Engine builder wants $3000 more for Merlin block?
 

My engine builder was building me a motor using a bbc bow tie block for $10,000 he said it would be around 650 hp. Then I asked him if we could use a Merlin block and he said that would be a extra $3,000 with all the machine work on the block. Dose that sound right?
Thanks

Sounds a little high. You need to post more about your build. Bore stroke. What's amateur with the bowtie block? That power is fine. I would buy a dart nicer casting.

Bow tie block should be worth about 800 to sell it.

I may be able to get some better prices for you idk how far you are with your build.

i like the dart big m block.imo it is the best of the blocks mentioned.

He was taking about doing a 510 CI. With his bowtie block and a 589 CI. With the Dart block. He says I am not using junk in your motor you need to trust me. And said it took 5 weeks just to get the hydraulic roller lifters he wanted to use. I gave him $5,000 down.

i thought you said 3000 more for merlin block.now i am confused.

hydraulic roller lifters :fear: that's just me. And the five weeks to get them even makes it worse.

I really didnt like my merlin block i have, used a dart big m when i upgraded. Paid 1850 for my merlin block and another 1000 in machine work so 3000 is about right, that was 10 years ago. The only thing i wonder about the 3000$ hes telling you is i would assume you were already paying for some machine work which in that case the price is a little high.

Sounds to me like he's using used parts laying around to build your original motor and the Merlin block would have to be purchased new. Myself I like the newer Merlin blocks. The earlier Merlin blocks had some issues with machining but the new stuff is on point. With that said the Merlin Block are about $800 more than a Dart block and the Dart Block is just as good so why spend the extra money? Myself I would not use a set of lifters in a motor that takes 5 weeks to get unless I bought the lifters in bulk and kept them on the shelf. What happens if there is a failure? What happens if I build a new motor and one set of lifters doesn't pump up? Then your gonna wait another 5 weeks to get a set of lifters? I could be the best part in the world but if it's not available then what good is it? To me it doesn't sound like your builder has much common sense.

I can see this headed to the ( Beware ) section.................good luck, Id get a list of all the parts he's gonna use and drop in ( if its close ) and look at the short block before the pan and heads go on.

Yeah sounds like a 1 hour wonder motor. Title of the thread is going to be New Engine misfire under load low oil pressure help! Then there is going to be a bunch of guys telling him to check the obvious. Ignition carb fuel blah blah blah. I'm going to tell him his stuff is blowed up because it detonated and the motor needs to come out. After a month or so he's going to pull the motor. The builder is going to deny the warranty for some ridiculous reason other than he doesn't know what he's doing. The OP will either take it to another builder that's going to blow smoke up his rectum convince him how great he is and continue to take his money and build him another 1 hour wonder motor or the OP will get disgusted and sell the boat and part out what's left of the motor. How many times have we seen this happen?

Historically, the highlighted phrase is used in 2 circumstances.
1. Right before a notoriously bad plan is about to unfold.
2. Right after one promises not to finish on a Fountain skank's face/hair.

That's my queue to require all receipts of parts used in my engine from his supplier to him. If I trusted anyone in my biz bridges would fall!

Yes sorry ment to say Merlin block.

I think he is full of crap about the 5 weeks for liters because he said he would have the motor done in 6 weeks and was just buying time. Also said they cost $800 and crank is $1000. That along is 20% of the cost for the whole build for those two items. Dose not sound right to me. I guess just another bad decision on my part. I already gave him $5000
He gave me.

I agree

Dose anyone know what I should expect for $13,000?
He said 650 hp 589 CI. Merlin block, engine quest heads, not sure of the kind of intake and no distributor or carburetor and no Dyno.

Your engine builder wouldn't be Bubba's back yard speed and chrome would it??

13,000 is not out of the realm of reality for a BBC done at a shop.

Parts and hours add up quickly.

You should expect a well thought out and executed engine program with reasonable reliabity for 13K.

For $13,000 it needs to make 850hp and be able to go 300hours without even flinching. This guy is a total idiot if he plans on handing over to you a motor with no ignition, no carb and no dyno tunning. Any builder worth .02 cents doesn't hand a motor over to the customer not tuned.

It cost a builder about $10,000 in parts for a long block. Nice parts. That's with a good set of aluminum heads. Carb and ignition another $1,500. Labor for Machine work $1,000 is on the very highend for this kind of build. This is a bolt together kind of motor and should take no longer than one day to assemble the motor. A day on the dyno $5-600. That's $13,000 roughly. With the use of the Engine Quest heads take $3,000 of the cost of the build. Now we are back to $10,000 this is with new everything... But the builder has to make a living. $1,000 for assembling the Engine (1 day work).

I am so glad I am able to build my own stuff. I am SO happy with my new 598.
I have about $20,000 in parts and machining into it. and that is with me doing the assembly.

Thank you for everyon's input.
Todd

Are you saying 1000$ for machine work total is high? Have you priced mallory metal lately? Even on new top shelf parts, machining and balancing a long block is at least 1500$ without assembly, and that would be bargain basement

I pay $650 for a block to go through a RMC CNC finish on a Rottlet CNC Vertical Diamond Hone and Balance. Mallory isn't that much a lot of Machine shops lead you to believe it is so they can charge you ridiculous money for a $150 balance job. Oh and that's for a balance on a Sunnen Computirized balance with a center balance. That's what I pay for extremely nice top shelf machining. And it doesn't take months to get it done. 5 day turn around. I usually drop off on a Saturday and pick up on a Saturday.