I still like to build my own motor, and the to, "To KNOW WHATS IN IT" is only part of the reason. The big reason I prefer to build my own, is I know its assembled right, and I know what machine work I paid for. Many rebuilders do not resize rods. I never take short cuts on a motor I do not know the history about and even if I do know the history its not worth shortcuts. I always have a motor balanced even if its a stocker. I always have the rods, magnafluxed, check for twists, shot peened, stress relieved and big end resized. Sure it costs a bit more, but I look at it as insurance. I also plastiguage every last bearing. I do not do every other one, or a couple mains and a couple rods. I do them all, in 2 differant places on each journal. I also get my heads done and DO NOT get a basic valve job where some short cutter knurls the guides. I have a triple angle cut on all the valves even for a stocker and replace all valve guides. Again, just insurance but it sure makes a differance. I have seen a couple motor that were rebuilt by a machine shop and installed where the customer paid big bucks and around 50,000 miles its got a rod thru the pan and a rod thru the block. And one of these was an old lady who drove like a Grandma with reciepts showing an oil and filter change every 3,000. Someone did not build that one right for sure.
1
