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many late nites researching this forum and many overtime shifts at work got me my parts...and ive only added half of it. Kinda hoping i would get some feedback from people that have actually had their engines rebuilt.. When everything is done and up and running then i'll came back to this thread and add my experince and hope it will help someone else in the same boat

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how come nobody goes to an engine builder directly and only recommend workshops who in turn palm some of the work off to their machinists?

surely it would be cheaper to go directly to the one place and cut out some of the middle man?

Im not stating anything, im curious to know

There is virtually no Japanese performance workshops in Perth who do everything in house.

XSpeed, Hyperdrive, Top Racing , CRed, Speedworks, Ovaboost , In Tune all outsource the head work and engine machining.

All the above workshops then assemble the engines in house to there own specifications which vary with each shop.

The engine machining and tolerances supplied by the workshop is one of the critical factors in engine life and building one to go racing and will be refreshed after every season is different to building one that is in a street car.

The only shops that machine AND build engines are very limited , both in quality and there desire to involve themselves in turbo cars. Most of these shops deal with V8's such as Kostecki, Kendrick, Repco, Veems , Performance Automotive plus others I can't remember.

Cheers

Ken

ahh so what youre saying is you tell the machinists the clearances/tolerances required for the block depending on pistons chosen, head w/ squirter sizes etc and theyll do what theyre told, otherwise theyd be having a stab in the dark?

that makes sense since it isnt common knowledge

thanks for clearing it up ken

There is virtually no Japanese performance workshops in Perth who do everything in house.

XSpeed, Hyperdrive, Top Racing , CRed, Speedworks, Ovaboost , In Tune all outsource the head work and engine machining.

All the above workshops then assemble the engines in house to there own specifications which vary with each shop.

The engine machining and tolerances supplied by the workshop is one of the critical factors in engine life and building one to go racing and will be refreshed after every season is different to building one that is in a street car.

The only shops that machine AND build engines are very limited , both in quality and there desire to involve themselves in turbo cars. Most of these shops deal with V8's such as Kostecki, Kendrick, Repco, Veems , Performance Automotive plus others I can't remember.

Cheers

Ken

you forgot to mention nobody will touch any head/block that has had work done elsewhere and needs assembling :blink:

  • 8 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Hmm,

I decided to do my RB25det myself...

Find out a bucket load of stuff that I never knew about engines too...

If you have the motivation, and the time give it a shot... I found that building the bottom end all the stuff has to be perfect (obviously) but yeah as long as you can find out all the specs for the block, and pistons etc, take the bottom end to the machinist, with the clearances etc, and they will set it all up for you to those specs..

But yeah if you got the money to spare give it to someone else.. I am interested in this sorta stuff, as my full tme job is in a completely different field..

I got accesss to a workshop where I am working on the engine evry day from 3 till about 6.. except I have access to it for half day on sat as well.. Having the support of a mechanic (mind you he does bmw's and merc and all the euro cars) he is still able to give me some pointers.. There is enough info on Skylines australia to be able to do all this, there is torque settings, all the measurements etc, to be able to do everything..

Will let you all know when it is finished, but so far the pieces are falling into place.. But yeah I am glad I decided to do this, as I have only one person to blame if something goes wrong... But yeah I know it won't...

Cheers..

Edited by maka
  • 2 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

got my r34 in at top racing. rb30 bottom with the NEO head. Engine came back from engineering last week so steve should start bolting it back togther this week sometime. I went all out on this project for big power. t04z (1.00) a/r with 2bar should see 650rwhp....Haven't factored the NOS system either :)

other mods:

poncams 260

greddy plenum

port/matched/polished head

sard 1000cc

cp pistions ceramic coated

argo rods

fulyy balanced

HE sump

ati balancer

plus much more

yeah hence my 1st post saying if ppl have actually gone to an engine builder.. seems like no one has!

As stated, nobody in Perth does it all themselves.

I just had mine rebuilt and found these guys to be exceptional:

Headwork: (re-shim for 270 deg cams, 10.8mm lift, and fit new guides/springs, assembled and decked -- $1100)

Applied Automotive - John St, Bentley.

Block machining (re-bore to 86.5mm, acid dip, etc etc -- ~$1000:

Performance Modifications - Osbourne Park

or

Applied Automotive - John St, Bentley.

You can use these people direct, then take your machined block and assembled head directly to any workshop in Perth, and they will build it for you. There is nothing magical about building a motor, and no reason you couldn't do it yourself with the right tools, time, and patience.

People who I've seen build motors which stand the test of time:

Ant Scali (X-Speed)

Sean Keating (All-Star Garage)

There you go, thats all the advice I can give you. Coming from someone who's just built a motor (and made over 530hp at all 4 wheels) it might have a bit more substance than someone telling you that you should use their workshop because they're yet to try anywhere else and thats the 'only place they trust with their car'.

i wonder how much i would of saved if i took the head and block directly to the associated workshops. As with one of the workshops mentioned, was told of 3 month waiting period. Although my repeated calls were never returned and got the cold shoulder ended up at top racing. Also good to go to the different worshops and have a chat with them. Have a look at how the shop is run and the people that work their should give a indication as to how good they are

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