The Dodge Challenger Message Board

Has anybody out there experienced any start-up problems with the 465 HP crate engines. I've heard tale of many problems with them, but no one gives any specifics. I have one and when you have $12,000(+) invested in this engine alone I don't want anything second guessed. Please help! I am planning to plant the motor in about mid March. Of course nothing evers goes as planned.

Is this the Mopar Performance crate Hemi?
They have stopped selling them now because of all the problems.

Most of the problems have stemmed from the engines being built by cheap labor in Mexico. Basic bad machine work and sloppy assembly I think.

My advice to you is to phone Ray Barton 9-5 Mon-Fri 610-670-8591 or e-mail raybartonracing@aol.com and ask their advice.

Ray and his staff have re-built a lot of these crate engines. He is the best hemi man in the world. They found that they produce no where near the power they are supposed to. You may have to pull apart and check the whole engine. They should be able to advise you on what to look for.

Thanks, Dave. I appreciate the advice. And yes, it is a Mopar performance crate engine. I purchased it January 2001. I have also heard about the poor machining items. I was told this was only during a certain timeframe of production. At any rate I'll contact Ray Barton and see what he has to offer. Thanks again!

I would do that BUT!

I have had time to think about what your real problem is. Starting the engine.

Poor machine work would have to be very poor indeed for the engine not to start. You put fuel and air into a space and strike a spark and it will fire. So it has to be a fuel or ignition problem and nothing to do with the engine as such.

These engines come without the carb right? You fitted your own carb?

Does the engine try to start if you pump the throttle but does not not quite get there or it fires and then dies?

Long duration cams need a LOT of air and fuel at idle. Most carbs need modifying unless they were made specifically for an engine with a cam that size. Look up the stuff on here about tuning carbs.

On the electrical front the most common thing is the ignition leads in the wrong order, the timing out, or the distributor 180 degrees out. Look up the stuff on here about setting correct timing.

here is a writeup about a 528 and what they found

http://rsorak.dyndns.org/engine.htm

It makes pretty grim reading doesn't it.

BIG_MIKE wrote:here is a writeup about a 528 and what they found

http://rsorak.dyndns.org/engine.htm

I really liked that article, Big_Mike! Thanks!

BTW, Rick seems to be a quite wealthy man!!!
How about this quote from him: "October 2002: I've quit my full-time job again in order to have more time to devote to this and my other car projects....". Certainly, that would speed up things a bit in the garage, but I guess I would be ruined in a matter of months.

When was the last time you bought FOUR (4) Challengers at the same occasion? You never have? Rick has! (See http://rsorak.dyndns.org/chally.htm ) I am speechless!

Thanks for the info BIG_MIKE. It's settled the HEMI is getting torn down. Nothing like spending a S__T LOAD on an engine and then have to take it down to make sure Dammit/Chrysler did their job right. Sorry, this just puts my dream farther in the distance. I'm not rich, I just want my money to be spent wisely. Again thanks!

glad to help....that's why i'm building my own...

The small block crate motor I put in was torn down, but looked pretty good. I did have the heads ported and polished, as well as a light hone on the cylinder walls, but there wasn't any fuzz or debris or metal filings present. I may have been lucky, or maybe they have improved quality a little since 2000?

My guess is when you buy a mass produced engine, you get what you pay for...

Are the small blocks not made by someone else though?

It was assembled by Cummins, in Canada. I would hope they used mopar performance parts, but who knows?

FWIW I recently talked to a vey helpful gentleman from West Oaks Dodge, who also told me that the small blocks (crate and shortblock) assemblies are out of Cummins in Canada. Out of the 300 or so that hes sold, hes only had one bad apple. And that was due to a very poor casting being very pourous, he notified Cummins who immediately shot out a new assembly to the customer. So thats less than 1%. He said thats hes torn a few down himself, and that they seem to be tight, well built, very durable engine assemblies.