Hey boys, i think my mechanic is ripping me off.
Me clevo has been sent for some machining.
20 thow bore
Welsh plugs
Acid dip
Put me conrods on me new pistons.
Duncan foster is my mechanics choice, they want $560?
i feel its way too much!
what do you think?

If they are assembing engine ? Thats a good price...

no assembly

I've been out of touch as i haven't done an engine in about 4 years, but it sounds hefty.
Are you decking the block, crank grind, resizing rods, cam bearings?
What's a bore and hone worth these days?

Acid dip used to be about $60, fit pistons to rods was about $10 each, a welsh plug kit was about $20.... I know it's gone up a lot but f**k that sounds steep to me.

you reckon thats steep? Don't forget they would also be fitting the cam bearings after the acid dip. Also they could be doing a crack or sonic test. There are always a few hidden costs. If you do a block properly the machining costs can run pretty high.

i just got some estimates from Pro Heads in Heidelberg Vic and was FLOORED by the rates. Just decieded to check em out as they are the closest place to my work. All quotes based on an EF 6 cylinder.

Hot tank block and remove core plugs $125
Crack test block $70
Deck cylinder block $85 (this was for a 6 so higher for an eight as its two passes!)
Bore and hone $32.40 per cylinder
Re-size rods $30.50 each
Crack test crank $70
Grind crank $178 (for a 6 cyl)

Check out the prices at Pavtek www.pavtek.com.au

They are considered expensive but the more i look at it its quite reasonable. Otherwise i will make the drive back down to Geelong and get my machining done at Johnny Dyno's again.

Pavtek aren't exactly cheap, they've been around for a few years though.
f**k i can't believe how much s**t has gone up!!!

Give Reliable Reboring in Brunswick a call, they weren't the cheapest or the dearest but their work was spot on, they've done at least a dozen engines for me.

this is the cost for my 302 windsor.
bore and hone-$176
face block-$112
clean block-$64
disasemble & asemble pistons-align conrods-$98
fit new rod bolts &resize rods-$122
grind crank-$115
crack detect crank-$44
plus GST on all prices,machine work only.

$302 for same work at johnsone 's at greenacre,
duncan foster can shove his $560 you know where.

sounds about right to me. Ive just had machine work done on a clevo, and the breakdown is much the same as what your costs are.

the price is good i think '' as you have 8 rods and pistons it all takes time pluss getting block acid dipped and getting new cam bearings fitted is a slow progress . so the time to do it all is any where from 4 to 8 hours so the labour is the worst of the price.if the motor is done right the first time it is money well spent

Now that sounds more like it!

Patek ain't dear trust me there. I priced up doing a 393 short. The highest price I got was $9600 for a 393 short. That's them dummying (checking oil clearances etc) and me assembling. Pavtek? Around 5k that includes purchase of a 393 with H beam rods and forged pistons (not cheapies). Some have some really over inflated prices and they double dip by calling a certain process by the two different names. I catch them out on this easily to my knowledge of engines and the machining process.

The problem with machining is there is always hidden suprises. For example when my rotating assembly was dummied up in the block the pistons stuck 15thou out of the bore on 1 side and 5 thou on the other. The block was 20 thou to start with. The machinist that did the 20thou build should be shot! So it cost me extra to machine the pistons down to suit and deck the block sqaure. I then engine dyno'd the engine once complete (2 days). The suprise + engine dyno cost me around $1500. Pavtek not cheap? I found Pavtek to be one of the cheapest. Why? They do high volumes of engines and get them out within a few weeks. Their quick turn around is 2nd to none.

I had 8-9 weeks before the Ford Nationals @ Heathcote in 05. Due to Pavteks turn around time. I had the engine home, assembled, returned for engine dyno, home and fitted in the car ready to race. I had a 351 done prior. It took 3mths just to get machining sorted. I had no engine for 4mths which to me is unacceptable in turn around terms.

i dropped the parts off to johnsons, now im up for $500, but this also includes crank grind, and getting everything balanced. These two jobs wernt included for the $565 at duncan foster.
So im still better off with the little engineering shop, out the back of a wrecking yard. And i know their work will be 100 times better.

Pavtek are cheap.Where else can you get a 600hp clevo (minus carbi) with them supplying the block for $11k? Those sorts of prices make aftermarket crate motors sound like a complete rip.

They've obviously come a long way, i remember them back in the early 90's, there was a guy named Theo who either owned it or worked there.