Engine and tranny rebuild

[panzerman]

One of my many problems is oil leaking from every possible place on the engine and tranny. Apparently the engine has been worked on prior to me buying it as it has Edelbrock intake manifold, valve covers and carb. The smog pump is on the engine but not hooked up and I have no need of it as my car is registered in MT where there is no smog requirement. I also have a nasty exhaust leak from exh manifold ( I think). I doubled the gaskets but that only reduced it a bit. So what am I looking at in having the engine and tranny rebuilt? The tranny is a 3 speed auto but am unsure which one it is. I do not have the time to rebuild them myself and would like an idea what a fair price would be here in so cal? I also do not know if the engine is the original as I cannot find the black number yet. If so I would like to keep it. Mild performance upgrades would be nice but drivability is more of a concern.

 

[Evolution1980]

Sell the complete engine "as is" and buy a crate engine. No muss, no fuss, no questions about the workmanship, and it has a warranty. Plug & Play!

You might take your engine to the shop and after coughing up a few bucks to them to inspect it and do the work, they may find a critical flaw and tell you more bad news. That's all money that could've been put towards the crate engine. Or you could spend some cash on a redoing an engine that's 30+ years old and get back a setup that's still at it's core 30+ years old.

 

[panzerman]

Thanks!! That makes perfect sense!

 

[TMPJoe]

i vote for evolution80!

I have built my last one I think. Just got done "arguing" with my buddy down the street. I told him so... he spent the winter building something for his 32 HIgh boy and now its sitting with a tossed bearing ... (he also did not boil out the block and have it inspected for cracks!) so....

crate motors today are so easy to buy and just plug and play

hell you can drop in a fuel injected 100,000 mile no maintence motor if you want to write the check....

and get big HP too boot if you have the cash!

 

[Dunzvett81]

I agree with evolution too. However, just food for thought I just replaced the cam, lifters, balancer, plugs, wires, carb overhaul etc... all for about $800.00 (D.I.Y.)engine runs like new. I thought about a crate but I certainly would be dishing out a lot more than 800.00. Although a new crate would have been nice. Maybe one day down the road!

 

[panzerman]

I agree with evolution too. However, just food for thought I just replaced the cam, lifters, balancer, plugs, wires, carb overhaul etc... all for about $800.00 (D.I.Y.)engine runs like new. I thought about a crate but I certainly would be dishing out a lot more than 800.00. Although a new crate would have been nice. Maybe one day down the road!

If money was no object then I would go wild but, unfortunately, it is, your method is more in line with my budget. I just am leary of spending the 800 or so only to have a leaky, noisy, impotent engine still.....hell I got some time to brood on it anyway, nothing is going to happen overnight. Thanks for the input though.

 

[Rich80]

I have the same thoughts. Mine is an 80 L-48 with 145K on it. Engine runs good except a little blow by from the valve stem seals. It leaks everywhere even the rear differential. Why bother rebuilding the top end and spending a thousand bucks when the engine needs a complete tear down. If I have somebody do a complete rebuild with some performance parts, we are looking at probably 2500.00 to 3500.00 depending on what I want. I would think, buy the crate engine, and have it installed. More money but you have a brand new engine with a warranty. Only drawback you lose the matching numbers if your engine was original.

 

[Evolution1980]

Only drawback you lose the matching numbers if your engine was original.

...only if you also get rid of your engine. If you keep it with the car, then it's OK. However, do you ever plan on selling your car? Do you think that a 1980 will go for all that much more because it's got the original, worn down, low power #'s matching engine? Maybe a a weee bit more. I didn't think so with my car (as it's very non-matching now) and sold off the old engine on CraigsList to put towards the purchase of a new crate engine.