If you find yourself in a situation where you need to replace the diesel engine in your truck, it is crucial to find a replacement in your budget and is the right engine for your make and model truck. One thing you may want to consider is replacing the old engine with a remanufactured diesel engine, which can save you a significant amount of money.
Remanufactured Engines
The term remanufactured is often confusing, but a remanufactured engine is not that much different from a new one. The remanufactured engine often starts as an engine with a flawed part in it and was returned to the engine assembler. The part that is faulty is replaced, along with any other elements that have wear on them, then the engine is put back together and can be sold as a remanufactured unit.
In diesel engines, wear is a far smaller problem than in gas engines, and the engine is built with some of that in mind. The cylinders in a diesel engine often have leaves in them that wear, instead of the piston riding directly on the cylinder walls like in most gas engines. Remanufacturers often remove the old sleeves and install new ones, then replace all the bearings, seals, and other components that need it, creating a nearly new engine.
Rebuilding the Existing Engine
If the engine in your truck has a good engine block and good cylinder heads on it, it might be a good candidate for rebuilding. Rebuilt diesel engines are not much different from a remanufactured engine, except that rebuilt diesel engines start with your block and your parts.
Instead of buying an engine that is all assembled, you only need the parts to go into the engine, so the cost of rebuilt diesel engines is often far cheaper than buying a completely remanufactured engine.
If your truck came with a common engine, you might want to look around for powerstroke engines for sale or a similar model to fit your particular truck. Sometimes someone will buy a remanufactured engine and not use it after all. If you find one like this, you can often buy the remanufactured engine for far cheaper than if you purchase it from the manufacturer.
New Engines
If you want to spend the money on a new diesel engine, you can buy one from the dealer or through a reseller, and you may get a ninety-day warranty with it. Still, you are going to pay more for the engine, and you may not find any added value in a new diesel engine over remanufactured diesel engines.