Help me build a long block.

The big end of the rods get out of round and they are machined back to spec. It will eat rod bearings if they are out.
 
Save the money. Listen to turbo89 stock motor rebuilds with the right combo and TUNE you'll be in the 11's with ease and be able to drive her home.
 
I'm kind of thinking of it like this, I sold a motorcycle the finance the engine build and if I don't spend it on the engine, it will go to some stupid shit like granite countertops.

The long block is the foundation that I want to build on and I want that part to be stable. I would rather go overkill now than say "I should have done ____ while I had the chance."

I still haven't pulled the 109 apart yet to see what kind of shape it is in internally. If it all appears to be good, how big of a deal it is to have the stock (non-turbo) crank?
I could always pull the crank out of the 4.1 too if it is in good shape.

As of now I am thinking of with best-guess pricing:
Heads & rockers = $1500
roller lifters = $200 ??
steel caps = $200
timing set = $150

Maybe:
Pistons (if it needs bored)= $400ish
Forged crankshaft = $600ish
(Note: I broke 2 crankshafts in my diesel truck so I have trust issues with them)


If it needs bored, there will be pistons.
steel caps will require line boring

All this still leaves me with $1000 to spend on machine shop work

I am going to give Brian Lorenz a call. I don't know if he does machine work or not, but he is relatively close and appears to know his stuff.
 
Call bison, get some johnson lifters, and messure estimated install height. Then messure for pushrods so he can get you what you need

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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?
 
Plus we have some great deals on rotating assembly’s right now
 
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
 
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