Saturday, November 23, 2013
What Is a Long Block Remanufactured Engine
A remanufactured long block is an automobile engine that was used, then removed from an old vehicle and refurbished, then sold to a customer who needs a new engine. The term "long block" refers to what components are included in the final product -- a long block includes cylinder heads and some related parts while a short block does not. If your car is in otherwise good shape, replacing a worn engine with a long block is an economical alternative to buying a new car.
Remanufacturing an Engine
A remanufactured engine starts as a used engine. A mechanic or a technician at a remanufacturing facility will inspect the engine, looking it over for cracks and other conditions that determine whether it is rebuildable or not. If so, the facility fully takes apart the entire engine and cleans and inspects all the parts. Then the parts that are reusable, such as the block, the heads and the crankshaft, are resurfaced and put back into service. The rest of the parts are replaced with new parts, and the engine is reassembled.
Types of Remanufactured Engines
Remanufactured engines come in three general configurations. The short block consists of the engine block, crank shaft, pistons, connecting rods and sometimes the camshaft. The long block is nothing more than a short block with the cylinder heads added, as well as a camshaft and rocker arms. A complete engine adds in things like an oil pump, valve covers, an oil pan and an intake system.
Things to Consider
It has become more economical to replace an entire engine assembly instead of removing the old components from your existing engine and putting them on a new short block. It also takes less labor. Additionally, it makes sense to have all new or refurbished parts by using a long block rather than putting old parts on a new engine as is required with a short block. Check with a remanufacturing facility about what its long block engines contain. Different facilities sometimes have different ideas on what a long block contains.
