run the stock motor, or build it?
 

I'm picking up a good 1.8l motor on saturday supposedly (not holding breath). The motor is supposed to be good, so I'm thinking about not throwing the rods and pistons in, and running this bitch as is, with the cast bottom end. I don't plan on throwing more than 14psi or 250whp for now. However, its a track car, and I don't like to think about driving 4-hours away, beating the piss out of the car for 5 sessions in 100* heat, then not making it home.

I'm an indecisive bitch, go ahead and change the thread title to something gay, but not so gay that I get in trouble at work.

the story of my life: :dancegay:


btw, does $1000-1200 sound fair to bore and hone, line bore, clearance rings and bearings, resurface block and head, 3-angle valve job, new exhaust guides, and assymble? I think I'll have John Day of SM fame put the motor together.

For that power you can stay stock with a good tune, IMO.

the price you mentioned sounds ver reasonable
while your at it, you might as well have the crank knifed fwiw

Thats a pretty awesome price I'd say. For that much I would have it done.

I can get a buddy to do it for $700, but this guy has put together countless turbo track cars which still run today, and take severe beatings...like really fucking severe beatings. He also builds strong SM motors, but that doesn't really mean anything to me.

I bet knife edging is remarkably expensive, but I'll ask him about it. Maybe Stephanie will email me and I can give BEGi an MSpnp car to play with, and subsequently tune while I drink beer on the Riverwalk.

$1200 is very reasonable. If he's a SM engine builder, it's likely he's capable of assembling motors in his sleep.

l_bader said he spent $800 lightening and balancing his crank, but he went pretty extreme.

Take it to FM and have them build it.It might cost 3 times as much,but at least you can say it was built by them,and the engine will have magical powers.

just make sure to have them dyno test it wit its 80 gabillion HP and their 1000x dyno correction

But if FM builds it, I'd have a plaque saying it's built specifically for you. You won't ever be able to sell it or else it'd explode.

^Hey now,don't go knockin the plaque down.Many people have overpaid alot of money(mad coin $$$$) for something that is worth 20 cents.

Consider the plaque as "being in a special league" of ballers.

I just priced it out at FM. It will only cost me $4387.55 if I provide the rods and pistons. Not bad.

............so they want 4 times the price to do the same job you have been quoted.Oh well,I say go for it,atleast you will get a plaque out of the deal that says"built for Hustler".

that would be a pretty bad ass plaque.

i heard someone say knife edging a 4cyl is only 299, dont know who or where, im pretty sure it was on this forum...think about it

1200 for the engine work

3187.55 for plaque installation labor.

That's who we use for machine work.

they guy has a pretty damn good reputation around town apparently, and fair pricing.

Run it till she blows then find a 99 head and some better valve springs toss in ur bottom end, and rev the shit out of it.

It all depends on time hustler. If the motor builder can get you a decent turn around i think that is a hell of a price. My short block assembeled was like 1700 includinge some 500$ overfucking priced weiscos.

he told me over the phone that most of the supercharged miata people in town don't like anything lower than 9.0:1 compression pistons. He didn't try to push me either way, but I'm kinda worried. I also don't know how many people actually tuned the car properly with adequate ignition advance in off-boost rpm.