Is this worth it?!

[stanger1993]

So I got my heads and intake back from the machine shop...everything looks good and I have a whole HCI pile in the living room ready to be put together but I've been weary of my bottom end. I dont know of any actual mechanical problems with it...but its got 185k on the clock. I can only account for about 85k(almost all highway) of those miles. It was a trooper car and was auctioned to me with 100k. So yea I've been hunting for some shortblocks and I've come across this craiglist add..stating:
"I have a HO302 long block out of an 88 Mustang just rebuilt 0 miles, it has factory forged pistons, new rings, rod and main bearings, oil pump, all new gaskets, crank has been polished, block has been honed, double roller timing chain, has hydraulic roller cam, ready to go $700 firm Installation available"

It's got a picture and what not but I'm not sure if we can link ad's or not so I left it out..I know I don't need the heads and cam and It appears the heads are stock but its hard to tell. My question is if this guy turns out to be a reputable builder is it worth $700 for the short block. I've been out of the mustang business for a while and I dont really know whats worth what anymore. I can get pulled motor's for 400.00 but I havnt the ability to do a rebuild myself. Thanks for any input.

My car: 1993 ssp, 185k, basic mods..gears, cold air, pulleys, shifter, tremec, full exhaust and some other small stuffs.
parts to go on:
ported GT40 irons
ported cobra upper and lower
24lb injectors
E303
76mm mass air
65mm tbody

PS: Not sure if this counts as tech or talk sorry Mr. Moderator

 

[Mustang5L5]

$700??

Hell no.

 

[fiveohwblow]

What is a rebuilt 5.0 worth then?

 

[strtrcr50]

I had a machine shop quote me $200 to hone the cylinders and change the cam bearings. I think they said another $70 to file fit the rings.

 

[NotQuik]

if your going to get a basic rebuilt stock shortblock then look at 50resto for I think 599 or 699 on a new short block...it's nothing special but atleast there is a more hopeful chance of it being what is said on the inside.

 

[nunly94gt]

price out getting yours redone by the machine shop and go from there. My machine shop locally said to build me a stroker 347 with them buying parts was $1400 roughly that is just a short block.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I'd say $400-500 tops

More than likely it has the original pistons, so the cost of rings, rod and main bearings and a pump is not that much really. $150-200 or so. Toss in polishing the crank and a hone job and it's really nothing special esp if the hone was done with just a drill and the honing tool. Plus how many original miles are on it? Just because it's rebuilt doesn't necessarily reset the clock to 0 miles when the crank, piston and block have 100K+ on them. I think the price really depends on the part used in the rebuild.

i wouldn't spend $700 on basically a stock rebuild short block when for a few hundred more you can look at a true 0-mile shortblock with all new stuff and might even be close enough in range to a 331 or 347 setup

Someone here last week got a 55K mile 1999 Explorer engine shipped for around $700.



EDIT: to the OP, is this a short block or complete 5.0 engine for $700?

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

I wasn't happy with any of the rebuild option i came across, that's why i bought the stroker. I couldn't justify spending $600 for a decent rebuild and if i was going to spend money machining a block then it wasn't going to end up as a 306. For what it's worth my 12 second engine had over 250k on it.

 

[rd]

At this price level I would prefer to either have the machine work done and assemble myself, or have it assembled locally, or go the local rebuilder route.

Any of those methods gives you either the assurance that it was done right or has a warranty.

I just did a bottom dollar home rebuild on a 350 brand c motor, using the local machine shop from hell, and I spent about $1500 for machine work, parts, etc, and assembled the long block myself. Includes getting the heads rebuilt, crank kit, pistons, rings, gaskets, etc.

Short block was just about $1100 of that. It should have been a bit less imho, and I don't want to deal with that guy again.

 

[stanger1993]

Thanks guys. Lots of good valid points. I'm gonna pass on that one and start shopping for a 331 short block. I didnt know a 331 was gonna be in my price range but I guess it will just take a little hunting around. Thanks again.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Thanks guys. Lots of good valid points. I'm gonna pass on that one and start shopping for a 331 short block. I didnt know a 331 was gonna be in my price range but I guess it will just take a little hunting around. Thanks again.

I got my 347 with the AFM cam for $1350. Consider that the cam costs in the neighborhood of $350. I was told it has "only 20 passes on it" which of course you can't always believe but the bores still had plenty of cross hatch in them and it's not smoking. I figure for that price i could even afford to put in new rings and bearings if necessary.