AMC 360 rebuild cost, quote check.

[Deerejeep]

Just received a quote back for rebuild on my AMC 360.
Clean bored, reassembled (long block). $2600 in labor(40 hours at $65) and about $600 in parts. My upgrade parts not included with in (cam, intake, oiling upgrade) not included.

Does this sound reasonable? $65 an hour, 40 hours? With the quote mainly being labor the only option I see on reducing cost would be to reassemble myself, which at this point I'm not willing to do.(10 hours).

Appreciate the input.

 

[NorthwestCJer]

Different areas are probably different costs. Just had a co-worker get quotes on rebuilding his AMC 304 that he broke. Almost everyone was $1500 for a long block job. That is him pulling it and removing external components though. He ended up buying a good used runner 360 (absolutely complete) for $500.00 from a Jeep salvage yard here in Washington.

Good luck!

 

[thistle3585]

I was recently quoted $2400 for my AMC 304 and it included parts and labor. I also found a company online that sells re manufactured long blocks for $1300 or you can ship them your block and they'll rebuild it for the same plus shipping. You can also send them your parts and they'll put them on. I ended up finding a AMC 304 used for $400.

 

[jdarg]

Doesn't anyone think that quote seems really high? Should be closer to about a third of that price, maybe a few hundred more.

Are you pulling the motor yourself?

 

[Scooter402]

I was going to say that's pretty dang astronomical. Even when taking my sweet time, I've never taken 40 hours to build a long block. If I had all the parts in front of me, and was still taking my time, I'd say 16 hours would be plenty. Is this just re-assembly, or both tear down and assembly?

 

[Old Dog]

You say cleaned, bored and reassembled is that all they are doing?
If so that sounds like way to much. For 40 hours they have to be doing more than that.

 

[Deerejeep]

Well I guess I was about as specific about the work being done as a politician during election season.

Here's the full listing of work.

 

[Fastatv]

Not sure about your area, but that labor seems very high to me. I would think the engine could be torn down in 2 to 3 hours at worst. Anyway, I won't itemize it but that is too much....IMO

 

[jdarg]

Yep, I'd go get some other quotes and question whether or not you really need align boring, crank micro polish, rotating assembly balance, and stuff like that if you aren't building a high RPM race motor.

 

[Deerejeep]

Doesn't anyone think that quote seems really high? Should be closer to about a third of that price, maybe a few hundred more.

Are you pulling the motor yourself?

Purchased one out of a 79 Cherokee. Pulled, delivered partly disassembled. Took all the accessories off.

Not sure about your area, but that labor seems very high to me. I would think the engine could be torn down in 2 to 3 hours at worst. Anyway, I won't itemize it but that is too much....IMO

Think there is $100 tear down. $700 to reassemble. The bulk of the labor is within the machine work.

Yep, I'd go get some other quotes and question whether or not you really need align boring, crank micro polish, rotating assembly balance, and stuff like that if you aren't building a high RPM race motor.

You bring up a good point. I want a little bit better than stock since I have the options now. But, no drag strip or extreme off road. They do a lot of race motors so perhaps there very used to this. Can you elaborate on why I might not need this?

Appreciate the input guys and any additional you might have.

 

[Hedgehog]

You are obviously not looking for your average tear down and rebuild. "Better than stock." It seems that you are looking for the mechanic to do all the removal, rebuild and install work. So, the price you've been quoted doesn't seem bad to me. Expensive, but to get something done right costs money.

 

[CJim7]

I see $810 worth of labor you can do yourself assuming you are willing to disassemble and assemble.

When I did my 401 I disassembled everything.....removed cam, crank, pistons, broke the heads down, etc, and took it all down to the shop in a box. the only assembly I had the shop do was punch in new cam bearings and put the pistons on the rods. I installed the rings, pistons, cam, crank/bearings, seals, and valves on the heads when I got it all back from the shop.

So my only cost was a master kit and machinework. Unfortunately for me, I went with a lot of performance stuff so my kit plus machinework was still over the $2k mark.

 

[Deerejeep]

You are obviously not looking for your average tear down and rebuild. "Better than stock." It seems that you are looking for the mechanic to do all the removal, rebuild and install work. So, the price you've been quoted doesn't seem bad to me. Expensive, but to get something done right costs money.

Appreciate it. Guess my better than stock is perhaps not the norm. My first project of this size so. Quality, yes I only want to do this once.

I see $810 worth of labor you can do yourself assuming you are willing to disassemble and assemble.

When I did my 401 I disassembled everything.....removed cam, crank, pistons, broke the heads down, etc, and took it all down to the shop in a box. the only assembly I had the shop do was punch in new cam bearings and put the pistons on the rods. I installed the rings, pistons, cam, crank/bearings, seals, and valves on the heads when I got it all back from the shop.

So my only cost was a master kit and machinework. Unfortunately for me, I went with a lot of performance stuff so my kit plus machinework was still over the $2k mark.

Thanks! On the labor side I would enjoy learning but I think it's worth the time savings and quality for my project to move forward.

 

[jdarg]

Can you elaborate on why I might not need this?

These things have advantages in some situations but relatively low RPM street/trail operation isn't really one of them.

That stuff is only needed IMHO when you are trying to squeeze every ounce of performance out of a motor, i.e. making it live through a season with forced induction/nitrous, revving it past it the designed redline, etc.

Keep in mind stock motors didn't have this stuff done to them and they still live hundreds of thousands of miles.

If you have the money to burn, it doesn't hurt, but I don't think you are really gaining anything either. Keep in mind any motor can go belly up in 40K too - no matter how meticulously it was prepped.

 

[Jimbos76cj]

The shop near me recently quoted 650 i think to bore a 360 block .030 over, clean and install new freeze plugs. Crank didnt need to be machined. I think another $600 to assemble, break in and find the motor on his stand.. I think your estimate is very high. The machinist says that the 360's are a solid block and almost never need to be aligned honed.