what is a fair price to have an engine rebuild?

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so, got the quote back from the machine shop,

machine work:
therma clean,
magnaflux,
bore 0.030 over,
torque caps and hone,

new bearings all around,
new stroker crank,
new pistons,
reconditioned heads,
new comp 20-224-4 cam

balance the whole deal (including damper and flexplate)
final assembly into a longblock
compression between 9.7-1 and 10.6-1 (my call)

$2800.00


use brand new rods instead of reconditioned ones, ad 400

projected HP output, 425-450 HP through a 750 CFM carb (now running a 600)
 
:happy1:

So we're likely talking a basic 9.5-10.5:1 408 shortblock with hyper pistons, a Comp 274XE grind (installed, but dunno if degreed), with all stock hardware, and what kinda heads, again?

Watching...wanna see how this is gonna turn out...
 
2800 bucks in labor and you supply the parts is a great deal.
 
txstang84 said:
:happy1:

So we're likely talking a basic 9.5-10.5:1 408 shortblock with hyper pistons, a Comp 274XE grind (installed, but dunno if degreed), with all stock hardware, and what kinda heads, again?

Watching...wanna see how this is gonna turn out...
Click to expand...

75 J casting heads
I don't know for sure what valves, but I would imagine they are 1.88s
they were gone over last winter (less the 1000 miles ago)
stock castings though, no port work, bowling or other stuff I don't know about done

fishmens67 said:
2800 bucks in labor and you supply the parts is a great deal.
Click to expand...

parts are included in the 2800 (cam, crank pistons and miscellaneous bearings, gaskets and what have you)

ill most likely fork out another 400 for new connecting rods (after all, I do think the knock in the engine is caused by a faulty rod)
and another 100 or so for dual valve springs since the ones I have now wont match the cam the want to put in (0.050 shy of binding on top lift the guy from comp cams said)
 

I agree with fishmens67 that $2800 is a great deal, because the stroker parts themselves (let's assume just the crank and pistons) is easily worth $800--and that's on the cheap end. Bearings, rings, springs, seals, gaskets, oil pump, etc, are bound to be ~ $500 (again, on the lower 1/3 of the spectrum), so you're paying $1300 for block work, balancing, and recon'ing the heads...that's not bad by what I recall paying for machining. Definitely sounds like a budget 408 build.

As far as the rods, even if the knock is coming from a rod, it's typically a bearing which will be fixed by resizing and indexing the rod...unless the rod fasteners were loose and you were running it that way (I've seen that done...). That being said, $400 for new rods would be a worthwhile investment.

On the springs, if you buy the ones Comp recommends (995-16), they're $102 from Summit...retainers and locks will easily be another $65 or so. TFS probably sells the same springs for a few dollars less as PAC supplies parts for both of them. Now, installing those parts will be part of the recon'ing of the heads since they'll probably have to shim them for proper installed height and seat pressure.

OK, getting back to the heads...'75 J heads...unless they've been cut in the past, yeah, they'll have 1.88/1.60 valves...larger chambers (anywhere from 70-73cc if memory serves) and that's as cast...once you cut the seats and grind the valves, they'll sink in the heads...that increases the volume of the chamber and dampens flow off the seats. You can regain some of that flow by having a good 3 angle valve job and backcutting the valves themselves to get rid of the ridge on the valve. And since your cam doesn't even break .500" lift, a 30* cut on the seats and on the back of the valve would regain any lost cfm especially at low lifts (less than .350"). If you wanted to up the ante, have them install new valves. I think you can buy a full set of 1 pc stainless valves for about $120 if you want to save a few bucks...and the 2.02" intakes would regain any lost intake flow from the seat work. Furthermore, a little bit of guide shaping and bowl blending and with that 3 angle valve job could easily gain you up to 15-20 cfm peak flow and more under the curve. All that equals a broader and stronger powerband.

JMO...
 
Have you determined what's wrong with your present engine?
 
RustyRatRod said:
Have you determined what's wrong with your present engine?
Click to expand...

no, I haven't (which is also the main hold up on pulling the trigger on the 408 )
I got a 5 year old and a 19 month old here at home I stay home and watch when shes at work so I haven't had a chance to get out and work on it yet

im hoping to pull the engine tomorrow so I can remove the pan and inspect the innards
if it turns out to be something silly like a loose bolt or two ill toss her back in next weekend and if it is something more serious that would warrant a rebuild at least I got it out already
 
I could show you the receipts for my 408. With machine work, parts, aluminum heads, etc .... it came to almost $10K. A light rebuild on a 360 for $1900 seems very reasonable to me. Hell, I'm looking at stroking a 440 right now and the stroker kit alone is $2400.
 
Mopar to ya said:
I could show you the receipts for my 408. With machine work, parts, aluminum heads, etc .... it came to almost $10K. A light rebuild on a 360 for $1900 seems very reasonable to me. Hell, I'm looking at stroking a 440 right now and the stroker kit alone is $2400.
Click to expand...

SMH...for your Ramcharger? Damn bro--is the 440 not gonna be enough engine?
 
I want to stroke it, but the fact is the money isn't there. Unless my 98 Ram sells. It's likely going to be just stock rebuild with an intake, cam and better carb. I'll port the heads and intake myself. Hate to go cheap, but it is what it is. Maybe I'll stroke it in a year or two.
 
diymirage said:
I was just on their website and I liked the 520-520 numbers they where throwing around
I didn't see a price list though

Are they located in Michigan ?
(I'm in holland)

Haven't you read Mike's posts on the site here? Yes, he is in Chesaning.

3500 for a blue print engine sounds good, any idea what is all included with that setup?

I would research Blueprint very carefully, most commentary I have seen about them is very negative. Buyer beware!
Click to expand...

diymirage said:
I like the idea of the bleu print engines actually being dynoed (not sure if MRL will too?)


Yes.
Click to expand...
..
 
im tempted to go with the 3200 dollar stroker rebuild that is local to me, but I will give Mike a call tomorrow (or when ever I know more about what is actually ailing the engine)

the shop local to me "could" dyno it BUT that isn't included in the pricetag

just having them be local is a huge plus though since Im almost certain that wherever I will take it I will have to take the kids along
 
diymirage said:
machine work:
therma clean,
magnaflux,
bore 0.030 over,
torque caps and hone,
Comparing to my builds - You're missing a few things. Can they sonic test? Fit main studs? Align hone main bores? Square deck the block? Hone with torque plates? Deburr block? perform any oil system mods (drainback, enlarging feeds, etc)?

new bearings all around,
new stroker crank,
new pistons,
reconditioned heads,
new comp 20-224-4 cam
Again missing: block hardware, whose crank and cast or forged, rings, gasket set, windage tray

balance the whole deal (including damper and flexplate)
final assembly into a longblock
compression between 9.7-1 and 10.6-1 (my call)

$2800.00


use brand new rods instead of reconditioned ones, ad 400

projected HP output, 425-450 HP through a 750 CFM carb (now running a 600)
Click to expand...

In my opinion, that is a budget build. If that's what you're looking for that's fine. Just be aware that if your egnine is different, comparing it's output or performance to a nicer piece is pointless. It should make your numbers - but so should a well built 360.
 
Mopar to ya said:
I could show you the receipts for my 408. With machine work, parts, aluminum heads, etc .... it came to almost $10K. A light rebuild on a 360 for $1900 seems very reasonable to me. Hell, I'm looking at stroking a 440 right now and the stroker kit alone is $2400.
Click to expand...

$10K ? I just don't understand that much money for a 408. I guess it is reasonable. It boggles my mind that Mopar costs so much more. That guy that talked smack to Mr. Liston wasn't completely off base. I have paid big bucks for a motor before. The competition gets 700 horsepower and 700 ft pounds of torque for that kind of money:

CHEVY 572 CRATE MOTOR, DART BLOCK, AFR HEADS, HYD. CAM. 745 HP Price:$9,585.00
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHEVY-BBC-5...-HP-/371022915284?hash=item5662b066d4&vxp=mtr

557 BBF 460 stroker long block 753HP & 762TQ US $8,995.00
http://www.ebay.com/itm/557-BBF-460...2TQ-/320900018575?hash=item4ab721b18f&vxp=mtr

FORD 427 WINDSOR - 595 HORSE STROKER CRATE ENGINE Price: US $9,090.00
http://www.ebay.com/itm/FORD-427-WI...408-/181801211543?hash=item2a54325697&vxp=mtr
 
Chevy and Mopar solds millions of cars, and rare is one of 3K. Mopar sold hundreds of thousands and rare is one of 20. Simple economics drive parts prices. We like cars that didn't sell as well.
 
I talked to Mike at MRL this morning and he should have a number by the weekend
I also talked to the guy local to me and to get a more honest comparison I asked him to add a 750 holley and some dyno tuning to the list which brought his total to just shy of 4300 (with new rods)
 
Check your flex plate to crank bolts. I thought I had a knock at idle turned out loose bolts.
 
Man, that still hurts to look at...but $4300 sounds more like it to be honest...does that price include some bigger valves and port work in those heads and a new intake to feed the extra cubes?
 
no port work or bigger valves included in the 4300, but it does include a slightly bigger cam

Mike does have some port work in his quote, but I haven't seen the total price tag yet
 
I'm sorry, I just don't see a quality smallblock stroker build for 4300
The builder would be push'n it to build the shortblock for 4300. IMO
 
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