JoeMag

Going to be rebuilding my engine this winter. What's the approx cost for a DIY engine rebuild? Plan on reusing everything I can, don't need to rework turbo because just did that last winter and going to use arp/race ware head and rod hardware.

What else do I need to send out beside the below?
- cylinder's for re-ring'ing
- heads for valve job
- rods to check roundness of crank hole
- crank for mangnafluxing

thx!

Sameer

You can send out your headers to Swaine for coatings

Sameer

Joe,
You dont need to re ring your heads. The ARP headstuds with freshly prepared heads mated togetherwould be good upto 700bhp.They used to re ring heads before in the 80's as they did'nt have stuff like ARP or Raceware headstuds. Technology has come a long way.

D

A DIY rebuild will save between $4000 to $6000 in labor costs (40-60 hours). For parts, special tools and machining you should probably budget $3500-$4500 not including P&C's. The biggest single parts cost is pistons and cylinders. Depending on your mileage, or how the car was driven these may need replacing. New P&C sets run from about $2200 to $3200. I highly recommend Wayne Dempsey's book (Pelican Parts) for a good step by step guide on a rebuild. If this is your first rebuild it will take you about 100hrs, plus time to wait for parts to arrive or be refurbished. I took mine apart one nice November day and it was on blocks for 11months before I turned the key again! If you follow the Pelican parts rebuild forum you will see that this length of time is typical.

BrianKeithSmith

Joe:

1. Engine stand - $150
2. Engine Fixture - $300
3. Valves - $700
4. Head work - $600 for average work on all heads
5. P&C's - $2650
6. Sealants, nuts/bolts, shop supplies - $150-200
7. Gasket set - if you split the case get the master kit from EBS and subtract out what you don't need - it should run about $900 or so
8. ARP head Studs and rod bolts - $500-650 for both I think, something like that (going off memory)
9. Rocker Arms - I replaced my rockers - $37/each

That's all the major stuff - figure another budget of $500 for incidental stuff like special tools you have to go buy on the spare of the moment, etc.

Brian

slownrusty

So it looks like you have to budget around $7000 for a full rebuild, that's great info to keep for down the road.

Yasin

BrianKeithSmith

Well that's if you are keeping your fuel system, your turbo is fine, and your exhaust are fine, and if your cams and stuff are OK.

this also assumes that your case doesn't need any machine work and that really all you need from a machining standpoint is head work.

Brian

sand_man

Great info! If not for the expense, I actually enjoy building (rebuilding) engines. A gluton for punishment I guess, but nothing gives me more satisfaction when that baby fires up and actually runs!!!

JoeMag

Thanks Gents. Worked on the car last winter (Oct to April) 200hrs, and this is the "only" real thing I'm doing this winter so hoping for wrapping it up in those months. What's the probability the car will need PC's?? -- been raced/DE last 5 years, ~7 events/yr, nothing >1bar, total miles on engine ~30k. ....car had ~15k babying miles on it in ~'96.

nickdee62

Since documentation is so slim, what rebuild manual will you be using, if I may ask? Thanks.

ahenthus

The rebuild manual may have gone through a couple of revisions in the last eleven and a half years.