I purchased a Chevy 350 engine from Chris at Five Star Engine Exchange on April 24. I had problems with the oil pump when I first started the engine up.
Chris sent me a new oil pump but I had to remove the engine from my G20 van to install the pump. Getting it back together the pump still put out almost 60 psi.
I decided to run the engine as it was and it did run without any problems. I gave it the proper break in and have changed the oil and filter every 3000 miles.
Sometime during 2005 I received an email from a stranger who had also bought an engine from Chris. His question to me was...'Have I had any problem with my engine?' He said there were a number of people (including him) who had serious problems with their Five Star engines. My reply was...'No, no problems but I only have 5000 miles on mine at the time.'
It has been 3 years since I bought this engine and I have 15,000 miles on it as of today.
Three weeks back, suddenly the engine developed a severe knocking. I took it to a mechanic and he listened to it and told me that I have bad inserts. I drove the van home and removed the engine.
I disassembled the entire engine and it looked very clean inside. Until I got to the crankshaft and rod bearings that is. All of the bearings were worn through the second layer of metal (copper) except for cylinder #5.
On cylinder #5 the piston pin was almost stuck in the piston. The big end bearing had worn through the first silver layer, then worn through the copper layer, and finally had worn half way through the base metal layer of the insert.
This is what was making the knock.
I am not complaining with hopes of having this made good. The warranty was for 12 months which is long gone, and I do have 15,000 miles on the engine.
What I am complaining about is the fact this engine is worn out at 15K miles and I have taken very good care of it.
A Chevrolet engine will run many, many more thousands of miles before the inserts get in the condition that mine are in after only 15,000. So there is my complaint.
I cannot hold Five Star responsible for this, but I will say that I believe they are building and selling engines that are going to fail quickly and my advice to anyone considering a purchase from them is that they would be well served if they gave it some serious thought before plunking down the cash.
Of course if you are the type of person who likes working on engines, then such a purchase may be just what you are looking for. I think this one will give you all the exercise you will want spinning wrenches.
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