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jkaftan · 02-19-2018, 07:25 AM

Has anyone had their 454 rebuilt or replaced? I am wondering what that would cost. I would guess $3000 to have it rebuilt.

John

tjdonahoe · 02-19-2018, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkaftan

Has anyone had their 454 rebuilt or replaced? I am wondering what that would cost. I would guess $3000 to have it rebuilt.

John

Shouldn’t be that much...call around....maybe if they have to pull and reinstall...call a gm dealer and see if thy have any new complete ones...

Keyair · 02-19-2018, 02:48 PM

Lots of options.
I've done 2x 454's myself, but I'm a little odd in many ways!

A good local rebuilder is probably the second most cost effective.

GM crate motor are fantastic, and built right, but at a price... I think the 502 crate is about $8k...

My 345 has a "Jasper" re manufactured motor in it and it pulls like a train, and came with a good warrantee...

Unless you are pulling it yourself, the work to remove and reinstall is a big chunk of the cost.

I'd also be interested to know how many miles on your 454 and how it failed?

YippieKiYa · 02-19-2018, 03:12 PM

A Jasper rebuild can be a very suitable option, and it will have a national warrantee. If you have a local shop do it, make sure there’s some sort of coverage for your road use. If it fails a thousand miles from home, towing it home for warrantee work isn’t an option.

I’ve done a few 454’s myself, and costs have been dependent on the machine work and parts needed, as well as the performance expectations. Curious why you need to rebuild yours...

jkaftan · 02-19-2018, 09:31 PM

I'm looking at buying a 310 with a blown motor. Looking at having it shipped to me and then putting in a motor. Just trying to get an idea of the setback.

I love that you guys have rebuilt your own. I would love to try that.

The guy said it over heated and now it is blown. I don't know what that means but I am guessing the cylinders are scored unless it seized and he through a rod or something. I could ask more.

I had an old Harley that I over heated and it blew a cloud of smoke after that. I took the heads off and had them bored and put in new pistons etc. Only two cylinders but what the heck. I might be able to do it on a 454.

Did you have to pull the engine or can you just take the heads off and rebuild it in place?

YippieKiYa · 02-20-2018, 04:23 AM

If it’s been overheated, I would plan on pulling the engine block to do it right. It will likely need bored, and I’d check the decks and heads to make sure they’re still flat. You’ll need a good machine shop to do that work. Even a dealer would have to send it out, as I have yet to find a dealer with a boring bar and deck grinder.

Hopefully the block wasn’t cracked, or the cylinders were not damaged beyond the safe limits for boring. The only other thing to be wary of is if water got into the oil and caused bearing/journal damage. More machining expense will be required.

This motor is stupid heavy, by the way. About 750lbs dressed. Be careful with the removal of the motor. It’s a lot of weight on the end of a lift, and you’ll have the lift arm extended to reach into the MH. If you’re thinking about taking it apart inside the MH, make sure you get help with the heads. They’re nearly 100lbs each.

Personally, I like the Jasper idea that Keyair suggests. Swap it out and be done. No surprises.

bobmiller1 · 02-20-2018, 05:28 AM

Jasper's the way to go, been there, done that. Regards. Bob

uraljohn · 02-20-2018, 07:06 AM

Jasper is the way to go. Great Warranty, good anywhere. Have installed several as a result of a rather ambitious drag racing career in my younger days. They NEVER turned down a warranty claim. Jasper all the way. Happy travels.

tjdonahoe · 02-20-2018, 09:36 AM

You could look a round your area and there is probably a small shop that would do it.....as you will have to have it bored.....as they are noted for scoring the clyinder walls....hope it doesn’t have a spun main bearing......

Keyair · 02-20-2018, 10:15 AM

Or put a Cummins in....

YippieKiYa · 02-20-2018, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keyair

Or put a Cummins in....

Keyair has all of the good suggestions...

jkaftan · 02-20-2018, 02:34 PM

Many have said Jasper. Seems like if I found a Moho in a distant land that had a blown engine the thing to do would be buy it and have a local shop put in a Jasper and then Drive it home. I looked into having a MoHo shipped to me from Florida and it would cost me $2500. I might be able to get a Jasper installed for $3000. With their nation wide warranty it wouldn't matter if I had a problem with it later since I would not have to go back to Florida.

Hate to spend $2400 to get it to me only to spend another $3000 for a motor. Sheese!

I probably would require a couple of plane tickets 1 to go look at it and setup the motor replacement deal and then another to go get it.

John

bkahler · 02-20-2018, 04:02 PM

John,

You're looking at $2400/$3000 for the motor. Labor to remove and replace will almost definitely be more than the motor cost, quite possibly two to three times as much.

Be sure and go into this deal with your eyes wide open!!

Brad

tjdonahoe · 02-21-2018, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkaftan

Many have said Jasper. Seems like if I found a Moho in a distant land that had a blown engine the thing to do would be buy it and have a local shop put in a Jasper and then Drive it home. I looked into having a MoHo shipped to me from Florida and it would cost me $2500. I might be able to get a Jasper installed for $3000. With their nation wide warranty it wouldn't matter if I had a problem with it later since I would not have to go back to Florida.

Hate to spend $2400 to get it to me only to spend another $3000 for a motor. Sheese!

I probably would require a couple of plane tickets 1 to go look at it and setup the motor replacement deal and then another to go get it.

John

. You better look real close at this.....there could be a lot more wrong with this baby....leaverrite.....leave it where you found it.....

mayco · 02-21-2018, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjdonahoe

. You better look real close at this.....there could be a lot more wrong with this baby....leaverrite.....leave it where you found it.....

No doubt about it. The motor is just the beginning. Just make sure your eyes are wide open at the beginning. On a vehicle this old you can pretty much count on touching every system unless it's been upgraded by previous owners and even then the quality of the work comes into question. The cooling system is a common problem area, suspension, steering, $2000 for new tires, brakes, the list can seem endless. That's just the chassis work. Then you'll need to tackle the coach systems, appliances, furnace, water heater, floor rot and finish, upholstery, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Be ready to fork out the money and the time to bring it back to reliable and useable condition. If you enjoy this type of a project then it's fun and challenging. If you don't have some skills, tools, time, money, and motivation then it's easy to get discouraged.

Just make sure your eyes are wide open when jumping in.

Boom Sounds · 02-22-2018, 01:11 AM

Another option, albeit more expensive unless you find a cheap rebuild from a Surbuban is a Vortec 7400. Chris Craw put me in to this. http://www.airforums.com/forums/f159...-105358-3.html

martin300662 · 02-22-2018, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boom Sounds

Another option, albeit more expensive unless you find a cheap rebuild from a Surbuban is a Vortec 7400. Chris Craw put me in to this. http://www.airforums.com/forums/f159...-105358-3.html

The L29 (GM#19207552) is still available as a GM Performance Parts crate engine from folks like Summit and JEGS (http://www.jegs.com/i/Chevrolet-Perf...07552/10002/-1) if you have a spare $5K

Boom Sounds · 02-22-2018, 02:43 AM

Vortec 7400 L29 454s look to be £2.5k - £3k for a fully remanufactured engine. I suspect cheaper if you pulled one from a Suburban and had it rebuilt/installed a decent truck shop. Obviously, fuel economy couldn't match the diesel, but it would probably be a better and quieter drive. I'm not sure what you would get out of these, but they were probably the most efficient 454 with fuel injection and OBD2 diagnostics, so I am guessing 14mpg on a good run.

Boom Sounds · 02-22-2018, 02:45 AM

Vortec 7400 L29 454s look to be £2.5k - £3k for a fully remanufactured engine. I suspect cheaper if you pulled one from a Suburban and had it rebuilt at a decent truck shop. Obviously, fuel economy couldn't match the diesel, but it would probably be a better and quieter drive. I'm not sure what you would get out of these, but they were probably the most efficient 454 with fuel injection and OBD2 diagnostics, so I am guessing 14mpg on a good run.

choctawmel · 02-26-2018, 02:11 PM

In 2012 I rebuilt the 454 in Silver Bullet. About $4500 for parts and machining. Course I bored it 0.030" over, stroked it 0.025", hyd roller cam, aluminum intake manifold, aluminum radiator, aluminum water pump,..... Was getting 10mpg and ran like a stripped ape(can I say that) before the #8 valve spring lock failed just outside Los Cruces, NM in 2015. Ended up paying the goons at Bogart's Service Center over $8000 to rebuilt it to 0.040" over and it ran like crap. They blamed it on the increased cid (0.010 over???) that the EFI system couldn't handle. Wasn't sure it'd make it back home.
Kept thinking I'd dis-assemble it and see what they did wrong, but never got around to it.
It's got a 12 valve Cummins in there now and the 454 engine went to the local VoTech school a couple weeks ago. I told the teacher he owed me a detailed tear down report.