Crate versus original
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 162
Likes: 5
From: Mount Pleasant WISCONSIN
Crate versus original
I love corvettes, how they look, drive, sound etc..., but I am not by any means a do it yourself gear head/mechanic. Can some of you experienced members tell me why owners would replace a presumably nicely functioning standard motor with a crate motor/clutch? Would you consider the odometer miles on the motor/engine to start new at the time the new crate motor was placed, provided it was placed by a professional experienced team? Are there black flags you would consider anytime a seller places a crate motor i n an otherwise 'nice' vette? Past history of beating the heck out of it on the track etc... I am still waiting for the google translate app to help me decipher some listings on the forum that detail all the add ons. I think I read some dude put a self beeding LS7 clutch on a bad *** looking C5. Needless to sy I didn't know a clutch could bleed. Take this post with a touch of humor, but any seriour input is appreciated.
Instructor
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 122
Likes: 48
From: Maui
As with any vehicle it would get my attention and I'd do some research but I don't know that initially I'd be too concerned. Engines do fail, oftentimes without any excess abuse. I suppose with a sportscar I'd worry a bit more that it was due to abuse but again, it's not a for sure thing. The engine in my Ram truck was just replaced with a new one at 115K miles under extended warranty and I went back and forth in my mind a bit about what that means at resale time. Overall, I think A LOT of it comes down to who did the work. Dealer? That's good news. No info or "Chuck's Garage" - I might look elsewhere.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,375
Likes: 426
Something catastrophic could occur that would make a rebuild untenable. Shattered, broken parts spreading through the oil passages. Unchecked overheating warping the heads, melting the pistons, frying the bearings, scoring the crankshaft. By the time you get done rebuilding you have surpassed the cost of a new crate motor. This all takes time. Crate motor will arrive in a few days ready to install.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,676
Likes: 690
From: Pingree Grove IL
All forged LS7 block sounds okay to me. I would probably only do that if I had a catastrophic failure on my LS1 block. If your LS1 block is still good, a shop can probably install a complete forged rotating assembly, add mild lift supercharger cam and heads, plus supercharger on pump gas, safe tune, and you could probably have a reliable 550-650 wheel horsepower, maybe more depending on how big a cam you get.
