Machine Shop Costs, 440 Build

[DeltaV]

I got the following estimate from a local machine shop.
I am not going to buy anything from Comp Cams.
Other than that, what do you think of the costs? Thanks

Ballos Estimate	Quantity	Price	Total
LABOR
Assembly - Hourly	5.00​	$125.00​	$625.00​
Clean & Magnaflux Block	1.00​	$175.00​	$175.00​
Install Cam Bearings	1.00​	$100.00​	$100.00​
Bore Job Set Up Fee includes 1st hole .030	1.00​	$150.00​	$150.00​
Bore job - Each Additional Hole .030	7.00​	$22.00​	$154.00​
Install Freeze Plugs	1.00​	$60.00​	$60.00​
Polish Crankshaft Std/Std Order .001 US	1.00​	$70.00​	$70.00​
Recondition Connecting Rods	8.00​	$30.00​	$240.00​
Balance 8 Cylinders	1.00​	$275.00​	$275.00​
Gap Rings	8.00​	$15.00​	$120.00​
Resurface V8 Block	1.00​	$300.00​	$300.00​
Valve Job - Setup Pair Heads	1.00​	$200.00​	$200.00​
Valve Job - Per Seat	16.00​	$15.00​	$240.00​
Resurface Cylinder Heads	2.00​	$70.00​	$140.00​
Install Valve Guides	16.00​	$15.00​	$240.00​
Install Valve Seats	8.00​	$25.00​	$200.00​
Hazardous Waste & Shop Supplies	10.00​	$5.00​	$50.00​
Buffer	1.00​	$500.00​	$500.00​
PARTS			$0.00​
Speed Pro L2355F .030 Speed Pro Forged Pistons	1.00​	$515.00​	$515.00​
Hastings 2M-592-030 Rings	1.00​	$105.00​	$105.00​
King MB5116HP-1 Main Bearings	1.00​	$115.00​	$115.00​
King CR806HPN-1 Rod Bearings	1.00​	$100.00​	$100.00​
Dura-bond PDP-17 Cam Bearings	1.00​	$55.00​	$55.00​
ARP 145-6002 Rod Bolts	1.00​	$95.00​	$95.00​
SBI-1687-2 Exhaust Seats	8.00​	$3.00​	$24.00​
340-1028BR Bronze Guides	16.00​	$6.00​	$96.00​
Ferrea F-5052-8 Intake Valves	1.00​	$160.00​	$160.00​
Ferrea F-5055-8 Exhaust Valves	1.00​	$160.00​	$160.00​
Comp Cams 23-700-9 XR274R Solid Roller 2500stall	1.00​	$630.00​	$630.00​
Comp Cams 829-16 Solid Lifters	1.00​	$790.00​	$790.00​
Comp Cams 26953-16 Valve Springs	1.00​	$312.00​	$312.00​
Comp Cams 627-16 Valve Locks	1.00​	$70.00​	$70.00​
Comp Cams 741-16 Valve Retainers	1.00​	$98.00​	$98.00​
Rollmaster CS-5140 Timing Set	1.00​	$170.00​	$170.00​
Comp Cams 11621-16 Rocker Arms	1.00​	$1,150.00​	$1,150.00​
Oil Pump Driveshaft Bushing			$0.00​
Gasket Set
Shipping Cost			$69.95​
Sub Total			$8,553.95​
Sales Tax			$278.70​
Total			$8,832.65​

Is the cost for line boring the block buried in one of those items?

 

[OKDart]

Thanks All. I have not paid or authorized anything but cleaning and measuring. Appreciate shared experiences.
My shop is on the high side of prices, apparently, although I have a knowledgeable friend in Indiana who says the labor is normal for his area.
I don't know what Buffer is. Need to ask.
The price is supposed to be assemble short block and heads. Need to ask if cam is included.
Ballos is a big shop that does 2000 orders/jobs per year, according to the owner. Part of the problem may be that they don't need my business.
I may need to look into a different shop doing the work. I have a call out to another acquaintance who is knowledgeable about our area. He may recommend someone else.

I assumed buffer is just for you to know the cost of labor could go up $500 due to unforeseen issues, damaged threads, etc.

 

[BSB67]

Do a break-out of what he wants to do the heads - parts and labor. I think that will speak for itself.

 

[RemCharger]

Do a break-out of what he wants to do the heads - parts and labor. I think that will speak for itself.

I did in post 13. It left 4322. The 500 is still in there so it's 3822 for the shortblock

 

[BSB67]

I did in post 13. It left 4322. The 500 is still in there so it's 3822 for the shortblock

I’m looking at it like this. Do you spend $1,800 to have a set of good factory cylinder heads that flow 220 cfm?

 

[RemCharger]

I’m looking at it like this. Do you spend $1,800 to have a set of good factory cylinder heads that flow 220 cfm?

No.

 

[BSB67]

No.

I actually appreciate a really good set of factory heads. Depending on the goal I would consider it on a set of 915s.

But if performance is a key driver in the build, I probably would spend the money, and a little more on worked aftermarket aluminum head with a closed chamber that flow 270-280 cfm. That’s probably the best money spent for another 40-50 hp.

 

[PRHeads]

At the moment, TF240’s are enough more $$$ than RPM’s to where the RPM’s are worth consideration for the pump gas 450-500hp type combo’s.
$1860 vs $2700.

When they were only a few hundred apart it was kind of a no brainer for the TF’s.

The 84cc chamber of the Ede is perfect for the basic zero deck/flat top/pump gas 440 build.

 

[LSS&B]

Wish I could get an engine built for that little...

So you are saying the Ballos Precision Machine labor $ amount is low?
Or are we talking about cost of whole engine build?
Thanks

I did talk with Marshall Campbell at Campbell Enterprises. He says Ballos' prices are normal for our area in the current time frame, i.e. with inflation considered.

Thanks for the input on the 915 heads and 220 cfm flow. I guess I can pay for porting but that makes them less economical. I am no expert on heads. Is that 220 cfm flow per cylinder?

 

[LSS&B]

Is the cost for line boring the block buried in one of those items?

Hi Wayne
The bore job is $304 total. 2 lines of the estimate in my original post are dedicated to it. Ben

 

[jimbosride]

My car did not have an engine when restoring it so I went this route.
The 383 and 4sp is the original engine size the car came with. I was just looking for a good performance
engine and not a race engine. It runs very well.

Engine came with full build specs, Initial spin, Bobweight card, Final spin. Dyno sheet
$ 5996
$ 389 Delivery

No Core

 

[LSS&B]

Ballos Follow Up
Machinist says the following in answer to my questions:
Block is thermal cleaned, magnafluxed, and oiled
Crankshaft: clean, polish, and spin balance with rods and pistons
Heads: were buffed and magnafluxed, not cleaned. They are limiting factor. Recommend against porting, bowl blending. Rather I buy bare aluminum heads than pay for those services.
Cam: Ballos assembles short block only with cam installed and degreed. Recommend Roller Cam. Flat tappets have 70% fail rate and I have to relinquish machine shop warranty in writing for Ballos to install flat tappet cam.
Buffer is not machine work. There in case parts costs increase.
Assembly 5 hours is block, crankshaft, pistons, rods, cam installed and degreed

I have decided, based on careful consideration of advice in this thread and also consulting with people in my local area, to get a second estimate. I am taking the engine to another machine shop on Monday. This does not mean I will not use Ballos, but I will not approve an $8000+ estimate without another estimate. The man I am taking it to is 76 and has Mopar experience. We'll see what he says.

Thanks again for your advice!

 

[Some Car Guy]

These threads always end up revealing prices are way different all over the country.

 

[B-Body 70]

Holy crap, that is a rape job.
I just got a 360 back from my machinist in California.
$950 to bore, hone, hot tank block, install cam bearings, light surface to decks.
Resurface heads, light valve job. Hang new pistons on original rods.
I tore it down, I'll reassemble it.
Almost $9,000 to build an engine ???

View attachment 1833079

My 440 for my charger, bad crank, hole side of block repair mild cam built all new head work everything new bore 30 over short block assembly @ 6,900 the labor was the same amount as the build. And that’s no tariffs.

 

[B-Body 70]

Holy crap, that is a rape job.
I just got a 360 back from my machinist in California.
$950 to bore, hone, hot tank block, install cam bearings, light surface to decks.
Resurface heads, light valve job. Hang new pistons on original rods.
I tore it down, I'll reassemble it.
Almost $9,000 to build an engine ???

View attachment 1833079

My 440 for my charger, bad crank, hole side of block repair mild cam built all new head work everything new bore 30 over short block assembly @ 6,900 the labor was the same amount as the build. And that’s no tariffs.

Here's what I paid last Oct, and built it myself. This motor is .030 over and the crank is .010/.010.

Machine work
Clean/check block. 250.00
Surface block. 250.00
Check main bore. 80.00
Bore/hone. 350.00
Recondition rods. 140.00
R & R pistons. 48.00
Grind crank. 300.00
Balance. 350.00
Total. 1768.00

Parts
Speed pro pistons. 411.00
Rings. 73.00
Mains. 113.00
Rods. 123.00
Cam bearings. 32.00
Gasket set. 113.00
Valve stem seals. 18.00
Total. 883.00

Grand Total 2651.00

that’s a whole lot of savings if you can assemble yourself. Good for you

 

[Jesse6869]

Holy crap, that is a rape job.
I just got a 360 back from my machinist in California.
$950 to bore, hone, hot tank block, install cam bearings, light surface to decks.
Resurface heads, light valve job. Hang new pistons on original rods.
I tore it down, I'll reassemble it.
Almost $9,000 to build an engine ???

View attachment 1833079

What shop did you use ?

 

[Moparfever65]

Holy crap, that is a rape job.
I just got a 360 back from my machinist in California.
$950 to bore, hone, hot tank block, install cam bearings, light surface to decks.
Resurface heads, light valve job. Hang new pistons on original rods.
I tore it down, I'll reassemble it.
Almost $9,000 to build an engine ???

View attachment 1833079

Care to share who does your work? I'm just down the street from you.

 

[B-Body 70]

What shop did you use ?

Valley balancing in modesto, ca

 

[B-Body 70]

Care to share who does your work? I'm just down the street from you.

Valley Balancing Modesto, Ca Kenny Boyd

 

[PRHeads]

Here's what I paid last Oct, and built it myself. This motor is .030 over and the crank is .010/.010.

Machine work
Clean/check block. 250.00
Surface block. 250.00
Check main bore. 80.00
Bore/hone. 350.00
Recondition rods. 140.00
R & R pistons. 48.00
Grind crank. 300.00
Balance. 350.00
Total. 1768.00

Parts
Speed pro pistons. 411.00
Rings. 73.00
Mains. 113.00
Rods. 123.00
Cam bearings. 32.00
Gasket set. 113.00
Valve stem seals. 18.00
Total. 883.00

Grand Total 2651.00

Comparing to the OP’s quote…..
Add:
Roller cam
Roller lifters
Roller rockers
Pushrods
Recondition heads(with parts suitable for roller cam)
Timing set
Oil pump
Assembly