What would be a range of labor hours you would estimate to complete a quality rebuild on a NA 454 to 540 ci marine engine? Target 1.1-1.2 HP per CI with 150+ hour usable life.
Assume this "rebuild" will use these parts you pick: cam, lifters, intake manifold, pistons, heads and valve train. Plan to re- use the current block, rods and crankshaft. This project would include:
- Engine dis-assembly
- Magnafluxing (if you sub-contract figure $75 hr)
- Parts cleaning and prep
- All necessary machining (if you sub-contract figure $75 hr)
- Balancing (if you sub-contract figure $75 hr)
- Set up of the combustion chamber for the target CR
- Final valve train set-up, clrearances, etc.
- Fuel system set-up to your spec's (carb, fuel pump, senders)
- Final engine assembly (ready for dyno)
- Engine paint
All parts, marinization, and dyno time would be extra.
Questions:
- Would you offer a 60 day or 20 hour limited warrantee with defined parameters? (from initial verified splash date)
- Would you be present for the initial launch/water test for an additional $500? (you pay all your personal expenses)
You could really help yourselves and the OSO performance boaters if you participate in this thread. With this information, maybe a few more of your customers will now know what to expect.
This info shouldn't be a secret; the quaility custom builder should be proud about the time it takes to do it right.

Great, can't wait to see what they say.

Sounds like fun Sprague. I will put something together.

I just hit start on the microwave, the popcorn should be done soon!

This is kind of interesting. Some engine builders will quote over the phone, but yet nobody will respond to what is asked about what is a realistic number of hours to do a quality job.
Are the questions difficult?
Would the upfront, honest response get you more business? Do you think your rebuild quotes are a secret? How does the engine building community go about establishing a relationship and trust?
Do the OSO buyers care about what you are buying? Do you know how long it takes to do a rebuild right? Do you want a warranty?
OSO boaters, you deserve a fair answer from any engine builder you are considering doing business with. It is good to shop price on products with a fixed quality; not good on products with variable quality based on effort.

min 25k for two motors for 150hours of use equals...............................$166 per hour....then you can blow up your drives and add another 15k....yipeeeee

funny, the longer it took mine to get done, the cheaper it was... i bought the first in / last out program, less $/hr.

oh, yea, and if a builder sat and thought about these questions... he'd lose 1 week of billable building hours...

You have at least $3-4K in machine work and the big nut is in parts ($8-10K, the big nut) and then labor. (this is for 2 engines)

Labor is labor..it depends who you take it to and how much they like you! You usually get what you pay for and I think that's why no one has responded to the question regarding labor hours and price.

Time is also money (on the buyers end). If someone charges you $3-4K in labor to assemble engines but it takes 6 months... I'd go to the guy who charges me $5-6 k but has it finished in a couple weeks. (assuming the quality is the same.)