is a rebuilt engine as good as a new one?

[GREASE FIRE]

i had an extra 7.3 to keep as a spare but then i saw another one for sale on craigslist that had been rebuilt, so i quickly sold the one i had for $400 to get the cash to buy the other one for $700, and when i got it home i called Reviva (the company that rebuilt it) and they said it was rebuilt in 2004, and that they rebuild everything, top to bottom, including the complete injection system, plus it looks like all the accessories were rebuilt as well (steering pump, a/c compressor, alternator) and it even looks like the oil cooler is new.
the guy i bought it from said it had about 20K since the rebuild - it was in u-haul truck he bought and they told him that was about the most miles it had.

when an engine has been professionally re-manufactured to this extent is it generally considered to be as good as if it were brand new, or would the expected lifespan be somewhat shorter than a brand new one?

thanks,
paul

 

[FordGuy100]

I think it should last as long, but thats just me thinking out loud

The only part that would concern me where the 20K miles in a U-haul...people drive those things a little on the hard side. It should last quite some time though

 

[MARQ2277]

Darn, where was I when you sold it for $400. Actually I need a DB2 pump pretty bad, but anyway; A rebuilt could actually be better. The reason I say this is, there are years that the 7.3 IDI block and all was better, for instance, if you had a 1993-94 block, they have better webing, because they were using a turbo. Same with rods and pistions. So, some years especially if they used any parts from 1993-94, or if you used a 1990 block for your 6.9, you getthe benefits of the later up-grades. I have a list that shows all the ss# of which blocks were the better one, and all the changes they had made, and what they did to change that part.

Anyway, do you know what year, the block and heads are from??

Marq
__________________________________________________
1990 Ford F-250 4X4:
7.3 IDI with 120K on the clock:
ATS Turbo with waste gate:
Stage One Injectors (Oregon Injector Service):
Complete Return Fuel Kit (Oregon Injector Service):
DB2 Pump, cranked up with Cold Advance wired permanently on:
4” down pipe, 4” straight through exhaust stopping between cab and bed (no **** on my stuff):
Torque Converter Lock Up Switch (On/Off/Lock-Up):
E4OD Line Pressure Controller (adjusted to fast/firm shifts):
4” lift w/Rancho shocks:
Big Fat Tires on custom rims:

Tows 1985 fully loaded heavy 28 foot RV (my house) everywhere:

 

[icanfixall]

As posted a rebuild "can" be better than new but... It depends on who and what was done to it. The parts used are another big thing. Now any 7.3 that has been bored out is much less than a new motor. Thats because the cylinder liners are way too thin from the start. Then if you bore them out they are thinner. I like to do my own builds. I pick my own parts and I take plenty of pictures of the buildup. I read plenty before I buy anything too. Research is the best way to build anything. Just throwing money and parts without knowing the differance between quality is the wrong thing to do. Read my sig. I did my research before I did any of that. I asked plenty of questions when I installed the Moose pump. I talked long hours with Brian at BTS about the E4OD. I went up to ARP and talked for about 2 hours with their 2 engineers about studs. I talked to the Mahle engineers about milling the piston tops. Information is better than new anytime. You just need to know how to ask and use the data. I've done it for you and everyone else. Its free for the using. Maybe the id drivers can kick the crap out of an unsuspecting psd driver once and a while... Just kidden....

 

[Papabear]

i would say in most cases depending on the shop that did the work the engine will be stronger if top end aftermarket parts are used and NOT A SINGLE STEP WAS SKIPPED IN THE INSPECTION i have a source that sells drop in 7.3 IDI's for $8000.00cad with 2yr warranty unlimited mileage unlimited hrs

 

[GREASE FIRE]

Darn, where was I when you sold it for $400. Actually I need a DB2 pump pretty bad, but anyway; A rebuilt could actually be better. The reason I say this is, there are years that the 7.3 IDI block and all was better, for instance, if you had a 1993-94 block, they have better webing, because they were using a turbo. Same with rods and pistions. So, some years especially if they used any parts from 1993-94, or if you used a 1990 block for your 6.9, you getthe benefits of the later up-grades. I have a list that shows all the ss# of which blocks were the better one, and all the changes they had made, and what they did to change that part.

Anyway, do you know what year, the block and heads are from??

QUOTE]

not sure - can you tell me where to find the info that would tell me? i have seen a few casting numbers on various parts of the engine but i don't know which ones would tell the year.

BTW i was kind of surprised when i called them and asked, just out of curiousity, how much a top-to-bottom rebuild costs and they said about $5K. I was thinking it would be more than that - i know that is still a considerable amount of money but doesn't sound like that much for a complete engine of this type. Maybe it is because they get better prices on rings, pistons, etc than a small shop that would just buy the rebuild kit - or maybe they do skimp on the quality? Anyone familiar with that company?

thanks,
Paul

 

[Exekiel69]

A rebuild engine for $700 is really low and You usually get what You pay for unless the guy that sold it didn't know what he had. Make sure it isn't just painted to give it a fresh look but maybe a company like uhaul can buy reman engines and then sell them if the truck is in an accident but You would not believe what people put in an engine they are just renting.

 

[GREASE FIRE]

A rebuild engine for $700 is really low and You usually get what You pay for unless the guy that sold it didn't know what he had. Make sure it isn't just painted to give it a fresh look but maybe a company like uhaul can buy reman engines and then sell them if the truck is in an accident but You would not believe what people put in an engine they are just renting.

well, i am always skeptical of people selling anything and i get your point - but in this case the guy was looking at a lot full of used uhaul trucks so he bought one to help some family members move, and before buying he learned that some had rebuilt engines. I think he paide $2500 total, which sounds about right. He later decided not to keep it so he pulled the cargo container off the back and used it for storage (i saw it there) and sold the engine and trans, and junked the rest.
he knew it was rebuilt but he did not know a whole lot about these engines - no one does these days, everyone just assumes the computerized diesels are all that exists at least around here - but he never called the company that rebuilt it like i did so he had no idea every single component on the engine was rebuilt. Just the pump and injectors are worth close to $600 if not more.
Who knows - maybe i did get a junker - but i very seriously doubt it.
The engine was on craigslist for a least a couple weeks before i had time to pick it up, and fact is that not that many people are really into these things (outside of this forum - and this small group of people are scattered all over the US). At least not where i live - otherwise someone else would own it. Actually, the engine that i just sold to get the money for this one was on craigslist for many weeks - i bought it for $500 with a dealership-rebuilt E4OD which i sold for some good money. No one else jumped on it so i did...

thanks,
Paul

 

[Mr_Roboto]

As was said above the big thing with the 7.3's is the cylinder weall thickness. They can cavitate through with a stock bore, much less .030 or .060 over. A mass rebuilder doesn't care - as long as most of them make it through the warantee period.

 

[GREASE FIRE]

As was said above the big thing with the 7.3's is the cylinder weall thickness. They can cavitate through with a stock bore, much less .030 or .060 over. A mass rebuilder doesn't care - as long as most of them make it through the warantee period.

so, when a 7.3 is re-sleeved do they necessarily have to overbore it? i was thinking that the old sleeves were removed and new ones put in without boring - i actually thought that was the reason for sleeving them in the first place.

Also, as far as cavitation goes, are you saying that even with the use of sca's it will happen sooner on an overbored 7.3? I thought sca's preventing it from happening, and if it had already started they would prevent it from continuing. Can it happen even with them?

thanks,
Paul

 

[FordGuy100]

so, when a 7.3 is re-sleeved do they necessarily have to overbore it? i was thinking that the old sleeves were removed and new ones put in without boring - i actually thought that was the reason for sleeving them in the first place.

Also, as far as cavitation goes, are you saying that even with the use of sca's it will happen sooner on an overbored 7.3? I thought sca's preventing it from happening, and if it had already started they would prevent it from continuing. Can it happen even with them?

thanks,
Paul

IMHO SCA's only decrease the chance of cavitation, I dont think it totally elimintates it. I would venture to guess that on a stock bore'd 7.3 IDI with SCA's there is a 5-10% chance of cavitation, and for every .010" over it would add another 5-10% on to that.

 

[Diesel JD]

For many of these companies they just overbore most of the cylinders and sometimes sleeve the most prone cylinders to cavitation usually 4, 6 and 8, probably. Like Justin I'd be most concerned about it being a former Uhaul engine people will often be really nasty with something that isn't theirs.

 

[Preems14]

i would say in most cases depending on the shop that did the work the engine will be stronger if top end aftermarket parts are used and NOT A SINGLE STEP WAS SKIPPED IN THE INSPECTION i have a source that sells drop in 7.3 IDI's for $8000.00cad with 2yr warranty unlimited mileage unlimited hrs

thats pretty cheap compared to mine....the guy i bought my truck off of has $21000 in reciepts from the remanufactured engine it got 57000 km's ago

 

[GREASE FIRE]

thats pretty cheap compared to mine....the guy i bought my truck off of has $21000 in reciepts from the remanufactured engine it got 57000 km's ago

what? how could someone spend $21,000 to rebuild one of these engines in ANY country's currency? i would be interseted to hear why it cost so much.

 

[Preems14]

Yeah I didnt believe it either but it wasnt rebuilt it was a remanufactured engine. there is like 3 pages of parts on the reciept.