how much for an engine rebuild

I charge around $400 for labor, that includes chemicals and little odds and ends that may be missing from the engine, or in bad shape. Critical parts have to be new, or I won't take the job. All chemicals, paints and thinners and adhesives are included. New bolts and nuts too.

What is not included is machine shop costs, never know what all has to be done. Head flycutting, valve guide and seat work... (bekch testing for zero leaks) dynamic balancing of crank and flywheel.. stuff like that.

I'm very cheap.

But then, most of you knew that ;)

Jan

Jan,

Thanks. So what if new parts aren't obtainable? For example, I know of no source for 36 hp crank, cam, rods, and heads. Most of this stuff is only available as rebuilt. Would that be a big sticking point in looking for someone (other than a fly by nighter) to do the work? - DB

Then it's time to ask around to find out who does decent rebuilds in the industry. Rimco comes to mind, no personal experience.

Out of the parts listed, I would think that the crank is easiest to resurface. Cam needs to be properly treated after refurbishing. Rods need to be checked very carefully. Insoected for microscopic cracks, which involves x rays or dye liquid and UV light. Both out of reach for the semi pros. (The damn dye liquid is expensive as hell).

Add the normal checks for straightness (of the whole rod) and roundness of the big hole. Tough to do reliably in the shed out back.

Heads, need to have seats and guides inspected and replaced if needed. New valves would not hurt. A no brainer for any competent machine shop.

Jan

Which parts would you consider critical (and need to be replaced with new parts) when you do an engine rebuild? So far, I've thought of main bearings, cam bearings, lifters (if camshaft is changed in any way or if there is metal pitting), and oil pump.

-GE

Depends on condition, but your list is a good start, add just about all removable parts in the cylinder heads. Guides worn, valves weakened and chewed up, springs lost their tension, valve stem grooves chewed up and possibly keepers too since they are what ate the grooves wide, Valve adjuster screws (lash caps recommended to save valve stems in the future, especially if the valve stems aren't hardened properly.. or at all.. (the seller may not know or bother to tell you).

On a stock engine you could use stock rods if they check out ok, they might need work (as mentioned earlier). Some swear on replacing rod bolts and nuts, but I've never had them fail, even on mild street engines. "Serious" street engines won't be using stock rods anyhow ;) Up to 6k they are ok, in my opinion. They get routinely pushed up to 10 too, aggressively lightened... but they are no longer bulletproof at that point.

New piston&cylinder kits are fairly cheap, if you were rebuilding a worn engine and are "doing it right" and your goal is an engine that won't need work for another decade or two.. get them.

With a new cam comes new cam gear. Hope it matches the small gear on the crank. That probably doesn't need to be replaced: any wear that occured there got sucked up by the much softer cam gear.

Dizzy drive gear (The brass one at the end of the crank) acts in the same way, taking all the wear from the dizzy shaft/gear contact.

Speaking of distributor, an old distributor needs some work to bring back to life, but it can be done. A simpler yet more expensive solution would be to buy a new one. I'm poor, I usually try to refresh them myself.

Then the alternator/generator.. new bearings and brushes and you are usually good to go, for another gazillion miles. Replace either pulley if they are out of shape or worn loose on their shafts.

Perfect opportunity to replace clutch components with new. Including TO bearing. Often times I just replace the disc. Look for tranny input shaft leak. Another great opportunity.

Pushrod tubes are probably rusted and soft. Lost their tension in the accordeon part. Get new ones to minimize leaks. They're cheap.

That's it for now, I'm out of ideas. These should be included when building a long lasting engine without shortcuts. There could well be more, stuff I forgot.

Jan

I think you went trough just about everything. Fortunately many of the items you mentioned are still available for 36 hp. It's just the big stuff (heads, cam, crank, connecting rods and flywheel) that are tough/impossible to find. Diz gears, valve guides, etc most of the small stuff is still available. Time for me to start collecting. - DB

...wolfsburg west is a good start...they won't have everything but will have much of what you need.

..Gareth

Yep, thats where I get most of the stuff I have gotten so far from and they have about everything else I mentioned (I am basically reduced to the point of sleeping with their catalog under my head at night). - DB

...check out also:

...they seem to have much of what wolfsburg west lacks....including a cam listed. I think before I bought *too* many items I would disassemble the engine and have the machining done...you really can't get many items till you knwo what you need. Many things like your rods and crank will be able to be resized by a competent machine shop, and likely all you will find easilly will be rebuilt anyways. At least if you use your own parts you know the condition before re-building and you have choice of who does teh work. Obviously such things as bearings will not be able to be purchased until after the machining is done as well. If your heads are uncracked (and they usually are on a

36'er ) there is no reason not to have the heads rebuilt with new seats, guides,springs and valves from a competent head specialist...hell you may want to splurge and have the ports cleaned up a little while you are at it...nothing major...it will never be a street eliminator...but a touch of judicious blending by a master will make it flow a little better. I really don't see much a of a problem at all with rebuilding the wee beastie. Just which piece are you having difficulty locating specifically?

..Gareth

Thanks Gareth. The main thing I've gotten were the pistons (I figure good to have regardless). I don't think I'll have any issues with finding parts. It was just Jan's statement that he would only work with new parts and was worried that if I went to a local builder (if I deem the project too time consuming/difficult to do myself) I might run into the same issue. As my earlier post notes, most of the major internal stuff is only available on a rebuilt basis - crank, cam (unless BFY's is not), connecting rods. BFY & VPI are backups & their catalogs stay right next to the WW. - DB

Not quite what I was after, I gave you a list of things I'd demand from a *proper*, no corners cut, no expenses spared rebuild.

Not very many of us can afford that, so we end up with compromises.

That can still lead to a pretty decent outcome, if you know where to take these shortcuts, and where they would lead you to eternal damnation.

jan

Thanks for clearing that up. If it gets to the point that I need to have it done (rather than doing it myself), I'll shop around as best I can for somebody that will do good work with out charging me an arm and a leg (or both arms, and both legs). - DB