hey guys - i was wondering what is the difference in reconditioning or rebuilding an engine

I would normally say that there is no difference....

..but if you want to split hairs, I would expect a reconditioned engine to have been rebuilt using some new and some secondhand parts, but built to factory specs.

A rebuilt might just be slapped back together having fixed whatever part caused it to need to be pulled apart....

but as I said initially - I don't believe that there is any real difference, I have heard the both the terms used refering to the same engine.

R
nn[ Edited on 1-9-2005 by ratty 63 ]

^ what he said. It is really just semantics. What you really want to know is what specific work is being done and what parts are new. Like new Pistons/cylinders, journals ground, new oil pump etc. It's such a general kind of term it really can mean anything. Some dodgy mechanic can run some dodgy snake oil engine revitalizer through an engine or soemthing and say it is reconditioned engine.

Then there is also the term "remanufactured" used in engine building etc.