{"id":4257,"date":"2014-03-20T14:40:54","date_gmt":"2014-03-20T21:40:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/?p=4257"},"modified":"2016-11-30T15:26:17","modified_gmt":"2016-11-30T23:26:17","slug":"horsepower-in-a-box-what-to-look-for-inside-a-crate-motor-part-iiii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/horsepower-in-a-box-what-to-look-for-inside-a-crate-motor-part-iiii\/","title":{"rendered":"Horsepower in a Box: What to Look for Inside a Crate Motor, Part III"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The price of a crate motor will be significantly less if, for example, there is no ignition system system included. Some engines come with a distributor and nothing else, so you have to add hardware to the shopping list.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the pair of previous segments of \u201cHorsepower In A Box,\u201d we examined the hardware found inside a crate motor (or perhaps more correctly, what hardware to look for). Cylinder blocks, reciprocating assemblies, camshafts and associated valve train hardware and cylinder heads were the pieces we touched upon.\u00a0 So far so good, but it\u2019s no secret what we previously looked at pretty much sums up a bare bones crate motor (3\/4 motor, long block, etc.).\u00a0 But plenty of crate motors are really turnkey affairs.\u00a0 They\u2019re more or less plug-and-play combinations where all you do is hook up the various wiring and plumbing bits, hit the key and go.\u00a0 And to do that, the engine needs quite a few more components (which in turn drive up the costs).\u00a0 In this issue we\u2019ll consider induction and ignition systems.\u00a0 Keep in mind that the costs of including additional hardware in and on the crate motor increases the bottom line.<\/p>\n

Induction Systems:<\/b>\u00a0 Like other pieces of the puzzle, induction system choices are plentiful.\u00a0 You can buy a crate engine with everything from a 10:71 GMC blower all the way down to a single Holley double pumper mounted on a dual plane intake.\u00a0\u00a0 When it comes to intake choices, you can buy a crate engine with a sheet metal intake, a cast aluminum intake, or even an electronic fuel injection system.\u00a0 The choice is yours, but what’s best?\u00a0 Again, that depends.\u00a0 Some combinations are set up for nitrous, and they’ll use a far different arrangement than an engine designed to run on alcohol.\u00a0 Some engines are designed for a specific, narrow power band.\u00a0 Others are built with a very broad torque curve.\u00a0 Both mandate different induction arrangements.\u00a0 Let’s just say that something like a street-strip combination is going to be far happier with a single 850 carb than with a sheet metal tunnel ram complete with a couple of Dominators perched on top.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re planning on driving your crate motor equipped car on the street for any length of time, there\u2019s no question an EFI setup is the best, followed by a lone 4150-style carburetor. Yes, you can operate something like a Holley Dominator successfully on the street, but the reality is, the street manners of a 4150 carb are superior.\u00a0 Another set of considerations is the air cleaner and the overall installed height of the engine package (and we all know, the use of an air cleaner can have an effect upon engine packaging).\u00a0 Pick a setup that\u2019s too tall and you\u2019ll either be cutting a hole in your hood or you\u2019ll be buying a new hood.\u00a0 Don\u2019t take this lightly \u2013 a custom hood (with paint) can easily add $1K to your shopping list.<\/p>\n

Ignition System:<\/b>\u00a0 Crate engines can be purchased with complete ignition systems installed.\u00a0 Others leave that up to you.\u00a0 What type of ignition system do you need?\u00a0 Is a crank trigger necessary for your car?\u00a0 Is vacuum advance required?\u00a0 Is the engine normally aspirated or will you use some form of forced induction?\u00a0 Do you need different stages of retard?\u00a0 All of these are questions you have to ask when deciding upon the ignition system for your crate engine.<\/p>\n

And these aren’t the only questions that must be answered when it comes to crate motor ignition systems.\u00a0 For example, some engines (Chevy\u2019s LSX combinations come to mind) don\u2019t have a provision for a distributor. For something like this, you\u2019ll either need to buy a distributor-less ignition setup or a costly distributor adapter package.\u00a0 With the distributor-less arrangement, you\u2019ll need to think about where you can mount eight coils (sometimes not exactly an easy task).\u00a0 Factor in the need for spark plugs, plug wires, wire looms and so on.\u00a0 Stuff can get complicated in a hurry so give it some thought before you leap.<\/p>\n

In the photos that follow, we\u2019ll look at a few of the pieces mentioned above. You might be a wee bit surprised at what you really need to add to a crate motor or on the flipside, what really is included in your package of choice.<\/p>\n

Click on the photo for a larger slideshow:<\/p>\n