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Machine work questions

79rustyk10

79rustyk10

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I need to rebuild the engine in my 89 ford, the thing spun a rod bearing last month.

I want to build something myself, as I cant really afford a reman right now, and I have a really bad taste in my mouth from buying a junkyard engine with supposedly low miles.:mad: Not to mention I just want to build an engine.

What would you guys reccomend for necessary machine work on a 200K+ engine? I was thinking just having them clean it up, punch it .030 over and have them install the cam bearings and freeze plugs.

A friend said that it should really get line bored/honed, and then theres the whole balancing issue:doah:

And now the question of the rotating assembly. I know it spun a rod bearing so the crank will need ground, if not replaced, then rods resized, and pistons hung.

A basic rebuild kit with federal mogul stuff is $340. By the time I buy the rebuild kit and have the machine work done, I might as well just spend the $1200 on a stroker kit, skipping a ****load of machine work and adding inches and lots of torque. however there would be the balancing cost added with the stroker that for this app could be skipped in a more stockish build.

The "might as wells" really seem to mess everything up all the time.
 
79rustyk10 said:
I need to rebuild the engine in my 89 ford, the thing spun a rod bearing last month.

I want to build something myself, as I cant really afford a reman right now, and I have a really bad taste in my mouth from buying a junkyard engine with supposedly low miles.:mad: Not to mention I just want to build an engine.

What would you guys reccomend for necessary machine work on a 200K+ engine? I was thinking just having them clean it up, punch it .030 over and have them install the cam bearings and freeze plugs.

A friend said that it should really get line bored/honed, and then theres the whole balancing issue:doah:

And now the question of the rotating assembly. I know it spun a rod bearing so the crank will need ground, if not replaced, then rods resized, and pistons hung.

A basic rebuild kit with federal mogul stuff is $340. By the time I buy the rebuild kit and have the machine work done, I might as well just spend the $1200 on a stroker kit, skipping a ****load of machine work and adding inches and lots of torque. however there would be the balancing cost added with the stroker that for this app could be skipped in a more stockish build.

The "might as wells" really seem to mess everything up all the time.
Click to expand...


Yes with that many miles I too would have it aligned bored and the cam bores trued up. I would want to machine all necessary precision surfaces. Head surfaces, qhatever they can true up. It will make for a much better engine in the long run. And the engine shop doing the machining will more then be happy to warenty their work as well. Being a machinist I'm all about making things precision.
 
I would have the machine shop inspect it and tell you what needs to be done. For sure you are getting the crank ground and the rods resized or replaced if the one is bad enough. Overbore is determined by cylinder taper or damage. You don't decided that till they measure it. I wouldn't have it line honed or worry about cam bores unless they tell you something is way off. I would suspect you will need to spend the extra money on the heads with 200k.
 
I'm hoping for a set of aftermarket heads. We'll see after I know how bad the short block is.
 
If you didn't take a main out I wouldn't worry bout a line bore. I just had a 454 redone and cost $400 for the machine work. Bore, hone, cam bearings, soft plugs, rods resized, crank turned, pistons pressed on the rods, and I think that was balance too.

I lucked out and found a set of heads already done, that saved at least $500. With a couple more bucks I could have gone with a crate motor, but probly would have been stock, mine isn't crazy, but it's not stock either. I could have gone LS, but really not impressed with them just yet....Maybe when I can read up on them and learn some more...
 
Called a machine shop that most of my friends use today.With the rebuild kit, and pretty much balanced/blueprinted and ready for assembly, he quoted me $1300 or so depending on if I source a crank myself, or if they send it out for grinding and polishing. Crank grinding is the only thing that they do not do in house.

He also said that they balance everything because its been cheaper in the long run than not doing it, and that Ill get a spec sheet to go along with everything they do.
 
not saying its a good deal or not but 1300 plus your time to drop off / pick up / dis assemble and re assemble / no warrenty on assembly work i would just get crate motor and drop in and go.

i know you said you wana rebuild but price a gen over the counter reman.
 
I completly understand what youre saying.

Part of it is that it will be stockish, not stock. I'm sure anything non stock I do would instantly void any warranty on a crate engine, and I am planning better heads and a roller cam swap. Another thing is any type of "performance" crate engine will be more than the EFI could support without tuning, and probably for from ideal for a truck anyway.

I am going to shop around a little bit to maybe find a less expensive shop, but this will be spread out a while over time so there wont be the instant shock to the wallet like if it were all done at once.
 
With 200k on it, I think you would be better off just buying a block from summit or the likes.

1) You know its good.
2) The 674.00 dollars for it will be cheaper than the machine work on your 200k block.
3) Alot less hasle than messing with an old block since it's got freeze plugs,cam bearing, and everything. Just add rotating assembly. Freeze plugs, and cam berrings and their installs runs about 150.00 dollars on their own.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-150110/
 
What does a PBM block cost? I know a buddy built a 454 winsor out of one not long ago.
 
From my research, the computer plugs in from a 351 truck. Thats the easy part.

To keep everything working correctly I would have to get different headers, due to the EGR hookup on the pass side exhaust manifold. Or... spend an assload of cash having it tuned somewhere to shut off EGR.

The 302 has a better intake, and from what I hear Holley copied the lower for one of their setups for a 5.0 mustang.

I could swear there were some other cons to it. I cant remember now though.

My dad isnt driving his bronco with a 351 in it anymore:thinking:, but then again thats another engine that would need rebuilt soon anyway, with 160k+ not very well maintained miles. And before my truck got tired and died, it would hand that bronco its ass in a drag race.
 
Unless you are building a high performance engine I would find a machine shop that does not do race stuff and have them quote bore, line hone mains, cleaning, and freeze plugs. Your money is better spent on a stroker assembly or heads where you will see noticeable power gains vs. line honing cam mains, precision balancing, decking, etc... That is my .02. Like already mentioned it may be worth it to just buy a block from summit...
 
On the heads I would get a quote to have your current ones ported and re-done. It may not be too much more, and it would be worth it to me to know I was spending my money on something done right. You're taking a gamble buying those not knowing the history and if they're any good...
 
I would check their "balancing". I seen one that was waaaaaaaaaaaaaay off balance from Summit. Balancing isnt exactly cheap from a machine shop either, but I cant remember what I paid to have my 454 done anymore, been a few years.

You shouldnt have to line hone if its never spun a main and you keep the caps in their correct spot. If you do decide to keep the block, I would just bore, hone, and have the deck surfaces checked to make sure they are square, and even from the crank centerline compared to each other. Plus magnafluxing for cracks.

If you can get a Summit block for reasonably, I would go with that over putting in alot of money on an old block. Alot of them are priority main as well, another nice bonus.
 
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