[Daniel White]

I’ve been racing KT since late 2012, and have had just 3 rebuilds, usually after 7-8 hours. I don’t think I have ever paid less than $700. One time I had to have a new crank half, and added a can carb (I already had a SR-Y pipe-prepared carb), along with my rebuild, and it came to $1000.

[Walt Gifford]

Yeah, I’ve been calling around and that’s about right. The amount of money businesses have to charge to keep the doors open these days is just crazy. I’ve been charging my buddies 450 total and to think kart shops get parts wholesale and I don’t. Glad I build my own, that labor charge is a big expense.

Gif

[Aaron Hachmeister]

I figure it’s probably pretty dependent on if anything’s wrong with the engine. I know Comet Kart Sales charges $200 for labor every time, and my builder has given us anything from $300 to $750 depending on damage. If the crank got knocked out of alignment or if I over-revved the engine on accident and the piston hit the top of the cylinder it’d obviously be a little more.

[Ray Mcik]

With the cost of a shop etc etc and taxes they have to charge   to keep the lights on . since when did profit become a dirty word ?

do you know what a auto shops hourly rate is nowadays ?

[Daniel White]

I raced Rotax from 2008-2012–and had the motor rebuilt once (after 33-ish hours) for about $1100. I’m guessing the motor was about $2600 (I bought it as part of a package, and it had just had a complete rebuild)

I’ve spent $2500 for my Yamaha rebuilds, and am due for another rebuild at the end of the season. I’d say that I have about the same time on my KT as I did my Rotax.

My point is that I think the Yamaha is more expensive than the Rotax.

Now, having said that, I never spent the resources in Rotax to make sure I was jetted correctly, and was never competitive–not even close. But I was immediately fast (enough) in Yamaha (the first race I was within a tenth of pole), and am extremely happy with my engine builder.

[Walt Gifford]

[quote quote=71813] I know Comet Kart Sales charges $200 for labor. If the crank got knocked out of alignment it’d obviously be a little more.[/quote]

Talking about replacing the rod so the crank’s coming apart. Comet and others told me 300-350 labor for a full rebuild which seems to be par for the course. I’m not knockin’ anybody making a buck, I’m just asking.

Gif

[Greg Wright]

Daniel White, You paid $2500 to rebuild a Yamaha, I would have built you two new ones for that amount of money. They must have seen you coming.

[Daniel White]

Read the entire thread. The $2500 was an approximate figure for 3 rebuilds– including an additional carburetor and a new half-crank–over 3 years.

[Greg Wright]

Still high.

[Daniel White]

Maybe. But it wasn’t $2500. And Walt mentioned that he’s done some asking around, and found that my figure was “about right.”

Unfortunately, I’m neither a builder nor a mechanic, so my options are limited.

I may take a chance someday on a motor by a less well-known builder (who charges less)–I’m not against it. However, when I first got into the KT class, I was referred to a builder by a competitor who is well known and respected, so I went with his suggestion. Because I have been satisfied with the performance of my engine, I gave that builder my business again and again.

Your particular insult was uncalled for, since we’ve never met.

 

[Greg Wright]

No insult was intended in any way, sorry you took it that way.

One question though, you say it was $2500 then you say it wasn’t $2500. I guess my reading comprehension is lacking somewhere.

[Steve Frank]

I just did a rebuild on a friend’s Yamaha rookie motor.  Parts cost was under $200 with a few carb rebuild kits etc.   The crank was among the straightest I’ve seen (less than .0005″ on each side) and the lower rod bearing had virtually zero play so we didn’t separate the crank.  We did new main bearings, seals, cylinder hone and top end, along with measuring /checking to be sure the port timing and cc’s matched the engine builder’s specs.   In all, it took about 5 hours labor.  Still a pretty cost effective engine package in my opinion.

[Jim Howe]

I pay anywhere from $300 – $600, depending on what all needs to be done. Dyno time is extra, of course, as is any machining if needed on a non-blueprinted engine. And I think that’s pretty much standard for all the engine builders in my area, big and small. So, I consider this pretty darn reasonable myself.

[Daniel White]

[quote quote=71976]No insult was intended in any way, sorry you took it that way. One question though, you say it was $2500 then you say it wasn’t $2500. I guess my reading comprehension is lacking somewhere. [/quote]

In my first post in this thread, I stated that I have had my Yamaha rebuilt 3 times since 2012. I then stated that one rebuild was $700. I also stated that I had another rebuild, but it included extras, and came to $1000. I never mentioned the price of the 3rd (but my memory recalls a broken wrist pin which came loose and scraped the heck out of the cylinder wall, and the resulting damage caused my rebuild price to increase).

Then, in my second post, I mentioned that my rebuilds (plural) came to about $2500.

In my view, this wasn’t too difficult to follow.

 

[Greg Wright]

Gee, give it a rest. I already said that I had misunderstood your post and apologized for it.

 

Damn!!

[Walt Gifford]

Broken wrist pin? like it broke in half? That motor must have been a box full of twisted shrapnel.

Gif

[Daniel White]

[quote quote=72695]Broken wrist pin? like it broke in half? That motor must have been a box full of twisted shrapnel. Gif [/quote]

Crap. I mis-remembered. It was the circlip holding the wrist pin. It scraped the heck out of my cylinder wall, but my builder saved the motor.

[Author]

Posts