Quote Originally Posted by Alk-3 View Post
I will be using a newly rebuilt series 3 transmission. I am aware of the pitfalls of swapping motors, and also very aware of a rebuilt engine that isn't done as well as it could have been. I know the cost for rebuilding an om617 is very high, but i would never rebuild one, because i can get one at (nearly) every wrecking yard on earth. There are many stories of newly rebuilt engines failing quickly, so that's not exactly insurance....
Thats typical of anything new, not just rebuilt engines. Initial usage exposes flaws in components that exist from manufacturing or assembly errors. After that you typically get a troublefree time period and then finally you reach the timeperiod of failures due to wear and simply the life cycle of the components. Its a "U" shaped failure rate. Junkyard engines are almost always much closer to the right side of the "U". The last owner probably knew that and probably treated them accordingly too.