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Is 4K too much for an engine rebuild?
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TR3driver
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
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I've got a recommendation for a place in Lake Forest, but don't recall the details offhand. If you want, drop me at note at the SCTOA helpdesk and I'll look it up when I get a chance (probably not until Saturday, though). There's also Britalia, but they are in Fullerton and I'm not sure how they are at engines. British Pacific is a good place (though they deal mostly in Land Rovers), but they are way up in Valencia and probably not willing to pick it up.JKB1957 said:
Monkeywrench
Jedi Trainee
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A T5 would also work :wink: .
Like it has been said, it's impossible to say without opening the engine up. Get a documented list of everything they will do for that $4k. Negotiate cost overruns before they develop. You say the machine shop is good and they've done good work for you before, so use them. Strike up a "contract" and call it a day. Like most things on forums, I think everyone is over complicating this.
Like it has been said, it's impossible to say without opening the engine up. Get a documented list of everything they will do for that $4k. Negotiate cost overruns before they develop. You say the machine shop is good and they've done good work for you before, so use them. Strike up a "contract" and call it a day. Like most things on forums, I think everyone is over complicating this.
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I too took my motor apart (2.5 liter 6) and took it to the machine shop for the necessary work, I think when I got done it was under a grand, I was lucky though, despite high miles on the car I got away with bearings and rings (stock size!). I am too lazy to pull the file and look it all up, but I am pretty sure it cost me less than a grand, I think the machine shop was about $350.
The engine runs great, oil pressure at spec or above when warm, doesn't blow any smoke, pulls like a train. Only thing I wish I would have done that I didn't was a rebuilt rocker shaft, but that is easy enough to have done down the road.
This will be the third motor I have done all have turned out fine. I am no expert, but take my time and check everything multiple times as I go. For the most part there is only one way to put it back together (except cam timing...)
I think engine rebuilds are rewarding and enjoyable, if you are so inclined I would consider it.
The engine runs great, oil pressure at spec or above when warm, doesn't blow any smoke, pulls like a train. Only thing I wish I would have done that I didn't was a rebuilt rocker shaft, but that is easy enough to have done down the road.
This will be the third motor I have done all have turned out fine. I am no expert, but take my time and check everything multiple times as I go. For the most part there is only one way to put it back together (except cam timing...)
I think engine rebuilds are rewarding and enjoyable, if you are so inclined I would consider it.
Monkeywrench
Jedi Trainee
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I disagree about finding one who specializes in British cars. No offense to anybody on the board, but the best machine shops are V8 racing shops. The amount of money people spend on those engines is ridiculous, and because of that, attention to detail on any engine is very high. The machine shop that does the Triumph race car machine work, exclusively does drag racing/circle track/ offshore V8 stuff and the cylinder head porter is one of the best V8 Ford head porters in the country (was actually just offered to work for NHRA/IHRA power house engine builders Reher Morrison). Because of the porter's work, the Triumph has a usable powerband that extends at least 500+rpm more than anyone else that we know of with the 4cyl TRs. That's a big difference. Source good parts and they can take it from there. The little I read of this site, I believe that's what Brosky and Hondo have done. Sourced good parts and went to a good racing machine shop.
Back to the op. Everyone says $4k is fair and the machine shop in question has done good work for you and are reputable. Why not use them?
Back to the op. Everyone says $4k is fair and the machine shop in question has done good work for you and are reputable. Why not use them?
justin_mercier
Jedi Warrior
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I know that I am late to the discussion, but, as said, if the work being done is quality, and the parts are quality, etc, then 4k can be quite reasonable. Up in the north east, when I was looking at having my engine taken apart and re-done and machined etc the estimates that I got were around 5k for the engine, while keeping everything more or less straight stock, and another couple thousand for a complete transmission disassembly and rebuild.
After seeing those prices, I went another route, and bought Al Gary's recently rebuilt with performance parts engine along with his HVDA transmission, tripple ZS intake, and other parts for the same cost as it was going to cost me to have the work done on my stock parts.
After seeing those prices, I went another route, and bought Al Gary's recently rebuilt with performance parts engine along with his HVDA transmission, tripple ZS intake, and other parts for the same cost as it was going to cost me to have the work done on my stock parts.
