I may just have to yank my engine out to fix that blasted "Self-Changing Oil System" (read: leaks like a seive) and I want to know what sort of general maintenance work I sould do while its out and easy to work on. I was going to do a 383 build but this blasted oil leak came up and I can't afford to fix the leak AND do the build like I wanted. I'm tempted to do a full engine turnaround, about how much would I expect to pay for that to be done? (If I only had a garage in which to do it all myself...)

I have an L98, stock TPI setup, no speed parts or go-fast goodies. Budget is around MAYBE a thousand, give or take a few hun'ed, more like take.

 

i dunno exactly what you wanna hear, i'd probably go ahead and change the rings and bearings and vital gaskets and throw it back together the same day...thats well under $200

 

Sure, I'd love to do all of that - problem is, unless I find someone willing to loan a garage and their talent to help me out, I'd be most likely doing it in a shop, and paying them to do all the work. With labor rates being pretty high (but hey, the mechs are worth getting a paycheck) ten hours of labor is around a G easy.

 

heh, your welcome to use my shop...but i'd say it's more than a little out of the way

 

For a grand you need to do what you can by yourself. I pulled my first motor when I was only 16, It's not that difficult. Buy an engine stand, I spent 50 or 60 bucks and still build engines on it today. Send the block to the machine shop have it decked and spray tanked. Remove the freeze plugs and all other plugs on the motor before you send it. Have them install the cam bearings, you can install everything else yourself. Send the heads to the machine shop have a valve job done and have new valve guide seals and valve springs installed. If you are thinking of running a bigger cam, buy the springs that are need to use it and send them with the heads. Also have them deck the heads. This will account for most of your buget, but it will be money well spent. Install a new timing chain, piston rings,and bearings. While your there put a new oil pump on and make sure you clean those ring lands good before installing the new ones. You may want to snap a few photos of your engine bay before you take anything off,a dn a few as you go along for reference especially if it takes a month or so to get everything done. Decarbonizing the tops of the pistons is a good idea just don't get to aggressive with a wire wheel, I like to spray carb cleaner on them as I work.
If the machine shop didn't tap all your major threads, do it.

 

Basically, an engine rebuild, eh? Sounds like what we do here with MK 48 torpedo engines! If the shop would let me, I'd do it here at work - got cranes, butt-ton of tools, lotsa guys who've done this sort of thing before, but NO... I got an apartment that wont' let us so much as change the OIL in the single parking space we got. Sure wish cars were as stupid-simple as torpedos, I'd already be ASE certified!! I'll be saving up to do all of this, find the good shops and a buddy who has a place to store the car, and buy all the parts I can do myself. thanks for everything - oh, is the Haynes manual worth beans for the teardown and build up, or should I use it for rags and hand towels?