Engine Rebuild Cost?

[Rusty]

I'm putting together a list of what i will need to consider / budget for to do an engine rebuild on my ABY. It's something that I've looked into before but life got in the way. I want to get an idea on price, so I can get saving!

I'd be interested in opinions on upgrades over stock items and whether I've missed anything! I'm looking at a rebuild to take something like a KX500 or 3076, so mid to late 400s, although it'll be running chipped RS2 power for the foreseeable future.

With the current engine at 170+k, I'd prefer to have it rebuilt by someone who can check all the tolerances on the crank and bores, to make sure that any over / undersize requirements are identified.

In terms of parts, these are some areas where upgrades exist and I'm intersted in opinoins:-

• I have ARP head studs, an RS2 WP and an upgraded bottom pulley
• Rods - Aron or equivalent - £300
• Big end bearings - are these included with the rods?
• Main shells - Are there hardened & normal or is this a myth?
• Main bolts - stock or ARP? - £?
• Rings - stock or total seal? - £?

Then there's the options for balancing & flywheels:-

• Full balance with balanced & lightened FW (7-8kg) - £200?
• Full lighten and zero balance with ~stock FW (10kg) - £250?
• Full lighten and zero balance with lighter FW (7-8kg) - £350?

Clutch wise, I'm thinking:-

• SRE Organic
• Southbend
• Heard Kestrel mentioned
• Other?

...and in terms of head work

• Stock rebuild - £300?
• Polished and port matched exhaust ports - £5-600?
• Full port, polish and port match - £800?

From rough estimates, I'm looking at £2k-£3k depending on how many non stock items I use, whether I upgrade the head and clutch. Sound along the right lines?

[Rocco]

Andy you only was after low,mid 300! So you really don't need to invest that money unless +450hp...

[Rusty]

Andy you only was after low,mid 300! So you really don't need to invest that money unless +450hp...

Think I've covered that in the OP - RTFP

I'd be interested in opinions on upgrades over stock items and whether I've missed anything! I'm looking at a rebuild to take something like a KX500 or 3076, so mid to late 400s, although it'll be running chipped RS2 power for the foreseeable future.

Agreed that it's overkill for now but I don't want to go to all this effort and then wish I'd spent another £100 on some part or another and end up spending ages pulling it all to bits to fit something stronger for a larger turbo. The rest of the car is built for that sort of power level, so it makes sense.

[Hammu]

My 300k kilometers seen AAN with stock internals pushed 440hp and 570nm in dyno without problems.
Stock clutch started to slip, so we detuned a bit.
I drove one summer with 400hp / 500nm without a single problem.
Now i am building a new engine, thread about it can be found in projects.


If you open the engine, this is my opinion:

Rods - Aron or equivalent.
All bearings, yes. Check link below.
Main bolts - stock. (ARP not needed under 600hp, also requires line honing which is £££)
Piston rings - No need to replace if not leaking.

Get hardened sputter bearings.
I bought this set: ebay link

Then there's the options for balancing & flywheels:-
Full balance with balanced & lightened FW (7-8kg) - £200?
With a streetcar, i would not go under 7kg flywheel.
3B machined is good.

Clutch:
SRE Organic

Cylinder head:
Stock rebuild, it flows enough without modifications.
Maybe NM cams...

[GazzaG60]

andy when i did mine I left the crank as is. its not a bad idea unless you know of issues.

the rod shells are separate. iirc its different tops to bottoms. qhat I did was get the rods and pistons weight matches and the engine felt great. head wise I had new seals and guides and a clean up. that's it.

obviously in general the more you put in the better it should be but id expect the 80:20 rule applies.

[Rusty]

With head work, I guess it's not the end of the world to replace the head at a later date, whereas swapping the block out is a bit more involved...

Good to know that I don't need to worry about ARP mains too.

I could get a plastigauge kit and DIY but as I'm not planning on doing this too often, I don't mind paying to have it all done by someone who knows what's what.

[Error404]

Here is a rough budget i worked out ages ago Andy:

Balancing - £250
Rods - £350
Machining - £200
Clutch - £500
Lifters - £100
Rod bearings - £75
Main bearings - £90
Exhaust Valves £200
Head work - £600
Gasket sets - £200
ARP Head bolts - £150
ARP Flywheel Bolts - £50

For machining I budgeted for all dims to be checked on the block, the block decked & align honed, and then hot tanked.
For head work I budgeted for new guides, 3 angle seat cut, skim & extra water jacket machining.

EDIt: Oh and its is not cheap to zero-balance the I5 crank from talking to Basset Down, there is lot of work required. So unless you plan on changing the flywheel once the engine is built, its cheaper and easier to have the whole assembly externally balanced

I understand the need to overbuild it and that is exactly what I would do

[europeanme]

I daren't work out the costs of mine...

[Sonic]

I daren't work out the costs of mine...

Likewise!

If you're looking for someone to take the engine to for the head, rebuild and balancing work i'd recommend JP.

[20vturbour]

Likewise!

If you're looking for someone to take the engine to for the head, rebuild and balancing work i'd recommend JP.

I jp the man!!! He rebuilt both engines on both of my cars

[djh]

From rough estimates, I'm looking at £2k-£3k depending on how many non stock items I use, whether I upgrade the head and clutch. Sound along the right lines?

If thats what you think it will cost it will end up costing double that, btdt with projects, there is always something else to buy.

[macspring]

Give a spec list to JP, and get a price. Use the time saved, to work the overtime to pay for it, but you'll know it will be right.

Err on the side of overbuilding it, and you will avoid having to open it for a good few years or longer, which is always nice.

As mentioned, whatever you worked out to be you initial budget, double it, and you should be closer to the real amount you'll end up spending - you know what cars are like, especially S2s, and also you're on this forum, which will cost you.

[Rusty]

So all you doublers are saying it'll cost £5-6k... No

The whole point of the thread was to get an idea of what the parts and labour cost and what people have spent doing similar things.

[SteveH]

Andy, you can easily do the rebuild yourself. I can recommend some decent machine shops in Swindon or you can use JP. Alex's prices look sensible. I'd just up the power and rebuild when it needs it!

I would buy and rebuild a head in the background and then it's only the bottom end to do at rebuild time which is all engineering shop stuff and new shells, rods and pistons.

Get yourself a 7A head and start fettling!

[here2learn]

i was quoted 7k for my block build including a good tolerance if i need more power if you are going to do it its best to do it once

so will be a couple of years yet for me