Engine Costs

[Jethro]

Anyone ever have a shop completely overhaul the engine? I have been meaning to self school myself, but can't seem to find the time. What would you guess I would expect to spend? I don't know if it's $500 or $5,000. How about a new engine? Anybody ever buy one? Can you even find them? Mine is sounding really sick.

[moto_dan]

Re: Engine Costs

Anyone ever have a shop completely overhaul the engine? I have been meaning to self school myself, but can't seem to find the time. What would you guess I would expect to spend? I don't know if it's $500 or $5,000. How about a new engine? Anybody ever buy one? Can you even find them? Mine is sounding really sick.

I don't know about a new GS engine, but several years ago I priced a new complete 1100 Goldwing engine ... $5500 USD. My guess for a shop to over haul a GS engine would be in the $1500-$2000 range depending on what had to be replaced.

[crag antler]

Ask or PM skip[.
I know he had his done last year at Star.

[KGB]

I did my 1000 2V motor a few, over 5 years ago.
The only things left were the crank and the cam.
The connecting rods were shot peened,so they are stock.
New valves,guides, seats. The valves are from Orient Express, stainless steel. The pistons are 20 over stock. New rings of course.
The head and block were decked, the block about 20. Not radical.
Total was in the $2500 range. Was it worth it? Silly rabbit..absolutely.
It runs better than ever, has plenty of power, idles fine and will run a 300 mile day with no complaints.
I had a local guy here do it. He is an amazing machinist and perfectionist.
I put 500 miles on it to break it in, changed the oil and adjusted the valves and haven't looked back.

[Hap Call]

Depends on what you want to have done and what you want to reuse. The cost for a 1166 kit for your bike is about $300 plus $100 for the machine work to bore the cylinders. If you just re-ring it will be a lot less (this would depend on cylinder wear) but you still would have to get the cylinders honed (my guess, $50 to $80). To overhaul the head would be around $300 to $500. If you elect to split the cases, you should check the crank for twisting, this can be done with a machined bar that has the same diameter as the wrist pins and is about 20 inches long. If the crank is twisted you will need to have it straighted, if it is good, it would be a good idea to have it welded while it is out of the case, my guess about $100. Replace the cam chain ($53.82) and check the dogs to insure that are still useable. Replace the cam chain guides ($42.41 and $18.10), inspect all bearings...actually your guess of $500 to $5000 may not be that far off. 8O

Doing it yourself will save you tons of money.

Hap

[Anonymous]

Here's what I have in mine so far (so far is the key). Headwork - $250 - just the valves ground. New pistons - $375. Cylinders bored and honed to fit pistons - $150. New cam chain - $50. Manual cam chain tensioner - $45. New cam chain guide (heavy duty) - $45. Used Yoshi cams with slotted gears (just won on ebay - hope they aren't shot!) - $183. Heavy duty clutch backing plate and installation - $200. Gaskets and seals (all of them) - about $150, hard to keep track.

Hmmm, I might have forgotten something, but you get the idea.

MANY hours of cleaning and inspection! Does that count?

Disassembly and assembly performed by me - saving some $$ there.

[Jethro]

Thanks guys. I know my compression is ok- not great, but the motor sounds like crap. It used to roar, now it justs whines.

[Anonymous]

Compression is a key indicator of how healthy your engine is. If it is ok, and your engine is not running as strong as it used to, I'm not sure what good a rebuild will do.

You may have problems that can be solved without a rebuild if the compression is good.

The best way to check compression, and therefore your engines health, is a leak-down test. You need a special tool (leak down guage! ) and a compressor.

There are 3 of them on ebay right now in the $50 range.

[Jethro]

What's the process for using a leak down gauge?

[Anonymous]

Here is another question for you guys. If you bore the cylinder out, do you have to alter the carbs to accomodate the oversize cylinders?

[Hap Call]

Here is another question for you guys. If you bore the cylinder out, do you have to alter the carbs to accomodate the oversize cylinders?

Generally, no.

Hap

[moto_dan]

What's the process for using a leak down gauge?

Basically you pressurize the cylinder that is sitting at TDC on the compression stroke(valves are closed) by replacing the spark plug with an adapter that is connected to an air source(air compressor) with about 60psi. Then monitor with a gauge air loss over a period of time. While the cylinder is pressurized, by listening to different areas of the engine for air leaking one can determine what component is not sealed. The sites that sell the leak down gauges have more info.

[Jethro]

I'm gettin' one!!

[skip]

star racing did a complete rebuild bottom and top split cases replaced tons of stuff(valves guides rings seats cam chain ets) reassembled for 2600