jimbomill

Back in September, thanks to the Forum and some other due diligence, I tried to get some estimates as to what a STOCK engine rebuild for my 1992 LT1 would cost. I received lot's of good numbers depending on the work done. $2500 to $3000 was thought to be a decent number for a stock job and that was what I was verbally (I know, bad idea - but the shop came from a Trusted Source) quoted.
Mid-stream, I found too many good ideas here and upgraded the cam (and LPE 211 purchased from Tom Wong) and the Stage III heads and Intake porting from Bob at Precision Porting & Coatings.
So, the shop did a stock lower engine rebuild for me and had "bolt-on" work for the heads and intake.
Today's bill from them was $5500+ !! And they did not do the whole thing.
Any advice?
Without a paper quote on the original rebuild, I may be up the creek without a paddle, but I am holding out hope that since the owner was not there this afternoon that it was a "clerical" error.
What should a stock engine rebuild run, complete?

SPEED750

Is the bill itemizied or just a final total ? If you supplied "ready to bolt on" heads, that seems high.

Corvette Kid

That's an awful lot just for adding some bolt on parts that were off/out anyway. I hope it is an error or they'd better have a real good explanation as to what the problem was. I wouldn't take it lying down, see a lawyer if need be. I could build someone a pretty damn stout engine for that kind of money.

jimbomill

One section stated something like "R&R of Engine" that was about 1200 bucks. A second line stated "Custom Engine Rebuild" and that was like 4300 bucks. Some additional parts were listed too in another section. Not exactly overloaded in detail.

jimbomill

Do I pay the bill to get the car back, or should I consult the lawyer who will probably charge most of the difference ? This "ordeal" has taken another hard turn.

Corvette Kid

For that kind of money you deserve complete details. I wouldn't be in a hurry to settle. If you don't understand everything they're trying to tell you, take someone with you who will. There's nothing in the bottom end that would be done differently just because they bolted on ported heads and reinstalled a different cam than the one they removed.

dizwiz24

honestly, that price doesnt seem high at all.

I got taken for a ride with my hotcam install back in 01.

$4400 parts & labor. Parts (new opti, ported heads), no bottom end rebuild or anything like that.

i was told somewhere about $2000.

To make matters worse, the timing cover seal was installed incorrectly causing it to leak oil. They also used too much silicone gasket maker causing an O2 sensor to fail.

THis happened about 90 days after the work and its only guaranteed for 60 days. They acted like I was real lucky after they footed half the bill for the timing cover reinstall.

Ever since this happened, I do 90% of the work myself.

Corvette Kid

It doesn't? All they did was R&R the engine and do a stock rebuild on the bottom end. He provided his own heads and cam. Damn, I need to do some work for some of you people, I could retire much sooner.... But I will withold final judgement until I get all the details of the work done.

jimbomill

My heads were done by Bob, that was an additional outlay of money that I paid separately. The local shop had to bolt them on, no valve work, no parts.
I was willing to not even barter over a possible difference in "work not done" since the local shop didn't do the cam replacement nor any head rebuilding.
Your point about something going wrong afterwards really has me worried now. If something fails for me .....
The things I had paid separately for:
I got 600 into the Dynaspark
about 150 into the new waterpump
about 1800 into the Intake and head work from Bob at precision
and about 180 into for the cam - that'sjust the things I remember!
Add in the 5500+ bill and I could and should have got real close to a Stroker set up.

CFI-EFI

Talking to a lawyer is a good idea, but I think you're going to be S.O.L. Depending on the laws of your state, a verbal contract over a certain dollar amount, often $1000.00, isn't enforceable. See what the lawyer says, but I think you are going to have to rely on the shop owners sense of fair play.

RACE ON!!!

JOHN89

I think the 2500 to 3000 quoted for a rebuild didn't include the removal and installation. If it did that would be extremely cheap! Five grand is expensive for a short block though even if it was installed!
Sorry about your luck on this one!

Good luck fighting it.
John

bogus

Get it in writing...

but $5500 for that work strikes me as being sour grapes. They might have been "pissed" that you got outsourced heads... things like that.

A forum member got his entire L83 rebuilt to stock for $4k, R&R included. $1200 to remove a motor??? damn. I am in the wrong biz. That's like 20 hours labour at $60.00 an hour!

You, sir, got robbed. Sorry.

LD85

If they did NOT remove the engine, boil the block, put all new bearings in, install the cam, heads, pistons/rings, timing chain, hone,, then I think the price is excessive.

Assembly alone is maybe $500 or even $750, then you have the charges for decking, honing, gaskets etc, I cant see how it could possibly cost that much.

CoffeeDrip

You NEED to get it itemized. No question about it.
Also. You said they did a stock engine rebuild. But did they have to take anything back out? For instance. Did they already degree a cam have everything together & then you decided on a new cam, heads ect..? If you, then you DO pay for that.
What about extra machine work? With a new cam, most of the time come new pushrods, ect.. Everything has to be rechecked & that takes time.

There is no where near enough details posted for us to give you advice.
Like was stated. Get it itemized. They have to in order to charge you that much. It just cant say "engine work"...that wont fly.

ToyC4

When I had my motor redone it was by a local shop that builds race engines. To pull the engine from the car do a full rebuild and reinstall the engine in the car with a 12 month 10k mile warranty the estimate was $4000. After a bunch of PITA add ons that I did throughout the project (headers, hot cam, etc) the bill ended up being $800 more. A week after I got the car back I spun a rod bearing (probably my fault) and the shop is standing behind their work 100% fixing the car right now. BTW the same shop would have built me a 383 with a fullly balanced rotating assembly for $6k out the door. I decided not to go that route because I wouldn't have had money left over to do it right (it's all in the details).

I think you got screwed .. just my $.02

Joe

C4Crazy787

jimbomill

I think you've summed it up well.
Drat. It was over 50 degrees today. I really wanted to be out cruising, instead!

jimbomill

The R&R is normally on top of the estimate to do an engine rebuild? I did not know that. Drat again !
I am learning an expensive lesson.

jimbomill

It was his idea to get the heads! After himming and hawing about what to do, he suggested it to me.

jimbomill

No cam work was done, except to recommend the CC 304 and order one (which they returned for a full credit when I got the LPE 211).