Short block or rebuild???

[shopteacher]

In general, do you get a new short block or prefer to bore and rebuild? I know it depends on the engine age and condition, but......

I have a 16.5 Kohler about 10 years old, but have wondered if it was worth the trouble doing a rebuild on other engines as well

If you save money by rebuilding it, is it worth your time????

Thanks in advance

[Kona74]

I would say it depends on time... I really dont have the time and I especially cant afford any downtime so a short block would be the answer to me. But you have to consider the cost also, so its just a matter of balancing these things out.

[Splicer]

I am rebuilding a Lawn Boy 'F' engine and it is much cheaper than a new short block (which is virtually impossible to find these days) and if it comes thru like it should, will surely be worth the time. Not a whole heck of a lot to these little 2 cycle beauties...Will take about an hour or so to reassemble, 1/2 hr to remount and have running...Just waiting on new parts to be delivered (new piston, seals, needle bearings) and it should be good to go for another 17 years...

[Restrorob]

With places like this; http://www.smallenginewarehouse.com/ It's really hard to sell a engine rebuild to a customer. But if you have the know how and the time you would need to compare short-blocking as opposed to rebuilding, You may find a short-block may be cheaper but for a little more a whole new engine may be the way to go. It all depends.....

[oldrustycars]

with shop labor rates approaching 80-100 an hour, its real hard to justify either. and some small engines just dont seem to rebuild well. even after a proper machine shop bore and hone, you can still get an oil user, then you have a freebee comeback, and no one wants that. imagine your a commercial customer, and the shop sells you a rebuild for 200 less than a new engine, and then it uses oil. now the guy has more downtime, you have to make it right for free, and you have a problem customer on your hands. you just sell him a new engine, and dont give them a choice. if its your own stuff you can fiddle with, knock yourself out.
as a briggs dealer, they required you to have a valve guide tool, seat cutters, and other rebuild special tools. in 8 years at one shop, they never came out of the box.

[khouse]

the older cast iron engines would take a rebuild and run like new like wisconsins and k series kohlers. really if you can perform your own rebuilds then your money ahead. if you pay a shop to do it then your not. buy a new engine. short blocks are too high compared to a new one any more. just my opinion.

[Roger]

Not to derail this thread, but when repowering with a new engine, what do you do with the old one?

I had a terrible time getting rid of one -- finally found a mechanic at a ag shop who apparently wanted to rebuild it.

[aDreamSoReal]

Not to derail this thread, but when repowering with a new engine, what do you do with the old one?

They take it as a core.

[Splicer]

With places like this; http://www.smallenginewarehouse.com/ It's really hard to sell a engine rebuild to a customer. But if you have the know how and the time you would need to compare short-blocking as opposed to rebuilding, You may find a short-block may be cheaper but for a little more a whole new engine may be the way to go. It all depends.....
Not when it comes to a 2 stroke Lawn Boy motor...:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[khouse]

you should keep it for parts down the road. or after you install your new engine you could then tear down the old one and take the time to rebuild it while the snow flies.

[grass_cuttin_fool]

My 2 cents worth would be not to get a short block but get a complete engine. On an engine 10 years old alot of the parts have wear on them, if used 30 weeks a year commercially

wayne

[J&R Landscaping]

When customers bring in m achines to my shop, mainly we will replace the motor. If not, we short block them. With the cost of labor, it is almost never worth rebuilding an engine.
If th engine is going to running all summer, why risk haveing other parts fail? I would just replace the engine IMO!!!