Picked up my block today. How do these prices seem: Labor: Bore and Hone Block $170 Torque plate add $ 50 Hot-tank $ 75 Magnaflux Crank $ 30 Polish and radius crank $ 24 Measure Deck height $ 45 Deck/Surface .010 $ 88 Balance crank assy $220 Install cam bearings $ 45 Parts: "H" Rod bearings $ 56 "H" Main Bearings $ 52 Cam Bearings $ 20 Plasma-molley rings $ 99 Total: $975 The long block, including gaskets has cost me $3,498. (see sig for parts) -- Joe

all higher than my shop, but my shop is usually cheaper the advantage of living in a poor area. some work i do my self like heads and cam bearings to save a few dollars.

I do headwork. Cam bearings I don't like doing.. Its a skill.

Prices seemed a little higher than they used to be. I felt bad paying $45 to check the deck height, but he had the block from boring it, so I didnt wanna pick it up, bring it to my shop, bolt the crank and stuff in just to check the height. Prolly woulda spent $45 in gas an the trip backand forth and setting it up.

-- Joe

I just got a block mostly done (still needs to be decked after I trial assemble, measure, and figure what needs to come off to give me the desired CR) by a local shop that just got new management.

They hot tanked, manafluxed, bored and honed (with a torque plate) checked the align bore on a 400 sbc for $200.

He still has .003" to finish hone, but I wanted to drop my crank in and put in a piston and rod without rings on each "corner' and measure the deck height. Then I'll bring it back- they get another $100 to deck it as needed and then will do the finish hone.

Another $225 got my pistons hung on my rods and my rotating assembly balanced.

These guys are clean and quick.

One new "Race" shop in town wanted $300 to bore, torque plate hone and deck. This did not include hot tanking or magnafluxing. The sticker there was when they asked if I wanted it decked I said I would trial assemble and measure it myself. They insisted this was not nescesary and they could measure from the crankshaft centerline and do it.

I decided they were not only expensive but arrogant.

The other two shops in town get for a V8 block $140 to bore and hone, $50 extra for torque plate- and niether of them had a torque plate for a .030" 400 (4.155" bore) anyway and one tried to tell me how un needed a torque plate job was.

These are Savannah GA prices as of three months ago.

Prices are a bit higher than my area. They don't sound unreasonable though.

If they do a good job then I would rather pay a few extra dollars and have peace of mind, then be questioning the quality of work I'm going to be receiving.

How much do shops usually charge to port match an intake manifold?

That looks about right.

Not trying to be a smart @$$ or anything but the only art to installing cam bearings is the cam bearing installer tool.
You can buy one for about what they charged you to knock those cam bearings in.

You can also save a couple of bucks by removing your freeze plugs before taking the block in and by installing the freeze plugs when you get it back. There's really nutting to it but you will need a 10 lb. hammer.

Part of your $75 hot tank was them doing your freeze plugs etc.

Oh, go down to the gun store and buy yourself a gun cleaning kit.
Use it to clean out the oil galleys before you put the cup plugs in the front of the block and the pipe plugs in the back.
All us folks down here an Georgia and Alabama got two or three gun cleaning kits already. LMAO.....

BTW,, ....Why did you use the "H" bearings?
Wouldn't you rather wear out the bearings instead of the yankshaft?

No, I did freeze plugs. The 75 hot tank was one hot tank before boring and decking, and one hot tank afterwards. Otherwise its 40. My bad, I failed to explain that.

Thanks, you just reminded me I ran out of patches last week.

The normal ones seem to whipe out way too quick in a high hp (500-600hp) app. I"m hoping the H bearings last a little longer. Sure, they'll prolly wipe the crank out, but the crank hasn't been turned so it should last one more rebuild next season.

-- Joe

So those prices are around the norm? I'm looking to have my 69 block redone before I build it for the Iroc. Not to hijack, but anyone know of a good shop in MA or NH that does this?

I've been using Miller machine in Haverhilll For about 10 years now. The guy is like 60, has one other guy working for him. Lots of trophys on the wall from his various old cars (all drag/funny cars), etc. Knows his stuff. Really nice too. Will spend an hour explaining something to you, regardless if you have him machine you something or not.

-- Joe

For what its worth, I recently had some minor machine shop expenses from what is probably one of the more expensive shops in my area.

This is what they charged me
Bore block $150
Hot Tank $38
Polish Crank $35
Cam Bearing Install $34
Press on Pistons $52

My most recent experience with machining was getting a set of heads worked;

install new valve guides,
resize for 2.02 1.60 valves,
valve job

all for $120.

The other shop in town wanted over 400 to do basicly the same thing.

Mine are
200 Boar and hone
55 Hot tanking
65 cam bearings, Freeze plugs
40 for both heads hot tanked
175 for turning crank 10 under rods and mains but im just getting a new egale one.

This guy is great at what he does and listens to me. Also he is about 3min from my house.

EDIT 3-2-05
I just got my block all done total came to 563.56 with tax this included

Hot tanking
Freeze plugs
Installation of freeze plugs
cam bearings and installation
pressure check
boaring to 30 over and honeing
and rinsing

not bad... especially if they do good work. it's much better to pay a few more bucks to a good machinist than to skimp and be sorry later.

I paied $850 and the trade of a 2-bolt 350 block and a 307 block for a completly built 0.030 over 4-blot short block the machine shop had in the back, I ended up looking up the block casting # and it was a GM goodwrench high nickle/ high tin block . also I'm looking to have a re-build done when I get back from korea, dose anyone know a good place in Las Vegas, NV, the place that built my short block is in NJ

Anesthes and aaron, where did you two get those quotes from? I live in Mass as well and I'm looking for a good place to get some machine-work done to my 350.

Miller machine in bradford.

My motor is all together. right now I'm trying to figure out the intercooler routing.

-- Joe