surefire engines

[AJTorris]

Ok hopefully someone can help me out and make me feel a bit better.. doubtful..

So my motor went south last year. After trying to find a reliable motor on craigslist my father and i decided to go to autozone and get a surefire motor that had a 3 yr warrenty with no mileage cap. Sounded to us like a good deal. Only 1400 for a complete longblock.

Well we got that one in. We also got a new waterpump, tstat, powersteering pump, radiator, and belt. About a month and a half later it spun a bearing. Warrentied it and within 3 days i had the new motor waiting for me at my local autozone. Took mine out and picked that motor up. Got it in and running the next day or so.

Fast foward to this last weekend, I was on a local trail and the jeep seemed like it was missing for a tiny second, then stalled out. Tried to fire it back up and it didnt want to idle. Fired it back up and pushed on the gas and as it slowed back down to idle i heard what sounded to me like a spun bearing. Kindof a quick spinning sound. It keeps doing it evertime if i rev the motor and let off the gas. Even after it sits a while and i fire it up (cold) it will do it.

Im going to yank the oil pan this weekend and see if it is a rod. Im pretty sure it is.

Has anyone or does anyone know anyone who has had good luck with surefire engines? Ive already contated autozone to start the process of the warrenty for the second time. I should be hearing from them tomorrow morning with hopefully good news. If i do get a new one this time i am throwing it on my stand, retorqueing everything to specs, checking bearings, valves, oilpump. I am getting tired of swaping motors!

Although thanks to this whole thing i can park a jeep, strip the front end off, disconnect electrical, unbolt trans, t-converter, yank motor and replace it and connect everything back in one day and have it driveable lol.

Any good news about this company would be great!!!!

 

[dsapper]

I actually had alot of issues with them. My girlfriend at the times sister had a neon that needed an engine. I tried to help her out, she bought the engine from autozone, I swapped it.

Complete long block, less than 1200 miles later a huge clunking noise and it had a bent rod, wiped bearings etc. Claimed warranty on it and got a new one, less than 500 miles later a piston somehow hit a valve, they would not warranty it a second time and claimed misuse. I charged back my credit card (thank god for american express, they will charge back anything) and ended up cosigning for a car for her bleh...

So no, I hate autozone. If I need a new engine its only coming from a local machine shop I get to know well, period.

 

[Johnnie Walker]

I would trust a junkyard engine more than one from vatozone.

 

[98xjeepy]

have had good luck out of Spartan engines from advance auto. had one myself and worked there for four years. sold plenty and never had one come back on me.

 

[AJTorris]

Well I went to a local clubss meet and greet tonight. Saw richard there and had him listen to it. He thought it didnt sound like a rod bearing. He thought maybe harmonic balancer. Well I get home and check that and nope. Definently coming from the oil pan and towards the front. Any tests I should do to see if I can figure out if its a rod of main?

 

[weebur]

Well I went to a local clubss meet and greet tonight. Saw richard there and had him listen to it. He thought it didnt sound like a rod bearing. He thought maybe harmonic balancer. Well I get home and check that and nope. Definently coming from the oil pan and towards the front. Any tests I should do to see if I can figure out if its a rod of main?

Just a thought, but how's your oil pressure? If your oil pump failed your engine could be seizing up. I doubt if a single spun rod or main bearing would cause the engine to stall and or run that bad. You could pull one plug wire (don't what year engine you're running) at a time and see if the noise stops of gets quieter.

 

[AJTorris]

Its a 93 motor. The stall i think was a fluke. It has never done that before. As for the noise im getting it only happens when i let off the gas after reving the motor. Oil pressure last night was right at 20psi at idle at operating temp. During the heat of the day at idle it drops to maybe 15psi when at operating temp.