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How much should a basic 340 rebuild cost?
- Thread starter BlueSwinger
- Start date
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Last time the OP was even on the site was 2011............................................
I remember back in the 80s you could do an actual decent rebuild for 2000-2500 bucks and that was parts and all machine work. Those days are gone never to return. Now, if you do everything machine wise the engine needs, you do good to get out 2500 bucks.....and that's at good deal prices. Then come the parts and the assembly cost, unless you assemble it yourself. So really, a basic rebuild nowadays if you cannot do any of it yourself is gonna reach out and probably touch the 5K mark.
Last time the OP was even on the site was 2011............................................
mopowers
Well-Known Member
I just had a block cleanded, magnufluxed, decks surfaced (squared), align bored, cyls bored and honed w/ torque plate for $715. Crank balance job was $275 and valve job was $280. Surfacing the heads was another $150. Just for the sake of recent data. This was in Sacramento CA.
Deltatech
Well-Known Member
I've been pricing parts for a 360 build and everything has gone up considerably from last years prices. Some have doubled.
For instance the same Forged pistons that I wanted were $400-$450 are now $650-$700.
So much so that it's got me considering a crate engine with a **** cam and heads....
I was a Chevy guy in the 80's, I didn't start on My own Mopar till 2018 because I couldn't afford one. So I don't and can't speak for Mopar guys back then.
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mopowers
Well-Known Member
Hellrats revived it recently and he's been checking in.Last time the OP was even on the site was 2011............................................
340six
King Of Bling
Well thanks guy's, I am suffering from an injury so can't do anything right now.
This thread offered everything entertainment wise.
Old zombie thread. Guy's upset things went up in price. Newbomb, and Official battling it out. DTM who chimed in with his $0.02, you can do a full rebuild with just rings and bearings. Guess you just need, a can of gunk, paint, gaskets, borrow a hone at AutoZone uncle Billy's drill and a new cam/lifters, and a carport. Driveways are cool to if ya wanted to go low bucks instead.
RRR even said dammit! I am staying out of this.
This thread offered everything entertainment wise.
Old zombie thread. Guy's upset things went up in price. Newbomb, and Official battling it out. DTM who chimed in with his $0.02, you can do a full rebuild with just rings and bearings. Guess you just need, a can of gunk, paint, gaskets, borrow a hone at AutoZone uncle Billy's drill and a new cam/lifters, and a carport. Driveways are cool to if ya wanted to go low bucks instead.
RRR even said dammit! I am staying out of this.
340six
King Of Bling
I have a receipt here from 1980 for $340ish for a 340 short block.
Clean block, bored, hone, grind crank 10/10 polish. Rebuild rods (rebush) complete assembled short block Included pistons, rings, bearings no cam or chain, no gaskets. Ran it till 1998.
The place was located close to the New Orleans Super Dome. Quality Rebore.
I bought some slightly used J Heads with new springs and fresh valve job from a guy named Steve that drag raced a Dart who worked at Riteway Piston in New Orleans(Rite way moved but still does work)
Knew him from weekend cruises at the New Orleans lake front and street racing.
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You're awful expensive or over paid or just flat out slow with no experience.
Did all that and more in an afternoon.
That's sad, I get along with both of them and in reality they're both smart fellas with allot to offer.
I'll tell you one thing as a small shop engine machinist.
Be thankful anyone wants to be a engine machinist.
As an engine machinist I can verify, it is a very underappreciated and underpaid job.
If I had to pay for any of my machine work with my wages I wouldn't be able to afford it.
I don't use the shop enough to call it a benefit either.
Be thankful anyone wants to be a engine machinist.
As an engine machinist I can verify, it is a very underappreciated and underpaid job.
If I had to pay for any of my machine work with my wages I wouldn't be able to afford it.
I don't use the shop enough to call it a benefit either.
Oldiron440
Big blocks rule small blocks drool!
40 years ago I saw a guy slam a sbc together with a 3/8” impact once and it even ran afterwards. It took him about four hours from pile of parts to running in the car. Every time he let go of the trigger he would say klick.. lol
74RRunner
Active Member
I got my engine back from the machine shop just about 10 months ago and still have the receipt.
Vat block: $167.50
Bore cylinders: $348
Check align bore: $75
Mock up block and crank: $85
Deck block: $225
Install cam bearings: $98
Grind crankshaft: $260
Balance engine: $395
Install pistons on rods: $94
Total: $1,747.50
I did the assembly myself.
Vat block: $167.50
Bore cylinders: $348
Check align bore: $75
Mock up block and crank: $85
Deck block: $225
Install cam bearings: $98
Grind crankshaft: $260
Balance engine: $395
Install pistons on rods: $94
Total: $1,747.50
I did the assembly myself.
Things have really went up since I last had a engine done back in the '90's. The machine shop we used would r&r the pistons for nothing as long as we bought the pistons from him.
$2500 in the good ol' days of 1985 is over 7500 in today's dollars, so a 5k rebuild isn't really a terrible deal.
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
Once upon a time Mopars were cheap no one wanted them.
Agreed. I'm surprised engine machine shops are still around...perhaps rates have caught up in the last few years but it was pretty competitive. I saw last night that the local low quality neighborhood chain automotive shop wants $155/hr and they probably do most jobs in half the allotted time so you are paying closer to $300/hr. A machine shops tooling is far more expensive than an auto repair shop.
jeff alder
Well-Known Member
We had a machine shop attached to Hamilton Brother's auto parts for as long as I could remember. Jerome Cotter would do engines, flywheels, rotors, rebuild any starter or alternator for anything the community needed. When the store closed due to Napa, O'reilly, and one other big box store and the internet Jerome retired. I went to his private shop to get a few things machined after he retired. WOW you should have seen the library of shop manuals and reference materials Jerome had in the shop. Shelf after shelf after shelf...literally hundreds of volumes. Jerome eventually went blind and his kids had nothing to do with his shop. I still miss Jerome to this day. He was top shelf.
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
Yeah I have a local guy about my age and I'm not sure when hell retire but these guys need to make a living to stay open. I had a set of heads done it was about $700 but they are good to go...they were just sitting around rusting.
NC Engine Builder
Grumpy Old Man
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It takes a minimum investment of 500k in used equipment to even get started in this field. Then the shop building, utilities ect. And you only get like $25 a hole to bore a block. It's not very lucrative.
We are in the throw away age. Perhaps it is already moving to our hobby. Unless you are willing to throw a lot of money at building an engine (and lots of us do, for now) throw in a new hemi with some bolt ons and if it craps out throw it out and get another one. Like a lot of things the repair labor makes it uneconomical to repair so you are only doing it for originality for those that care and can afford it.
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