Costs for rebuilding an 1150, what can I expect to pay?

[Anonymous]

I asked a local shop what I could expect to pay to get an engine rebuilt and he said something like 1200 bucks in labor I'm not sure if that's including parts or what but for just labor that sounds insane.

I wish I could do it myself but I really have no experience with serious engine internals nor do I have the proper tools or garage space. With the amount they are going to charge me I could totally invest in a crap load of tools and parts but it would probably take me forever (and that's if I don't screw it up).

I took on this project so I could learn a thing or two but just forking over a grand or 2 just teaches me it's damn expensive.

Does anyone recommend a newbie to attempt something of this magnitude? I'm not an idiot when it comes to mechanics I've just never done it before.

[Dink]

Get a genuine manual, buy the tools and take your time!!! I have no idea what it will because of price differences between the US and Oz.
Make certain you identify EVERY part as it comes apart, take pictures even to help remember how it all goes back together.
There is no feeling like the feeling you get when a motor you rebuilt yourself starts for the first time.
Remember to be EXTREMELY methodical and fanatical about cleaning.
Dink

[Craig]

Rebuild

I just did my 83 1100es. The headwork was $500.00 and you could spend as much as $1200.00 for a port and polish. You need to check for taper in the cylinders. If there is too much, you need to bore out. If you have to do that, you may as well go to a good "kit". www.aperaceparts.com has many good kits. Go to the "GS Zone". Do the timing chain and check the tensioner guides. Cams...well if you want to do it right! Adjustable cam gears, 750 oil pump gears, Dyna ignition,....the list goes on. All of the machining work you can send out. The rest of it is just assembly. You need the correct tools and a good manual. I spent $3000.00 this winter on my engine. It may sound like alot, but this bike will be good for the next 25 years. Rebuilding the engine is not rocket science...you just need patience and good reference material and a selection of tools. The guys on this site are wonderful at helping out if you come upon anything that is puzzeling. Clear you work bench off and get your tools out! Become the master of your motor...the wizzard of the wrenches Above all, learn something and have fun doing it!!

[first timer]

is that 3000 candian dollars?

-ryan

[SqDancerLynn1]

You could have him rebuild the top end for that price. $1200 labor to do the complete motor is fair. LOTS of work

[Anonymous]

Well, maybe I should explain my thinking here a little bit. I'm working on a streetfighter/cafe racer project and most of my money is tied up in the frame and newer suspension bits (GSXR stuff mostly).

My bike was stolen last year and came back with everthing spraypainted black, including the engine. The clutch/basket is toast and the starter clutch is also. I figured it would need a bit of work just to get it up and going sine it's been sitting since late last summer.

I've been thinking that I wanted to get the cases either painted or just cleaned up a bit and it seems like the only way to really do that is to take the whole damn thing apart.

The engine seemed to run fine before I parked it aside fro the clutch issues and the fact that it vibrated a bit. But it does have over 40,000 miles on it and it looks like crap so i just thought that maybe it could use it. It doesn't appear to burn any oil or anthing though and hearing how expensive it is is making me think better of it.

Maybe I'll just do the clutch myself and dream about getting the big bore kit put in next year

[Craig]

Yes, the $3000.00 is in canadian dollars.

[SqDancerLynn1]

As I remember Keith spent $10,000 US dollars to restore his GS1000
it all depends what you want to do to it

[Anonymous]

As I remember Keith spent $10,000 US dollars to restore his GS1000
it all depends what you want to do to it

heh, well I sure won't be doing that :roll:

I was hoping to get everything together (non-cosmetic) for around 3 grand.

I'm planning or have spent about $1000 (actually closer to $1500) for parts, another $1000 for metal work/fabrication and the other $750-1000 on the engine. Right now I'm still in the collecting parts mode but that's nearing completion and I'm trying to get a better fix on the price of everything else.

Honestly, I think the engine is plenty strong enough for me as it is, though I want to add some pod filters and re-jet it to suit. Right now I just want to get it running and for it to stay reliable (and to quit leaking oil).

I'd like to try and at least fix the clutch myself, I know I can clean the carbs, I'm hoping I can replace the cam chain tensioner and seals. I would like to get my clutch hub braced and I'll probably let my mechanic do the jetting and get my starter clutch fixed and do the valves.

I wish I could do the whole rebuild myself but from what I've been hearing that's going to cost me a pretty penny. On top of all that I probably won't have all the money I'll need until the end of June (and that's if everything goes as planned.)

[Detman101]

Heh...for 1200.00 you could sell the one you have and buy another one.
Unless of course you have some sort of ties to this stolen repainted abused non-running bike?

Dm of mD

[Craig]

ouch!!

[Hap Call]

I'm with Dink on this one. Buy a Suzuki Factory manual and an aftermarket manual and use both. If you have any questions post on the forum. Take your time!!!! Do the following:

1. As you take bolts off covers, put them in a plastic zip lock bag and write on a piece of paper what they come off (i.e. valve cover) and what page in the manual you were instructed to remove them. Put the paper in the bag with the parts in such a manner that you can pick up the bag and read what the paper says without opening the bag. Do the same for any part that will fit in a zip lock bag. Bigger stuff needs to go in a box and be labeled. BE ORGANIZED!!!!!

2. Take pictures (digital, if possible) of assemblies (transmission, especially) as you take them apart so you will have something to go by as you reassemble. The pictures sometimes are lacking in the manual.

3. Clean everything as if you were going to eat off of it. I took two full days cleaning just the cases on my engine. Get a good tap and die set and run it down each of the screw holes to insure that they are clean. (DO NOT PUT OIL IN THE SCREW HOLES!!! You can cause a hydraulic to form when you compress oil in the screw hole as you tighten down a bolt)

4. Cover everything you have worked on at the end of each day to keep dust and small critters out of the engine internals.

Let's throw out some numbers...If you elect to go with a over bore kit, say from Wiseco, the kit will cost in the range of $481.08 (that is list, they cost the dealer $290.13, so you might wheel and deal with them and see if you can get it for 20% over their cost). The kit contains the pistons, base gasket, head gasket, circlips for the pistons, and the piston rings. You will also need to have the cylinders bored out...count on $35 per hole. Send it to a GOOD shop to do the machine work.

You should change the valve guide seals. They cost about $3.03 each at Ron Ayers and you have 16 of them. You may need a valve cover gasket, and you will need a cam chain tensioner gasket. Other gaskets you will need are the clutch cover gasket, oil pan gasket, stator cover gasket, and there are two or three internal gaskets you will need. There are two o-rings inside of the engine you will need to replace that are in the oil system, and there are three seals for the crank and transmission you should replace while you are in there. An option is to get a gasket kit off e-Bay for about $80...I think that some of them include the valve seals but may not include the engine seals.

If you elect to go with just a refresh on the top end (replace the rings and valve guide seals) the parts cost should be under $250. A lot of times this is all that is needed.

Hap

[KGB]

I had my motor done about 7 years ago.
That was $2500, new pistons, new rings, new valves, all of them.
3 angle valve job, head and cylinder decked.
The only thing left was the cam,crank and rods.
The rods were shot peened.
I also had it bored 20. We couldn't find stock pistons.
My mechanic used Orient Express for the parts.

I put 500 miles on it to re-seat the rings.
He changed the oil, cut open the filter, no metal!!
Re-tourqued the head, adjusted the valves and she's been purring along ever since.

This winter I dropped about $1000, on chain, sprockets, fork tubes and a
4>1 V&H exhaust.

Still have more to do.
But as stated, she'll go another 25 years.

[Pete's GS]

This is all excellent advice. Basically, you can do this. You won't do the boring yourself but otherwise with the shop manual you can do everything you need. You'll need a torque wrench. The Craftsman is a good one--about $60 USD. And when that new motor starts in your all new bike it's a rush ! You'll feel great, and people will stop you all the time to talk about your bike and compliment you on it. Sounds like it's going to be a great bike !

[Anonymous]

Re: Costs for rebuilding an 1150, what can I expect to pay?

I asked a local shop what I could expect to pay to get an engine rebuilt and he said something like 1200 bucks in labor I'm not sure if that's including parts or what but for just labor that sounds insane.

Trust me, if you do the job yourself. You will understand why it cost $1,200 in labor. Been there.

Charlie