Cost of engine strip and rebuild

[andrewraffaele]

Hey guys,


Been a long time since I posted... I've been overseas, and have left my darling (1978 XS1100 Standard) all wrapped up waiting for me in LA. I want to do a more than a bit of work, and would like some suggestions on what I should spend, and I would really appreciate anyone with recommendations on Los Angeles area mechanics.

I realize this is going to be pricey... It's my first time throwing money at an old bike, and would like some guidance.

Costs for:

Engine strip (so I can powder coat)
Engine rebuild
Carb cleaning, sync, and idle work
New brake and clutch lines

what ya think?

[psycoreefer]

Engine strip - no idea - if you feel comfortable powder coating it yourself why not strip it yourself as well?

Engine rebuild - could be pricey depending on what you want done, I think a big bore install is around 1000 if you do some of the assembly and disassembly yourself

Carb work is expensive too, a lot of places charge around 100 per carb, so about 400 bucks, and often they don't get it right anyways. Enlist the help of a nearby member and learn to do it yourself

New brake lines - SS are are around 150 depending on where you get them, I think a clutch cable is about 15 to 20.

[81xsproject]

I have regularly done carb services for members at a cost far less than a shop would charge. Unless folks are holding back, I haven't had a negative comment yet. PM with your email addy if you are interested in more info. After hawking my services , let me just say that I would always rather "teach a man to fish..."

[ManitoulinLad]

Hey Andrew: I know you are in California & I'm way up here is Ont. Canada but I would take the advice of 81xsproject & send him the carbs & as you are doing get xs members to guide you to a mechanic that knows these bikes to do your re-build. Don't take it to a shop - I did - lost all last summer trying to get my bore out kit ordered & installed the 3rd shop I brought it too finally worked on it - took 3.5 mths & the carbs are still not right. Lucky for me THE TINMAN (member on this site) is going to sort me out in June with that when he comes up to the island. One shop even charged me basically for nothing that was done cause they had no clue what to do, but had the bike for 2 mths & changed some parts. I won't tell you how much the bill was at the last place or how much $$ I have in it now. You are heading down the right path - use the resources & knowledge of guys on this site & your bill will be decent, the work will be done timely, & they know what the heck is going on with this bike. Just don't want you to do what I did - Dan

[fredintoon]

Hey guys,


Been a long time since I posted... I've been overseas, and have left my darling (1978 XS1100 Standard) all wrapped up waiting for me in LA. I want to do a more than a bit of work, and would like some suggestions on what I should spend, and I would really appreciate anyone with recommendations on Los Angeles area mechanics.

I realize this is going to be pricey... It's my first time throwing money at an old bike, and would like some guidance.

Costs for:

Engine strip (so I can powder coat)
Engine rebuild
Carb cleaning, sync, and idle work
New brake and clutch lines

what ya think?

Hi Andrew and welcome back,
You mean the cost of parts?
~$120 for a gasket set plus the price of whatever else is needed to replace things that are worn out.
Or the cost of paying a professional mechanic to do the work for you?
You better mortgage your firstborn.
Can you do that in LA?

[mro]

How many miles on the Bike?
25,000 and under, not run out of oil or overly abused ...
pistons/rings/bearings and most other internals should be fine.
But since the cases would be split:
new cam chain, valve job or lap em, new seals/gaskets, (valve seals come with a gasket set) shim valves, carb kits, maybe a TC fuse box up-grade, fork seals, fuel and vacuum lines, petcock kits then misc stuff like plugs/filter/oli/mid and final drive lube.
Just the above could run you $500.00 in parts.

Above does not include master cylinder and caliper kits or brake pads, brake lines etc..

If you can get em a set of rings ($200.00+ ???)
Bearing set (main and rod), guesstament $350.00 to 450.00

If it needs a real top to bottom rebuild ... some guy was selling a very cherry 78 recently

Or if you have that much money ......... call me


mro

[andrewraffaele]

Grazie mille

Gentlemen! you are all champions, thank you kindly for the advice...

I just got accepted into a PhD program at Loyola of Chicago, I'm pretty damn excited...

This being said,

My bike has been sitting since September, wrapped, but outdoors... Asked the step-dad to turn her over twice a week but that never happened... it will sit till June when I come home.

I am the 3rd owner of the bike, Odometer to a dive at 33k, I know I put 9k on the bike in during 8 months of 2009. I keep my oil clean, but I am rough on the bike...

I have been offered a nice package at school, so I'm thinking of doing a proper job with the bike... would it be far to say 250$ for an strip engine, and 1,500 for a rebuild...

I will be moving and starting school, will have no time for a project... So, if anyone knows a good man in Chicago, please do let me know! I don't mind shipping carbs out

[mro]

would it be far to say

I think most dealers are at $70.00+ per hour.

Maybe a small shop would do it for a flat fee, but you would need to check there refferences pretty closely. The XS is not that hard to work on but like all machines it has it's quirks as well as some parts are hard to get and some are only available used.


mro

[mro]

Btw

If your going for a PhD in political science
then you would need to double what ever costs I mentioned …

mro

[andrewraffaele]

Ha! no my degree will be much more useless, modern Italian history.

someone mentioned a big bore kit, boring out will allow me to use new after market parts right? I'd like to have a 3,000 spending cap on the whole bike...

(with or without the bore out)
engine strip, powder coat, rebuild... Am I dreamin?

[psycoreefer]

short answer - yes