Automobile engine replacement
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Like all components in a vehicle, the internal combustion engine can wear out, or the owner may want a different style. These are available from suppliers in range from bare blocks to Crate Engines.
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[edit] Crate Engines
A crate engine is a complete replacement, generally a fairly high performance engine. What distinguishes a crate engine from other replacement engines is that it is a complete, pre-packaged, new-build solution, already packed in a shipping crate (hence the name) ready to be bought off-the-shelf. The crate engine provides a quick, simple, guaranteed motor. Many are built up by the original equipment manufacturer, while others are assembled by specialist firms.
This is in contrast to the traditional method of obtaining a performance engine, which is by building it from components or having such an engine custom built by a specialist. The best custom-built engines can outperform a crate engine, of course, but the cost in money, time, and uncertainty can be high. Additionally, crate engines can be installed in classic cars, replacing an old worn-out engine with an almost identical, but brand-new counterpart. For example, the legendary 426 Hemi of the muscle car era, while absent in stock vehicles for almost 40 years, has been available from Mopar as a crate engine since 1992.
[edit] Factory Crate Engines
All of the American "Big Three" - Chrysler, GM and Ford - sell crate engines of various specifications. A number of independent engine builders sell such prebuilt units also.
In recent years, some automobile racing circuits have added crate engines as an alternative to the traditional engine building, as to decrease financial costs for teams. Many NASCAR tracks in the Southeast have a joint crate program, where various suppliers (usually dealerships) sell the engines to race teams, and teams will be able to use them at many different tracks. In these instances, crate engines cannot be tampered with and may only be serviced at authorised repair centres. One notable example is at the Greenville-Pickens Speedway, where the crate engines must be purchased at track owner Kevin Whitaker's Chevrolet dealership.
[edit] Aftermarket Crate Engines
There are several companies producing aftermarket crate engines, sometimes built to customer specifications. These can be refurbished or completely new parts and may be geared to performance, replacement, or restoration.
[edit] Replacement Blocks
New castings of some engines are sometimes produced by independent companies. These blocks commonly replace rare or popular designs for aftermarket rebuilding, especially when the original is no longer produced. They are sometimes available in aluminum instead of original iron, or in stronger alloys. Often they imitate the larger available displacements that were produced in small numbers or allow for displacements never available.
