To prevent that I'll be bent over the saw horse at Joe Schmo's machine shop....
Can anybody give me an estimate as to how much the basic stuff will cost;

• Hot tank
• Freeze plugs
• New Cam bearings
• 030 overbore

Location is FL if that makes a difference.
I need the block to be cleaned up for my 383 build, nothing outrageous,normal "rebuild" work to be done, nothing exotic.
I'd like to edumacate myself a little bit before I go see the locals about their prices.

 

Two years ago I paid about $650 which included polishing the original crank. You, on the other hand, will be replacing the crank and may need some clearencing done.

 

I built my new 427 last summer, but it was a new block so there wasn't any hot tanking or freeze plug installations. The work was done at an Orlando machine shop.
I did have to have the sleeves bored & honed ($240 plus $50 extra for the torque plate labor), and $40 for installing the cam bearings.

Keep us updated on the build.

 

Hot tank = Parts washer these days = $40
R&I Freeze plugs (do these yourself), $50
Cam Brgs = $ 40
Bore = $120
(deck plates so the bores are round) = $80

Total around here: $330

Some additional $ to think about:

Deck block for proper quench = $80
Press on pistons = $40
Balance rotating assy = $200+

 

If its the numbers matching block and he gets it decked thenumbers are gonna get cut off and that kills resale value.

 

My guy charges me $260 to vat, bore, hone w/plates, deck it, provide and install freeze plugs, and thoroughly wash. Yes... he's on my Christmas card list.

 

If your building a 383 its a good idea to have block sonic tested before its cleaned to male sure you have a good foundation to start with.

If the shop your using is boring of the decks its a good idea to have the block squared and deck so the cylinders are a true 90 degrees to the crank and a true 45 from the crank and cam center lines.

If your looking for good ring seal its a good idea to plate hone your block with a good hone like a Sunnen hone.

Also from what we have seen with GM mains lines on used blocks it a good idea to have the block line honed since this a performance build.

If your using a high lift cam with more then stock spring pressures its a good idea to go to a performance cam beings VS stock cam bearings.

To get a block machine we perform these proceedures

Sonic test

clean and mag

line hone

deck to zero if wanted or at least square the decks

stroker clearance

bore and plate hone using the same hardware and gaskets to be used in the end build.

light hone the lifter bores

Final jet wash

We get 595.00 for that work and that will vary depending on your location and if the shop has good equipment to do a good job, like a BHJ fixture to square and deck the block ETC.

Performance cam bearings are 24.00

brass freeze plug kit 22.00

To install cam bearings and freeze plugs 45.00

PS If your using a block with the press in galley plugs they have to be removed to properly clean those galleys or you will push debris through the engine causing bearing damage.

Good luck with your build.

 

I wouldn't hot tank it, I'd get it to someone who will bake and shotpeen it. That does a better job and cleans the oil gallies better.

That runs around $42 to $45.
Bore and Hone $25 per hole, add $50 for torque plates.
Cam bearing freeze plugs $25 Thead front Gally plugs $10.
Mag the block $25
I suggest sonic test most opt out for money reasons but that information is improtantto the man boring the block $80 to map.
Turn the crank $100
There will be more to think about, File rings, balance bottom end ( a must) Heads have a ton of options by them selves.
These are my prices. Northern ohio the prices seem to be higher as does either coast areas.
As far as hot tank, I only use it for final cleaning.

 

Rates vary from market to market, but last year I paid ~$600 at a top-flight shop in Memphis to have my BB block cleaned, magnafluxed and sonic tested, align bored, decked, stress plate bored/honed +0.030", painted (incl. Glyptal), coated cam bearings and brass freeze plugs installed and crank micro-polished, FWIW...

 

Thank you , so to summarize , between $250-$650.
I'm planning on buying a balanced rotating assembly and assembled aluminum heads with springs to match the cam specs.
So really apart from the block work not too much work to be done by the shop (I hope).

 

I just had everything you listed plus had the front oil galley plugs tapped and R&R the pistons for $430.00. Oh and they also honed the lifter bores. Good Luck Tim

 

Even though your buying a rotator the big end of the rods may have to be checked for size and the rods bolts should be retouqued and then checked for size, If they are floated on the pin ends that will need sizing plus the pin bores in the pistons will need to be checked and honed if needed.

Prebalanced rotators need to be checked as the pistons come in a sealed box and same with the rods still plastic wrap and how did they weigh them??

 

Unless he never plans on selling it then resale value is of no consequence.

 

a numbers matching 79 Vette with a 383".....good one

 

hehehe..........on that Assy work, IMO, long as the machine shop is doing all that work to the block and NOT having them do the final assy work on the short block is just silly....they typically charge 300 bux here in Jax for that work.....

worth it.....done right with warranty....it's more of a PIA than you know man....unless you done it before....

 

After having once found during a postmortem of a shop assembled engine machine work which was not to specs, I have ever since done all of my own final assemblies. Perhaps spending the extra time and effort might be considered unnecessary by many for a mild build, but considering the cost of some of the engines I've done over the years I see it as a rather sound investment. Really, it depends on what you're building as to whether paying someone else to put it together makes sense or not.

...and, if you're like me, you get a huge rush when one you've put together with your own hands comes to life.

 

Got a quote from a local shop today..$723,54..wow.
$625 in labor and $95 in parts.


Install Cam bearings $75
Bore and hone $300
Clean block $100
Surface block prep $150 rest in parts

The guy had some other customers mill around so didn't get into details as to what the surface block prep involves.
Little steeper then what I expected.
What should I be asking for?

 

I would keep looking. That's about double the going rate around here. Are there no other shops in your area?

 

There are shops near me that have no fixturing to do a good true square and deck, They don't beleive in line honing or deck plate honing ETC.

They will beat my price evey time but the quality just is not there compared to having a block preped for a performance build.


If you looking for a chaep job and are not concerned about quench or ring seal I would go with the cheapest on out there. But if your not happy with the build when its done you would have no one to blame but yourself!!!!

We sure have seen a lot of shorty machine work over they years where guys have cut to many corners and were not happy with their engine once it was running.

 

I use a machined bar the correct size for the mains. If the bar will insert in the installed mains, I don't hone. I have them for most popular engines. If they are off by over 0.001 then I hone the the mains. The process doesn't take much time and costs less if the honeing isn't needed.
Deck all builds. Those earlier prices seem high, although cost change by area. Northern Ohio is about 30% higher than southern Ohio.