Ulix Goettsch wrote:
>
> I'm sorry - this questions has probably been asked numerous times.
> I have to decide if I want to buy a rebuilt engine or have mine rebuilt.
> There are of course several issues.
>
> 1) Money
> Which option is cheaper? I don't know, but I'm sure it depends on what
> all I want done (balancing, etc.)
> Could some of you give me some total figures and a quick idea of what you
> had done (grind crank or not, balancing, r/r labor)
> 2) Quality
> Any experiences with rebuilt engines out there?
> Or course, quality of a local rebuild can vary widely as well.
> 3) Modifications
> When I have my engine rebuilt locally, I can specify a warmer cam, I can
> grind the combustion chambers and increase compression if I am so
> inclined.
>
> Any other thoughts?
I would highly recomend balancing any engine when you get it rebuilt.
It will give a smoother, longer lasting engine, plus the better it
rotates the more power you will have. Don't assume that a rebuilt engine
is balanced, alot of machinists think that you don't have to rebalance
unless you bore more than 0.030 over. I disagree. Plus many (if not most)
origional 'factory' engines were not balanced as good as they could have
been anyway. Also, you can earn some personal satisfaction by balancing
some things yourself, like pistons, and rods if you get the proper jig.
A balanced engine will give a smoother, and lower idle too. A local
machine shop were I used to live had a guy who 'microblanced' (as he
liked to call it) his Studebaker V-8 engine, he could get it to run
at 150 RPM, smoothly. But I bet he had a big flywheel too!
Of course, all of this nessesitates that you get your own engine rebuilt.
I prefer this way as you have more control, and you can fuss at the
people directly if you're unsatisfied.
If the 'down time' of having your own engine rebuilt is too inconvenient,
just get a good cheap junkyard engine, and take that to be rebuilt. Then
you can just swap them out when the time is due.
-Aron Travis-
"always in a automotive frenzy"
P.S. I'm a SAE certified machinist-cylinder heads.(but I'm a math
teacher now!)
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