How much does engine work cost?

[lakersfan1]

After I'm done with my engine bay appearance mods and my stereo work, I was thinking building up my own KLDE would be fun. I was thinking about taking a K8 block and heads, and just boring it out to KLDE spec, and get some pistons, rods, and cranks from a blown KLDE and build my own. The archives say you can bore a K8 out OK to KLDE bore, but always says it'd be too expensive. How much are we talking here for just the machine shop to bore the cylinders? It'd be a fun project for me, and I think I could do for pretty cheap as long as the machine work isn't too much.

[RoundTop]

The problem is that the block is not solid. It is cylinders mounted inside the block. So you can't just drill it out (this came up in a weight discussion a long time ago).

Plus the labour for that would be expensive. $1000 for a ZE is the going rate...so you might as well just get the engine complete and avoid possible costly and disastrous problems.

[lakersfan1]

Originally posted by RoundTop:
The problem is that the block is not solid. It is cylinders mounted inside the block. So you can't just drill it out (this came up in a weight discussion a long time ago).

Plus the labour for that would be expensive. $1000 for a ZE is the going rate...so you might as well just get the engine complete and avoid possible costly and disastrous problems.

So you're saying the outside diameter of K8 sleeves is different than the outside diameter of KL sleeves? Not that it's not possible, but I find it hard to belive that they bothered casting multiple sizes of the aluminum block for what? To save a few pounds of iron? Has someone confirmed this?

And, yes, I know how much a KLZE is. That wasn't the question. The question was how much does a machine shop charge for boring an engine out. I wanted to have some fun tearing down an engine anyways, as I've never done it before.

[hgallegos915]

over here in el paso, a good machine shop will charge anywhere from 40 lls to 80 dlls. if thats your question, still..its easier to pick up a klde engine for 300 dlls at a yard... but thats just me. why dont u try it, it be nice to find out if its possiblr to do so.

[lakersfan1]

Originally posted by hgallegos915:
over here in el paso, a good machine shop will charge anywhere from 40 lls to 80 dlls. if thats your question, still..its easier to pick up a klde engine for 300 dlls at a yard... but thats just me. why dont u try it, it be nice to find out if its possiblr to do so.

Thanks Gallegos. Is that per engine, or per cylinder? If I could get it for $80 for a whole engine, that's even cheaper than I thought.

[Redhouse]

hey lakersfan

i bought an extra set of heads in anticipation of playing with them, seeing how they worked and whatnot... without having to remove them from my own car...

i went looking for things (porting, valve job) that might increase performance but it would seem that there isn't alot to do.. replace the HLA's, replace the valves and valve springs - maybe portmatch the IM and heads... but even that won't give you a lot of gains from what i've read and certainly not for the money...

i have and OBDII 96 V6 so swapping motors isn't much of an option which is why i was investigating possible head work/porting/cleaning.

i'd be iunterested in anythign you uncover and i willb e sure to pass on anythign i can find about making the K8 heads "better" than they are stock..

[lakersfan1]

Originally posted by Greg Ridout:

i have and OBDII 96 V6 so swapping motors isn't much of an option which is why i was investigating possible head work/porting/cleaning.

I think no matter what you'd do being OBD-2, you'd be taking a risk and pioneering for other OBD-2 MX3 owners. What I'd try if I was you would be to try your K8 ECU with the KL02 VAF on a KL block with KL fuel rails. I tried something noone else tried with trying to get the intake manifold from a 2002 to work with our older style block and throttle body. It took alot of custom work, but it worked in the end. It's fun when this kind of stuff works, but kinda sucks when it doesn't.

[hgallegos915]

well just tell the machine shop if it can be bored out..it wont take em more than an hour to do it. they even sell u the pistons that go with it...not sure on the k8...the 80 dlls was on an gm 2.5 engine..wich is 4 cyl.

[Zoso124]

I sure wouldn't recommend doing it. The walls would be too thin and you'd would need KL Crank to go with the Pistons/Rods. Then why not rebuild a KL? If could do it all over again I would have just bought a ZE and been done with it.