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Engine and transmission for non mechanics


mmccammon

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Looking for advice and opinions.

1970 Monte SS 454.

what should I expect to pay my mechanic to remove the engine... send to rebuilder.. 

check out and replace seals in transmission while at it..

then put engine back in..

?

 Thanks 

mike

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i would say need a lot more info. if the engine goes to the rebuilder that is usually a seperate charge. region also has a lot to do with it. Here in South Fl. an R and R could be between $800 to $2000 and that would include front seal on transmission. The labor on the rebuilder would be additional. 

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Hard to give more details yet.. 

what I do know is that main bearings, rod bearings have wear.

metal in pan

crankshaft needs replaced

so.. going to be a pretty complete rebuild.

looking for cost estimate on the whole ball of wax.. hiring it done.. not me!

 

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I'm a little confused on the questions. From the first post I read it as you already had an engine quote, but your second post reads like you don't. Metal in the pan usually isn't a good thing for starters. Is your mechanic also going to service/refresh the trans if needed or is that getting sent out too? Your mechanic can probably quote you a price on the R&R alone. If he's "your" mechanic and you like/trust him/her then you have to settle on that one. The engine builder or your mechanic should have a contact to get the engine transported back and forth. Or you could rent a PU (I think the AD's say $19 for the first 90 minutes). The engine builder should be able to give you a worse case quote for the build telling him what you "know" . Again, if you like/trust them your going to have to bite the bullet on price. 

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14 hours ago, DragCat said:

I'm a little confused on the questions. From the first post I read it as you already had an engine quote, but your second post reads like you don't. Metal in the pan usually isn't a good thing for starters. Is your mechanic also going to service/refresh the trans if needed or is that getting sent out too? Your mechanic can probably quote you a price on the R&R alone. If he's "your" mechanic and you like/trust him/her then you have to settle on that one. The engine builder or your mechanic should have a contact to get the engine transported back and forth. Or you could rent a PU (I think the AD's say $19 for the first 90 minutes). The engine builder should be able to give you a worse case quote for the build telling him what you "know" . Again, if you like/trust them your going to have to bite the bullet on price. 

Yes, I do have a mechanic that has done a lot with the car since I got it.

i do trust him but again have only had the car since spring.

he has taken it apart enough to see the bearings but not completely.. he was waiting for my decision.  He assumes there’s more bearings involved as well as evidence that someone had the crankshaft out and remachined it. He feels it may not have been re installed properly.

he will remove and transport engine to the rebuilder he uses.

he will along with a transmission guy he uses go through transmission and check it out and replace seals.

all told I’m looking at $6 to $8 k depending on what is discovered in the engine and transmission.

since I’m doing none of this myself I was hoping for input on the cost proposal he has given me

thanks

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Michael, it should take a decent shop about three hours to remove an engine from a car like this.

Decent shop meaning it's a real shop, not some weekend warriors working in their garage on their backs with jacks after their real jobs.

Decent shop meaning they have lift(s), experienced mechanics, proper tools, insurance, etc.

In my area, most shops get $100 per hour. Shop around for this decent shop, chat with them what you want to do and discuss the time and cost for removal and re-installation. Ask what engine shop they recommend. If they all say one particular shop, it's probably for good reason. Find out how the car is stored while the engine work is being done, they may have storage fees.

Re-installation might be a little longer, you'll probably need new motor mounts and a few other things like torque converter bolts. exhaust manifold bolts, radiator flush and coolant, etc.

Your engine needs a full rebuild. This means dissasembly, hot tank the block & heads, all new bearings (including camshaft bearings), new timing chain set, full gasket set, new oil pump (you said there was junk in the oil-it gets into the pump & even one scratch and it's done), hone the cylinders and new piston rings. If the cylinders are scored you may need a slight overbore and new pistons. Heads get dissasembled, valve runout checked and fixed if needed, new stem seals and new valve springs. Connecting rods get checked for roundness. Far better connecting rods can be had for a mere $600.00 (never Eagle).

I would HIGHLY recommend a modern roller camshaft and roller lifters. Nothing crazy needed. There are reasonable kits that include cam, lifters, valve springs and timing chain set.  Adding a decent set of roller rockers will round out the job.

I would also recommend a new flexplate, harmonic balancer and having the rebuilder balance the rotating assembly.

If the shop has a run stand (or even an engine dyno), go for it. You'd really hate to install the engine THEN find out something went wrong. The rebuilder will stand behind the engine but not cover any R&R charges.

This will give you a very nicely running freshly built engine.

With this information about your engine needs, get a quote from a local engine rebuilder. Do NOT use a repair shop that can pull an engine, find an actual engine shop.

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The shop that rebuilt my 350 in my 72 charged me $2,250. Bored .020 over, roller cam and rockers, new pistons, pushrods and valve job. I had the engine already out of the car and on an engine stand when he received it. it only took him 10 days to do all of the work and for me to get it back ready to reinstall. This was done in Central Indiana.

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4 hours ago, Leghome said:

The shop that rebuilt my 350 in my 72 charged me $2,250. Bored .020 over, roller cam and rockers, new pistons, pushrods and valve job. I had the engine already out of the car and on an engine stand when he received it. it only took him 10 days to do all of the work and for me to get it back ready to reinstall. This was done in Central Indiana.

Thanks 

sounds like a great deal!

aint gonna come close to that in my area!

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Hey Michael, Paul makes some very good and sound comments. 

Its probably to late in the year to go to some cruise in's, car shows, or the local drag strip to talk to some fellow car people for recommendations. 

Do your homework, and I always pad the quotes in my mind for worse case scenarios. Then if it comes in less i'm surprisingly happy lol. 

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Good point Kevin.

Michael, if this is the original numbers matching block that came with your SS, make sure your machinist doesn't deck the block which would wipe away the stamped numbers. They're here:

v8engine_stamp_location.jpg

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