Is Machining Necessary?
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Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2008
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From: On the prairie
Whoa, I was told that block machining cost SEVERAL hundered dollars and sometimes well over a THOUSAND dollars! What exactly was my previous informant refering too? If I could find a shop to do a bore job for under say, $500 I'd be more open to that idea.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,232
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From: NE Texas
It's been a long time since I personally paid the bill for a bore job, but if it commonly brings a $1000 per block I know what business I will be going into starting Monday.
I expect that one reason that you hear such statements is that many machine shops try to make you think that installing your own freeze plugs and cam bearings is a science of which mortal man is not capable of learning.
They typically do clean the block, install freeze plugs and cam bearings. I have my own cam bearing tools that my bro in law made me on his lathe many years ago.
Boring used to cost a few dollars a hole, but I expect it's probably $20 or $25 a hole now days. If you will be replacing pistons anyway, which is risky business in a worn block, boring the block involves fitting the bore to a sample of the piston set. Done by a competent machinist, this provides a MUCH better result in both sealing and oil consumption.
You need to get out your Yellow Pages and do a little bit of calling around your area. Ask what type of boring bar they use and how much per hole. Also ask them how much to vat the block.
Let them vat the block, bore it to fit the pistons. THEN bring the block home and wash out every pore and opening with a pressure washer(stop by the car wash if you don't have a pressure washer) then scrub the bores using a bucket of water and Tide using a stiff bristle brush. Then rinse everything with as much water pressure as you've got and blow dry it with compressed air. After it is clean and dry, install your cam bearings or carry it back to the machine shop and get him to install them for you. Install your freeze plugs yourself. That is CERTAINLY not rocket science.
Doing all this will make for a much better end result than using new pistons in a worn block.
Good luck,
I expect that one reason that you hear such statements is that many machine shops try to make you think that installing your own freeze plugs and cam bearings is a science of which mortal man is not capable of learning.
They typically do clean the block, install freeze plugs and cam bearings. I have my own cam bearing tools that my bro in law made me on his lathe many years ago.
Boring used to cost a few dollars a hole, but I expect it's probably $20 or $25 a hole now days. If you will be replacing pistons anyway, which is risky business in a worn block, boring the block involves fitting the bore to a sample of the piston set. Done by a competent machinist, this provides a MUCH better result in both sealing and oil consumption.
You need to get out your Yellow Pages and do a little bit of calling around your area. Ask what type of boring bar they use and how much per hole. Also ask them how much to vat the block.
Let them vat the block, bore it to fit the pistons. THEN bring the block home and wash out every pore and opening with a pressure washer(stop by the car wash if you don't have a pressure washer) then scrub the bores using a bucket of water and Tide using a stiff bristle brush. Then rinse everything with as much water pressure as you've got and blow dry it with compressed air. After it is clean and dry, install your cam bearings or carry it back to the machine shop and get him to install them for you. Install your freeze plugs yourself. That is CERTAINLY not rocket science.
Doing all this will make for a much better end result than using new pistons in a worn block.
Good luck,
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