Built Motor

nwpastroker · Oct 14, 2013

Curious about what the cost of some of you guys have into your built 7.3s. Im not askin for recipts or a breakdown of any sorts, just curious in a ballpark figure along with if you did most of it yourself or had a shop do it. If a shop, who if you dont mind. Im debating whether or not to build a 7.3 or swap it out. Looking for billet rod, ported head, the works type builds.
Tried searching with no luck,
Thanks guys

01PSD · Oct 14, 2013

If you choose a shop, I don't think I'd hesitate to choose Swamps. They've built and dyno'd more 7.3s than most could shake a stick at probably

dsberman94 · Oct 14, 2013

Sorry I know you didn't want a breakdown but easiest way.
Stock trans rebuild transgo kit and dual disc tc $1500+450 and a CPS for the buddy who did it for me. drop and reinstall not including fluid. Only thing not done by myself.
Rosewood injectors sent mine out stage 2 budget rebuild. $1000 including all shipping and oil change done myself.
38r done myself $1600 including a tank of fuel for break in and oil change.
Php hydra and insight cts $800.

So $5500 to this point sending injectors back before pulling season to be switched to single shot. Also will need to get some custom tuning done then so there's a couple hundred more.

I wouldn't hesitate to bring my truck to any PSA sponsors shop.

nwpastroker · Oct 14, 2013

Thanks for the replies guys, I know swamps is very experienced in any and all aspects of the 7.3
dsberman- Thanks for the post. I didnt mean i didnt want to see your breakdown, I said that so i wouldnt upset anyone who doesnt want to tell it part by part. Im looking more for a full on 700+hp build with billet rods, balanced, bedplate ported heads and all. Im already running 400cc/200% hybrids and a s468. Im trying to get an idea if i want to go to the next level with the 7.3, or if im better off selling my current stuff and swaping to a cr 5.9

PSDEng · Oct 14, 2013

You're going to have $20k+ into a setup like that. If you don't know or haven't done an engine build before you might be better off going to a shop. If you're looking for somebody closer Carson Stauffer is in northeast PA. He's done a lot of big builds himself.

01PSD · Oct 14, 2013

Street truck or full out competition?

nwpastroker · Oct 14, 2013

Ive talked to Carson about it before nick, just trying to get an idea what everyone else has done.
It will be a little bit of both honestly, I dont DD it, and I have other means of transportation. I would like to be able to drive it around as i can, as well as do some local pulls and dyno runs, but it will remain streetable as it is now

dsberman94 · Oct 14, 2013

PSDEng said:
You're going to have $20k+ into a setup like that. If you don't know or haven't done an engine build before you might be better off going to a shop. If you're looking for somebody closer Carson Stauffer is in northeast PA. He's done a lot of big builds himself.

It will definitely be a big build but as you can see I'm at 5500 doin all my own work and maybe make 400hp. 800hp is gonna be a lot of money. I'm glad someone knows a builder in this area. I didn't know that and I'm glad to now.

DocBar · Oct 14, 2013

$15-18K or so for a competition level motor, installed. That's not including turbo or injectors. Money well spent if you plan on building over 650 rwhp and want some reliability and peace of mind.

I've been in the mid 500's for 2 or 3 years now and am about to go to high 600's and I won't bat an eyelash at it. I'll also be adding nitrous and it won;;t bother me a bit. I have a very well built motor and be live tuned by Gearhead before I really hammer on it. Tuning plays a huge role with these motors.

Crownsville Stroker 7.3 · Oct 14, 2013

I got about 18-19K between motor, turbo, injectors, hpop's, ect. I also dealt with Carson for some parts and info when I was building my motor he is very smart and helpful as is Marty @ Marty's diesel and Matt @ gearhead and Jake @ Irate they all helped me and continue helping me anytime I need it

---Clayton Watts
2002 eclb 7.3- back in business /for sale
2000 Chevy cavalier- beater
1990 Chevy K1500- for sale
race truck- in the works
sent from the sh!tter withTapatalk2 now Free

DocBar · Oct 14, 2013

Crownsville Stroker 7.3 said:
I got about 18-19K between motor, turbo, injectors, hpop's, ect. I also dealt with Carson for some parts and info when I was building my motor he is very smart and helpful as is Marty @ Marty's diesel and Matt @ gearhead and Jake @ Irate they all helped me and continue helping me anytime I need it

---Clayton Watts
2002 eclb 7.3- back in business /for sale
2000 Chevy cavalier- beater
1990 Chevy K1500- for sale
race truck- in the works
sent from the sh!tter withTapatalk2 now Free

Is that a fully built motor with billet rods and installed or did you do some of the work yourself?

Crownsville Stroker 7.3 · Oct 14, 2013

Yes fully built with billet rods,head/ main studs, girdle, ported and polished heads, de-lipped/ ported pistons, fire rings, and a lot more

---Clayton Watts
2002 eclb 7.3- back in business /for sale
2000 Chevy cavalier- beater
1990 Chevy K1500- for sale
race truck- in the works
sent from the sh!tter withTapatalk2 now Free

DocBar · Oct 14, 2013

Crownsville Stroker 7.3 said:
Yes fully built with billet rods,head/ main studs, girdle, ported and polished heads, de-lipped/ ported pistons, fire rings, and a lot more

---Clayton Watts
2002 eclb 7.3- back in business /for sale
2000 Chevy cavalier- beater
1990 Chevy K1500- for sale
race truck- in the works
sent from the sh!tter withTapatalk2 now Free

Damn. That's a nice price. After reviewing my receipt, I had injectors on the original build but sourced my own instead. The 38R was already on the truck when I had the new engine installed.

e99coalbaron · Oct 14, 2013

What do they even port in the heads?

Crownsville Stroker 7.3 · Oct 14, 2013

DocBar said:
Damn. That's a nice price. After reviewing my receipt, I had injectors on the original build but sourced my own instead. The 38R was already on the truck when I had the new engine installed.

The only labor I had was machine work, balancing and assembly of the long block and I got lucky on some deals with members on here

---Clayton Watts
2002 eclb 7.3- back in business /for sale
2000 Chevy cavalier- beater
1990 Chevy K1500- for sale
race truck- in the works
sent from the sh!tter withTapatalk2 now Free

02BigD · Oct 14, 2013

There's plenty to port in the heads...

I believe I was in somewhere around 20k. The only thing I've done other than drive it the past 3 years at 500+ hp is replace cryo'd flexplate with a billet after it gave up the ghost racing while towing a trailer. Other than that, normal maintenance for the past 65k miles.

Carson built the motor.

powerstrokenstang · Oct 15, 2013

Id say $30k+. Countin turbo, injectors and such. Just a guess though.

Beau · Oct 15, 2013

I have roughly 24K in my engine, and I am still assembling/Fabricating on the engine. The machining was done by a local machinist. Mine will by a daily driver maybe 550hp.

PSDEng · Oct 15, 2013

powerstrokenstang said:
Id say $30k+. Countin turbo, injectors and such. Just a guess though.

That's pretty spot on. Carson quoted me a similar figure when I first inquired about a build. I've been lucky though, I scored a good used block from James Barder that already had head work, bedplate, and hardblock in it.

By far your two biggest individual costs are going to be rods and pistons.

02BigD · Oct 15, 2013

Just for clarification, my number was just for the engine work. Cryo'd everything, pistons, rods, cam, head work, valves, block fill, girdle, machining and installation. Already had the injectors, turbo, headers, and big oil.