If your engine has a lot of trouble, you may be thinking of rebuilding it. However, this is not a step that many are gonna take lightly, especially when you think of the cost to rebuild an engine. So, how much does an engine rebuild cost?
The average cost of an engine rebuild is $2,000 to $4,500. The cost largely depends on what car you drive, or where you take it to get rebuilt. However, the cost is much lower than the cost to get an entirely new engine.
I will discuss what factors lead to engine rebuild costs, and I will also mention some signs that help indicate that it may be time to consider this type of repair.
Factors Affecting Cost to Rebuild an Engine
#1. Car Make and Model.
The cost of rebuilding your engine is greatly affected by the make and model of your car. You are going to spend a lot more rebuilding a large V8 than a small four-cylinder.
Let’s say that you have a four-cylinder engine. You might be looking at a total cost of just $2000. Not only are there fewer parts, but the labor is going to be less as well.
#2. Parts Necessary.
The scope of the rebuild will affect the cost. A simple rebuild will require replacing the bearings and seals. If there is no other significant damage, this may be all you need to do to get back on the road.
Severe damage can increase the cost quickly. If your motor has a scored crankshaft or the cylinder head is junk, you can end up paying a lot more. At some point, you are going to have to decide if it is time for a new engine.
#3. Where the Engine is Rebuilt.
In a small town, you will have less cost than in a major city. Also think about where you are going to have the build done. If your cousin’s friend is doing the rebuild, then it will be less than if you had a dedicated engine shop do the rebuild.
An engine rebuild can involve ten to twenty hours of labor. The bulk of the cost of rebuilding is going to be labor.
If you employ somebody for $25 per hour, for example, another shop may charge you $50. Would you want to take the time to save a few dollars?
Signs You Need an Engine Rebuild
#1. Rattling/Knocking.
If you hear knocking or rattling from the engine, it means you are in for some serious trouble. Both sounds indicate something is wrong.
You should therefore listen carefully to the engine idle and if the noise is faint, you can likely resolve the problem. However, it will only get worse if you continue to ignore it. Regardless, if the bearings wear down or an internal component break, you will need a rebuild.
#2. Clattering.
Are you hearing clattering when you accelerate? The pistons could be moving too much inside the cylinders—this condition is called “Piston Slap.”
If you immediately get it fixed, you generally can avoid needing an engine rebuild, but you don’t want to wait.
However, this same sound can also happen when the timing belt or chain breaks. You will want to have the engine inspected at the first sign of a problem to limit your repair costs.
#3. Mixing Coolant/Oil.
There is never a reason to see oil in the coolant and/or coolant in the oil. If you see a mixing of the two, there is an internal malfunction you will need to address.
In most cases, a mixing of oil and coolant indicates that the head gasket has blown, but it can also indicate a damaged cylinder and cracked engine block, and all three will require serious engine repair.
However, there are also times when you can fix a blow head-gasket on an engine without needing to do a whole engine rebuild. Regardless, it can be very expensive to address issues with oil and coolant in the engine.
#4. Seized Engine.
If the engine won’t crank, don’t automatically assume the engine has seized. Immediately, think of battery replacement or issues with the ignition system. Still, it could be a seized engine – if you have not maintained the engine.
When you try to start the car, a seized engine will not crank, but everything will work fine. So you turn the key, and the starter just clicks, with a burning smell possibly coming from the motor.
#5. Thick Exhaust Smoke.
Sometimes, the first indication you have oil entering the combustion chambers or coolant in your oil is thick smoke coming from the tailpipe. If the smoke is blue, the oil is going where it shouldn’t. If the smoke is white, the coolant is going where it shouldn’t.
In this case, you possibly have a blown head gasket or cracked engine block. Either way, you are in for some expensive engine repairs.
Rebuilding vs. Replacing an Engine
You may feel like simply putting a new car engine into your vehicle sounds better. For one, the replacement engine will be new parts with a factory warranty. Or, the engine will run just like when your car was new, and that will give it more life.
With a new engine, you can expect to pay more than a rebuilt engine. You will typically pay on the high end for a rebuilt engine if not more. Some very powerful engines can be over $10,000. That could possibly be more than your vehicle is even worth!
Not surprisingly, an engine that undergoes complete overhaul will also run potentially much longer. A rebuilt engine is taken apart, and damage is inspected for repair or replacement with a new part and refurbished/repaired part. It’s essentially a new engine.
Remember a rebuilt engine takes some experience too. Not every garage will be equipped or qualified to rebuild an engine, also not every mechanic is trustworthy. You don’t want to spend a lot of money and the engine fails because the work was not performed properly.
There is also a remanufactured engine. While a remanufactured engine is not a new engine, essentially everything on the inside has been replaced so it’s running on factory conditions.
The remanufactured engine likely is more expensive than rebuilding an engine. However, the remanufactured engine is less expensive than a factory new engine.
How is an Engine Rebuilt?
When an engine is rebuilt, all broken parts will be removed and replaced. The general process can look different on each engine depending on what is wrong. In general, the steps the technician will take are as follows.
- The engine will be removed from the vehicle.
- The engine will be disassembled so all the parts are visible.
- Every part will be inspected by the mechanic. If it can be cleaned and put back, that will happen. But there will be parts that will need to be replaced.
- Most rebuilds will include replacing the previous valve springs, oil pumps, bearings, chains, timing belts, seals and old rings.
- Typically, depending on the level of breakdown, possibly a crankshaft or camshafts will need to be changed as well.
- Lastly, the engine block could need to be realigned into the crankshaft main bores.
You can also find out before you have anything done how the mechanic rebuilds the engine in their shop. You should definitely have a level of comfort with what the mechanic is doing.