Who re-manufactures the engines that LKQ sells?

[mrsilv04]

Looking at a remanufactured engine through LKQ (that's who my mechanic uses as a supplier).

Who remanufactures the engines that LKQ is selling? It comes with a 3 year, unlimited miles warranty, covering parts and labor (Labor reimbursed at $50 per hour at Mitchell rates). A warranty that covers more ($95 per hour labor allowance, towing, rental car, etc) is available at extra cost, less than $200.

LKQ requires that a mechanic check the engine at 600 miles, along with an oil change.

A Google search makes it look like that ATK might be the remanufacturer... but not sure. Anyone know for sure, and any past experience?

 

[Trav]

It looks like ATK but I have no idea. What kind of engine are you looking for? Many times a brand new crate engine is cheaper depending on the vehicle.
A few years ago I got 2 LS6 engines for 10K for the pair, these were ready to run engines everything including inc the clutch.

 

[2010Civic]

Just bought an engine from a 2011 Civic for my 2008 Civic with 10k fewer miles for only $400. (The PO ran it out of oil...) Got it from a local salvage yard. Hard to beat that.

 

[zzyzzx]

I would be curious as to if ATK even rebuilds engine in the US.

 

[FastLane]

There have been so many sketchy engine rebuild companies over the years. Just the thought of buying one would make me feel nauseous.

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Looking at a remanufactured engine through LKQ (that's who my mechanic uses as a supplier).

Who remanufactures the engines that LKQ is selling? It comes with a 3 year, unlimited miles warranty, covering parts and labor (Labor reimbursed at $50 per hour at Mitchell rates). A warranty that covers more ($95 per hour labor allowance, towing, rental car, etc) is available at extra cost, less than $200.

LKQ requires that a mechanic check the engine at 600 miles, along with an oil change.

A Google search makes it look like that ATK might be the remanufacturer... but not sure. Anyone know for sure, and any past experience?


ATK does indeed do the work- LKQ bought them a few years ago. In my personal experience they are complete and total JUNK that I avoid like a drug addicted, disease ridden prostitute with the plague! I have several pictures or their handy work, as well as more than one tale (from different installers) to back my own personal experiences. That being said- they do get it right from time to time.



Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
I would be curious as to if ATK even rebuilds engine in the US.



While I can't speak for all their work, I know that some of it does in fact come from Mexico.

 

[Merkava_4]

Engine Parts Warehouse is the source my machinist friend uses.

And you don't have to deal with acronyms like LKQ and ATK.

 

[nthach]

If the LKQ reman transfer case in my friend's Tahoe is leaking like a sieve, I don't wanna know how their engines are.

LKQ does a lot of work with body shops since many won't or don't cover OEM parts under certain conditions. It's another profit center for them.

 

[mrsilv04]

Since a Jasper came in at only $185 more than whatever it would be from LKQ.... I'm going with Jasper. So glad that I asked them to work me a quote for a Jasper as well.

Plus, the Jasper has a warranty that can be transferred to the next owner. To me, there's some additional value there.

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Since a Jasper came in at only $185 more than whatever it would be from LKQ.... I'm going with Jasper. So glad that I asked them to work me a quote for a Jasper as well.

Plus, the Jasper has a warranty that can be transferred to the next owner. To me, there's some additional value there.


I know there are those out there who have bad experiences with Jasper- but in my experience, they are a company that wants to put out a solid product- if only so they don't have to warranty it (which they monitor VERY closely). I've seen enough of their update fliers to know that they take a systematic look at an assembly (engine, trans, diff, etc) and will create new parts if necessary to solve a known problem.

Lastly- of course any product is only as good as their reps... Ours is great, so with their seemingly solid products, I place a large amount of confidence in them.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: FastLane
There have been so many sketchy engine rebuild companies over the years. Just the thought of buying one would make me feel nauseous.


I don't use them, I either rebuild it myself or go new crate. In either case I know its a good engine. I only do this for myself mostly these days, I'm getting on a bit and don't do much heavy stuff as I use to.

 

[ecotourist]

Why not a used engine?

My only experience with a reman (my old car that my BIL had the engine reman'd - or bought a reman - it was never clear which) was not that great. It had low oil pressure from the start (less than 1/4 way on the gauge at highway speed, vs over half before the reman) though obviously enough to get it out the door.

No doubt you'd want to check for sludge and get the compression checked, but a modern engine with today's lubricants should go a very long time. I have to believe that many cars are parted out with good running engines. An engine with 100,000 miles today is still in its prime.

 

[JustinH]

LKQ sells very good used engines. You can put a warranty on their used engines also.

I used to sell them years ago. We would put the low mileage 4.6L explorer engines into Tbirds, Mustangs, etc.

Used to pay like $900 shipped for a explorer engine with like 1k miles on it.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: ecotourist
Why not a used engine?

My only experience with a reman (my old car that my BIL had the engine reman'd - or bought a reman - it was never clear which) was not that great. It had low oil pressure from the start (less than 1/4 way on the gauge at highway speed, vs over half before the reman) though obviously enough to get it out the door.

No doubt you'd want to check for sludge and get the compression checked, but a modern engine with today's lubricants should go a very long time. I have to believe that many cars are parted out with good running engines. An engine with 100,000 miles today is still in its prime.


Like anything else there is no 100% correct answer. I wouldn't rebuild every engine especially the ones I am not familiar with, I don't need the learning curve at this point but the ones I know (that's quite a few of them) its easier for me to freshen them up than take a chance on the unknown of a used one.
Putting a used engine in is like marring a girl you met in the bar last night, it might look and run okay but that's all you know. If you know the car the engine came out of and the low miles are real and maybe some sort of service history from OCI stickers on the inside of the door you have a better chance and a longer lasting relationship.

I have nothing against using a used engine if its a verifiable quality piece and not just some refugee from a bone yard with a price tag on it unless I am using it as a core which is often the case with some old engines. I don't expect to get a perfectly good running and tight Buick Nail head or old 392 Chrysler Hemi from the yard, your buying a core to rebuild. I have bought both these engines from the yard.

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: JustinH
LKQ sells very good used engines. You can put a warranty on their used engines also.

I used to sell them years ago. We would put the low mileage 4.6L explorer engines into Tbirds, Mustangs, etc.

Used to pay like $900 shipped for a explorer engine with like 1k miles on it.


Correct- in many (most?) cases, they run them to verify condition. Also with transmissions, they'll dyno them prior to shipping. At least that's what they told me a long time ago when I was looking for a transmission.

 

[Trav]

I will take your for it, I never used them. I do know they took over a average late model yard and started playing stupid pricing tricks, 50% of retail abd that sort of stuff which in many case more expensive than new OE from the dealer with a garage discount. I never bothered with them after a few phone calls. I can tell you one thing for sure, these guys are not dynoing anything, they sell anything that comes in that runs as tested good.

Check out the reviews of LKQ ABC leominster.

LKQ

 

[The_Eric]

Oh I agree- their prices are too high. I was just pricing transmissions for some job a long time ago- before I started this shop because a customer wanted a price on a used one. That was their sales pitch, dunno if it was a lie or half truth or what.

 

[Trav]

It seems they buy existing larger yards and rename them so I can imagine some are better than others, it sounds like some sort of franchise operation?

 

[01rangerxl]

We use LKQ/Keystone a lot at work. Mostly for collision parts, but also for powertrain components.

I have never bought any of their reman stuff though; not due to reputation, just that used or a GM reman/new wins out for one reason or another. Sometimes they have great deals on certain engines if they have a lot of them that are already built and ready to ship.

Their used parts are just that, so quality varies. They can't fully test everything, if they do at all. It took a distributor and some other odds and ends to get a 4.3L running right in a 2000ish Blazer. Also got a 4.7L for a Grand Cherokee that ran about as bad as the engine it replaced (bottom end noise). And the cheapest available used 4L60E in one of the GMT800 work trucks we have is sloppy as [censored], but does shift (eventually) unlike the one it replaced. They do honor their warranties, but used parts are always a [censored] and you can't really get your time back from dealing with duds.

That said, the GM reman engines I have bought at work are hit and miss too. I recently bought a 5.3L for an early 2000s Tahoe that ended up needing lifters and head gaskets...that was nice. It was warranty, but again, no problems is always better.

With GM "Service new" is ideal if available. Sometimes the price isn't that bad.

 

[Trav]

Right now I can get a brand new GM 350 250HP 4 bolt main long block with valve and timing covers delivered on the door for $1300 from a dealer friend of mine. Non GM remans are costing more not including delivery.