Engine Refresh / Rebuild Costs

[TubzzFormula 271]

How much should I be Looking to spend for refreshing the top end of a carbed 500HP? Also, how much would it cost for top and bottom end to be done? I think they are ok, but I'm gonna go ahead and at least do top end. Compression good and all guages seems to show good..420hrs

[RaggedEdge]

Few years back I had a pair of Carb HP 500's done here locally, cost me right around $7000. Did not need new cams, pistons, etc., just tear down, check over, hone block, surface cut heads, and rebuild with new rings, bearings, gaskets, good valve job, and new Isky SP springs and retainers. So $3500 each give or take a little, I did do the removal and reinstall myself. So update it a couple of years ............. $3700 to $4000 per engine should probably cover it today. Can't really split the upper end only out for you but I'm sure someone will chime in with that.

[TubzzFormula 271]

Thanks.. I was hoping around 5k to do the top of both, but we'll see.

[bert4332]

Just had my 454 done this summer, top end, exact same stuff you are going to have done, I think it was about $2800.00

[Young Performance]

Tubzz,
You should be able to do just the top end for 5K.

On the entire engine, I am higher than Ragged edge's price, but I also replace a ton more parts. On a typical refresh, the only parts I reuse (beside the accessories) are the bare block, bare heads, crankshaft, and rod cores. Everything else goes in the garbage. I replace the following: rings, bearings, oil pump and drive rod, connecting rod bolts, pistons, timing set, cam and lifters, pushrods, valves, springs, retainers, locks, seals, gaskets, etc. The parts that I use are of a much higher quality than the stock components. (Clevite bearings, Total Seal rings, JE pistons, Melling oil pump, Fel- Pro gaskets, Manley valves, etc). As for machine work, I align hone the mains, bore and hone cylinders, deck block and heads, valve job, balance rotating assembly, resize rods with new bolts, polish and magnaflux crank, etc.
Basically, you end up with a new engine that is better than it was when it was new. It has much better parts and is hand assembled by one person......ME. It also comes with a warranty. Now the bad part......it runs between 9-11K depending on the engine. Give me a call if I can help. Thanks.
Eddie

[Panther]

You can redo the top end for about $1000-1200K per side if you do the work yourself. That includes all new valves, springs, HD valve job, lifters, surface heads, retainers, gaskets etc.

Eddie's doing what I consider a rebuild.

[Young Performance]

Manley valves and a good set of hyd. roller lifters are almost $1100 alone. A three angle valve job is about $175.00. Springs, retainers and locks (10*) are about $250. About $150-200 for gaskets and $35 for seals. Add in $80-100 to surface the heads and you have over $1600 in parts alone. These are just off the top of my head numbers. Don't hold me to them, but they are close.
Eddie

[Jeff P31]

[QUOTE=Panther;2993108]You can redo the top end for about $1000-1200K per side if you do the work yourself. That includes all new valves, springs, HD valve job, lifters, surface heads, retainers, gaskets etc.

That would be per head , so x 4 = 4800

[Panther]

Originally Posted by Young Performance

Manley valves and a good set of hyd. roller lifters are almost $1100 alone. A three angle valve job is about $175.00. Springs, retainers and locks (10*) are about $250. About $150-200 for gaskets and $35 for seals. Add in $80-100 to surface the heads and you have over $1600 in parts alone. These are just off the top of my head numbers. Don't hold me to them, but they are close.
Eddie

Sorry Eddie, I went back and checked my last reciept and noticed I did not have lifters included! I made a mistake and listed the the lifters in my rough numbers, that's the main difference.

[Panther]

Speaking of Lifters, what do you recommend these days for solid rollers?