new 502 engine.
 

i just bought a new 502 long block from an eng. dealer in mass. ,the eng . came i was happy to have the eng. and get it ready to put in the boat ,i took the crate apart an started to look at the eng. and it was made in 2006. so i called them up and he sad yes it is an older eng. but it is still new never used, i sad but it is 5yr old you can not sell it as new anymore. he gave me a song and a dance.i just would like to know what i should do with this crap thanks mike

Is it a brand new engine, or a remanufactured engine? And really, what difference does it make when it was manufactured?
It's an engine, not a loaf of bread.

buyer beware. you gotta do your homework with serial numbers before you buy it. an 06 502 block is nice to have, good for you.

502
 

it is a brand new eng.when you go to buy a new car(2011) and they come out with a 2006 model you would not be happy thanks mike

502
 

they did not give me #s when i order it they said it was a new eng. not a 2006 model

Mike,
An engine is not the same as a car. When GM builds a car, lets say a 2005 Tahoe, they also build a lot of extra parts for it, such as fenders, starters and yes engines. If your 2006 Tahoe needs a new starter in 2011 and you go to the Chevy dealer and buy one, it was probably made in 2005 but it is still a brand new part. Same deal with the fender and yes the engine. They dont go bad sitting there and its not like your boat cares what year the engine was manufactured.

Your engine is new and I see nothing wrong with it having been sold as such.

X2

Thus the loaf of bread comment.

It's a replacement part, not a 2011 car. Parts sit on a shelf until someone buys them, engines included.

I disagree somewhat. If its a remanufactured engine, and they used a 06' block in the recent rebuild...then fine. No problem. But if its actually a "brand new" engine...as in BRAND NEW...then I'd be suspicious also. You think those cylinder walls are still nice after sitting on the shelf for 5 years ? You think it didnt have some amount of condensation in it after 5 years ? Motors that arent at least turned over (rotated by hand) every so often, can take a "set" in certain areas. Valve springs can loose seat pressure from being left in one position for too long. There are numerous possibilities.

Again...if it is a recent "reman" motor...then I wouldnt worry about it at all. I also believe that finding an actual "BRAND NEW" motor from 06' would be RARE. I'm just going by what the OP stated. :drink:

Urban legend...

502
 

if i go to mercury an see a 2009(i have a 2006) eng it is sold as a leftover not new at a lower price not full price.i am paying 2011 price for something made in 2006 ???? the eng is about 700 dollars less in 2006

502
 

my boat does not know its a 2006 but my bank book does:drink:

who's to say the dealer even knew when it was built ? could have come from GM's warehouse a few years old...not uncommon..your receipt is your new as of date..

Sorry, this is not an urban legend. I did read in one of Bob Teague's tech articles the same as tinman has described. Bob Teague could be described as a "suburban legend".
(He is from the city)

Well, if you read it in a magazine, it must be true.

You guys had better start backing off your rockers for winter storage... Because if you've gotta replace your valve springs at some point, becuse they sat too long in one position... You may wind up getting a set that's been sitting on the shelf for a couple years... Then what?? :eek:

I own a transmission shop and I have bought many parts from the dealer that are dated 5, 6 even 10 years ago, same way with snowmobile replacement parts. I am under the understanding that gm quit casting the gen 6 502/454 blocks some time ago so it wouldn't surprise me that it is dated 06, just run it, Smitty

Lets go with your theory...so if YOU wrote it on here it must be true ? lol. Many reputable engine builders have said/written articles about this. I guess they all must be wrong. A spring is basically a wound wire with a certain tensile strength. Due to the constant load/unload (and a few other factors), they wear out (loose seat pressure). The same thing happens when you compress a spring and hold it in that position (loaded) for long periods of time. I'm not talking weeks....I'm saying a considerable amount of time. Everytime you fire that motor...you are essentially weakening that spring. Then you say its ok to compress it for a long period of time ? You probably dont unload (back off) your expensive torque wrench when your done with it either huh ?
Lastly, the springs sitting on the self are in a neutral state...as in unloaded...not compressed...not squeezed...get it ? You better do some real research sir. :lolhit:

Actually, my "real" reserach has been done... on a daily basis over the last 28 years... in my shop, with my Rimac valve spring tester, during the course of building and rebuilding hundreds and hundreds of engines... thus the basis for my statements. You see, unlike yours, my research dosen't consist of reading magazine articles by other engine builders. Thanks for the schooling on valve springs though...

And yeah, I get the part about new valve springs sitting on the shelf being "not squeezed". My reference was to the mindset here that parts, valve springs or otherwise, that have been sitting on the shelf for any period of time are somehow no good... get it?

I'll leave you guys alone now, so as to not get any further off track here... :drink:

Oh..I get it alright. I respect your research on real motors over the years. I myself have changed a valve spring or two. You see...I own and race a '65 GTO that makes 1400hp. Its also STREET DRIVEN. So, I'm well aware of the lifespan of valve springs. I've also built dozens and dozens of stock...to wicked fast motors. What I'm getting at is....your not talking to some retard thats never turned a wrench. I'm smart enough to know that I'm not Grumpy Jenkins...but I'm also confident in my abilities because of the research and experiences I've had over the years. The original poster stated that the motor was brand new. Lets say that he did find an original...never been fired motor from '06. My point was that if its been sitting on the shelf...untouched for 5 years, then I'd be suspicious of some of the internals. And yes...you are definately correct about some parts sitting on shelves for years with no problem. Compressed valve springs are not one of them.
So...whats the name of your shop ? Or your name ? Wheres it located ? You might drum up some business. :rolleyes:

I can say I know of Cubic Inches and he is the real deal, I wouldn't question that.

A compressed spring, left compressed for years will lose some of it's pressure. It may not be enough to amount to anything noticeable but it will absolutely happen. It is physics, opinions don't matter.

I've purchased four crate engines form a "dealer in Mass" this year, 3 big blocks were dated 2011. There isn't a ton of stock on the 502 marine crates right now so they probably had to find one somewhere else. I can understand how you'd feel at first glance finding it's an '06 but as others have stated it's really not a big deal. The only downside for some is that it probably doesn't have a mechanical fuel pump boss like the new ones do. Other then that the materials and technology have not changed so there is no difference in value to a new one. The Merc package you referenced that is a few years old has older technology, programming, calibration, external parts, etc.

For all the valve spring guys.. Do you know how much the valve spring on a 502 is compressed with that tiny cam and a lifter that has its plunger fully depressed?..
Bob Teague also says that synthetic oil is too slippery..
I have witnessed and tested with my Rimac the same results as cubicinches. Although not for as many years and as many engines.. :ernaehrung004:

That Bob teague thing about oil being too slippery for roller cams came to mind when I was reading this too, I do agree that a valve spring can lose some seat pressure from sitting in the open position for too long but knowing how low the valve lift on a 502 crate engine is too I would not worry about it. I used to crank my motor over once a month in the winter but I quit doing it because I think its harder on my motor to keep cranking it in the cold (wash down) than just leaving it alone, yeah I could disable the fuel pump but it hasn't made any difference with my .610 lift cam I am running. Now, if I had a 1400 hp all out race engine with a .800 plus roller cam, I WOULD be backing the rockers off it was going to sit too long, Smitty

What causes a valve spring to weaken is fatigue from reapeated cycling over and over again from heat and compressing, not sitting in one position.

Building a street engine for a GTO does not make a person an expert in metallurgy.

Put the engine in and run it

:cuqui:If you could comprehend (that means understand) my previous posts...I said that there were other factors involved in spring fatigue. My whole point to this was that if he did find a "new" motor from '06...that I would be suspicious, and look very closely at all the internals on a motor thats been sitting in a warehouse for 5 years.

And no where did I state I was a metallurgist...lol. I happen to be a skilled trades tool & die welder at GM...so I have a LITTLE experience with tool steels. Thanks for your input tho. :op: