total cost of rebuilds ?

[Pyrrhus17]

Hey there I am a newbie just looking to purchase a 911 and fully expecting a rebuild to be involved . I am sure this has been done before but what is the typical total cost of a rebuild ? is there a sticky thread that shows this ? Something like , rebuild cost , engine, custom or stock rebuild . Did you send it out or rebuild it yourself etc.. I am looking to start saving and want to get a target figure . Seems like Motormeisters listed cost is cheep from what I have read ? i would like to do it myself to learn but if the cost is the same as sending it out its just something to think about .

[Trophy]

Very much a "how long is a piece of string question' So many variables, would need to know are of engine, miles, etc (Some photo's etc would help as there are indicators that could lead to additional work).

Sorry this is not necessarily the answer you are after but some background will get you the answers you are after.

However i would steer clear from Motermeister, there have been a number of threads on them here and over on Rennlist, do a search.

[peppy]

A nice round number $10k. I think that is a pretty good budget for one of these engines and allows for some gofast goodies if there are no major problems or machine work that needs to be done.

[Pyrrhus17]

Thanks for the info guys
No MM for me !!! and favored rebuilders that will ship the engine ?

[AlfonsoR]

Here's a couple of tools for your enjoyment:

Our host here has some really good resources available:

First is Wayne's two books, "How to Rebuild and Modify Porsche 911 Engines" and "101 Projects for your 911"

Second, also available through our host is Bruce Anderson's Porsche 911 Performance Handbook.

The two books on 911 engine rebuilding give you tips and pointers on how to, plus they also include information on what tools and some information on recommended machine work. The 101 projects includes stuff you might want to do while you're in there. I believe it also has a section on how to remove the engine. I own the two engine books but not the 101 projects, so I'm guess there.

Third, is the "rebuild wizzard": Pelican Parts - Porsche 911 Catalog (1974-1989) - Parts and Accessories
If you go to this link (make sure you are in the right section, this is for 1977-1989), and look under ENGINE, the first link is "Rebuild Wizard". It will take you step by step through tools, sealants & parts for your rebuild. Plus you can save all your selections in a project folder that you can access. It will also let you download all the info into excel.

All these combined will give you a ball park idea of the cost. I don't know that I would buy all my parts through pelican, simply because they don't carry everything you might want or need, but you do get an idea for the cost.

For the machine work, Bruce's book has some recommended machine work and some estimated costs. But these are a few years old. Try this site out for getting a better idea on machining costs: Home Page

Several people here like Ollies. Depending on your location, you might find something closer, but again, this will at least give you a decent idea on machining prices.

There are many "first time rebuild threads" here. Study them and learn what most folks do. I personally, will be doing my first rebuild soon as well. I will be going slow and plan on posting a lot of info.

The question you posted has come up several times. It really does depend on what you need to do to the engine. So buyer be ware: the more careful and meticulous you are about selecting the car you buy, the less you will spend on your rebuild. So this means do a good PPI, do a compression check, leak down check, maybe even pull an oil sample and have it analyzed, or even have the current oil filter removed and cut open for inspection. Only get a car with records. If you can, buy one from an enthusiast that is a regular at this site or possibly Rennlist, maybe member of PCA.

Back to the question. Peppy has a good ball park I think. If nothing major is wrong, you will spend maybe 7k, depending on what upgrades you do. If you have to buy pistons and cylinders and want the best and want it new (Mahle) then you will be spending close to 15k. These assume that you will do all the work.

LN Engineering can give you an idea of cost for some aftermarket parts: https://www.lnengineering.com/

Andial for more Mahle pricing: ANDIAL - Performance Parts for Porsche

Chuck Moreland's suspension skunkworks: ELEPHANT RACING Home Page

Steve Weiner, site sponsor, site regular and 911 guru: Suspension | Rennsport Systems | Porsche Performance Systems and Support

That should give you enough to study for now... Good luck.

[GLASEM]

Currently having my 1977 with an 1981 engine being rebuilt here in SE Michigan

Right now.........looks like around $12K by the time it's back on it's wheels

[George66912]

Thanks for asking this question, I am also new to Porsche and am saving for a 2.7 rebuild. I have Wayne's engine book, hoping to get JB Racing to do the work.
George

[Lapkritis]

Do your own work if you're handy and have the time resource... will save you a mountain of cash that many would wish to talk you out of. I'm mid-refresh on my engine and will be posting pictures on a how-to due to the lack of a readily available, high-level instruction... I've worked on my own cars for years including many rebuilds and that still won't save you from the doldrums of Haynes manuals that are terrible with instruction and don't spell out challenges or methods clearly for completing the work they breeze past... yet they go into the minutia that is self explanatory.

For example, when disassembling the engine once you have it out of the car you should remove the valve covers then rockers then cams then chain covers and then the cam housing and heads together. A couple minutes trying to pry the chain cover out past an installed cam will drive you bonkers.

[Spenny_b]

I dread to think how much my rebuild has cost....however, I would temper that with the original design brief I had, which was NOT determined by the fact the engine needed to be rebuilt, in fact it made good (stock) numbers on the dyno, no obvious problems apart from the perennial oil leaks that seems to afflict these engines....this started off for me as a "simple" EFI conversion....

....that then turned into a top-end rebuild....

...that (within an hour or so) turned into a full stripdown....

....that has now turned into a complete upgrade/hot-rod build.

I'm still trying to dry clean the mud off my clothes from falling down the slippery slope

It's very easy to get infected by while-I'm-at-it-itis...in my case I was offered a Carrera 3.2 inlet from a fellow UK Pelicanite for a very reasonable amount, that then became a cam upgrade, head porting exercise, new Schrick valvegear, capacity upgrade with new P&C's, Garrett GT35R, twin wastegates, bar & plate intercooler, eGas fly-by-wire throttle, traction control, launch control, motorsport loom with MIL spec connectors and full Raychem wiring, water cooling, etc, etc....

So, did I ever consider sending it off to a shop for them to rebuild it? Nope. If I lived in the US then the car may have gone to Chris Carroll @ TurboKraft, but I'm in the UK and I wanted a real project I could get my teeth into, spannering myself and learning about how these engines go together - this is my release from doing IT all day for a living. I'm now a year into it, had some unpleasant moments with a particularly unpleasant "highly reputed" UK "specialist", but overall, I've had a year of fun, made some good friends along the way and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm broke, but smiling!

Coming back to costs, it'll be the small incidental costs that add up. I've now stopped trying to track every penny in my spreadsheet....too difficult and would frighten the bejesus out of me! Things like powder coating, plating, welding, fixings/fasteners, vapour blasting and the sheer amount of driving parts around the country (and shipping costs where I can't sensibly deliver/collect)....if you really want to have something to look back over your shoulder at when you switch the garage lights off in an evening, then you'll probably want to go the whole hog and get everything factory fresh (of course, you don't need to do this...)

HTH
Spencer.

[Lapkritis]

Originally Posted by Spenny_b

This is my release from doing IT all day for a living.

I think there are a lot of people like us out there... I'm b2b telecom and any time not spent at work behind a screen or on the phone is golden. A little car project is a fun tinker toy to mix life up a bit.

-Andrew

[Spenny_b]

Originally Posted by Lapkritis

I think there are a lot of people like us out there... I'm b2b telecom and any time not spent at work behind a screen or on the phone is golden. A little car project is a fun tinker toy to mix life up a bit.

-Andrew

Amen to that!...I have to temper my impatience and enthusiasm a lot of the time...I had a 996 GT3 Mk2 previously, a car I daren't modify other than to fit Clubsport items to, for fear of devaluing it....it was a pristine condition car and it drive me nuts, frightened to drive the damn thing or park it anywhere. I sold it purely to buy a car that would offer a few projects, not a full resto, but something I could get my hands dirty with.

But the sooner I finish it, the sooner it'll be all over, and thats not what I want (although I'm dying to drive it!). That affords me the time I need to mull things over, reconsider how to do certain things better, etc.

[Lapkritis]

You drive these cars long enough and you'll have plenty of projects. ;-)

[porschetub]

Originally Posted by Pyrrhus17

Hey there I am a newbie just looking to purchase a 911 and fully expecting a rebuild to be involved . I am sure this has been done before but what is the typical total cost of a rebuild ? is there a sticky thread that shows this ? Something like , rebuild cost , engine, custom or stock rebuild . Did you send it out or rebuild it yourself etc.. I am looking to start saving and want to get a target figure . Seems like Motormeisters listed cost is cheep from what I have read ? i would like to do it myself to learn but if the cost is the same as sending it out its just something to think about .

Best to look @ a car with a good engine and maybe not so great body (minimal rust of course) you can do a lot of tlc for the cost of a "proper" engine built.

+2 on Motormiester have heard some not so great things,one guy called them Motorshafter as they rebuilt his motor and it came back with differant case numbers and clearly wasn't his.