Engine rebuild, what should I expect?

Hey all. Since I repaired/replaced everthing else last winter to get my rolling-restoration on the road...now that cold weather's here again I'm ready to tackle the motor.

What should I expect to be replacing? Another words, is it customary to just short-block these little 4cyl, or tear into it and only replace what's worn? I know the pistons, rings and valve guides are bad due to the amount of smoke I see on a cold start up.

I may have a mechanic buddie do the work as I help but before I/we start I'm wondering what all we're about to get into.

Thanks, Goose

how much do you have to spend??? lol i'd do any thing that looks bad/ questionable.. i just saw a rebuild cost 3500$ on a 134 f head... get lookng build, but that could buy another willys with a working engine... my head bill was 132$ and that was discounted cause my shop sents a lot of work that way. it was more then i thought i'd spend. i'm planning on having 400-600$into my rebuild of my block when the time comes...

I just got the head re-done, the block cleaned, bored and sleeved, the crank turned -- now I've got to put it together. Included in the price were the additional parts -- rings, pistons, bearings, gasket set.

Total cost was 1300 for it all -- but, again, all I have now is a pile of parts. The F head is fairly easy to assemble, with the only special tooling required being flathead valve compressor, ring installer, and piston installation tool.

The rest uses standard tools and a standard torque wrench.

This engine was yellow, but is now Ford Tractor Blue.

The only remaining cost once I get the engine assembled will be oil pump and water pump.

I'm going slowly on this one because I'm having the 15 year old grandson help me with this. I thought it'd be good experience for him to get up close and personal with some old iron.

It'll take the mystery out of an engine...
j

I was lucky mine only needed a rering and new bearings, guides etc. cost me $1200 to get it back up and running. Also crack repair too.

I have a flat head spring compressor you can borrow, and be sure to check these links out on this site and the "G503" for lots of good tech info the G site deals with the L head motor but the lower end is the same and has alot of good info. read all 4 parts
http://www.g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=73879

also here;
http://www.film.queensu.ca/cj3b/Engine/Rebuild.html

I'd say those prices are pretty much in line with what I spent. It all depends on the condition of your motor. Sometimes the rods, mains and such will need work, other times they won't, same with boring, the head, valves, cam. There are a lot of variables. Anywhere from $800-$2,000 is not out of the norm.

What you expect from a Hurricane rebuild is dependant upon your input.
Your input is in the form of money and time or parts and labor.
If you are a green shadetree mechanic and you follow standard Hurricane rebuild procedure you will gain knowledge.
Knowledge becomes manifest as self confidence and contributes toward self sufficiency.

For this reason it may be suggested to slowly and observingly dissassemble the engine by your self.
The dissasemmbly provides you a base of information.
Next is the time consuming cleaning phase which provides an increased familiarization to all individual components.
Upon thorough inspection of individual components one becomes aware of the exact condition of all parts within.
The re-machining to new tolerances is next.
Re-machining is followed by a carefull re-assembly.

My last complete Hurricane rebuild was a total cost around $500 which is extremely low.
How is it that my was my cost was so low ?
I basically rebuilt someone elses so called rebuilt engine.

ya time vs money and i have lots of time.. lol i agree with the right manual to follow it shouldn't be too bad... i'm not on a time line yet... i belive most of my cost will be at the machine shop. vs parts. and a great bit can be learned. i've found out always ask the guy who the job didn't go right for.. he's learn a lot as to why it didn't go right. and has more tips...

am on edge of commiting to a 6mth refurb blitz this winter with tub off

fhead plan being contemplated deliver fhead to machine shop, get back assembled bottom end block and loose head, finish assembly myself

initial machine shop contact prices seem reasonable like boring $35 hole etc ...

BTW this is advance warning to those that think I post alot now - wait till i got everything strung across the garage floor ...

yjcanibul

As you know we all feed off of each others photos so by all means post any and all you can

About half my costs were machine shop labor/ repairs $600.

I just dropped off my Dauntless 225 at the engine rebuilder . I'm sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the estimate...

Dropped off the 3B at my friends yesterday to start the engine rebuild. I know most of you guys do the work yourselves but I don't trust myself mechanically enough yet. This is the same buddy/mechanic that set the gear lash on my front axle pinion last year, he knows his way around a Willys like I know the back of my hand.

He said parts could run anywhere from $500 to $1000 depending on what we find. Might just need rings but while in there we plan to inspect the cam lobe for the mech fuel pump so I can ditch the elec one. For his labor I'm swapping him a '78 Dodge 3/4 ton pickup that's at my familys farm. I plan to spend lots of time looking over his shoulder and lending a hand the next few weeks and will document with pics.

The work begins. Did a leak-down before the tear-down, compression was high and consistant in all four cylinders.
That's a mixed blessing for me...on the one hand it'll mean a cheaper rebuild, but on the other, less noticable HP gain once back together.

Cleaning and painting parts while we wait for the block and head to get back from the mach shop.

Dang, Goose; I am envious!!

I had planned on rebuilding my engine this winter, but it's not going to happen.

Looking really great so far!

I like red!