If your engine has over 15,000 - 20,000 miles on it since it was last torn down and cleaned or refurbished, you need to have it done immediately! If you don't know the history of your engine or how many miles it has been driven, you should also have the engine torn down and cleaned and inspected. If you can't do it yourself or don't want to tackle this job, I will perform the job for you. This page will show you some of the steps I go through when rebuilding an engine. It also shows you some of the conditions in which I have received engines. The main reason for having this work done is to inspect and clean the slinger rings located on the crankshaft of the engine. These rings supply oil to the connecting rods and when they fill with crud, the connecting rod bearings are starved of oil and the crankshaft is ruined.
As can be seen in the photo at the left, this slinger ring was removed from an engine just prior to a complete failure of the crankshaft. The ring is full of crud with no room for oil. In fact, you can see the crud is starting to enter the crankpin of the crankshaft. If this crud covers the holes inside the pin, the rod bearing will be ruined. This crankshaft was saved and is running today with a clean slinger ring. Catching this in time saved the individual who owns this engine about $1000.00 for a rebuilt crankshaft.
I have received engines in many different conditions. The one pictured below was received partly disassembled. Unfortunately, for the owner, the mechanic who packed this engine did not take very much care in packing the parts. There was quit a bit of damage done in shipping.
Once the engine is unpacked or uncrated, it is completely disassembled. Then the parts are completely cleaned for inspection. New gaskets, bearings, seals and valves are always installed. If this is just a slinger cleanup valves will only be replaced if the owner requests.
All parts are inspected for damage and replaced if necessary. The crankshaft is checked for smooth connecting rod bearings and trueness. It is then pressure flushed with kerosene and then purged with motor oil. The sheet metal and other external parts that need painting are bead blasted, primed and painted. The case is bead blasted, flushed with solvent and then flushed with high pressure water to remove all glass beads.
All threads in the case are chased with a tap to make sure all traces of glass beads are removed. Any damaged or stripped threads are repaired with heli-coils.
Often the main bearing support for the crankshaft is found broken in the upper right hand corner. Replacement units for these are no longer available. I have these repaired at a local welding shop using a brass brazing process. This is the best and strongest repair that can be made on this metal.
The crankshaft is then installed in the case. When installing the bearing support shown in the photo above, I preheat the case and crankshaft assembly to 170 deg F prior to tightening the carrier bolts to the case. By doing this, this places the cast iron carrier in compression. This should help reduce the stress on the carrier and decrease the likelihood of future cracks.
Small details are not overlooked. This is a dipstick as it was received. In case you are not aware of how it should look, this is certainly not stock!
The non-stock top was removed and a new loop fabricated to match the original. This was welded and ground smooth, then powder coated.
Once all the parts of the engine are cleaned, inspected and approved for reassembly, the ferrous metal parts are painted and the engine is then assembled with new bearings, seals and gaskets.
The last step is to hook up a battery, fuel, and test run the engine. The engine is started with the dynastart to make sure all electrical parts are functioning correctly. The generator is checked for proper output as well. When all tests are complete the engine is crated and shipped to the owner.
Cost of a rebuild will depend on what is found wrong with the engine. A simple cleaning of the slinger rings, new bearings, seals, gaskets and valves will cost around $2,775. If other damage is found the cost would be higher. A break down of the cost is as follows:
These cost estimates were last updated 2/13/2023
Labor to disassemble, clean, inspect and rebuild (includes all supplies, and overhead)
(this includes normal sheet metal repairs for the cylinder cooling tins)
Bearing normally run about
Gaskets and seals (including oil filter and air filter) normally run
Valves
Rings
Carburetor gaskets
Carburetor accelerator pump (if required and if available!)
Miscellaneous parts (grommets, condenser, brushes, etc)
Total Estimate
All work carries a 1 year warrantee on workmanship.
The above price does not include cleaning and powder coating any sheet metal other than the 4 tins that encase the cylinders / heads, and the intake grill on the fan. I will clean and powder coat the other pieces as follows:
floor tins 164, 165, 166 an additional $125
each valve cover tin 167 an additional $15 ea
curved air intake tin 155 an additional $15
If you prefer to have this done locally, the powder coating material I use on all cooling shrouds is part number RAL 9005. Using this number you should be able to match the color.
Please understand this is only an estimate based on an engine in fairly good condition that needs new bearings, seals and cleaning. If the crankshaft is damaged or the cylinders are damaged, the cost will be much higher. To provide you with some estimate of what these items cost, please see the estimate below:
If you need to replace the crankshaft - a rebuilt crankshaft with new steel connecting rod, roller bearing and journal can cost up to $850.00
Finding NOS replacement pistons has become almost impossible. I have recently contracted with a US piston manufacture that will supply forged aluminum alloy pistons for these engines. The cost of these pistons and boring your cylinder to oversize specifications will run about $900 for a set of two.
If you wish to contact me to discuss this further, you may call me on weekends or week days between 10am and 9:00pm Eastern time. My cell number is 843-845-4742. Please do not call at "odd hours" and if I do not answer, leave a message - I will return the call.
If you need to know how to build a crate for shipping your engine, check my down load page for the 600 or click here. If your engine is not received in a crate that is sufficient to protect it during the return trip, I will build you a crate for an additional charge of $150.00.
$1800.00
165.00
240.00
200.00
85.00
35.00
150.00
100.00
$2775.00
Due to illness, I am no longer providing any rebuild services. You should contact Werner Schwark at isettasrus@bellsouth.net
