hey guess what ,i'm way over budget on my machine shop bill!I'm thinking on putting the motor together my self,i've done relatively stock rebuilds before a few times.This is a 433 big block,its been bored ,line honed,rods rebuilt and bushed for floating pins, crank polished.Would i be stupid to put this together myself?

You already have a little experience putting an engine together, why not try this one to save some bucks? Just get a book, follow instructions and ask questions. Oh, and have fun!!

I agree, the foundations are all the same. This is a DIY project.

i would like to say i put it together myself.do you guys torque your rod bolts or use the stretch method?

I was going to do the same thing, however, with how much I have invested in the motor decided to let the machine shop put it together and dyno it. If it blows up on the dyno they wil be the responsible party.

what did they charge you to put it together?

Dude do it yourself, People have been torquing down Rod bolts since the beginning of time with no problems. So don’t worry about that issue just be sure to use a good torque wrench. An check your clearances

the only reason i wouldnt is if your tring to go high pro im having mine built becuase i want it balanced perfectly but i'm also building a 489 stroker with 600 horse so if its pretty much a stock rebuild go for it if not then leave it to the pros the price they charge is way less then messing up and ruining all those new parts

off of this thread topic a little, but curious which method is more accurate for installing fasteners, stretch or torque?

Or is that a debatable topic for another thread?

Here you go, some good reading

http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/techarticles/49258_rod_bolt_torquing_stretch_info/

And this too

http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/techarticles/49258_rod_bolt_torquing_stretch_info/index1.html

i just had a motor assembled a month or two ago. it was a bbc 454 and they charged me about $350 and that included some painting and a couple small things that i forgot to give them. i was going to assemble it but i realized i had put too much money into it for me to do something studpid and screw it up.

i just got back ,they want$350 to assemble the short block. It still wouldn't have a guarantee,because its a race engine they said.My bill is 3 times what the original estimate was ,i'm about of money i can spend and i still need the heads checked.MY dad is a retired machinist,i think i'm going to get him to help me!

cc they charged 600 for a complete assembly of a race motor. They will also cover any damage that may incure due to the parts they used or workmanship.

I was going to do the same thing, however, with how much I have invested in the motor decided to let the machine shop put it together and dyno it. If it blows up on the dyno they wil be the responsible party.

There is a point where you have to use common sense,, and decide,,, am I an engine assembler, or an engine builder

If it is a mildly modded stock motor, all the basic rules and clearances apply and there is no reason not to tackle this yourself. Your machinist has set clearances in the bore, and crank bearings. As long as he supplies you with the correct rings (file fit prefferably), bearings and gaskets.... there is nothing trick to this. Lot's of good books to step you through the build. You'll need some tools, but you don't have to get crazy. A torque wrench, some plastiguage, a set of feeler guages, a ring compressor and your can build most any stock motor. Most gearheads make competant engine assemblers for a combination that has been together before. Take your time, ask questions if your not 100% sure and you'll be fine. Just remember,, YOU are the assembeler and it's YOUR responsibility to make sure things fit with the right clearances. Measure, check and measure again. NEVER leave anything to chance. Especially when your using hobbiest / backyard techniques and tools.

Is it the same finite quality build of a machinist with rod bolt stretch guages, inside / outside mics, rod vices, magnetic base dial indicator, bore guages,,, and the expertise of hundreds of engine builds,,, probably not, but if your carefull and the machine work was done correctly, it's not a night and day difference by any means. That's the tools of an engine 'builder'. The 'builder' is needed when things are not 'typical' and 'normal'. The builder has a machine shop and the tools to take care of all those little 'problems' (like rods smacking the block, and cam,,, and piston skirts self clearancing on the crank counterweights, mis-boxed bearings, etc). That's when you need an engine builder. In other words, if this motor has never been together in 'this' configuration,, an 'engine builder' is the wise choice. Like the Samurai said,,, having the warm and fuzzy that your engine builder is responsible for this tricked pout pile of parts being 'RIGHT' and it surviving the dyno,, now that's worth the investiment.

Marv what do you consider in" this configuration "to be?The crank and rods came from another motor that had a cracked sleeve,the pistons are new,it's all been balanced,line bored and the mains studded.The crank is a Gm forged 3.76 strock and dimple 7/16" rods,kb forged pistons at 12.3 comp.

does anybody know the torque for the oil filter adapter?