When replacing an engine, you have a few options. Two of those options are long blocks and crate engines. Here are the differences between the two.
The first thing you should know about crate engines is that most manufacturers offer a variety of options to best suit the needs of their customers. You might think of a crate engine as a complete engine assembly received from an automaker ready to install in an engine bay and start up after adding coolant and oil.
In reality, the thing that makes them « crate engines » is that they arrive at the customer’s location in wooden shipping crates. Other than that, crate engines come from various sources including automakers, engine remanufacturing companies, and custom engine builders using proprietary castings created in their factories.