Wednesday, November 7, 2012

What On Earth Are Crate Engines?

Yep, this is a new one for me, I know. I'm not much into vehicles. There are a couple cars I like, a few more pickup trucks, and my all-time favorite vehicle, the Hummer. Honestly, though, I'm not very car-and-engine literate. That's why, when the subject of GM Crate Engines was brought up, I was a little stumped. I mean, what exactly is a crate engine? Any of you, my loyal readers, know? Sooo, since I had no clue what the idea of a crate engine was, I decided to hit up my favorite research tool-the internet, and more specifically, Google search!

Here's what I came up with. (Yes, I did actually find this interesting by the way. I like learning new things, whether it's something I'll ever need to know or not!). Crate engines are simply replacement engines for cars, which are shipped in-you guessed it-wooden crates! They come complete, and are used for 2 reasons-the owner doesn't want to repair their engine, or wants to upgrade their current engine. Both of these offer a very good reason to utilize a crate engine. If you don't want to put the time or money into rebuilding or repairing your current engine, this is a good option. Or if your vehicle is in good condition other than the engine, it may be better to just put in a crate engine, rather than purchasing a new car altogether. 

Crate engines are also in great demand for car enthusiasts who want a more high performance engine, to replace the engine originally in the car. Of course, crate engines are also useful for truck owners as well. If you want something a little more powerful for your truck, this is something to consider. Whether it's for more towing power, or to take your truck off-road for some fun, or if it's for work performance, a crate engine would give you what you need without the cost of buying an entire new pickup truck!

So, while I'm still not an expert on vehicles at all, I do now know something new. If any of you have any more input on the subject, please feel free to mention it in a comment. I'm always open to learning more!

This is a sponsored post for JEGS Automotive, however, all the points and views are my own.


  1. Years ago, when the kids were very young, we had to order a crate engine. The engine locked up on our car and it was cheaper for my husband to replace it then to buy another car.

  2. I have definitely never heard of a crate engine until now. This is a good piece of information I will have to retain. Never know when I might need this again. Thanks!

  3. So now we all know what crate engines are! I'm all for learning new things, and maybe someday it'll come in handy to know you can get a car engine shipped to you in a crate.

  4. I never heard of crate engines either, but thanks to you, I am going to use my new knowledge when my son starts talking about his truck :)