426 hemi crate engine quality issues any better in the last few years???

[Mopar1979]

I have been thinking of putting a 426 or 528 crate engine in my 69 charger, but with doing some research I have reservations about the quality of the hemi crate engines.from what I see on the forum unless you are buying one specially built the "crate" out of the box engines have had a bad track record of failures and lack of care assembling these legendary motors. With that said has anyone had any good things recently on buying a hemi crate motor?
Thanks,
Mopar1979

[Ghoste]

Can you even still get one from Chrysler?  I thought there was a block shortage.  Your best bet is likely one of the builders like Aruzza or Shephard or Indy or someone like that.

[Bobs69]

That's pathetic.  Disgusting really.

[Challenger340]

Ditto what Ghoste said..... I don't think they have been available for quite some time from Mopar, due to a complete lack of Engine Blocks ?

If you do find one.... IMO, take it straight to an Engine Dyno shop for testing, before even thinking about installing it, that way any problems you can take it back for refund immediately.

When I last spoke with Bill Mitchell back in late August(the guy who bought World), he said he was just waiting for Mopar to sign off on the licensing for the cast blocks ?  But I've heard nothing since ?

Good luck in the hunt

[Mike DC]

          
The modern-era Hemi blocks were always subcontracted from day one in the 1990s.  Probably true for GM & Ford's old aftermarket stuff like that too.  

As for quality, it has never been unusual for independent builders to do something better than the big OEM.  A repro 426 Hemi isn't an effort by Mopar's top engineers to win a prestigious race.  Today it's just another mass produced consumer product.  Mopar's quality control is crap.  Especially these days.  After all the bankruptcies & buyouts & mergers in the last 30 years we're lucky they still even bother to license reproductions of 50yo stuff.

[Ghoste]

The blame ultimately lies with Chrysler but to put it in perspective, it isn't just the blocks that were outsourced from the start, it is also the assembly and that is where the real quality issues have arisen. 

[werner]

early 90's engines had lots of casting issues, assembly issues when they were built by Cummins reman. Short blocks used to come out of Mexico and were sent to a VW plant in Toronto Canada. Heads were CNC'd in Toronto and long blocks were assembled by  2 guys( went on a tour of plant)

Ray Barton has been building the 528 crate Hemis for awhile. Believe Stanton was doing 426's, not sure who is doing 572's.
I have a Ray Barton/MP 528 I bought 6 years ago. Ordered in May of 2009 and got it in Sept.

Except for 4 bolts leaking oil on oil pan rail( bolt holes go right through, fixed with silicone) and 1 failed hyd lifter coming apart 2 months ago due to valve float(my fault) and partly due to push rod angle. Now has F.H.O solid roller. Also chrome water neck on pump always leaked(have billet neck now with "o"ring)it has been turn key for 6 years and has never missed a beat.

[Ghoste]

Those chrome necks are just a horrible thing aren't they

[Rolling_Thunder]

my chrome neck never leaked...    but it was the oddball probably. 

I know Barton was building the 528s for a while...   still it. 

Unfortunately MP dropped the ball when it came to crate engines....   Mopar has always sucked balls when it comes to crate engines. GM has their shit together as usual and so does Ford for that matter....       GM offers a plethora of crates from 720hp on down...   

Anyway -  rant over.....

Your best bet would be FHO, Barton, Aruzza, etc...    just go with a aftermarket block from World products or INDY -

[Challenger340]

I have a 528 MEMI Mopar Crate just just came into our Shop last week for teardown, inspection and "repairs".

Dunno the vintage.... but the guy has been trying for years to get it to run right, never did, used Oil from day one, he finally gave up and it's here.
Been there... done this many times before ?
because,
if anyone believes when you buy a Mopar Crate HEMI, that just because it is a "HEMI"... you are somehow purchasing some "Blueprint" Machined & Assembled High Performance Engine, IMO, you are sadly mistaken.

If you want THAT.... go to a builder who provides those engine building services, and PAY them for that product ?
As mentioned,
FHO, Barton, Aruzza, are just a few.