Machine Shop Costs, 440 Build

[BSB67]

Comparing to the OP’s quote…..
Add:
Roller cam
Roller lifters
Roller rockers
Pushrods
Recondition heads(with parts suitable for roller cam)
Timing set
Oil pump
Assembly

I agree it doesn’t seem like folks are comparing apples to apples.

 

[LSS&B]

I agree it doesn’t seem like folks are comparing apples to apples.

It's hard to drop 9 grand without a second estimate. I can't do it.
I'll publish what the second shop says, hope by end of coming week.

 

[PRHeads]

Depending on exactly which components were used, and what was done to the heads, that “add on” list easily comprises $5000+ worth of charges.

 

[BSB67]

Sure. But others that seem to have strong opinions that your first estimate is very high, l simply have my doubts without seeing a side by side service/parts comparison with a recent job.

 

[cap67]

WOW!! Had my 383 done: turn crank 10/10 , hone,bore 30. Install cam bearings, freeze plugs, hot tank block.recon rods, add sleeve to 1 cyl. Install piolt bushing crank. Dist shaft bushing. Assemble short block. $ 1,600. Found him from fellow mopar people. He's in his eightys. Doing it for 50+ years. I guess I'm lucky.

 

[cap67]

WOW!! Had my 383 done: turn crank 10/10 , hone,bore 30. Install cam bearings, freeze plugs, hot tank block.recon rods, add sleeve to 1 cyl. Install piolt bushing crank. Dist shaft bushing. Assemble short block. $ 1,600. Found him from fellow mopar people. He's in his eightys. Doing it for 50+ years. I guess I'm lucky.

PS. I did have pistons, push rods intake , carb, dist fuel pump oil pump etc. I did by new cam, lifters, rings, bearings, rod bolts t.c. kit, gasket kit etc. Add $1,000 +
But I did shop around for deal. E bay, swap meets, craigs list etc. Shop around try and few different shops . It's is Very expensive these days for engine work. I guess I got lucky. Also It took him a good 6 months to finish.

 

[Kern Dog]

What shop did you use ?

I've been a customer of this machinist that used to be part owner of a shop in West Sacramento. He often does machine work at the shop but then brings the stuff home to finish it up.
The shop itself looks somewhat unprofessional. If a new customer were to go there to get a feel for the place, I would expect him to be UNimpressed and look elsewhere. I have dealt with the machinist for over 25 years and have never had an issue with any work that he has done. I am doing three LA series engines here right now machined by him...

Send me a PM if you want his contact info.

 

[DeltaV]

Flat tappets have 70% fail rate

Seriously???

 

[super-bee_ski]

I have $8,500 in this:
Awesome engine...Best of everything...Of course, that is the great NHRA Mopar builder Dale Reed....and I am selling this for $9K BEST 440 max wedge out there.

 

[Kern Dog]

I'll admit that the prices that I have paid to my guy are lower than average. He isn't the type of guy that wears a lab coat while working in a sterile UNION environment where everything is spotless, ALL Cal-OSHA rules are strictly enforced, etc. Rick is a professional much like I was when I built houses. He knows his stuff, does a great job but isn't greedy about the rates he charges.

 

[68BabyBlue]

PS. I did have pistons, push rods intake , carb, dist fuel pump oil pump etc. I did by new cam, lifters, rings, bearings, rod bolts t.c. kit, gasket kit etc. Add $1,000 +
But I did shop around for deal. E bay, swap meets, craigs list etc. Shop around try and few different shops . It's is Very expensive these days for engine work. I guess I got lucky. Also It took him a good 6 months to finish.

Not an apples to apples comparison, but shown to illustrate how inflation has impacted the cost of an engine rebuild. During the 1.3 million miles I ran the C15 CAT in my Peterbilt, I had the engine rebuilt three times, by two authorized CAT shops, block milled each time. First one in 2009 was $15,000. Got lucky with a $6000 warranty credit for head removal and two cylinder liners and pistons, blew six months before warranty expiration. Second one in 2014 was $19,500, and the final job in 2019 was $29,500. Freight rates weren't keeping up with the overhaul costs, made the decision to retire in 2022 pretty easy.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

No way I would dump $240+ rod bolts into a set of LY rods. You can buy better rods for not a lot more than that and be made of better material and have zero time on them.

 

[GTXDAN]

Another way to go would be if he had them do everything to the block and assemble the engine the labor would be $1684
He furnished the parts I would use :
440 Source 415 stroker kit and Stealth heads $4100
Listed Comp cam & lifters and Harland Sharp roller rockers $2062
Timing chain listed, cam bearings & gasket set $261
This would be all new internal parts, better heads & rockers for a total of $8107
Around $800 less with a better engine. Probable some shipping costs to add, but still no price for line bore and push rods.

 

[71 Runner]

I know it’s not the exact question that was asked but this is my resent cost. I pulled out my 340/727 and changing to a 440/505/TKX 6spd. All I had was a 71 440 date coded block that had a stock bore. It started out as a complete stock engine in 3 crates and the only thing worth savaging (per the engine shop) was the block. Everything else was new parts. When it was finished, I picked up a running engine.

 

[PRHeads]

A couple of observations about the build above……
Looks like they reused the stock rockers and shafts?
Nothing in the parts list about a damper either.
And I don’t see any charges for the dyno session.

And…….what……no dyno sheet??

 

[LSS&B]

Seriously???

I am repeating exactly what the machine shop owner said. He did not make distinctions about brand.
His name is Stewart Heider, owner Ballos Precision Machine.
By contrast, Hughes Engines still has their No Flat Cam Guarantee.
https://www.hughesengines.com/TechArticles/ourcamsareguaranteednottogoflat.php
Also, I hear bad things about Comp Cams from all my local friends, and I have seen threads where numerous people list their complaints about Comp Cams. My friends locally say Comp transferred production to Red China and low quality came from cost cutting and poor quality controls in Chinese manufacturing. My friends last night were wondering how Comp stays in business.
To add lifters into the mix, I have seen an article that says there are very few lifter manufacturers, and that most companies rebox another company's product. In this case, how do I buy quality when I don't know who makes what?
In a way, it all seems like a giant crap shoot. Roll your dice and test your luck. I don't like gambling on something that I have many hours, thousands of dollars, and long wait periods invested in.

 

[71 Runner]

A couple of observations about the build above……
Looks like they reused the stock rockers and shafts?
Nothing in the parts list about a damper either.
And I don’t see any charges for the dyno session.

And…….what……no dyno sheet??

That’s a pretty go observation with the valve covers on. If you notice the price of the assembled heads you will notice that it’s a lot higher than the going price for 60925 heads. They got a packaged deal that included Proform 440-873 with new mounting bolts and push rods. That’s why the push rods have no price listed. They just included everything in the listed head price on the work order. Just lazy I’m guessing.

My son bought the engine in crates for $100, the guy decided to go GenIII and just wanted it out of his garage. He was doing a bathroom remodel and asked what engine it was. When the guy said a 71 date coded 440 my son told him I had a 71RR. The guy said it’s yours for $100. It had no accessories or mounting brackets. When I bought the CVF setup, I got a Probond balancer and just gave it to the shop to put on.

The dyno was out of service and not repaired when my engine was finished. All the could do was the break in run. When my car is finished the custom shop is going to have it dynode in the car. It sure sounds good though.

 

[PRHeads]

That’s a pretty go observation with the valve covers on. If you notice the price of the assembled heads you will notice that it’s a lot higher than the going price for 60925 heads.

Well, I didn’t see rockers on the parts list, and in your third pic the list of parts for the build states:
Rockers - STK shaft.
The head price seemed about right to me($1935 currently), so I made the assumption.

Thanks for clearing it up.

Btw, I watched the video, in which I saw another couple of parts not in the parts list……..
Milodon oil pan and the matching pick up.
And since you brought them up…….the valve covers.

I’m just pointing out than the build was actually more expensive than just what’s shown on that invoice.

 

[Cranky]

Here's what I paid last Oct, and built it myself. This motor is .030 over and the crank is .010/.010.

Machine work
Clean/check block. 250.00
Surface block. 250.00
Check main bore. 80.00
Bore/hone. 350.00
Recondition rods. 140.00
R & R pistons. 48.00
Grind crank. 300.00
Balance. 350.00
Total. 1768.00

Parts
Speed pro pistons. 411.00
Rings. 73.00
Mains. 113.00
Rods. 123.00
Cam bearings. 32.00
Gasket set. 113.00
Valve stem seals. 18.00
Total. 883.00

Grand Total 2651.00

Looks interesting.

A better place than General Discussion would be:

Exterior Body, Paint, Trim, Chrome

Even back in the 80's, most shops didn't check anything but would just machine it, needed to or not! That's when I started checking my own stuff and telling them what needed to be done.

 

[71 Runner]

Well, I didn’t see rockers on the parts list, and in your third pic the list of parts for the build states:
Rockers - STK shaft.
The head price seemed about right to me($1935 currently), so I made the assumption.

Thanks for clearing it up.

Btw, I watched the video, in which I saw another couple of parts not in the parts list……..
Milodon oil pan and the matching pick up.
And since you brought them up…….the valve covers.

I’m adding a full QA1 coil over rack & pinion front with 4 link in the back. The Milodon oil pan is required for the QA1 upgrade. You have 3 oil pan type choices and I went with the baffled model to not starve the engine of oil when g loading. That thing must be made of GOLD for what it costs.I added the timing cover as well as the valve covers and Sniper EFI. They had planned on using all the engine covers but I wanted to dress it up a bit. The build sheet is for the machine work, labor, needed parts and stroker kits only. I had already bought all the eye candy for the engine and gave it to them cuz I didn’t want to change everything out when I got the engine back.