When purchasing used truck engines, there are a few key things to consider, ensuring you get a reliable engine that will serve your truck well.
The most crucial factor is the engine’s overall condition – examine mileage, how complete the engine is, signs of damage or wear and tear, and ask your breaker how the engine has been stored and what restoration has been done.
Mileage matters
When evaluating used truck engines, mileage is an important indicator of how much use the engine has seen and how much life it likely has left.
Lower mileage complete truck engines under 500,000 miles generally represent a better value. They have plenty of useful life before needing significant repairs or overhauls. Engines with 500,000+ miles can operate reliably for a time but have higher risks of requiring repairs and rebuilds sooner.
Level of completeness
You want to purchase a fully complete used truck engine, so the engine block, heads, turbo, injectors, valves, pistons, oil pump and pan, front cover and seal, throttle body, harness, and sensors are all still installed.
Complete engines save you money versus buying engine parts separately. Incomplete engines or those missing significant parts like turbos trade at significant discounts, especially if the missing parts are expensive.
Signs of wear and damage
Carefully inspect used truck engines before purchase. Some things to look out for include:
- Fluid leaks around seals, gaskets, hoses, etc (when attached).
- Cracks or damage to engine blocks, oil pans, cylinder heads, etc.
- Rust or corrosion build-up around vital components.
- Excess noise, black smoke or blowby during test operation and turnover can signal internal issues.
Note that a low-mile engine can still have problems if poorly maintained.
Changing truck engine types
Used truck engines are sometimes swapped out with a different make or model than what came stock. Pay attention to compatibility. The replacement engine must have the same style input shaft to bolt to the existing manual or automatic transmission.
Other considerations include ensuring it fits appropriately into the engine bay and correctly configuring the electronics, cooling lines and exhaust hookups. Consult a commercial truck mechanic if you need more clarification.
Do you need more parts?
If you need other parts like single and twin-line wet kits, truck gearboxes or electronics, it’s worth asking your breaker for a discount – especially if you have previous business.
Our quality used truck engines
Here at MW Truck Parts, we specialise in premium quality used engines for commercial trucks, including popular makes like:
- Cummins CT Engine 6 Cylinder Turbo: The cornerstone of many medium-duty trucks, thanks to its durability, efficiency, and reliability.
- DAF FA 45 6 Cyl Engine: A fuel-efficient Euro engine option for regional delivery trucks and vocational use.
- ERF Cummins M11 Engine: A versatile 10.8-litre workhorse powerplant used across dump trucks, mixers, and other heavy-duty trucks.
We securely store our complete truck engines in our climate-controlled warehouse on specialised pallet racking. All our engines come with guarantees and can be tailored to your repair or upgrade needs.
