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Mon Oct 05, 2009 1:13 am

Hi all

Just wondering if anyone can give me a guide on what you'd expect to pay to have a 36hp rebuilt. I have a 58 36hp engine in my 54 vert but it runs fine but has lousy compression. I'm assuming that it would be best to do a full rebuild rather than a top end freshen up, and wondering what sort of $$ I'd be up for.

Is there any way of telling how good or bad the bottom end is?

Thanks

Steve

Mon Oct 05, 2009 5:33 am

i think there are way too many variables involved to be able to give an estimated price. it depends on too many things, some of them being:
-what condition are your internal components in, and are they reusable?
-what quality/condition do you want the finished product to be?
-what is easier to replace now rather than having to replace later?
-how easy/difficult is it to find the parts you need to replace, and what is the cost if/when you find them?
-are you building this yourself, or is someone else doing it?

you can have well over $1000 in parts and machine work before you even start doing anything else.

do some looking at prices on websites like Wolfsburg West to get some idea of prices of new parts.

Mon Oct 05, 2009 5:50 am

Sorry, yes your probably right.

I just saw this ad for a nicely finished fully rebuilt 36hp for $2499 and thought that may be an easier way to go?

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=848104

Mon Oct 05, 2009 8:39 am

I would rebuild your motor especially if it is original to the car. You NEVER know until you take the engine apart. EVERY engine I have taken apart has surprised me in one way or another, good or bad. If you take it all apart and list the parts that are good and bad we could give you a better estimate. Does the case need a line bore, what is the current bore?, crank good, heads good??, etc... Sometimes you only can find a certain size bearings so you need to grind the crank or bore the case to fit the available bearings. What if you take it apart and the case is cracked? Maybe you just have a stuck valve? You just can't tell from the drivers seat.

Mon Oct 05, 2009 9:25 am

Ive rebuilt a couple 36s in the last two years all the way from the bottom to the top. Line bore, new cranks, rods...you name it I did it all. At the end of the day including labor to assemble the bottom end, which I paid a shop to do, your looking around 1700 to 2200 depending if your core is good. If your starting from scratch your going to be in the higher end of the range. That motor for 2400 on the samba looks to be bolt in ready to go after the top end goes together. The pain taking the parts in to rimco or where ever you get the machine work done. It comes down to time, if you got it you will save a little bit, but if dont want to be shipping and sending parts to be machined, balanced and all that good stuff, his price is right in line as this is what i value you would be paying for. To assemble the bottom end, most shops charge around 500. If you can assemble it yourself, thats where the savings will really kick in. hope this helps

Mon Oct 05, 2009 9:30 am

It's even higher when you factor in repainting/powder coating all of the tin, rebuilding the generator, carb, fuel pump and distributor. Add new plug wires, new plugs, fuel lines, etc.. and doing a full motor rebuild gets pretty pricey :shock: Anyone have a value for a fully restored turn key motor???

Mon Oct 05, 2009 5:02 pm

Since you are currently running a '58 motor in a '54, I assume correctness doesn't matter. Look in the classifieds here on the samba for a used engine. I bought a used 36 horse several years ago for $200 from a samba member and it runs like a top! Then you can tear your '58 motor down and see what it needs.

Tue Oct 06, 2009 6:34 am

I think my motor listed for $2200 is a great deal.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=851690

Especially being a low mile uncut crank/case to begin with it's a solid start in the right direction. And the little bits like spark plugs,wires,Fuel pump, generator, tin, rebuilt carby, just extras.

Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:35 am

baked beetle wrote: I think my motor listed for $2200 is a great deal.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=851690

Especially being a low mile uncut crank/case to begin with it's a solid start in the right direction. And the little bits like spark plugs,wires,Fuel pump, generator, tin, rebuilt carby, just extras.

I gotta disagree, comes with no exhaust and honed cylinders? Who the hell hones cylinders these days, especially with 44,000 miles on them? A set of new P&Cs is less than $350. For $2,200 I would want a running, complete, engine with new P&Cs.
--Dan

Tue Oct 06, 2009 12:56 pm

You have to ask yourself if its a matter of cost or outcome.Buying rebuilt long blocks without any history of the engine or reputation of the builder is dicey.The extra cost involved in using a reputable machine shop that backs its work building your core pays back in spades if you need it.I agree with Braukuche... anyone who sells an engine with honed cylinders is suspect,it raises questions about where else they cut corners.

Tue Oct 06, 2009 2:00 pm

Braukuche wrote: Who the hell hones cylinders these days, especially with 44,000 miles on them? A set of new P&Cs is less than $350. For $2,200 I would want a running, complete, engine with new P&Cs.
--Dan

Ummm.....I personally feel better knowing those are stock oem pistons not some cofap stuff. My opinion.

And everyone hones cylinders. What kind of a comment is that? :roll:

Tue Oct 06, 2009 2:20 pm

Well, living in Sydney, Australia, shipping one of those rebuilt engines would add to them as well. I put the feelers out here and have been offered 3 good 36hp engines, 1 has only done 40k miles from new. Seems everyone upgrades to 1600+.

I'll try that first, and my own rebuild second.

Is the 36hp easier or harder than a 1600 to rebuild?

Thanks

Steve

Tue Oct 06, 2009 2:41 pm

I would go for the 40,000 mile used 36 myself. A lot of people swap out the 36 for something bigger, so I think a used complete engine that you know some of it's history is a good buy, especially since they go for $200-500. The one I bought for $200 several years ago was swapped out and sat in the guys shop for years, he told me that it ran great when it was pulled and I believed him. It was complete, all I did was rebuild the carb and change the oil. It will cruise all day at 75. Good luck.....

Wed Oct 07, 2009 9:30 am

5vert6 wrote: I would go for the 40,000 mile used 36 myself. A lot of people swap out the 36 for something bigger, so I think a used complete engine that you know some of it's history is a good buy, especially since they go for $200-500. The one I bought for $200 several years ago was swapped out and sat in the guys shop for years, he told me that it ran great when it was pulled and I believed him. It was complete, all I did was rebuild the carb and change the oil. It will cruise all day at 75. Good luck.....

Well said :D

Wed Oct 07, 2009 11:59 am

baked beetle wrote: Braukuche wrote: Who the hell hones cylinders these days, especially with 44,000 miles on them? A set of new P&Cs is less than $350. For $2,200 I would want a running, complete, engine with new P&Cs.
--Dan

Ummm.....I personally feel better knowing those are stock oem pistons not some cofap stuff. My opinion.

And everyone hones cylinders. What kind of a comment is that? :roll:

Maybe if you are building a big block Chevy engine, but a VW? You have to be pretty cheap to hone VW cylinders when a complete kit is going to run you less than $300.
I wish I could get COFAB P&Cs for 36, the stuff out there is far more scarier as it is sourced from all over the globe. If you want to be picky NOS German stuff does pop up now and then and not for a lot of money as there are still few of us building 36hp engines at this point.
--Dan

Fri Jun 18, 2010 2:06 am

Can't see any problems with honing the sylinders, as long as sylinder and piston still measure and match within the limits after work has been done (and that can be the biggest problem, if the cylinders are worn, and/or you put in another piston).

Sat Jun 19, 2010 9:16 am

I just had mine rebuilt
The Engine work and assembly was $975
I bought another used motor for $100 so I had two motors to make one
The powder coating for all the engine tin was $350

Gene C
Burlingame Ca