Engine Machining Cost

[pware]

What is the average cost to have a block and head machined for a rebuild? I can figure the parts for the rebuild but i'm not sure about the machining process. While we are on the topic... where is a good place to buy a complete rebuild kit for a 69 Gt6?

 

[tdskip]

Cost will range depending on what needs to be done, but my very wild guess is between $400 - 650. Again, a wild guess.

Moss would be a good place to benchmark the parts, not the only choice but they should carry most if not all of what you need.

 

[DougF]

It also depends on your location and the shop. The shop that did my engine that I picked up in Feb.- March charged in the $1,100-$1,400 range. That would be for everything. But I bored the cylinders, shaved the head and had the motor balanced. The head was cc'; and the flywheel was lighten and balanced, etc. To have the crank turned was $100-$125. To bore cylinders was, I believe, about $40/hole. Several of the jobs performed were performance related, but could also be performed to a degree on a relatively stock engine.
The price is relative to what you need and want done and how much metal is machined away.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Fiquire in the SC/NC area here's run down on machining cost


Bore cylinders for oversized pistons aprox. 150.00 for 4cyl, a little more for 6 cylinder
Line bore/hone mains if needed aprox. 200.00
Deck head aprox. 50.00
Deck block aprox. 100.00
Size big end of connecting rods (big time important) aprox. 75-100
Resurface flywheel aprox.50.00
Grind and polish crankshaft aprox. 150.00 (if you anywhere near Spartanburg, SC I highly recommend Spartan Crankshaft, if near Charlotte, Carolina Machine also does a good job, aot of machine shops butcher this job, check with local racers to see where they go for crankshaft work, the number one reason crnakshaft crack is from a butchered grind job and grinder too lazy to put a good filet radius on the ends of the journal)
Install hardend exhaust seats in cylinder head aprox. 150.00
Casutic wash black and head aprox. 100.00

Then there's alway the little things you may feel more comfortable having a machine shop do for you, like if your engine has cam bearing removing and replacing them. Other things like magnfluxing internal engine parts, vlave job and head rebuilding, you want to take the high road here. Then if you are leaning towards a performance build, they is always balancing, I always get stuff zero balanced, meaning everything is done separately, anything other than that on inline motor is just laziness on the machinist's part.

Hope this helps.

 

[Brosky]

Hap,

Those prices are 1/2 to 1/3 of what it costs here in New England. Just goes to show you, regions make a difference.

 

[pware]

Thanks guys. Trying to work up my budget before turning the wrenches.

 

[DNK]

I'd spend the money and have Hap do it for you. Then buckle up and hold on!

 

[luke44]

Here were the prices from my TR3 engine build. Work was done in So Cal...

Machine shop

Mag and center grind crank .010 $135.00
Clean, mag and sandblast block $160.00
Replace cam bearings $65.00
Install guides and machine for seals $100.00
Install hardened seats $60.00
Clean, mag and surface head $85.00
Valve grind $200.00
Align hone block $125.00
Rebuild and resize rods equal length $120.00
Gap rings $40.00
Surface flywheel $42.00
Rocker arm bushings hone, re-surface rocker arm faces $135.00
Balance $ 140.00

 

[TR3driver]

Work was done in So Cal...

Mind telling us who and when ?

 

[luke44]

Hi Randall - contact Randy at Heritage Motorsport El Cajon for those details. He was the one who had that work done.

 

[Brosky]

Replacing cam bearings is a lot different than boring the block to fit cam bearings.

 

[martx-5]

I just dug out my machine shop list of the work I had done on my TR3 engine...

Boil out block and head $75
Install cam bearings and freeze plugs $85
Magnaflux and grind crank $195
Re-size & rebush rods $130
Balance all items including flywheel $195
Re-do head, install new guides and valve seats, mill 0.080" and
assemble $380

I supplied all the parts except the freeze plugs.

 

[TR3driver]

Replacing cam bearings is a lot different than boring the block to fit cam bearings.

Line boring is one of those things I'd like to learn to do for myself, but at those prices it's hardly worth the effort. Just changing cam bearings (in a TR3-4 with cam bearing inserts) is much easier, I've done that (although I have no idea where my mandrel is after all these years, probably have to make a new one).

Thanks for the info, Luke. But El Cajon is a little far from home for me (not your fault, obviously).

 

[pware]

Will the machine shop check the block and heads for cracks before they start the maching process or is this somthing you request?

 

[DrEntropy]

Request. Tho most good shops should suggest checking before they do the "real" machine work.

 

[jdubois]

Request. Tho most good shops should suggest checking before they do the "real" machine work.

I can't imagine any shop that cares about its work not at least asking if you don't request it...

 

[TR3driver]

<shrug>
I've never had them ask, unless I specifically ask for advice.

But then, I tend to be pretty specific about what I want, including having a typed list complete with appropriate specifications (not "grind .010 under" but rather "grind 4 rod journals to 2.0763 +/- .0002"). That way, if someone makes a mistake, it's very clear who it is. And the machinists seem to appreciate it, since it means less work (and uncertainty) for them.

And for that matter, I've only rarely asked to have a head magnafluxed, and never a block. If they were good before, chances are that they are still good now. And I won't try to fix an engine that was "blown up", unless a suitable replacement is not available. It's lots easier to change the numbers (if need be) than to check every single thing that might possibly be wrong.

I learned that lesson the hard way, many years ago. Bought my second car with a blown engine and tried to rebuild it ... after the second time it blew up within days (and ventilated the block), I bought a junkyard engine and just dropped it in. It was still running fine some 100,000 miles later when we finally junked the car.

 

[DNK]

<shrug>
I've never had them ask, unless I specifically ask for advice.

...

You must look like a gear head

 

[pware]

One more question... What state should you send the head and block into the machine shop? bare head, bare block with no freez plugs etc... will they install new freez plugs or should I do it? Also before even going down the road of a complete rebuild, if all the cylenders have good good compression should I just do a freshing up of the engine or go ahead with the rebuild? I did a freashing up with my 53 chevy 216 and it is running great. But I new the history of that vehical. I unfortunatly know nothing about my GT6 other than it apparenly hit somthing on the left front of the car. (the bonnet is damaged pretty good) By the way thanks guys for all the good advise, this is what I need.

 

[TR3driver]

As always, depends on your goals and your pocketbook.

When I got TS13571L I knew absolutely nothing of it's condition, except it was "put away wet" some 30 years ago and left pretty much alone. But the engine sounded healthy enough during a brief test firing (didn't even have coolant yet), so I elected to leave it alone. Eventually I plan to build a "hot rod" motor to drop in, but in the meantime I'm enjoying it "as is".

Had a minor setback recently, turns out the headgasket was leaking just a little bit of compression. But I popped a new one in, and so far it seems to be holding. I'm going out now to drive it home from work :thumbsup: