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Good place to buy a used motor?

Discussion in 'Everything Else (off topic)' started by Pallet Pete, Feb 16, 2014.

  1. Pallet Pete

    Pallet Pete Moderator

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    Here is the deal I am NOT interested in a reman motor or a new motor. My 86 350 fried Unfortunately so I gotta find a new motor. ( probably gonna open a can of worms here! ) the truck is old so a decent low mileage motor will do. Do any of you know a good site to search junk yards? I am looking at car-part.com right now but it's hard to tell what site is legit and what isn't. Any suggestions on sites?

    I would even travel to Ohio or IN for a motor but I am not sure where to look down there for one. It's not far for me or I can even get a few friends to pick it up.
     
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  2. Jack Straw

    Jack Straw

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    I'm no expert here but something comes to mind. I see very cheap RVs for sale on CL quite often. Usually they have very few miles. This may not be the answer, but you could look.
    Good luck Pete.
     
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  3. smoke show

    smoke show

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    car-part is good. stay local if going used, then you can at least see it first. pull the dipstick, glance inside the valve cover, etc, etc. Personally I'd shy away from a used RV engine.
     
  4. NortheastAl

    NortheastAl

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  5. Pyroholic

    Pyroholic

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    I would definitely give shroyer's a try. MLK just south of 96 in south Lansing.
     
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  6. Gary_602z

    Gary_602z

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    Might check Go-Go auto parts in Delton.
    Gary
    Forgot to ask what was wrong with the old motor?
     
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  7. Pallet Pete

    Pallet Pete Moderator

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    Cracked heads and who knows what else it went with a bang literally. I tore the top down part way and had a ridicules amount of coolant coming out of everything... The hoses felt like rocks from back pressure and every spark plug turned white. All that in a few seconds too. Heads are expensive and I don't really want to rebuild it's far cheaper to source another one.
     
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  8. nate

    nate Banned

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    Considering a Chev 350 ENGINE is probably the most common ever built in the US you should have no trouble finding one.
     
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  9. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    Buy a GM performance parts 350. Last I looked the pre throttle body carb motor was like $1500 and that came with a 3 year 36000 mile warranty. Far better than a junk motor would ever be. Now thats probably more than 3x what your looking for...
     
  10. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    There are many different ones though. He needs to stay carbed or else he need to switch intakes as there won't be the computer or wireing for anything newer.
     
  11. Pyroholic

    Pyroholic

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    Pete, I believe Shroyer's is also a jasper engine distributor of you decide to go reman.
     
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  12. Pallet Pete

    Pallet Pete Moderator

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    If only this where true. Yes most common but it is difficult to land a decent one they go fast. I missed out on 3 of them yesterday by a hair.
     
  13. Pallet Pete

    Pallet Pete Moderator

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    Pyro I am gonna give them a call sometime here soon.
     
  14. Pallet Pete

    Pallet Pete Moderator

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    The old girl will live again:drool: She just got a new 350ci 260HP 350TQ 3year 100,000 mile warranty engine!:drunk: $1274.99:drunk::drunk::drunk:40% off! Edit Actually 38% off..:emb:
     
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  15. smoke show

    smoke show

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  16. Pallet Pete

    Pallet Pete Moderator

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  17. Pallet Pete

    Pallet Pete Moderator

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    I wasn't interested in new but thats a heck of a deal! This just means I need to fix the cab corners and steps then paint the cab and frame. All pretty cheap to do.
     
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  18. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    I keep watching the adds when I see them. It is a deal. Beats spending cash on a junkyard motor that you dont know about.
     
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  19. nate

    nate Banned

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    Cash on a junkyard motor is a risk but could buy 1/2 a dozen for the price of the Goodwrench engine.

    I know of several WHOLE running trucks around that age for around that price... And trucks.
     
  20. Pallet Pete

    Pallet Pete Moderator

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    The motors around here are almost all miss advertised. After searching and calling around to every junk yard and I only found two decent ones and they where pretty expensive for what they where. Craigslist was a bunch of junk for high prices or really cheap prices for short blocks with unknown parts installed. I could buy maybe if I was lucky 2 motors in ok shape for the price of the new one I just picked up. To me it's worth the new one for that price. I have fixed just about every other mechanical thing on the truck except the motor so if I drop a new one in it and we decide to sell it we could easily do it with low mileage. They are not cheap for old k bodies and motors because we live in the rusty state so anything as clean as mine goes for good cash. I might sell it I might not but at least I know it will run well the first time.
     
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