What needs to be done that I couldn't do on my own? and how messy does it get? I'm contemplating grabbing an engine from a junkyard and rebuilding it for experience and to replace my tired LG4. I've got an extra room in my house to do it in, is it possible if I lay down a sheet or whatever that I won't get the rest of the room covered in grease and ****? I'm not sure what I want to get to rebuild, I might even stick w/ a 305 so I can retain some gas mileage, right now I'm just in the pre-planning stages. What else might I need to know other than the 2 Q's I've already asked?

A few people have told me to get all the parts for the rebuild, tear the engine down, and then bring it all to a machine shop and have them do whatever machine work and have them assemble it, anyone know what the machine shop is likely to charge me?

 

I believe for a rebuild you need to hot tank it to clean it out.

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2 Tickets to game= $250
Gas= $20
Sitting 20ft. from MJ= Priceless
'86 IROC T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK HEADERS Hooker CatBack
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat, just switched to 180* b/c of winter coming and going to college in the mts.
3:73 Posi Rebuilt 700R4
B&M Megashifter, 5" Autometer Tach w/shift lite

 

I would like to add here. I have noticed a drop in power in my engine. It has almost 164,000 miles on it. It smokes when I start it, it has a horrible ticking coming from the passenger side (not a manifold leak!), and I am have oil leaking somewhere around the head or intake on the passenger side as well. With the high miles I was thinking about a rebuild. Especially since my sister just bought a car and wont be able to drive it until she turns 16 in January, so I would still have a ride. I am going to be doin some fairly heavy highway driving the next few yeasr for college, so I want to stay with the 305, but I want to know I am not going to end up stranded with a screwed engine. What is the best way to go about doing this?? I havent the slighest clue, so any help or advice is appreciated. Can I buy a rebuild kit and have a machine shop do it for me?? What steps need to be taken... THANKS

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1991 WS6 Trans Am
Medium Green Metallic
Beechwood interior
305 TPI
TH 700-R4, Auto
T-Tops, PW, PL, PM
Keyless entry, alarm
Flowmaster Muffler
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Macewen white faced overlays with Xenon bulbs
Firehawk SZ50's
KYB GR-2 Struts
KYB Gas-a-Just Shocks
Pioneer DEH-630

 

My family owns a machine shop. If you're familiar with engine work you can tear it down and reassemble it yourself and save some money. You need only basic tools (wrenches & sockets) and a gear puller, balancer puller, and torque wrench. Take the heads and have them and rebuilt (usually less than $100 per head including cleaning, surfacing, magnafluxing, etc...), and get them to build the shortblock for you. I don't know what labor & machine work in your area will run, but we charge $650 machining and labor if we completely tear one down and rebuild it where all you have to do is drop it in. We also sell parts at cost when someone gets a rebuild. Sometimes it is cheaper to have rebuilt by someone else when you consider your time investment and trouble. Talk to your local machine shop before making any decisions.

 

Well with any luck I'll be getting either Vortec heads or S/R Tourqers, so I won't have to worry about getting the LG4 heads rebuilt. Could I just take the block to the machine shop and have them clean up the cylinder walls, and put everything else in myself? or is there more machine work involved?

EDIT: I definately won't be rebuilding the engine thats sitting in there now, it runs good enough, and I need something to get me around all winter. With any luck I'll go to a junkyard and either get a 305 or a 350 to rebuild.

[This message has been edited by Jason86Z28 (edited November 26, 2001).]