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Believe it or not, there is a difference between refurbished, rebuilt, and remanufactured parts when talking about diesel truck engines.
Although these terms are used loosely and often interchanged in the industry, there is a difference. This article is geared towards helping you understand, and ultimately be able to differentiate between these three terms.
Let’s help get you up to speed on what each term means and how they can be applied when talking about diesel and diesel engine components.
Should I Buy Refurbished, Reman, or Rebuilt Diesel Parts?
Refurbished Diesel Engines
Refurbished is a word that is not often used in the diesel engine or automotive industry in general for that matter.
A manufacturer will take a product that has been returned, often marked as “defective”, and replace only the failed components on it.
The said product is then turned around and sold as refurbished. Most times, consumer electronics that were once defective, and have since been repaired will be sold as a refurbished product.
For the customer, this means a chance to save some of their hard-earned money. Initially, this may sound like a good idea but take into account that the majority of components in the product are still very much used and are that much more prone to failure.
We here at Highway & Heavy Parts know that a refurbished product is still very much a worn piece, and try to stay away from them.
Rebuilt Diesel Engines
A rebuilt part, on the other hand, can help you extend the lifespan of a certain component. The rebuilding process means taking something with excessive wear and putting it back together to stock specifications.
For example, a cylinder head has many moving parts such as valve springs, camshafts, rocker arms, etc. After putting hundreds of thousands of miles on your diesel engine, these parts will begin to wear out.
By taking the head apart, each component can be closely inspected and replaced as needed. Now you have a new engine head that is within the manufacturer's specifications without having to shell out incredible amounts of money on a new one.
In theory, horsepower, torque, and fuel economy should improve by rebuilding a part such as a cylinder head.
Remanufactured Diesel Engines
Out of the three terms mentioned in this post, getting a remanufactured part is the one to go for, and here is why.
When we say a part is remanufactured, we mean that each component is replaced to give you a final product that meets or exceeds the manufacturer's original specifications.
A worn-out cylinder head, for example, will be torn down and the only part that will end up being reused is the casting itself. Valves, guides, retainers, etc., will all be replaced so that you essentially end up getting a brand new head at a fraction of the price that an original one would cost.
Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. In some cases, donor parts are worn down to the point where they cannot be reused. If a head has a crack or is warped, we won’t end up using it. Highway & Heavy Parts will not sell you something that we wouldn’t use ourselves.
What Condition Fuel Injectors Should I Buy?
Fuel injectors are incredibly expensive to buy new. It’s one of the main reasons why customers opt-out of a remanufactured injector when possible.
Most injectors in modern trucks are electronically controlled. While this may do wonders for fuel economy, they can be more prone to failure. Luckily, there are rebuild kits out there that will solve minor fuel injector issues.
However, in severe cases, the injectors will have to be taken to someone that specializes in rebuilding them. We have a more in-depth article about fuel injectors and how they are remanufactured here!
Should I Get A Rebuilt or Remanufactured Cylinder Head?
Cylinder Heads, much like fuel injectors, can be very expensive if bought new. In most cases, a rebuilt head will perform just as well as a new one.
As with any parts, we inspect every donor head closely for cracks or unusual signs of wear before giving it the green light. If needed any cracks will be welded before going on to the next step of rebuilding the cylinder head.
A rebuilt cylinder head is the cheapest of the two options, but it is not without its drawbacks. It may last another million miles or one hundred thousand miles. At the end of the day, it is still a used part that is prone to failure.
To get the most out of a cylinder head (especially will extremely worn examples), we recommend getting a remanufactured head as opposed to a rebuilt one.
Summary Of Diesel Engine Conditions
In an industry as competitive as this, the three terms mentioned today are used quite loosely. Oftentimes, it is used as a tactic to confuse and even deceive customers into thinking they are getting a certain quality product.
The good news is that Highway & Heavy Parts is committed to being as transparent as possible to help you better understand what you are buying.
Not matter if you need a new, rebuilt, remanufactured part, we are here to help. The replacement parts we use are sourced from reputable OEM suppliers that will help ensure your truck will last for years to come!
Our expert staff is standing by ready to answer any questions you might have about cylinder heads, fuel injectors, or just about any other questions about diesel engine parts. Give us a call at 844-307-7688 or request a quote online today.
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