Hey All,
I have been lurking and posting once in awhile. I own a '96 Z28, long
story short it got hot, blew head gasket, been parked. For 9 long months
now.
Started checking with local machine shops to get options, and King
Balancing in Glendale, AZ has an exchange LT1 for my '96. The long block
is $2350.00
I had planned on swapping motors myself, but about 12 weeks ago I
was run over on my ZRX 1200 Kawasaki. Yep, I like everything that
goes fast ! My bike is done, I'm not. Still in physical therapy. The
machine shop reccomended a mechanic to do the swap. He will let
me provide any new parts for the swap while the motor is out. Plugs,
wires,sensors,etc. His fee is $1300.00
Think his is a good deal ? Looking at about $4600.00 or so. Engine
comes with 3 year warranty and is bone stock. I know that goes
against the grain, being stock, but I'll take it. Been making payments
on a car I can't drive for the last 9 months or so.
What do ya think ?
Ken

 

Sounds like its in the ball park to me, is this mechanic pretty reputable or a shadetree kinda guy?

 

That I can't answer yet. The machine shop was reccommended to me,
they in turn said this is the mechanic that works on our cars.

 

1300 to R&R an engine is steap but not near what a dealer would charge,it's about half.

 

Depends upon where in the country you are - around here, those prices are right on.

 

Why are you considering replacing the entire engine if you only have a blown head gasket?

 

Good question

Some background on me: Long time Hot Rodder, motorcycle rider, etc.
speed freak.

The Car: '96 Z28. 95,000 miles, auto trans. Interior/exterior in pretty good
shape. I had not owned a car in 20 years before I bought this one. Sold
my last Camaro, a '73 LT that long ago. I wanted something I could afford,
that kicked *** and could get better milage then my big block chevy truck.
I was going through the car, taking care of the little things, fluids, etc.
on the expressway it started spewing white smoke and about 20 seconds
later when I could pull over it stopped running. After a tow the passenger
side head gasket was found to have gone bye-bye.
Why replace the long block ? Well, it has 95,000 and it got hot enough to
blow a gasket. It did run very well before that, no cooling system leaks or
anything to clue me in.
I'm thinking about having the work done because I'm still recovering from
a motorcycle accident.
I hope this helps a little, I really appreciate the time everyone is taking to
reply to this. It has been on my mind for months now. I am a big fan of
early GM sheetmetal, but I dig my Z too !!!

 

My opinion is that if the original engine was well maintained,and didnt burn oil.I would change both head gaskets.These V8's go a long way before they give up the ghost.That would save a lot of money to mod it with too.

 

I like your thinking !!!!!
It did not use/burn hardly any oil. With a CAI, flowmaster aftercat
and a tune by Pro Dyno in Tempe AZ, one night, for one run, It hit
13.14 @ 101 mph !! Big fun, and that close to the 12's
I guess I did'nt want to "bandaid" the car, ya know. Spend time and $$$$
on head gaskets only to find some other problem. But you are correct,
until it popped whatever and spewed the coolant there was'nt any
major problems.

I bought it in Oct. '04, in May of '05 it spewed and blew. Only got to
drive it for, what, seven months ?

 

Knocking on wood at this very moment. Bought my 94 Z28 new, car has been my daily driver for over eleven years now. Just recently turned 220,000 miles on the clock, with no major mechanical problems. The only time the engine was even opened was to replace the intake gaskets. Aside from that pretty much wear items, or things that wear out after 200k. If properly taken care of the LT1 is damn near bullet proof.

 

I have a guy that will build and install a fully forged 355 for you for less than that, but ofcourse that is here in FL, seems like you are paying a little much for my taste. Especially since I am having him do a motor for me now installed for just under $1900.

 

He does motors/cars for people out of state all the time...