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Mon Feb 29, 2016 6:11 am

ok so I need an engine. I have a block and that is all. if I build an engine using this block I will need EVERY thing. and just by doing some web surfing it looks like it will cost me about 2500 to 3000 to build an engine. is this true? would it be cheaper to find a donor vehicle (say a escort,cobolt ect..) as a substitute. I want to stay away from the Hondas as most of them are reverse and I don't want to get into my trans. any info would be appreciated, thanks.
Ken

Mon Feb 29, 2016 7:31 am

I've got a guy building me a mild stroker, using only my original tins, connecting rods and case, and some used heads, and I should be able to get out for less than $1000.
This will be an 1800cc mini-stroker with 88's and a 74mm crank, and some other goodies.
Many parts I got good deals on from swapping around with friends, so I'd suggest making friends with some old vw dudes who have hoarded up parts over the last few decades.

Mon Feb 29, 2016 7:40 am

I will bet there are numerous clubs in GA where somebody in the club has a re-buildable engine or even one that works for cheap money.

Do some homework and see what you find.

Mon Feb 29, 2016 10:22 am

thechief86 wrote: so I'd suggest making friends with some old vw dudes who have hoarded up parts over the last few decades. :D Very true. Many are not even hoarders but parts hoard up on its own for some reason. Lots of good parts too and when you're at their place just point to other parts and they will say "oh that pos take it, help me clean up this mess"

Mon Feb 29, 2016 12:34 pm

Cost depends on many factors. What size engine? What's the intended usage? If you wanted just a stock-stockish engine for daily driving, you could get by with $900 into the longblock.

Mon Feb 29, 2016 1:14 pm

bugguy1967 wrote: Cost depends on many factors. What size engine? What's the intended usage? If you wanted just a stock-stockish engine for daily driving, you could get by with $900 into the longblock.

Find a cheap dead engine to pull parts from. Buy new only that which needs replacement.

I managed to get all of a seized (rust & water in the bores and block) longblock for £51 including an un-machined crank and flywheel and good connecting rods, and usable case.

Added some new Mahle pistons and cylinders, a generic stock camshaft and followers, and new crank and camshaft bearings and oil cooler.

Oil pump, tinware and cylinder heads off my old engine, but the heads of the seized engine would have been usable with some sheared stud removal as would its oil pump.

I could have used some tinware I bought with a K-jet FI system for £60 for the whole kit but again the tinware off my old engine was OK.

So yes, for a daily driver, a total cost around $1000 even in the UK.

The only criterion on assembly was it turned without binding but not too freely and nothing wobbled as badly as the old engine.

This engine has gone about 5000 miles in my bus since rebuild last May.

Goodbye flickering oil light and wobbly flywheel dowel pins and cracked block under the oil cooler.

Mon Feb 29, 2016 4:21 pm

smkn_vw wrote: thechief86 wrote: so I'd suggest making friends with some old vw dudes who have hoarded up parts over the last few decades. :D Very true. Many are not even hoarders but parts hoard up on its own for some reason. Lots of good parts too and when you're at their place just point to other parts and they will say "oh that pos take it, help me clean up this mess"

X3 here's a small example of hoarding

Mon Feb 29, 2016 4:31 pm

Some autostik starters,small parts,tins,8mm studs,crank gears/hardware,8mm head nuts and washers, governors for early bus,oil bath air cleaners, more sheet metal. Hoarder? Yep

Tue Mar 01, 2016 7:30 am

The last stock 1600 cc dual port engine I built.
Sourced out a counter weighted crank 150
New AA piston and cyl 150
New cam and followers 100
New heads 350
probably another 300 on stuff
labor charge to machinist 550
So in the naborhood of 1600 for a 1600
Reused all sorts of stuff like oil pump all sheet metal etc. does have thermostat and flap system. Now i have 4000 miles on it.

Tue Mar 01, 2016 3:24 pm

Zundfolge1432 wrote: Some autostik starters,small parts,tins,8mm studs,crank gears/hardware,8mm head nuts and washers, governors for early bus,oil bath air cleaners, more sheet metal. Hoarder? Yep

You keep you main nuts in a can? :shock: nice stash

Tue Mar 01, 2016 3:29 pm

oldcrow wrote: ok so I need an engine. I have a block and that is all. if I build an engine using this block I will need EVERY thing. and just by doing some web surfing it looks like it will cost me about 2500 to 3000 to build an engine. is this true? would it be cheaper to find a donor vehicle (say a escort,cobolt ect..) as a substitute. I want to stay away from the Hondas as most of them are reverse and I don't want to get into my trans. any info would be appreciated, thanks.
Ken

I don't know how middle Ga You are, but get in touch with bugeyed.net and
Bugs for Christ and check out Gadubs.com they can point you in the right direction.

Tue Mar 01, 2016 7:16 pm

I've built some very "budget" engines in the past for friends that couldn't afford to buy everything new, like $300 longblocks. It helped that I acquired a few old engines from a friend who needed them off his property. I think VW stuff multiplies at night :D

Wed Mar 02, 2016 7:47 am

You could assemble a budget engine. Mine went quite well, just wanted a motor that would last. Nothing wrong with budget engines I did that when I like a lot of us did not have funds.

Wed Mar 02, 2016 9:07 am

Unless you have used parts that are perfect to run as-is, you'll need to spend money on machining and/or parts. $300 for case cut/full flow, $500 for new heads, some $$ on new bearings, going cheaper than that would be difficult IMO without sacrificing something.

Stan

Wed Mar 02, 2016 11:06 am

stan_tichomirov wrote: Unless you have used parts that are perfect to run as-is, you'll need to spend money on machining and/or parts. $300 for case cut/full flow, $500 for new heads, some $$ on new bearings, going cheaper than that would be difficult IMO without sacrificing something.

Stan
I've had great luck using used stock heads bought for $50 or less for the pair.
They're easy enough to find and swap, and as long as you make sure they're in decent shape, with decent valves, guides, springs, seat, retainers, keepers, and studs, they're usually just fine for mild builds.
On a tight budget, anything more than just a mild horsepower build is taking a chance with reliability.
Just remember, if you can't afford to do it right, can you afford to do it again?

Wed Mar 02, 2016 12:09 pm

oldcrow wrote: it will cost me about 2500 to 3000 to build an engine. is this true?
Ken
Well, no body answered this question. Yes, if buying everything off the net, it'll cost around $2500-$3K.

All suggestions above say you don't have to spend that kinda money. But the thing to remember: If you're not the builder, most of what you save on parts, will go to him/her.

I did what you did; priced out ONLY what I needed to get the engine I want. (I have multiple sets of carbs/linkage, clutch/PP, Flywheel, tins, gasket kits, etc) Came in around $2200. But I'm not an engine builder (I've slapped together a few stockers and upgraded one to a 1776) and don't want to be. I have a friend who is an engine builder, and I wouldn't disrespect him by offering a low-ball price to build an engine. So $2200 for parts + $200 (that's still low) gets us to $2400 or so. And since I wouldn't be getting everything from 1 place, at 1 time, let's add another $100 or so for shipping.

I opted to buy from a Samba advertiser. New crank, new cam, rebuilt heads, 8 dowel lightened flywheel, long block, built, test run, & broken in for $2700. And I can go get it (no shipping).

$200 to avoid the hassle of shopping/shipping/storing, then hauling to my builder friend, wait for him to build and deal with issues he may encounter, then go get it. Well worth it to me.

Fri Mar 04, 2016 6:55 am

thank you for the input and ideas. I got a lead on a running bug for under a grand so im going to look at it today.

Tue Mar 08, 2016 6:04 am

ok I purchased a donor bug with a running engine. its a 67 with single port heads so I think that makes it a 1500 right? i'll check the engine number. now for a ton of ??s.
1. should I use my 2 oil passage block or just keep running this one.
2. will my dual port heads fit this block.
3. with running 85.5 or 87 (I know that the 1500 is 83) jugs, what will be my best bang for the buck carb set up.

and now the long ?

since I don't trust cutting my own push rods here's a question, if I were to stroke a motor lets just say 82 that's 13 mm over and makes the jugs 7.5 mm longer after using shims. so instead of cutting new push rods could I use stock length a go with 1.4:1 rockers to compensate for the difference?
( I know I sound like a spazz but I am new to this and trying to learn)

Tue Mar 08, 2016 6:47 am

Just went though a similar situation.
Sent my bare block to Doug Saucier at 'jus bugs in Pass Christian, MS.
He built the short block (line bored and thrust cut with all new innards) for a bit over $1,000.
I bought new heads and a Mahle piston set.
I am now breaking in a well-running engine and have about $1,800 into it.

Tue Mar 08, 2016 10:38 am

Cutting pushrods is pretty easy. Or you can buy the adjustible pushrod, use it to determine length needed, and send it out to have pushrods cut to same length.

There are more tricky issues you'll run into. I'd try to set a goal of what you want to achive, and a budget. To simplify, narrow it down to stock stroke or 82mm stroke and stock rockers. Use a dual relief case. Cheapest heads that will work are $500. Totally doable for under $2,500 but less will be very hard unless you get free machine work.

Stan