6RN0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNU_vvCyXsw
In my humble opinion, you roll the dice with any choice. You can use the internet and forums to prove whatever point you want. I find the internet is good to give you the extremes of good and bad, but mostly the bad - people feel they got screwed and want to vent (and rightly so). In my view, the vast majority of satisfied people with whatever product you name don't ever say a word and don't post reviews or give feedback..... be the product lawnmowers, cell phones, video cameras, OR crate engines. I have friends who got screwed with a custom built engine (turned into a money drain, took forEVER, no warranty, etc) and others who got screwed with a crate engine.
One choice that might be safer but filled with its own problems is to go with a modern Hemi engine that gives you all the benefits of modern technology. Those old engines, crate or custom are old technology and they leak and wear faster than the new engines. I like the old engines and that is what I used of course but as I said I think there is a possible downside whatever you do.
My 2 cents worth.
I got it thru Summit. Part of the reason I went that way is that I have a family member who works for NAPA. They resell Marshall engines as their remanufactured engine (at least did then). Anyway, Blueprint is the Marshall performance engine brand. The experience my family member had with the Marshall engines was pretty good, saw a lot go out to clients and not come back with problems.
At the time I got mine, with shipping, etc factored in Summit was the best choice.
At the time I got mine, with shipping, etc factored in Summit was the best choice.
btceng
Well-Known Member
Have you given Mike at MRL Performance a call? He is a member here and makes crazy hp out of these things. http://www.mrlperformance.com/
Chryco Psycho
Well-Known Member
if you have good experience with them in the past & they offer a warranty go for it
sheetmetaldan
Well-Known Member
Sorry I havent been around the last few days my mother -in- law passed away this afternoon being their for my wife and her family was my priority these last few days as i`m sure everyone can understand.
As far as my car goes I got it back late Friday and put somewhere between 10-20 miles on it sounded real good and has more than enough power for me, it does need some fine tuning as it wanted to stall at a few red lights and the upper radiator hose leaked at the manifold where the cosby style clamp is so I will have to replace that with a hose clamp when I get a chance to play with it again when time allows.
@Btceng
I did check out the 416 (500hp) MRL had listed for 7k. I was banking on the 30m/50k warranty that Blueprint offers; not really looking for a race engine more on the side of a reliable upgrade for my tired 318.
Think Im gonna pull the trigger & go w/Blueprint?
Thanks!
Phil
I did check out the 416 (500hp) MRL had listed for 7k. I was banking on the 30m/50k warranty that Blueprint offers; not really looking for a race engine more on the side of a reliable upgrade for my tired 318.
Think Im gonna pull the trigger & go w/Blueprint?
Thanks!
Phil
btceng
Well-Known Member
You and I are on the same page. I am replacing a 318 in mine as well. I am only looking for reliability and some fun. I talked to Mike and I am sure that he can meet whatever criteria that you are looking for. But, if you feel good about the crate from Blueprint, go for it. The warranty is good for a replacement engine. Even a mild 408 should feel like a rocket next to a stock 318.
Dan, same here. Very sorry for your loss. A lot of that around here this weekend.
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