Average line bore costs?

[BrianShaughnessy]

How much has anybody paid to have steel caps line bored on an RB block?   

The basic 440source billet caps are B main sized and have to be enlarged a heluva lot.  Lot of extra labor.   Seems to me Brandon should make RB only caps also.   

I dropped my 440 block off at the shop months ago along with a set of caps and arp studs.   I got told to expect a large bill   

[firefighter3931]

Brian, the usual line bore job is ~ $175-$200 in this area. Have you not considered aluminum caps ? If this is for a stroker build the alum main cap is an excellent choice. 


Ron

[BrianShaughnessy]

My  almost #'s matching stroker shortblock project is being more of a pain than it's worth seemingly.

For this 99.99% street motor I'd just as soon prefer steel caps.   If it was more race and was going to go in and out more often I'd have done the aluminum caps.    I was looking into cap / girdlles also but this isn't going all out.   

My problem is that I talked to my local machinist that I've used for stuff for 15 years and he seemed hyped to fix up a mopar instead of the usual shop clogging sbc projects.   He farmed out the line boring job after the block sat for over 2 months.   If it was only $200 I wouldn't care.   I expected about $300.     I think I'm paying for somebodies OJT. 

I should have stuck the block on a pallet and sent it up north 

[firefighter3931]

If it's mostly a street build why not use the stock caps ? If you need a set lemme know. 


Ron

[BrianShaughnessy]

Too late now!!! 

Need extras?

[firefighter3931]

Need extras?

Thanks buddy....but i've got a few sets of spares. 



Ron

[Steve P.]

Hey Brian, a local buddy of mine is having the cross bolted steel caps installed in a 440 block right now. They are also from 440 Source. You are absolutely right on the B=RB sizes. The machinist was said to (Nearly shit himself) when he saw how much had to come out..  That and all the work to fit and finish for the cross bolts is drawing a $500.00 BILL....   

I asked another buddy here about it and he said he paid about the same for his.  Didn't I read that the new 440 Source block is going to have the cross bolted mains??

[BrianShaughnessy]

I'm not sure if the 440source block is going to be cross bolted or not.   That thread on moparts is like 10 pages of people kisssing Brandon's ass.    I wasn't aware Brandon was making cross bolt caps either     

I paid the bill yesterday - 5.        

[firefighter3931]

I paid the bill yesterday - 5.        

Ouch  So much for the cheap, "one size fits all" parts ! 

Well, at least you'll have a nice strong bottom end for that stroker. 



Ron

[evil1]

Brian, the usual line bore job is ~ $175-$200 in this area. Have you not considered aluminum caps ? If this is for a stroker build the alum main cap is an excellent choice. 


Ron

What would be the advantage of using aluminum main caps ?  if it were a cast iron block ,wouldn't the two metals have differant expantion rates and tolerances ?

[BrianShaughnessy]

Big blocks have problems with cap walk somewhere around 500 and 600 hp on stock caps.   #4 Main usually takes a beating first.

I have my own doubts on whether aluminum caps and iron blocks are a good match on a street motor.   For a race motor I'd be all over them.    For all the talk about strokers on this site I don't hear much about upgrading caps or maybe I wasn't paying attention.

Hence I got the billet steel caps but also incurred the additional labor charges.   I think the line bore charges on aluminum caps would be much less.  I've sent Brandon an email...  waiting on a response     

[firefighter3931]

Brian, the usual line bore job is ~ $175-$200 in this area. Have you not considered aluminum caps ? If this is for a stroker build the alum main cap is an excellent choice. 


Ron

What would be the advantage of using aluminum main caps ?  if it were a cast iron block ,wouldn't the two metals have differant expantion rates and tolerances ?

As Brian mentioned the aluminum caps help with metal transfer between the cap & block (cap walk). Another thing they do is to help protect the main saddles which are prone to cracking under high HP loads. They basicly cushion the bottom end. The different rates of expansion are a non issue...many drive with aluminum caps on the street. 


Ron

[AKcharger]

Align bore and deck my block...$500

[BrianShaughnessy]

From Ray Barton's website  http://www.raybarton.com/services.htm#labor_list

Install Billet Steel Main Caps, Align Bore & Hone $440.00