Re: IML: 58: engine rebuild vs re-installation

[sosmi@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Hugh, what you're asking would take a hyper active crystal ball to answer. It would be best to have the same person that performs the engine work, also do the installation. This way, any problems that may arise will be addressed in house, rather than finger pointing at others involved. The time to ground-up rebuild an engine correctly, would most certainly be more than the time to R&R the engine and trans. I also suspect, you are placing the re-builder/installer rather low on the "Learning Curve"for this task. Some cost compromise may be necessary. The best thing to do, is ask for a range estimate i.e. $1000-1500 this way the shop can account for certain problems, and solve them correctly and you can be comfortable with the cost. After being in business, for nearly 40 yrs, that's what we do. Just remember one thing : " Good Work Ain't Cheap, and Bad Work Ain't No Good"Ya'll have a nice day, Dave.

 

> -------------- Original message -------------- 
> From: "Hugh, 58 Imperial" <imperial58@xxxxxxxxxxx> 
>
> > Hey, folks, I'm not being snippy, I am just trying to refine a question to 
> > get an answer I need. I appreciate al the replies so far but none have 
> > actually answered the core question involved. 
> > 
> > In my case, the 392 Hemi is out of the car. The work on the block and the 
> > heads has been done professionally, but the engine is only partially 
> > rebuilt. The rebuild and the reinstallation has stalled badly. I am 
> > looking for a cost effective way to proceed. 
> > 
> > In your actual experience which took longer and / or was more difficult. 
> > Rebuilding the engine or re-installing it in the car. 
> > 
> > An official garage owner's guide from back then says to quote ten hours to 
> > remove and reinstall
>  the engine. (I forgot to ask how long for the actual 
> > rebuild.) A professional mechanic who has been in the truck repair business 
> > for thirty years but who does not work for the trucking company that did the 
> > initial work said to anticipate it being in a shop bay for at least two full 
> > days for the work to be completed. This is assuming lack of experience with 
> > the application, extremely tight space to work in and the normal 
> > difficulties associated with attaching things like exhaust headers, etc. It 
> > also assumes having all the parts readily available, such as new engine 
> > mounts, gaskets, etc. 
> > 
> > I am trying to work out a compromise with the trucking company owner with 
> > whom I am still on excellent terms. If I do the rebuild myself, attach the 
> > transmission, etc, maybe they could re-install it. In my opinion, this 
> > would only be practical if one could assume the work could be do
> ne in one 
> > eight hour shift. I suspect it cannot. 
> > 
> > This is an attempt to save money. I have another quote to rebuild the 
> > engine and reinstall it but suspect the reinstallation is so complex, 
> > difficult and time consuming that it takes up the lion's share of the work 
> > needed to be done to complete the project. While I can do the engine work I 
> > do not have the time, the energy, the inclination, the experience or the 
> > correct equipment to reinstall the engine myself. Plus moving it around 
> > once completed is not going to be a picnic, either. 
> > 
> > If anyone out there has done this work him or herself, I'd sure appreciate 
> > hearing from you about the relative difficulty and time consumed to complete 
> > the work. The space available under the hood of a 58 is incredibly small 
> > once you introduce a 392 Hemi into it. 
> > 
> > Hugh 
> > 
> > 
> > 
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