Machining Costs

LBZ

LBZ

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jul 2, 2007
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Just curious what an average cost is for the machining done on most Dmax engines.

Like balance and assembly of the entire rotating assembly, align bore, clean up of the cylinders and deck surface. Just basically what it would take to take a good engine that didn't need an overbore of the cylinders or major machine work and get it ready for assembly.
 
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onebaddmaxxx

Active member
Feb 22, 2009
1,212
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Cecil County Md
Iv never assembled one that I didn't have bored, only because I like starting fresh and setting ptw clearence properly.

But the average build here including hot tanking, magnafluxing, getting heads checked and plained, bored, the mains line honed, crank checked and polished, and the cam and crank keyed, and everything balanced is around $1200ish. Not assembled, never had them assemble one. Had them do 4 of them and all are great runners. Not sure if the price of having it bored would cover the cost of assembly or not. Hope this helps a little
 
mike diesel

mike diesel

I'm alright.
Sep 6, 2012
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SLC, Utah
onebaddmaxxx said:
Iv never assembled one that I didn't have bored, only because I like starting fresh and setting ptw clearence properly.

But the average build here including hot tanking, magnafluxing, getting heads checked and plained, bored, the mains line honed, crank checked and polished, and the cam and crank keyed, and everything balanced is around $1200ish. Not assembled, never had them assemble one. Had them do 4 of them and all are great runners. Not sure if the price of having it bored would cover the cost of assembly or not. Hope this helps a little
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$1200 sounds a little under priced to me for all that.
 
mike diesel

mike diesel

I'm alright.
Sep 6, 2012
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SLC, Utah
onebaddmaxxx said:
I'm on vaca right now. When I get back home I will get a receipt and post it up.
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I'm not doubting what you say, I'm just saying I figured it would be a bit more. I haven't gotten the invoice for my engine build yet but I know what the total bill is for everything i had done/purchased.

I was told $3000 for all the machine work including boring .020", line honed, main caps dowled, hot tanked, crank checked/keyed/balanced and the entire short block painted and assembled. I also purchased bearings, dampeners and billet flex plate at the same time to.

I'm assuming the assembly is where the majority of the extra cost comes from since they have to set ring gap and make sure everything is toleranced correctly.
 
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onebaddmaxxx

Active member
Feb 22, 2009
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Cecil County Md
Setting ring gap is very time consuming. Plus you basically assemble the engine twice since your checking bearing clearences. Torque everything down, then tear back apart to check the plastigauge. Then decide whether or not the bearings you have will work or not. If they do, then reassemble....then on the the next set. To do it right. Very time consuming.

Of course the machine shop can measure and check what clearence will probably fall to, but me personally I prefer checking it.
 
Bonestock

Bonestock

Active member
Aug 9, 2010
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Worland Wy
mike diesel said:
I'm not doubting what you say, I'm just saying I figured it would be a bit more. I haven't gotten the invoice for my engine build yet but I know what the total bill is for everything i had done/purchased.

I was told $3000 for all the machine work including boring .020", line honed, main caps dowled, hot tanked, crank checked/keyed/balanced and the entire short block painted and assembled. I also purchased bearings, dampeners and billet flex plate at the same time to.

I'm assuming the assembly is where the majority of the extra cost comes from since they have to set ring gap and make sure everything is toleranced correctly.
Click to expand...


I haven't done a dmax build yet but have built many other engines. I kinda thought $3,000.00 would get you everything done machine / balance / assembly of the long block no? I would thing they will use a torque plate with your studs as well no?
 
mike diesel

mike diesel

I'm alright.
Sep 6, 2012
4,005
0
36
SLC, Utah
Bonestock said:
I haven't done a dmax build yet but have built many other engines. I kinda thought $3,000.00 would get you everything done machine / balance / assembly of the long block no? I would thing they will use a torque plate with your studs as well no?
Click to expand...

Yes they use a torque plate. I'm sure they would have thrown the heads on too for that price but I have some things I'm doing so I opted to only have them assemble the short block. I wanted to put the heads on and assemble the long block myself for shits and giggles
 
quinton

quinton

Active member
Nov 28, 2011
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Granbury Tx.
$1550 for mine and another build I did a year after. They assembled short block. Keyed crank, cam and oil pump, file rings. Internally balanced, line honed, bored .020 over all the good stuff.
 
unionmax481

unionmax481

hot rodder
Aug 8, 2014
222
0
0
lebanon in
$1050 for mine that is decked,bored,line bore the mains,polish and key the crank,new cam bearing, freeze plugs, and balancing the rotating assembly this is the same machine shop danville uses on their builds
 
DPC

DPC

Member
Jan 2, 2012
323
1
18
Adams, TN
Clean/mag block, align bore/hone, 1/2 fill block, cnc deck block square to mains, cnc bore, dual torque plate hone, digital balance rotating assy. 2K three years ago.
 
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