Thread: Engine problems

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Good to know. What's the typical base price for a bbc?

Originally Posted by Lefcrak

Good to know. What's the typical base price for a bbc?

i sent you most of the info to you. your e mail blocked me from sending you any thing. get this worked out or give me a e mail that is not security locked .there is base454 and 496 short blocks that i sell .but there is no typical long big block. i build each one for the desired use and what budget the customer has to work with

Weird I will look into it. That email shouldn't be blocked. I will try you again from a separate account.

UPDATE:
Pulled the 350 apart in my c10 today with my father in law. Disconnected all the peripheral parts from the intake and headers to inspect the engine. Pulled all the bolts out of the intake manifold and the headers. Removed the intake manifold the gasket was stuck to the intake. There was a strip of blue silicone on the front and back seals of the block that were under the gasket to fill very large scratches and gouges on the block face. The headers had some sort of exhaust leak that was cooking the oil, the the antifreeze ports in the headers were gelled up, and there was oil and antifreeze mixed all over.

The head gaskets looked fine minus the silicone under the intake gaskets. We pretty much concluded that I have cracked heads and it had been running really bad for quite some time even though i kept up on maintenance. The pistons and sleeves looked fine and should be able to be recovered. The block might need a little work but my father in law said it would be a lot cheaper in the long run to just drop a new engine in the truck.

So my truck has gone from minor work to me just wanting to rebuild it from the ground up just to get it where I want it. But, on the other hand this truck has been an eye opener on how much fun classic vehicles can be, how it can cost you a ton of money if you don't know exactly how the vehicle is running all the time, and what to look for in the future. Used vehicle #2 finally comes back to be used beater #4 but I am keeping my hands on it until some one makes a killer offer on the truck.

Been over a decade since I messed with rebuilding engines - you have many choices. Used engines around here can be had for under $1000. Older ones are harder to find of course and updating has benefits but also pitfalls of getting everything to bolt up.

There used to be engine rebuilders in most towns, associated with bigger parts stores. Getting your motor rebuilt to stock by them (or use your choice of cam, etc) wasn't expensive and came with a guarantee. they'd hot tank and check for cracks, paint the engine, etc. I found them to be better than (cheaper) crate motors and not as much money.

If you want speed then a crate is often the cheapest way to go, certainly the easiest.

You can rebuild what you have if you want. If you don't have mechanical issues it's not expensive to get a bearing/ring/gasket kit, hone the cylinders. You can do the heads (have them checked!). If you suspect issues then it may be worth having the block checked and decked. If you stay pretty stock (crank, rods, etc) it's gonna be pretty inexpensive and very very satisfying to know you rebuilt your engine. Old motors are easy compared to today's alum/plastic/bolt stretching overhead cam motors.

Originally Posted by hannibal8

Been over a decade since I messed with rebuilding engines - you have many choices. Used engines around here can be had for under $1000. Older ones are harder to find of course and updating has benefits but also pitfalls of getting everything to bolt up.

There used to be engine rebuilders in most towns, associated with bigger parts stores. Getting your motor rebuilt to stock by them (or use your choice of cam, etc) wasn't expensive and came with a guarantee. they'd hot tank and check for cracks, paint the engine, etc. I found them to be better than (cheaper) crate motors and not as much money.

If you want speed then a crate is often the cheapest way to go, certainly the easiest.

You can rebuild what you have if you want. If you don't have mechanical issues it's not expensive to get a bearing/ring/gasket kit, hone the cylinders. You can do the heads (have them checked!). If you suspect issues then it may be worth having the block checked and decked. If you stay pretty stock (crank, rods, etc) it's gonna be pretty inexpensive and very very satisfying to know you rebuilt your engine. Old motors are easy compared to today's alum/plastic/bolt stretching overhead cam motors.

I wouldn't have a problem rebuilding an engine if I completely understood every little thing on an engine and what tolerances and every thing needed to be to work the way I wanted. Not to mention a shop big enough to do the work and the tools to properly machine the engines. After the minimal work I have put into the engine in this truck and found out its long term problems that existed before I purchased the truck make me want to have an engine built or purchase a turnkey crate. Just to alleviate any problems that I have now with the truck.

Finding out what I have about the engine pretty much solidified rebuilding the truck from the ground up just to make it what I want it to be. I am thinking a whole new chassis from Roadster Shop | Custom Chassis, Performance Hot Rods & Muscle Cars. Its going to have a huge price tag but in the end will make my truck ride like I've always dreamed of it riding.

As far as local shops in AK rebuilding engines are super inflated because of "shipping cost" and from every one I've known that has had their vehicle worked on has been ripped off up here or they leave bolts loose just so the common person will take their vehicle back to get charged another exorbitant large sum of money.