Crate Motor

A crate motor is a motor that comes almost fully assembled and ready for use. There are advantages and disadvantages to buying a crate engine that depend on your familiarity with auto maintenance and the reason for your purchase. Many hobbyists prefer buying partial engine assemblies simply because they enjoy constructing their engines themselves.

If you're custom-building your own crate motor, you may want to take apart the engine package you've purchased. This way you can inspect and clean its constituent parts yourself to make sure they're up to speed. If, on the other hand, you're looking for instant performance, you're better off purchasing a Chevy crate engine instead of individual parts or a half-built motor. It all depends on your skill level and dedication to your hobby.

Types of Crate Motor

The crate motor you ultimately select should be, above all, a good fit for your car. There are 720-horsepower engines with 572 cubic inches of displacement, but these are built for racers, not soccer moms. If you're merely going down the street to pick up some groceries or take your kids to school, why pay thousands of dollars for a high-performance engine unless you have money to burn?

If you've got a classic car and are worried about its ability to handle modern-day gasoline, why not invest in something like a 454 HO (high output), which will still give you all the muscle you need, and at a far lower cost? A big block crate engine such as this will keep your shiny '67 Corvette Coupe tooling right along with no problem.