Cost for Rebuilding
 

I’m ready for a rebuild. My 89 911 engine needs a refresh. Looking at rough estimates for doing a 3.4-3.6 from my current 3.2.

All in for a complete rebuild?

Read the parallel thread about “Separating Nikasil Piston
And Cylinder.”

How many miles on it? Why do you think it needs a refresh? Your labor, or you pay a Porsche engine shop to rebuild it? The price depends directly on how much you replace.

I want a new engine and it would be a shop to do the work.

How about $20-30K . . .

Some have done the 3.4L twin plug upgrade . . . I wouldn't try to do a 3.6L from a 3.2L case . . .

Best of luck on your project!
Regards,
Roy T

These rebuilds add up extremely fast. There’s a lot of work that goes into making one of these right and look nice. Its not just take it apart replace parts and put it back together. It can be but generally speaking that’s not the best way to go. There’s a ton of labor in cleaning and machining. These engines are like an onion..layer upon layer. Each layer can have its unexpected costs.

To do a full rebuild really nice 20-30k is a little low but in the ballpark

This is your chance to “build” your dream engine. Call and talk to William Knight (search on this site) and give him what you want your engine to do. He will design and engine just for you!
He will talk with you for as many hours needed to get you your custom engine.
I purchased all the parts from him ( trustworthy) and he gave me an engine builder close to me.
The process is long, trying to get all the right pieces together…some custom made, but it is well worth it.

I was thinking closer to 40-50k.

Engines this "old" need restoration more than rebuilding.

Yep

I’m not even sure I could get into a rebuild without budgeting 70k.

So tell…..

Not all engines are the same. Nor does every owner want the same result. Some don't see things wrong that other do.

What we have seen in the past is pretty typical. Apart for the normal replacement or reconditioning of the internal parts, much if not all of the exterior parts are worn out and need replacing or repair. Fiberglass shroud, wiring, throttle linkage, sheet metal, exhaust, the list goes on.

Call it what you want, it all comes down to what result you want. I tell customers, I can make money disappear quicker than David Copperfield in Vegas can.

...and of course, Neil's "X factor." Were you thinking Timex, or Rolex?

Perfectly explained!

My ask is to rebuild what is needed to bring back life to a 3.2L that has either 118k or 218k
Miles on it. I’ve had it for 14 years w a broken odometer (the front number spins but has stopped at the 2 around 6 years ago).





QUOTE=Neil Harvey;11915636]Not all engines are the same. Nor does every owner want the same result. Some don't see things wrong that other do.

What we have seen in the past is pretty typical. Apart for the normal replacement or reconditioning of the internal parts, much if not all of the exterior parts are worn out and need replacing or repair. Fiberglass shroud, wiring, throttle linkage, sheet metal, exhaust, the list goes on.

Call it what you want, it all comes down to what result you want. I tell customers, I can make money disappear quicker than David Copperfield in Vegas can.[/QUOTE]

Indeed. My "X" factor is the "Rolex" factor and I make no apologies about this. I want to provide a high end product for those that want this level.

70K?? I'll be happy to rebuild your next engine for that price! ;)

A few folks thought 50-60k were right. Others went with 20-30k.

If you would allow me to offer some advice?

Set your engine budget first. There is a limit to what you can afford. Once you have this figured out, this sets the parameters of what you can either achieve or maybe not start until you can.

The first part of the "build" is the heaviest in the labor. Disassembly, cleaning, crack checking and measuring will take up the major part of the labor. Typically DIY's and most shops will send out the parts for machining. The DIY and shop only do the assembly after the parts are returned.

Knowing that these early engines need a lot of attention, this is how we approach projects like this.

We quote the owner/shop an amount to disassemble, clean, crack check, and measure all parts.

Then we supply a second written quote to cover the machine work, parts, misc parts, any outside vendor work and the assembly/dyno. This way we know exactly what needs to be done and some concessions can be made then, in order to meet the budget. Maybe those upgrades cannot be afforded, making the engine look nice is not included, etc. The owner knows exactly what it will cost before anything is started. Both the disassembly cost and the "build" cost.

There have been times when the owner could not afford what was required and the project was stopped until they could. You don't get buried in a project that has no end in sight.

Often an estimate is given without any sort of knowledge of what is going on inside the engine. The engine is disassembled and then the telephone starts ringing, telling what horrors have been found. Now you are committed with a deposit given and that estimate has now grown in amount way more than ever expected.

I would hate that too.

Maybe contact Flat6pak (Bruce Abbott) on this site. He has been rebuilding 911 engines for decades. He rebuilt my '87 3.2 and it runs great.