im building a 355. how much should i expect to pay a machine shop to machine my crank and block?

 

Depends on what needs to be done.
Average-$500-1000.00

 

My local machineshop that is excellent with dirt track motors locally does a very good job on street motors as well. They charge like the following.

Vat block (remove freeze plugs and oil plugs) 40$
Replace freeze plugs and oil plugs 20$
Bore block with torque plates 100$
Line hone (if needed) 50$
Deck block (desired height) 110$
Balance crank to reciprocating assembly 150$ plus mallory
Turn crank or add filet radi. 110$
Install pistons to rods 60$
Vat heads 20$
vat various parts 10$( bolts odds and ends)
Deck heads 40$
3 angle performance Valvejob 120$ plus parts (valves)
Set-up springs 60$ plus parts
Install valve guides 40$ per head plus parts
Assemble shortblock (if desired) 80$

As you can see just from this short list it can add up in a hurry.

 

It's got to be hard to make a living charging $80 to assemble the shortblock! Perry, those are pretty low prices for most of the serivces, which illustrates a point - there is a huge variation in labor rates in different areas of the country. Around here, there are only two places you would want to assemble a motor. One is my friend Bob Kennedy and he charges $80/h (a typical motor will take 4-6h). The other shop is in the $3-400 range.

The variations alluded to above make it difficult to answer the original question. But in general, the cheapest way to get this kind of work done well is to find a pro who does it "on the side".

Rich

 

I just got my 355 built last week with a total cost 1900. But that was also having the heads ported and cleaned up. That was also completely rebuilt and ready to run from intake to pan assembly, all i had to have done was put the thing back in the car and fire it up.

 

i got mine bored/honed, new freeze plugs etc

paid 200 bux.... comes out it was the worst machine work job ever, had to get it done again RIGHT..... cost me 600 bux to get line honed, decked, new plugs again, put the cam bearings in right and couple more things....

 

This is true. Now Rich I might have to look back that assembly may be by the hour, I usually do my own assembly so I pass on that. But the cost of living here in Oklahoma is quite a bit lower than most of the country.

 

did they supply all the parts?? if you supplied the parts 1900 sounds a little high to me

 

My machine work for my block came to something like $700-800. If i had them assemble the short block it would have been another $300 - i assembled it myself naturally.

I also had my heads cleaned up and a valve job done and bought my rebuild kit (forged pistons) through him. Total cost was $1,700 all said and done. (don't forget about sales tax - that brought up the total another $120 or so).

 

Just got my bill $590.

Clean Block $25
Bore Block .030 $100
Cam Bearings & Freeze Plugs $25
Decking to Zero $125
Resize Rods, using stock rods $72
Check Crank and Polish $25
R&R Pistons $35
Balance $120
Misc Bearings & Stuff $60

 

thats cheap for r&r on the pistons! its 75-100 bux around here...

 

My crank needed to be turned .010 over. It costed me $110. Polishing is $60 if that was all that was needed to be done.

My block was already tore down and it is going to be a total cost of $300 to clean, hone, bore, install freeze plugs, cam bearings, main bearings etc.

I am having them check my main caps which will be additional since I plan on reusing them.

It will then be another 300 for them to build the shortblock.

I have all the parts already so this is just labor costs.

I would plan around 900-1000 for machine work plus the cost of any additional labor or parts you want installed.