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How much labor cost to rebuild a 440?

Backpacker

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I was referred to someone (who will remain anonymous) that I am told is very good at rebuilding Mopar engines. This is not someone working out of his own garage in his backyard. He has been in business rebuilding engines for many years. He is good, just not known in magazines, TV, You Tube, etc.

His estimate was it would cost around $4500-5000 plus parts. That being said, if I went with new rods, for example, total cost would be about the same as rebuilding an original set of LY rods.

I have not rebuilt an engine in years, so I have no idea of today's prices. Is this a reasonable cost, grossly overpriced, or a good deal?
 
Well one way to look at this is to break it down for each major step. Machine work is not cheap nor should it be.

If you start with an average shoo rate of $100/hr that initially breaks you down to what 50 hours of labor? Split it up from there to see. Where and what are you starting with? You have a complete engine? What needs work? Block work rotating assembly work head work valvetrain etc can be broken down further.

Why not ask him for the breakdown and save yourself the time. Seems like a fair question and also he must have that down for customers. Not everything is known but he can give a worst case detailed estimate.
 
Might look at assembling the parts yourself, then just have your guy do the machine work and assembly. that way you can cut some of the mark up. I spent around $14K building my 416 and I acquired all the parts myself, but I did get some high speed stuff to include a stroker kit, EFI 6 pack, etc.
 
4000 or 5000.00 plus parts isnt bad.. . I bet all dipped and cleaned. Magnifluxing for cracks first.. then machined .. weld and resize the crank. if needed.. cylinder heads,,.. Lots of stuff to go through..
 
I just paid $2600 to have my short block rebuilt:
I pulled the heads/intake, all accessories, oil pan, water and oil pump...took them just the block with the cam and rotating assembly still in.
They measured everything, disassembled and cleaned, bored, decked, honed, balanced, resized the rods and did full-floating pins..and whatever else they typically do on a standard rebuild. Re-used my crankshaft and rods. Blueprinted, re-assembled everything and degreed my new cam.
They supplied new pistons, rings, bearings, double-roller timing set and all hardware.
I supplied my own camshaft, and billet rear main retainer(on their recommendation)..
Putting all the goodies back on was all on me (in fact I just got it back in the car, about an hour ago!)
So it really depends on what you want them to do and what you can do yourself.
 
His estimate was it would cost around $4500-5000 plus parts. That being said, if I went with new rods, for example, total cost would be about the same as rebuilding an original set of LY rods
I personally think that is high. Sometimes it depends on what part of the country you are in. I usually have about 5K in a build, parts and labor. I'm talking about a basically stock engine build, nothing with a lot of go fast upgrades. It all boils down to what you are getting for your money. I agree with having him break it down so you know what you're getting.
 
I personally think that is high. Sometimes it depends on what part of the country you are in. I usually have about 5K in a build, parts and labor. I'm talking about a basically stock engine build, nothing with a lot of go fast upgrades. It all boils down to what you are getting for your money. I agree with having him break it down so you know what you're getting.
So is that you building one for yourself or you building one to sell? Do you have overhead or are you working out of your garage and not counting that? Do you have thousands of dollars of specialized tooling and equipment or just hammering parts together? Do you have irreplaceable experience that can’t be quantified by dollars? I think you have to shop around and if you don’t like the price or the builder, move on. Calling a certain dollar figure “high” is ambiguous.
 
Some of the pricing will depend on whats going to be done and how much of it you want to do. Simple bore and hone? Valve job? Replace seats and guides? Deck? Align hone? Add a girdle? Balance? Hone with deck plates?
 
Machine shop labor rates? Is this man hours or machine hours? You have to ask. Also no matter what the rates if they run a dirty shop take your money else where no matter how great they say they are. You really want your engine assembled it an environment like that?
 
That's kind of like asking how much to rebuild a car so I don't know what you are wanting.
Most people that do "MOPAR" engines are building performance engines starting at double.
But try these for a drop in motor.
Quality work by professionals.
They handled shipping for me, cheap drive way to drive way.
Or you can at least compare prices?

http://www.cmengines.com/Engines/ReplacementStockOEMEngines/tabid/64/Default.aspx
 
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That's kind of like asking how much to rebuild a car so I don't know what you are wanting.
Most people that do "MOPAR" engines are building performance engines starting at double.
But try these for a drop in motor.
Quality work by professionals.
They handled shipping for me, cheap drive way to drive way.
Or you can at least compare prices?

http://www.cmengines.com/Engines/ReplacementStockOEMEngines/tabid/64/Default.aspx

i do Not want you to be offended by this,but,
before you recommend a company to Many people just because you had one good experience >>> shouldnt you maybe Check them out Online?

in .05 seconds i found out this company is engaged in all sorts of shady practices and Often overcharge for their engines and thats going by their Own charge sheet versus what they actually charge!!
read the horror stories,if you dare...
would you Really want to send a friend or another mopar guy into that situation??

https://www.bbb.org/us/sc/johnston/...arolina-machine-engines-0743-12181/complaints

just for one comparison check out the costs for an lt1 350 rebuild with a core charge added and then what the company charged the guy in actuality...yeah...
that doesnt come off as just a bit suspicous to you?
they charged him 6,600 dollars for a chevy lt1 350....!!!

and how does an amc 360 Core cost More than a rebuild?
or how does a Set of amc 360 heads Both crack on a formerly running engine before it hit their company doorsteps?
theres just so much going on there and so many excuses you would be nuts to take your business there.
 
i do Not want you to be offended by this,but,
before you recommend a company to Many people just because you had one good experience >>> shouldnt you maybe Check them out Online?

in .05 seconds i found out this company is engaged in all sorts of shady practices and Often overcharge for their engines and thats going by their Own charge sheet versus what they actually charge!!
read the horror stories,if you dare...
would you Really want to send a friend or another mopar guy into that situation??

https://www.bbb.org/us/sc/johnston/...arolina-machine-engines-0743-12181/complaints

just for one comparison check out the costs for an lt1 350 rebuild with a core charge added and then what the company charged the guy in actuality...yeah...
that doesnt come off as just a bit suspicous to you?
they charged him 6,600 dollars for a chevy lt1 350....!!!

and how does an amc 360 Core cost More than a rebuild?
or how does a Set of amc 360 heads Both crack on a formerly running engine before it hit their company doorsteps?
theres just so much going on there and so many excuses you would be nuts to take your business there.

Thank you for your input.
Did the .05 seconds include this forum?
Just doing that gives good, bad and ugly.
I would rather do that than go with the BBB complaints that gives me the who knows what.

For example, I spotted this at the BBB link.
One person said they required a "deposit".
But that may have been because he wanted something other than one of their packaged rebuilt engine.
("Money" up front.)
Special request can create special problems and problem situations.
That's my take on it.
Just a guess.

I had a terrible experience with a builder that had excellent BBB ratings.
(At least while they were still in business):)
 
ty for your reply ,however,
i noticed you immediately went to 1 example whereas i listed 3 right off the bat.
while i do agree with you about special orders,you just ignored the other ones?
why?...they are quite clear and show a trend in that shop.

ill just ask you to realize that in spite of your downplaying the BBB-s importance,
this was the Only direction these customers had to go,
other than a lawsuit that would take forever and possibly get them a judgement that never gets paid.
and you Might notice that after the BBB got involved,
several got their Refunds or motors returned.
until then all they were getting was Excuses and bs.

so i have no idea why you would think those customers complaints are somehow not as important as the experience you had with them.

do you think thats a good sign of an Honest shop?
and again,you would still recommend this shop to others???

heres a brief blurb from one of the complaints.
I said ****** you guys have had my motor for 4 months now enough is enough I need my motor ill get it he replies so i hang up Called back about 30 mins. and said ****** I dont believe you guys are working on my engine he informs me they have I said I need to speek to someone in charge see if can get answers he said I have to email owner of company he doesn't take phone calls ****** took my contact info said ill give it to owner and have yet to hear from him this company tells one lie after another my final question to ****** was dont you think 4 months is RIDICULOUS silence come upon the phone then he answers you dont have any other choice but to wait like hes got me trap I need truthful answers to what stage of completion my motors at and a DATE!!!! it will be ready that is if someone can tell me the truth!!

heres the companies reply.
if you are paying attention,youll also note the dates of complaints versus when the company bothered to reply.


This engine was within two weeks of completion but the customer decided to cancel and apparently used the BBB to force the issue. Our website explains that these types of projects take months to complete. We have refunded his deposit and his parts are ready for him to pick up.
 
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My .02.......

For the type of motor you described in your other thread........$4500-5000 for labor only seems pretty high.
If that price included a complete assembly and either a quick dyno session to break in the cam, check for leaks etc, or at least run on a run stand so it’s basically ready to run when you got it back, then the numbers wouldn’t be way out of line.


From that other thread I pictured a basically stock 440 with quench dome pistons and a slightly hotter cam along with some bowl blended heads........ something that would be in the 400hp range with a set of small headers on it(and you’d lose whatever you lose with the manifolds).

As for the heads....... you should have them priced separately.
If the total for parts and labor starts to approach the $800 mark, you may want to strongly consider aftermarket heads.
 
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so i have no idea why you would think those customers complaints are somehow not as important as the experience you had with them.

I wouldn't say that.
After all, CME does have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
https://www.bbb.org/search?find_country=USA&find_latlng=33.827303,-84.323318&find_loc=Briarcliff, GA&find_text=carolina machine engine&page=1

All complaints are sort of like that old saying about eating fish.
I wonder if people read the "CME POLICIES AND DISCLAIMERS NOTICE" .
It's on the web site.
And then asked questions about things they didn't understand or were not clear about.




do you think thats a good sign of an Honest shop?

I like to think the best about people. I like to think that they are trying.
I know communication sometimes breaks down. And sometimes, it's very hard.

and again,you would still recommend this shop to others???

Again, I can only go on my personal experience.
(After all, that's the only kind of experience I have.)
But I couldn't find them on Angie's List, so I guess not.:(

Since you don't think they would be a good option at the price point, for future reference what engine builder would you recommend then?
And what is their Better Business rating?

I understand there are "great engine builders" in NY, so that makes me wonder why anyone up there would even use CME in the first place. It's so far away.

That's all.
 
I was referred to someone (who will remain anonymous) that I am told is very good at rebuilding Mopar engines. This is not someone working out of his own garage in his backyard. He has been in business rebuilding engines for many years. He is good, just not known in magazines, TV, You Tube, etc.

His estimate was it would cost around $4500-5000 plus parts. That being said, if I went with new rods, for example, total cost would be about the same as rebuilding an original set of LY rods.

I have not rebuilt an engine in years, so I have no idea of today's prices. Is this a reasonable cost, grossly overpriced, or a good deal?

Depends on who is doing it and how it is being done ?
If that's USD ?
that is about Ballpark at our shop for:
* Block Machine Pkg including Crank Grind/Rods/Boring Honing, Block Milling/Line Honing etc., blueprinted(specs) & ready to Assemble
* Balancing
and
* Going through NEW Heads checking over & re-assembling/Spring Pressures etc.
* Assembly

Dyno'ing would be extra, and we don't "Assemble"(as above) unless we are Dyno'ing... so you would be HIGHER !
 
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