Buying a spare engine?

[Brian VT]

It sounds like many of you have a spare (rebuilt?) engine ready to replace your current engine when the time comes.
I'm still not in love with my truck but I guess I'll probably just keep it until I'm dead instead of starting over in trying to find my "forever" truck.
So... what's your criteria for buying a spare engine? What would you pay for a 6.9 N/A that, supposedly, "ran excellent" when removed from a rusted out truck? And then what next as far as having it ready to drop in?

 

[ROCK HARVEY]

I definitely don’t view a spare engine as a necessity, I just want one so I can have the experience of tearing down and rebuilding an engine without having my truck out of commission for months. Where I live (Ohio), I see IDI engines or part-outs pretty regularly, and I would consider $500 a good/fair price for a “running” IDI. Right now there are several for sale near me around that price, including a 6.9 for $300.

 

[WrenchWhore]

In my neck of the woods my choices for used IDI engines was one for 800$ (complete all the way down to the exhaust, accessories, mech fan, motor mounts BUT it didn't run. Another was 400$ "worst deal" but it was overheated, blown head gasket, missing IP/hardlines, missing waterpump, and had the cylinder head off for over a year in the desert. Also had to pull the motor out myself. Another guy wanted $1500 for one and $2300 for the other (both NA) with unknown mileage. Another guy had a none runner for 750. Seemed like a terrible deal. The best deal I've found which im jumping on is a used 7.3 IDI runner out of a U-Haul. Has modern serp belt setup for about 600$. Personally I wouldn't pay anything more than 800 unless it's low mileage or has new pump and injectors. Just my .02

As you can see the prices are all over the place from greedy people but at the end of the day they're worth what people are willing to pay. It's a good thing most people don't like this motor. Helps keep the prices down.

 

[Nero]

You mean it's not as popular as the beloved 6bt that'll shake your **** apart?

 

[FrozenMerc]

Treat any engine you purchase as a core, running or not, and pay accordingly. I have seen many a running engine that is in worse shape internally than a non-runner. I have a NA 7.3 core engine sitting on a cart that I paid $200 for off of craigslist. It exists to provide parts and as a just in case.

 

[jbm6900]

Na's are still pretty common, it's only if one has a factory turbo idi that it's good to hold on to a parts engine if one was to come across one. Those turbo engine parts are difficult to find

 

[Brian VT]

This one has been listed for a while. It's an hour drive from here. But I feel like I should save it.
I guess I should assume it's "cavitated" and worthless?

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[DirtyWood]

This one has been listed for a while. It's an hour drive from here. But I feel like I should save it.
I guess I should assume it's "cavitated" and worthless?

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People on Fbook are terrible about deleting postings after they are sold. And a lot of people are not interested in a "crappy 6.9/7.3 IDI". Within 200 miles from my location there are always at least a half dozen ads on Marketplace for IDI engines of various condition--most ads are over 6 months old.

 

[u2slow]

I junked two NA IDI cores that came to me free. Didn't have the space or time to bother with them.

When Tidi runner came up for grabs (albeit not run for last 10 years) I dragged that home for safekeeping in the shop corner.

As popular as the turbo jewelry is for scalping, I would still keep and eye out for a 93-94 Tidi long block or even just a rotating assembly.

 

[FrozenMerc]

I guess I should assume it's "cavitated" and worthless?

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Not worthless. All Core engines have value, it may not be much more than the spot price of scrap iron, but there is value there, none the less. Just don't go paying a bunch of cash for a "running" engine. Buy it expecting to have to do a full rebuild, and pay accordingly.