I am learning a lot on this project. Mostly why guys just want to throw in an LS engine and be done with it.
But, it's a turbo 6 and it's gonna stay a turbo 6 so it is getting expensive.
I severely UNDERESTIMATED the amount of machine work (& cost) involved in just slapping in steel caps.
$575 in labor + $200 for caps = $775
Option 1:
Have Weber racing just build the damn thing. Looking at about $8500 total
Option 2: (steel crank & caps)
Caps & machining 775
crank 500
pistons 600
Bore & hone 210
Balancing rotating assembly?
front cover & oil pump 425
main & head studs 200
heads 1200
timing set 150
rockers 500
balancer 150
flexplate 75
megasquirt 500
$5285
Option 3: (original crank & caps)
Same list as above
$4010
And again, I'm not looking at a specific HP number, but I am viewing this as a 1 time opportunity to build a solid & fun engine. At the moment I am just gathering parts that I will need with any of the above options.
A couple of questions:
Crank has the rolled fillets on rod & main journals, but was in a NA engine. That qualify as a "turbo crank"?
The $440 forged Eagle crank from summit. Does that still need balanced, or is it good to install & go?
That would have to be better than stock crank even staying with original caps, right?
That price for machining main caps seems a bit much.... Where are you located? I might be able to steer you towards another shop that I
know works on Buicks and is fair priced.
For Option 2, there are some issues with the pricing that I see right off the bat..
Where are you getting your; crank and pistons pricing from? Even cutting a deal, our SCAT cranks are still $525/ea and good up to 1100hp. The pistons are $750 for JE pistons, but that is because we use Total Seal Steeltop piston rings..not the generic rings that come in the standard piston sets... if we sold those standard piston rings 1) the rings would wear quickly with high boost , 2) they would require replacement much sooner than the Steeltops, 3) It would bring the pricing down about $150.
Use your stock front cover with an oil booster plate with a good oil pump. You're solid there. No need to drop $425 on a new front cover. If anything, just find a nice used front cover with the high volume oil pump gears, and those should be around $225-275.
Main and head studs will run a bit more than $200. I think main studs are around $90, head studs something between $100-$140, depending where you get them from.
Heads for $1,200? No way you are getting new heads for that much. Used? Sure. Checkout my PM that I sent you and I can hook it up a nice iron-head-porting secret that we Cali guys use to get our iron heads ported for under $600 and we get about 75% of the flow of what Champions flow, it only takes a week or two, and we don't have to wait 6 months like with Champion.
New timing set is worth it.
Screw getting rockers. You don't need them. This isn't a SBC. The stock rockers with hardened shafts or shaft braces will be fine.
Balancer is more like $289 or $490. The flexplates are $180-190
Flexplate for $75? Again, where?
Megasquirt for $500? Uhh... I think you mean a MICROsquirt... and that won't have a terminated harness..nor will it have all the connections you need for the GN..
Give me a call when you can next week since I know you said you were busy this weekend. We will go over your list and I'll give you some nice options to help you stay within your budget.
-Tyler