For some truck owners, scrapping their old vehicle is simply out of the question, and they will instead invest in a new engine to get their pride and joy back on the road. If you’re that person, you’ve no doubt come across two kinds of engines—crate engines and rebuilt engines—and have wondered if there is a difference between them. Here’s what you need to know.

Crate vs. Rebuilt

As you might have guessed, the difference between crate engines and rebuilt engines is that crate engines are brand new and “right out the box,” so you don’t have to worry about any used parts. Rebuilt engines, on the other hand, are repaired and maintained to be as close to new as possible. A lot of the parts are used or replaced, but a professionally rebuilt engine still performs well.

The 6.7 Powerstroke complete engine is the latest on the market, and it’s easy to find new engines in stock. Finding an old 7.3 model is much more difficult because manufacturers no longer produce it. As a result, most 7.3’s you see for sale are older engines that have been rebuilt.

Estimating Costs

Because it’s brand new, a crate engine is naturally more expensive than a rebuilt engine. This makes rebuilt engines a good choice for truck owners on a budget. Keep in mind that a rebuilt engine doesn’t have the fresh start of a crate engine.

When an engine fails, many of its components are still perfectly useful, which essentially makes them “free” parts for rebuilt engines and allows the seller to cut down the price.

Warranty and Performance

Naturally, many people are wary of rebuilt and recycled products because there may be hidden issues that aren’t immediately apparent. Rebuilt engines meet high-quality standards before they can be resold. To further reassure truck owners, rebuilt engines often come with extended warranties that cover you should anything happen to the engine. Crate engines, on the other hand, have the benefit of performing at a higher quality simply because the parts are brand new and the machinery hasn’t endured any wear and tear whatsoever.