Why have a builder build it?

[Sparkplug]

Forgive my ignorance first. I've always done everything I could on my own.

Why do people have other people assemble their engine? I can understand having a guy who's known for good port work do your porting, but why have an engine fully assembled? Is it a time thing? Is it reliability people are after? Do builders offer warranties?

Again, forgive my ignorance, but these engine are dirt simple, even the powervalve engines. If one has a basic reading knowledge, and a very minimal set of tools, they can be assembled exactly to factory specs. Porting of the cylinders or cases should not affect the assembly.

Not trying to put anyone down, builders or people wh get things built, just trying to grasp why some people pay 200-1000s of dollars to have an engine assembled. The only reason I would ever do it is if I got a warranty, which by my reading n this site and others, does not happen.

 

[Henry Stephen]

Time is money, i lose it, when i work on engines

 

[Philip Clemmons]

Sometimes you just don't know what you don't know

 

[Byeai]

U pay for the builders knowledge and porting of the motor they won't leave any bolts accidentally loose or not torqued

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[Sparkplug]

Is that insinuating that builders use special tricks and handed down knowledge instead of oem specifications? On even stockish engines? What builders?

I can totally understand time for some people. And sme people just don't like turning wrenches. I see a lot of buildups on skis where IMO the people are doing harder work building the skis than assembling an engine, but yet they buy an engine assembled. I'm just curious is all

 

[Byeai]

Builders also tell you what they recommend to use for carbs reeds exhaust timing ect... and every thing you need to make the ski do what you want it to do

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[rubbertoe]

Forgive my ignorance first. I've always done everything I could on my own.

Why do people have other people assemble their engine? I can understand having a guy who's known for good port work do your porting, but why have an engine fully assembled? Is it a time thing? Is it reliability people are after? Do builders offer warranties?

Again, forgive my ignorance, but these engine are dirt simple, even the powervalve engines. If one has a basic reading knowledge, and a very minimal set of tools, they can be assembled exactly to factory specs. Porting of the cylinders or cases should not affect the assembly.

Not trying to put anyone down, builders or people wh get things built, just trying to grasp why some people pay 200-1000s of dollars to have an engine assembled. The only reason I would ever do it is if I got a warranty, which by my reading n this site and others, does not happen.

So i am assuming you are including in this simple work of assembly complete knowledge of what your looking at,and how the recipies compliment each other, such as : epoxying cases ,finger port work ,fly cutting/trenching cases , decking,milling,stroking,base gasket specs/port timing ,cylinder clearances ,porting,pressing sleeves ,welding ? "proper" assembly,and attention to details, thats why i would pay a builder who knows.assembly can be done by a "capable" technician ,i guess would agree is accurate ? but i wouldn't be running out to just any average knowledge joe with a gasket kit and some 1211 to do work on my motor.that's just me .

 

[Sparkplug]

I mentioned port work in the post you quoted.

Lots of the things you mention are readily available in the fsm and take very cheap tools to do. The basic machine work can be done by any shop that does motorcycles also.

Again. Some people don't like wrenching I guess is what a lot of it is going to be?

 

[hink320]

I send mine to builders because I run high dollar high compression motors that I want a professional that stands behind their work building it. I do the rebuilds/refreshes on stock motors that I have ran and also do it for friends.

 

[kevbo]

It is the state of the sport, it has become popular and participants are not too interested in the dirty details.

 

[Harbor]

I'am great full to have these builders, in my case it's Brian at Thrust Innovations. These builders find things we might not even see. I sent him my crank so he could fly cut some cases I purchased from him and he called to tell me of an issue he discovered with my RAD +8 mm crank, the problems obvious to him but Not to me, I had a difficult time recognizing it even though he was telling me exactly what it was. I can see it now plain as day, kudos to Brian @ Thrust Innovations

 

[Half flip95]

depends on the type of engine work. if youre playing with stroke and spacers and squish it only makes sense to put it together and check it over before you send it out.

 

[dick123]

Some people probably prefer peace of mind in that an experienced person has assembled their motor. Or they are afraid to try themselves.

 

[N-D-Red]

With a completely custom ski there are a lot of benefits to having a good relationship with the person who ported the cylinder or epoxied the cases or whatever you choose to have done. It's not that you can or cannot do it but a few hundred dollars spent on assembly of a motor that is worth a few thousand and having the ability to call that builder and ask for set up advice is so valuable. Never mind the fact that a reputable builder will most likely stand behind their assembly work if the thing scatters on the first ride. To me Zach's help and advice at PHP is invaluable and worth any money I paid for assembly.

 

[NVJAY775]

I'm like Hink on this. It's not that I'm afraid to do the wrenching, I actually like it and like learning it. I'll rebuild stockers, but will leave my high dollar stuff in the hands of the builder. It's all the little details they know and perform that add up to a badass product. I could bolt it together fine, but for that level of performance I want the pros doing the complete inspection and assembly. Just my .02

 

[j0hnny]

I have yet to do any ski building but i am the engine builder for all my friends race cars. stuff like high end torque wrenches, feeler gauges, and experience don't come easy or cheap. and i realize that trying to modify and build the first few jetski high hp motors a few may blow up while im learning and im okay with that. most of the big boys dont want the down time that comes with experimenting.

 

[j0hnny]

why did it asterisk out f-e-e-l-e-r ??? thats odd

 

[DAG]

Just because an professional assembles it doesn't mean you're not going to f'up breakin. (Ask me how I know)

 

[TheBuzzard]

i had dasa sleeve, bore, clean and check my blown up 1000 motor. for what it cost me all assembled, it was a smokin deal. i can assemble a motor blind folded but if i can get somebody else to do it with the same quality attention that i'd give it and they only charge me a few bucks, i'm good with that. i would find it hard to order and buy a brand new boat for huge money, knowing that i could build it from new parts for a lot less, using my labor instead of theirs. when my TV stops working, i dont start in on it with a screwdriver. if its something i can do, i do it. the money i dont put in somebody elses pocket, i look at it like i paid myself instead of them.

 

[Sparkplug]

I've seen a lot of performance machines. Mostly cars and trucks. I've seen 25k engines blow up. I've seen wheels come off bikes after they left shops. I've seen builders on here leave bolts loose. I've seen machine shops not take their time. I guess when it comes to others work I myself don't have much faith in humans.

Not saying there isn't good builders out there. Because I know there are. I just prefer that if something is going to go wrong, and in going to have to pay for it, I'd rather be the person at fault.

Who has actually heard of a machine shop or any sort of builder ever taking full ownership for a problem when it happens? Because like I said, I've seen quite a bit of performance machines, and engineering, an have yet to see it happen.

I think parky it's a trust thing with ones own work, time, or lak of knowledge. Nothing wrong with any of those.