Ive just been looking around online...been looking at what it would take to build a complete motor vs. a crate motor...wondering what you guys think is more worthwhile...obviously a crate motor is easy...drop it in good to go...but i think for the $ spent on a crate motor i could build something that would have more power than somethin just bought and put in...and obviously this is something that i wont be doing probly till the winter...need time to save up...but this winter id like to buy/build something for next summer...
^^nothin new lol...obviously im not gonna be spending money like that until im on the road...my plan is to do this over the winter and have it for next summer
Ive noticed that the one shop that noone seems to have much of a problem with is Coastal high performance, They are slightly more exspensive than the others but seem to be worth it.
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94 Bronco, 5.8 , Dual exhaust with 40 series, 6 inch skyjacker, 4.56's
Definitely build your own instead of buying a crate motor. Too many people get caught up in the HP/TQ numbers of crate engines and "hype" those numbers to anyone who'll listen. I once was at a show and a guy was bragging about his new 300 hp 302 crate motor from Ford. Oh, he was talking about the power, the numbers, you name it. Two weeks later, I overheard him saying how disappointed he was with it. Apparently, he had taken it to the dyno and it made something like 236 rear wheel horsepower. For what he paid, he probably could have had one built that produced more power.
Definitely build your own instead of buying a crate motor. Too many people get caught up in the HP/TQ numbers of crate engines and "hype" those numbers to anyone who'll listen. I once was at a show and a guy was bragging about his new 300 hp 302 crate motor from Ford. Oh, he was talking about the power, the numbers, you name it. Two weeks later, I overheard him saying how disappointed he was with it. Apparently, he had taken it to the dyno and it made something like 236 rear wheel horsepower. For what he paid, he probably could have had one built that produced more power.
If it was an auto then he wasn't to far off . A stick car is around a 12% drive line power loss and an auto is around 18% . So doing the math on my handy dandy calculator .... if it was an auto .. 300 flywheel x 18% = 54 lost horse and comes out to 246 rwhp . There are alot of reasons why someone might not see the advertised numbers they were promised . Exhaust , ignition , fuel system , tuning, Weather , altitude and so on . I do agree with you though about doing it yourself .... but only if you really know what your doing . Like how much cam to use , what intake and head combo, making sure there will be no piston to valve interfearence and so much more ... At least with a crate motor the guess work is taken out of the equation . Plus some builders will even give you a warranty .
I did alot of research after I dyno'd my 440 Dart re: driveline loss. Scott is in the ballpark but on back to back tests with 2 different engines on engine & chassis dyno's saw 15-17% for manual transmissions and 20-25% for automatics.
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I did alot of research after I dyno'd my 440 Dart re: driveline loss. Scott is in the ballpark but on back to back tests with 2 different engines on engine & chassis dyno's saw 15-17% for manual transmissions and 20-25% for automatics.
Thats because it was a Mopar !! Ford's are more efficient !
I'd say build one if you're sure you're not going to fuck it up IMO crate motors are good for ease and warrenty, IF you're not worried about the warrenty part 90% of the time its far more cost effective to build your own, plus you get the pride in being able to say you built your own vs just throwing a crate in there. If you go for crate I agree w/ everyone else, the shortblocks are the best deal.
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IMO crate motors are good for ease and warrenty, IF you're not worried about the warrenty part 90% of the time its far more cost effective to build your own, plus you get the pride in being able to say you built your own vs just throwing a crate in there. If you go for crate I agree w/ everyone else, the shortblocks are the best deal.
