P-15 engine overhaul prices

[radioguy7]

Has anyone had their flat head overhauled recently?? I just called on auto machine shop and the guy tried to tell me that it would cost like $4k to overhaul my engine. I think some of these guys see dollar signs and think you have some fully restored gem sitting at home. They must figure if you could afford the car you can also afford to get gauged on his machine work. When I was a kid (25 yrs ago) used to be able to have a small block rebuilt for about $1500 out the door.

[Plymouthy Adams]

first off..why would you call a shop to do an engine..this is the fun of ownership..D-I-Y

[radioguy7]

first off..why would you call a shop to do an engine..this is the fun of ownership..D-I-Y

First off do you have a machine shop in your garage?

[Plymouthy Adams]

close enough..but machine shop work will not come even close to 4K..punching the block is just a few bucks per hole..outside of that you can do the rest at home with basic tools..even if you have them set the cam bearings..35.00 at the shop local to me..so what you got..some 150.00 of machine work...and even at that...I don't always trust them to set the cam bearings..learned the hard way on that one..I discovered the error on my pre assembly super cleaning process...be careful even with machine shops...

Edited June 1, 2009 by Tim Adams

[greg g]

Depends what needs to be done, I did a cylider bore, an align bore, valve job, decking and milling the head, truing the minifolds, surfacing the flywheel and flipping the ring gear, boil out and reassemble to short block for 800 bucks, did nnot need to grind the crank bearings were standard. parts were another 750 or so. That was 5 years ago. Brought the block home and completed the reassembly.

[Plymouthy Adams]

so many machine shops like to throw out the terms Balance and Blueprint...my god the factory done that for you..now if you are approaching 8000 rpm pulls..then maybe a bit more may need be one..balance of the slugs..equal..rods equal..crank is balanced..your flywheel is balanced etc etc....blueprint..just a way of saying the engine was been mic'ed and checked to be within the tolerance as specified by the manufactuerer..think about it..how old are these engines...? not saying take short cuts..just don't be drawn in to pay for hype that is part in part of correct procedures to begin with..

[radioguy7]

Depends what needs to be done, I did a cylider bore, an align bore, valve job, decking and milling the head, truing the minifolds, surfacing the flywheel and flipping the ring gear, boil out and reassemble to short block for 800 bucks, did nnot need to grind the crank bearings were standard. parts were another 750 or so. That was 5 years ago. Brought the block home and completed the reassembly.

For that he said $2k to $3k, what you described is all that I want done. i was floored by his prices. I guess I'll need to do a lot of calling around. I figure if I'm going thru the trouble of pulling the nose off the car to pull the engine I might as well go the extra mile and put a nice fresh engine in it, specially since I plan on driving the snot out of it after, pretty much every day.

[dezeldoc]

I just bought all the parts for mine off ebay, pistons, rings, rod & main bearings, intake & exhaust valves, full felpro gasket set, timing chain & gears, cam bearings all for around 500, machine shop wants 300 to bore, hone, hot tank, square & deck block, so for less than a grand i got everything and i will be doing the assembly, i think 4g is a little steep, heck even 2g would be to much for me.

[Allan Faust]

I brought mine in in parts... ie all taken apart, had it rebored heavily ~0.090 , head and deck straightened, shot peened and cleaned, all cam bushings, all rod bearings, valves done, and adjusted, piston guide bushings pressed in on new piston heads. all for the price of $1000 excluding parts.... add in the teardown, rebuild and parts if done by someone else and it could cost that much to do.... but then I'd expect the paint done etc too....

Allan

[dirty dan]

For that he said $2k to $3k, what you described is all that I want done. i was floored by his prices. I guess I'll need to do a lot of calling around. I figure if I'm going thru the trouble of pulling the nose off the car to pull the engine I might as well go the extra mile and put a nice fresh engine in it, specially since I plan on driving the snot out of it after, pretty much every day.

I think I'd price from someone else just to be certain. Sounds high to me.

[radioguy7]

I just bought all the parts for mine off ebay, pistons, rings, rod & main bearings, intake & exhaust valves, full felpro gasket set, timing chain & gears, cam bearings all for around 500, machine shop wants 300 to bore, hone, hot tank, square & deck block, so for less than a grand i got everything and i will be doing the assembly, i think 4g is a little steep, heck even 2g would be to much for me.

I plan on doing the dissasembly and assembly myself too, but for the work you mentioned he wants like $2k to do. I'd like to know just what he's smoking!

[greg g]

to put thing in perspective, I had a 10 Horse Kohler single cylinder done last summer. Bored and honed, crank turned, connecting rod cap shortened and reground for the crank spec, new piston, new rings and valve job. New gaskets. That was 400 bucks, including parts. I reassembled and reinstalled into my wheel horse tractor. So 6 X 400 is probably not unreasonable this day and age.

[dezeldoc]

I'll make all you guys a deal, i will rebuild any of your flat 6 for a meager $2500 each parts and labor, and i'll even throw in a paint job on the motor!

[radioguy7]

I'll make all you guys a deal, i will rebuild any of your flat 6 for a meager $2500 each parts and labor, and i'll even throw in a paint job on the motor!

Including shipping both ways to CT?? You got a deal!!!

[dezeldoc]

Shipping is not as bad as you would think!

[Bingster]

Are there any dvd's that go through the rebuilding process on one of these flatheads? It's pretty intimidating for a novice like me. I like to do the other mechanical stuff but an engine seems so . . . tricky. So many parts. Of course it isn't brain surgery.

[Rumble1960]

close enough..but machine shop work will not come even close to 4K..punching the block is just a few bucks per hole..outside of that you can do the rest at home with basic tools..even if you have them set the cam bearings..35.00 at the shop local to me..so what you got..some 150.00 of machine work...and even at that...I don't always trust them to set the cam bearings..learned the hard way on that one..I discovered the error on my pre assembly super cleaning process...be careful even with machine shops...

My engine is in the shop right now about to get cam bearings installed can you explain what to watch out for as far as installation goes.

[radioguy7]

I've never taken a flat head apart or assembled one but with a manual it can't be all that hard. I just need the machine work done reasonably is all.

I've worked on just about every other engine (mostly V8's)

[dezeldoc]

These are not anymore difficult than a normal motor, a couple things are a little wierd but still pretty easy.

[radioguy7]

Thanks for the info Norm, your wisdom and forsight is invaluable!!

I already called around and found another machine shop that will do all the machine work for around $800. And this guy has done many flat heads in the past and even works on many antique engines. Even experienced with poured bearings!! So, I think I'm all set when it comes to it. Now if the stupid weather would hold out here in CT so I can pull the nose and engine. It's been a cold rainy dreary spring so far, but I'm sure we'll launch in the 90's anytime now.

[Plymouthy Adams]

once you approach the shop with actual knwledge of what and how of things needed to be done..the ability of them to snow you with BS and hype kinda fades a bit and prices become more realisitc..a few more checks could get better prices but as we all know shop experience is also a weighty factor...

[greg g]

couple of critical items, connecting rods and valve seals. Because of the engine design, the rods are offset to accomodater the siamesed cylinders. You can see thie relationship withthe head off, note the areas where the cylinder wall are thick between the pairs of cylinders then very thin between the cylinders in the set. So the rods need to be marked and returned to thier home cylinders. There is also the squirter hole for the oil that lube the cam area. These ndde to be positioned so that they are facing the correct direction.

The valve seals are the same for intake and exhust but they go in one way for intake and the other for exhaust. One end is rounded, the other more square. O believe the rounded end is inserted so it faces the flow, but not sure. The manual does mention whichis which.

Also the oil pump drives the distrubutor it is importand though to critical that the pump interfaces witht he cam in a way that places the grove for the distributor drive tang back to its original position so that the rotor is pointed to 7 oclock when #1 is at tdc

Also the oil pan gasket has ends that overlap and these should not be trimed.

Make sure you machins shop installs new freeze plugs at the reat of the engine. I beleive there are three welsh plugs fitted there, they are not accessable once the bellhousing is bolted up. O is the rear cam cover and the other two go into the cooling passages, you don't want these leaking once your reassembled engine is bake in the car.

There is also a procedure to follow to make sure the front timing cover seal is cetered oround the crankshaft. Other than thse things is pretty straight forward.

My shop marked up the pistons as shown to assure they were in the right hole and oriented correctly.

[adam_knox]

Pulled out my receipts. Before I bought the car the PO had a rebuild done (2004) at Main Machine in CA. Painted, parts, boring and disassembly/reassembly $3517

Break down:

Parts: $1K

Labor:$2,430

Rest:Taxes

Hope that helps!