Engine Rebuild & Install Cost

[slepr1]

Sorry to hear about your misfortune. Only 200 miles. I'd be pissed....but not as pissed when I had to tell the ol' lady about it.

 

[padam]

That number feels like a punch to the face at first thought.
Labor is a huge part of that though.

This is my build thread....

Re-Rebuilding the 440-493 in a 1970 Charger

It is long and there are many tangents where it goes off topic.
I have yet to itemize everything but I'm around $3000 to $3500 to rebuild the short block. The heads were fine and I reused a known good cam and lifters. I did all the work myself except the machine work.
It isn't just the physical act of rebuilding the engine that takes time. It is everything around it. Saving and cleaning fasteners, brackets and other parts. Properly marking, saving and reinstalling wiring, hoses, sending units, starter-alternator-water pump-fuel pump, etc. Oil, ATF, P/S fluid, anti freeze, A/C recharge if it was disconnected, etc.
They have to add in a measure of $$$ to cover their labor costs in the event of any warranty work as well.
Good luck to you. A fresh engine is a great thing.

On most auto repairs (not exhaust, stuff I don’t have equipment for), I figure I can do it for 1/3 what a pro would charge.
So if you triple kd’s number of 3000-3500, I think that would be in the reasonable range.

 

[#41]

It really depends on what needs to be done, which is a mystery to those of us giving feedback. Shop rates vary, but at $100/hr you can get to $10k real quick. Labor is a big part of the cost.

Does it need a crank, cam, hone or rebore, etc... or do does anyone even know yet and they are quoting you for the worst case?
Ask for a written estimate. Most States require shops to provide on upon request. it.

$10k is peanuts in the classic car world if you don't do your own work, so it may be time to reassess.

 

[oxytousc]

200 miles & there's metal in the oil....What failed? Cam? Bearings? What has the metal embedded itself into? Re-use pistons? Probably not.... Go through it & be responsible if it fails again? Pass... I wouldn't want to touch it... 10K ain't enough...

$10k ain’t enough? You can buy a whole new motor for $10k

 

[oxytousc]

I'm not sure how they can just throw a number out there without some investigation........ should be more like, "we'll pull it out and get it apart for X, and go from there"

.......that covers everyone's ***

Yea. That was my feeling too. This was the estimate. I’m like hell no.

 

[dadsbee]

That's a whole nuther story! $5384 to rebuild the engine. $4500 to pull it and put it back in. They think that's gonna take 45 hours?

 

[1 Wild R/T]

$10k ain’t enough? You can buy a whole new motor for $10k

Thing is your motor has metal debris in it.... That often is a sign the engine may fail again.. If the shop is expected to be responsible for potential future failures they need to build additional money on the front side to cover their *** on the backside....

Sorry if it rolled into my shop I would pass..

 

[oxytousc]

Thing is your motor has metal debris in it.... That often is a sign the engine may fail again.. If the shop is expected to be responsible for potential future failures they need to build additional money on the front side to cover their *** on the backside....

Sorry if it rolled into my shop I would pass..

If it rolled into a reputable shop they’d say buy a new motor which is what I’d do. I didn’t tell them I needed to keep the current motor. It’s not numbers matching.