Rebuilt $350 long block questions

[scenic760]

Hey All,

I had a local machine shop come highly recommended and had them build out my long block. First the pricing went from $1800 ball park on the phone, to $2500 after it was dropped off and gone over for a quote to a final $3200 when I picked it up...I get it that things change but it almost doubled...

That being said, I took a closer look at the receipt and it said 2 cylinders needed to be sleeved and it they bored .060 over. The kicker to whole thing is that when I brought it in, they measured the bore right in front of me and said it was a STOCK BORE?! They also never said anything about sleeves or boring .060 over anytime I spoke with them on the phone or otherwise. I'm not sure how or why you would end up at .060 with 2 sleeves coming from an uncut block?

I tried to call them twice now with no answer to ask them if they messed up the billing or they really bored a stock block .060 over, installed 2 sleeves and went on down the road with a $3200 build. I think if they would have called me and said they were going to have to do that I would have picked up my stuff, paid their inspection fee, sold the 487X casting heads and bought a 290HP GM crate motor. Am I overreacting over here?!

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[PrairieDrifter]

I can't really take sides here, miscommunication happens. Be calmly pissed is my best advice.

But they for sure shouldn't have bored .060 or sleeved any holes without at least giving you a call first, unless you said something like do whatever it needs.

We only ever sleeved chevys for racing purposes or because a cracked cylinder, maybe they cut too deep and cut into the water jacket?!


Only they know what happened, and only you know what was discussed.

 

[Waylon]

It’s just my opinion, but anyone that would sleeve 2 cylinders in a run of the mill 350 block is a fool. I think you are getting shafted.

 

[Catbox]

That should have been a conversation before the work happened.
To go from a ball park price to double is crazy.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Price is definitely out of line a little bit.

 

[Turbo4whl]

From what you have stated, I don't think I would be a happy camper either.

 

[Bextreme04]

Hey All,

I had a local machine shop come highly recommended and had them build out my long block. First the pricing went from $1800 ball park on the phone, to $2500 after it was dropped off and gone over for a quote to a final $3200 when I picked it up...I get it that things change but it almost doubled...

That being said, I took a closer look at the receipt and it said 2 cylinders needed to be sleeved and it they bored .060 over. The kicker to whole thing is that when I brought it in, they measured the bore right in front of me and said it was a STOCK BORE?! They also never said anything about sleeves or boring .060 over anytime I spoke with them on the phone or otherwise. I'm not sure how or why you would end up at .060 with 2 sleeves coming from an uncut block?

I tried to call them twice now with no answer to ask them if they messed up the billing or they really bored a stock block .060 over, installed 2 sleeves and went on down the road with a $3200 build. I think if they would have called me and said they were going to have to do that I would have picked up my stuff, paid their inspection fee, sold the 487X casting heads and bought a 290HP GM crate motor. Am I overreacting over here?!

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I just can't even fathom that... that's $1000 more than it cost me in parts and machining to get a Gen VI 454 completely redone. Why would anyone go .060 over and sleeve a 350 when it had never been rebuilt before? Was there obvious big gouges or corrosion? How bad did the crank look to need to grind it? Had it spun a bearing or something? You can get a core rebuildable block for $100 all day long around here.

 

[Dutch Rutter]

I agree with the price being out of hand. My SBC had a .30 bore, crank resurfaced, heads re worked with new springs and valves, plus a new cam, cam bearings, freeze plugs, a set of main bearings and rod bearings. My pistons even got new seals and wrist pin bearings.

For around $2500. Prices around here for machine work is also pretty high and scarce compared to other areas.

 

[scenic760]

Much appreciated on the replies! I think calmly pissed is a good description of how I'm looking at this... once again I can't wrap my head around how an uncut block ended up .060 over with 2 sleeves...however I don't do this all the time either. And like you said, I could have gotten another block cheaper than it would have cost to sleeve and bore?

There may indeed have been some miscommunication as I told them they came highly recommended and I trusted them to get the job done but I guess something like that (to me anyways) is kind of like replacing the sewer line to your house when we talked about having a sink put in... you would definitely let someone know?

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Much appreciated on the replies! I think calmly pissed is a good description of how I'm looking at this... once again I can't wrap my head around how an uncut block ended up .060 over with 2 sleeves...however I don't do this all the time either. And like you said, I could have gotten another block cheaper than it would have cost to sleeve and bore?

There may indeed have been some miscommunication as I told them they came highly recommended and I trusted them to get the job done but I guess something like that (to me anyways) is kind of like replacing the sewer line to your house when we talked about having a sink put in... you would definitely let someone know?

Yup, sounds like just a bad deal. Between miscommunication, and them not keeping you in the loop. Just be cool with them and hopefully they'll make it right.

But they definitely messed up with the build, they shouldn't have needed to bore .060 over or grind the crank or sleeve it, cranks only usually need ground when a bearing fails. Same with the price.

 

[scenic760]

Yup, sounds like just a bad deal. Between miscommunication, and them not keeping you in the loop. Just be cool with them and hopefully they'll make it right.

But they definitely messed up with the build, they shouldn't have needed to bore .060 over or grind the crank or sleeve it, cranks only usually need ground when a bearing fails. Same with the price.

I'm usually pretty cool...that's why I didn't balk at the price hit...just figured that the parts were higher end than initially quoted out...they did replace pistons/cam/ lifters too if that makes a difference... what gets me the most is that now I'm sitting in a position that if I wanted to rebuild down the road it's not an option..

When you say making it right, I guess at the end of the day it comes down to $$? Is there a dollar figure I should be looking for on a refund? They do have a relatively large shop with a parts shop that they have engines for sale in...do I push for a straight up refund and I'll bring it back to them?

 

[animal]

Just had mine done this time last year. Block went .030 over, reconditioned crank and rods, flat top pistons, new roller cam, balanced, new aluminum heads, assembled and ready to drop in for $2700. I did trade in my factory TPI heads to get that price.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

I'm usually pretty cool...that's why I didn't balk at the price hit...just figured that the parts were higher end than initially quoted out...they did replace pistons/cam/ lifters too if that makes a difference... what gets me the most is that now I'm sitting in a position that if I wanted to rebuild down the road it's not an option..

When you say making it right, I guess at the end of the day it comes down to $$? Is there a dollar figure I should be looking for on a refund? They do have a relatively large shop with a parts shop that they have engines for sale in...do I push for a straight up refund and I'll bring it back to them?

Personally I would be pissed my virgin block was ruined and I would want that to be made right. I would want at least a .020 over block if not a replacement virgin block or a lot of money off. Especially without being contacted, but again that's me and you may have had certain miscommunications with them.

They should at least give you a really good discount, or not charge for labor for the sleeves and a small discount. But yes you did get quite a bit of work done so the number isn't crazy far off, it's just the situation.

Exactly as you said, it's now .060 over so you can't rebuild it again, unless you do all eight sleeves, which is out of the question for a normal small block.

 

[scenic760]

It’s just my opinion, but anyone that would sleeve 2 cylinders in a run of the mill 350 block is a fool. I think you are getting shafted.

I think getting sleeved is the new shafted...

 

[Waylon]

I’m not sure what your course of action should be. I would definitely ask them about sleeving two cylinders and still going 0.060” over. That’s new/different block territory. They know that. Unless you have something really unique, they shouldn’t have done it without asking you first.

I might be an anomaly, but I’ve had more reasonable pricing from a shop that did a ton of machine work on a regular basis. The last shop I used did a lot of work on dirt track car engines and I guess they had already paid off their machinery and had streamlined their processes. So I guess what I’m saying is, you shouldn’t just take a jab in the backside on pricing just because they are a “reputable” shop. A good shop wouldn’t screw you around. There’s too much at risk, reputation wise.