So in a nutshell, I am changing my motor from N20 to an F1 procharger. The motor already has forged internals. It has 5000 miles all street 0 races/passes.

I need a company to tear it down, make sure the block looks ok, install splayed caps, a blower cam and blower pistons. Do you guys think my quote for $1500 - $1800 only labor is an OK price?

I will have to purchase the pistons, rings, and cam seperate.

I am looking for more quotes, but is my first one ok?

Motor has Al. trickflow heads, Vic Jr. intake., random extra info

 

Any help guys?

Any suggestions on piston companies? I am clueless.

Quote deliniated 8 hours of tear down and checking things, + 15 hours of rebuild. Sound about right?

 

Installing splayed main caps is a very labour intensive process it usually take 7-8 hours if you do it properly. for a complete disasembly, installation of new caps, a touch hone and a re-assembly for 1800 is a steal in my opinion. To give you an idea on our price, A complete dissasembly and estimate takes 8 hours and cost 675$, to install splayed caps with an align bore cost $630, $1215 is the caps have stepped registers. A touch hone with a torque plate costs $270, Final block wash costs $90, balancing a rotating assembly costs 428$ and a complete engie assembly costs $900. Machine work isnt cheap, and 99% of the time you get what you pay for. Id be leary that they may be skipping steps etc, make sure they a balancing the rotating assembly.

 

Here's something to ponder,aftermarket block?I understand that in the big picture,it will add to the cost,but you get your splayed caps,a far superior block,and knock a chunk off of that $1800.Just a thought,but you would then have a bulletproof setup.

 

I have contemplated the idea about an aftermarket block a few times. I am trying to stay away from the idea because I want to get my car up and running this year. I won't have the $.

If the splayed mains are that much, maybe I will lay off the idea for a bit and babay the car. It is 100% a street car so it never sees high RPMs nor will it.

I might have miss lead you guys before, the quote that I got was without the splayed main caps install. Sorry.

Without that work, does the quote sound ok?

The car will be going under the night a few years later anyways, once I get a house. This motor is just to hold me over till I get the house. When I do that I will be beefing up the tranny and, at that time, doing the new block and so on.

Thanks for the help so far.

 

So with the work done and no caps, you think it should cost $2,363?

That makes the quote look a lot nicer. Let me know if I am thinking right. Or if it is still too good to be true.

 

I'm not sure about the splayed main pricing but the rest of it at 1500-1800 seems somewhat reasonable.

I assume this means you will drive the car to the place, have them yank motor and do the install there? Or is that price for you just dropping off the motor? If they yank the motor that is a great looking price quote. If you yank it and drop engine only, its still decent.

These look reasonable and about on par with what i've seen in the past. I just dont know splayed main cap pricing as i never had that quoted before.

Shop around me (in houston now) quotes about 900-1000 for labor only to install cam and valve springs on an LS1 motor. I've seen 600-800 to assemble a complete motor before. Some cheaper, some more money.


My Dart SHP block all machined ready to assemble was 1800 bucks shipped to a business that can handle pallet loads (forklift access basically). I think the guy (Carl at CNC Blocks Northeast) quoted me 600 to assemble the motor. Golen charged 800 when I got the shortblock.

Your block probably wont need bored, just a quick hone. It probably would get cleaned and sonic checked but that work wont add up to more than 300 bucks I think. I dont think tear down would be all that much either but starting with a complete engine it may take some time and labor rates add up. Conversion to splayed may be a good bit of money with the labor and splayed main caps price. Still cheaper than new SHP block and no waiting for the new motor to ship. mine took awhile. If the actual cost of prepping the block turns out to be more than 1200 bucks i'd consider spending the extra 600 to get a abit better block. But i doubt it will be that high.

 

Price is for me droping it off. I have a picker so I don't mind. Pain in the butt, but I don't really care. I just need to borrow a truck from a friend. Car is off the road anyways, so no big deal.

I too don't think the block will need much, it only has 5,000 miles total, all pretty reasonably soft street miles, 1 100 shot of N20 on it. Thats it. Should be just about exactly the way it was when it went togeather.

So far the quote looks to be in the right ball park.

Orr, I will be swapping out to a better block someday down the road, just not now. I want to get the F1 swapped in at a reasonable price so I can start saving for downpayment on a house while prices are still good.

In a couple years upgrade the internals of the T-56 to take 900HP and get a better block, at the point also get air-ride and call the car done.

Anyways,... I am getting off topick. Thanks for all the help. I will keep that quote at the top of my list.

 

Also swap out the valve springs for some fresh units to match the new cam. probably 200-300 bucks to do that.

Doing all that work for that cost doesnt seem too bad at all.

 

Can you explain why I would need new springs? The old cam had high lift, so if the new cam will have lower lift, why would they not work?

Sorry if this is a stupid question?

 

They wear out over time. 5K miles with highlift cams is about half way through that springs life already. Maybe even more. Its probably already down on spring pressure. Plus with boost its generally recommended that you run more pressure on the valve springs than you would with n/a setups.

Lift isnt the major factor with valve springs like most people think. Just because you have springs that can handle .650 lift doesnt mean they are good enough for a .575 cam. Valve motion from the lobe design determines what springs are needed. Mass of the lifter/pushrod/rocker and valve itself needs to be controlled by the spring and pressure is what controls that. You can high weak pressured and high lift capacity springs

Your starting over with new pistons/rings/block/cam/etc, its not much more to replace the valve springs.

 

I see.

I was hoping to only need new pistons, rings and cam. For now of course. Later down the road yes I would agree.

Out of the 5000 miles the motor has, I would say only 1 of those 5 would be "spirited" driving. Most was to work 15 minutes and home. Thats it.

I will of course follow the lead of the shop and see what they say when they get the motor. I hope I don't need springs.

 

Do you know what springs are in it and the specs?

 

Pretty sure these are them. http://www.trickflow.com/partdetail....2&autoview=sku

They were called Kenny Dewinter (or something like that) Heads when they were new. I don't see them anymore on their site, so I think this is the closest thing to them, if not it is axactly them.

I will get a definite answer to you later.

 

Looks like they advertise it at 1.800" install height with 1.1" coil bind height. You like to keep it away from coil bind about .050-.10" inch so that gives max open height of 1.2 safest scenario and thus good to .600 lift. Its advertised at 125 lb seat and 365 open which is ok for most mild rollers. Spring rate is 438 lb/in so calculated open pressure at .600" lift is 388 lbs. I think they calculate at .550"

Either way I think 125lbs seat after 5,000 miles should be changed or at the very least, checked then shimmed .030". That will give max lift of about .570" and a spring rate of 138lbs on the seat. Thats abit better but still not optimal if you go for higher rpms and an aggressive lobe design. My cam guy recommended 160lbs or so min. I'm running 165-170.

 

I see, but this motor will never see above 5500 most likely. Maybe kiss 6K a couple time a season.

 

When you get a new cam check to see what they recommend even if you are only turning 5500 rpm. Thats plenty of rpm to make the power you'd like to see but still think good springs should not be overlooked, especially a small time cost of about 150 bucks or so a set plus install. you can do that yourself with a 7 dollar compressor arm.

 

I thought you mentioned them being another $600? If it is that low for the springs you are talking about I will def look into it.

I will be very very very carefull selecting a cam. I will run it by you guys and get 100% approval before moving on!

 

It may be 150 or less for springs plus labor to install and set them up at correct install height. I dont think that will come to more than 200-300 bucks total

 

Right on. Well I will keep in the back of my mind that I need to do springs as well then. Thanks.

Now if I could just find a used Procharger BOV....