Author Topic: How much would you pay for a rebuilt 550 engine? (Read 2258 times)

Elniniomuchachos · « **on:** December 11, 2012, 09:45:39 PM »

I'm in need of a 550 engine and have a couple options. But just throwing this question out, So how much would you pay for a rebuild 550 engine?

dave500 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 11, 2012, 11:00:37 PM »

it depends on how "rebuilt" it is,,there is "rebuilt" and "rebuilt" there is also "rebuilt" it can loosely mean taken apart and cleaned a lot and put back together with a new gasket here and there and an o ring or two,the next stage is the same thing but more gaskets and o rings,the next stage is a fully rebored and measured and machined and everything else the rebuilt term really should mean,,a thousand dollars?dont forget this should include a new clutch and any transmission trouble sorted,for example if the head looked ok in the guides and was cleaned up and put back on with new seals and valves re seated its used not rebuilt.

Lars · « **Reply #2 on:** December 12, 2012, 12:24:56 AM »

Plenty low miles CB 550 K engines to buy on eBay or Craigslist. Prices are about $250 - 400. You can't be too sure of the engines quality, but if the seller says it works fine, you are no worse out than a seller telling you a rebuild engine works fine. Unless you buy from someone with a good reputation.

Here is one on eBay, ending soon:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/200819340651?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

dave500 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 12, 2012, 12:31:49 AM »

you also get the used "pressure washed"specials,look close at what didnt get blown off and how it might have looked once,i would be pulling the head off any used engine anyway to at least de coke it,couple of gaskets and o rings and its rebuilt then?or is that overhauled?

if you cant see and hear it running its not running if its used.

bollingball · « **Reply #4 on:** December 12, 2012, 04:48:21 AM »

You will not know what was done unless you do it yourself or have someone you trust like HondaMan or Dave500 maybe a couple of others on this site. Don't buy one just because a guy on ebay says it was rebuilt. Do your home work see who others have used. There are even people here that claim to be good. Then you read some of there post and see how they cobble them together. Have one person in mind that changed his post name because he got called out to many times about his sorry work. I won't say his name but most people know who I mean. I'm just saying be carfull who you use.
Ken

jamesb · « **Reply #5 on:** December 12, 2012, 05:39:53 AM »

I was quoted a price for a top end rebuild piston rings,gaskets,and adjustments it was quoted from someone on here that was rebuilding them,it was 1,500 more than I wanted to spend. So I found a complete bike at a swap meet for 80.00 that was 3yrs ago and it still runs fine. so look around on cl or post a wanted ad on there wanting one.

luap · « **Reply #6 on:** December 12, 2012, 12:34:23 PM »

Cost of a "rebuild" can get pricey
100.00 vesrah gasket
120.00 OEM rings
honed measured bore valves pulled reseated with new guide seals 150.00
Cost of a donor motor 100.00
cleaning supplys an paint 100.00
ECB plates an springs 70.00
points an condessors 50.00
drive sprocket 20.00
SS bolt kit 40.00
an that doing most everything yourself an no labor

Whats your guys cost on a "rebuild" assuming you do most all the work yourself

numbers above is how much it cost me an I send out head an cylinder

Elniniomuchachos · « **Reply #7 on:** December 12, 2012, 01:54:43 PM »

Well I don't have a "guy". This post is to get a general Idea of what one would pay for a completely rebuilt 550 engine.

luap · « **Reply #8 on:** December 12, 2012, 03:08:15 PM »

sorry that was a general question not directed to you do rebuilds cost you GUYS

Stev-o · « **Reply #9 on:** December 12, 2012, 04:30:58 PM »

SohRon · « **Reply #10 on:** December 12, 2012, 04:47:05 PM »

Quote from: Stev-o on December 12, 2012, 04:30:58 PM

$300

That's just for the donor engine! Add at least a thousand dollars to that for a completely rebuilt engine, in my experience... IIRC just the price of new cam components (chain, adjuster, etc) was somewhere around $280 about five years ago; when you add in new gaskets, rings, bearings and so on it gets pricey real quick. That doesn't account for labor costs or the surprises you find (like replacing all of the valves, for instance).

JMHO

Elniniomuchachos · « **Reply #11 on:** December 12, 2012, 05:01:53 PM »

Quote from: luap on December 12, 2012, 03:08:15 PM

sorry that was a general question not directed to you do rebuilds cost you GUYS

Dude... try using some punctuation in your sentences, half of the stuff you write I can't understand because it's all cobbled together.

Anyways... My options as of now are take a cb500 engine that I have and throw it in the 550 frame or wait it out and continue borrowing a truck to get to work. Then rebuild the 550 engine over time.

I've had some bad luck with these 550 engines. So far I've gone through two, one that only had 8k on it and ate something. The other a 20k engine that spun a bearing right after putting new gaskets in it. I love these bikes, but damnit I'm tired of engines failing on me.

And YES I did routine maintenance on them every 1500-3000 miles. I treated my bike like it was my baby for the most part.

RAFster122s · « **Reply #12 on:** December 12, 2012, 05:16:44 PM »

Sorry, that last sentence sounds like a straight line for "you treat your baby, how?"

There are some phoenix area hacks, I mean "builders", who gobble up all the classic bikes in the area that are decent buys and crank out "cafe" bikes. Some, are beat examples they start with, but those that aren't are sometimes nice examples that could have stayed stock and been a nice bike.

Caveat emptor...

Harrisluv up in Tucson area gobbles up several and his photos of his carb work show some nice clean work. (clean and carbs is important and in dusty southern AZ...important to keep things protected/cleaned.
I hardly ever check Craig'sList as it would be rare to beat him to a nice find...Phoenix, like I said...pretty picked over but you do find some listings.
Seen some solid examples he started with that needed some TLC and parts to bring back...didn't see the end result. He was going to flip a couple of them rather than keep them...

David

Stev-o · « **Reply #13 on:** December 12, 2012, 05:44:36 PM »

Ron - actually, I would not buy a rebuilt engine. But I'd consider buying one for $300 if I ran across one.
The last 550 I bought was only $600 and had a good running engine with only 10K miles.

Elniniomuchachos · « **Reply #14 on:** December 12, 2012, 06:41:16 PM »

Quote from: RAFster122S on December 12, 2012, 05:16:44 PM

Sorry, that last sentence sounds like a straight line for "you treat your baby, how?"

There are some phoenix area hacks, I mean "builders", who gobble up all the classic bikes in the area that are decent buys and crank out "cafe" bikes. Some, are beat examples they start with, but those that aren't are sometimes nice examples that could have stayed stock and been a nice bike.

Caveat emptor...

Harrisluv up in Tucson area gobbles up several and his photos of his carb work show some nice clean work. (clean and carbs is important and in dusty southern AZ...important to keep things protected/cleaned.
I hardly ever check Craig'sList as it would be rare to beat him to a nice find...Phoenix, like I said...pretty picked over but you do find some listings.
Seen some solid examples he started with that needed some TLC and parts to bring back...didn't see the end result. He was going to flip a couple of them rather than keep them...

David

How's that? I was doing everything exactly how the manual stated as far as engine maintenance goes. Change out the oil every 1500 miles and oil filter every 3000. Sometimes I would change the oil every 750 miles and change the filter at the same time. I also lubed/adjusted the chain per spec every 150 miles. Did the 3000 mile routine every other month... The point is I did everything the manual told me to do and they still went to hell. Maybe some babies are meant to die young?

Never the less, this bike WILL be back on the road soon.

RAFster122s · « **Reply #15 on:** December 12, 2012, 10:44:19 PM »

Humor doesn't translate well....
Didn't come out as intended...

Wasn't questioning your treating your bike well... Just unfortunately, without knowing you, a statement out of context with what you consider well someone else might go beyond that with more pampering...

I'm tired today...wasn't questioning your care for your bike or a baby...
Past my bedtime.

'nite

SohRon · « **Reply #16 on:** December 13, 2012, 05:43:52 AM »

Quote from: Stev-o on December 12, 2012, 05:44:36 PM

Ron - actually, I would not buy a rebuilt engine. But I'd consider buying one for $300 if I ran across one.
The last 550 I bought was only $600 and had a good running engine with only 10K miles.

Sweet on the 550 find! I'd have to wonder just how "rebuilt" that $300 engine was, though... I bought an engine and had it rebuilt, and $300 was the starting price (for the engine). These days I might tackle the rebuild myself, but at the time I decided to let an expert do the job. He only charged half price for labor, but it was still substantial just to get him to do it.

To have someone else do the work is going to be expensive even without paying for parts. The other question is where you gonna find someone to do it for you? I haven't seen too many in the papers?

Stev-o · « **Reply #17 on:** December 13, 2012, 07:37:43 PM »

This may be the way to go?

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=115919.0;topicseen

Retro Rocket · « **Reply #18 on:** December 13, 2012, 08:04:41 PM »

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=115921.0;topicseen

luap · « **Reply #19 on:** December 13, 2012, 08:19:07 PM »

How much would you guess shipping would cost on a complete motor. 2-300 bucks?

Have you tried Bobs salvage yard down on Elwood an 13st. You might be able to find a runner down there for a couple hundred bucks. I was there today an there's at least 20 motor. Walked right past one sitting on the path, I would guess they have a compression tester an leak down tester down there, if they dont I have both you could borrow to take down an test them out

Stev-o · « **Reply #20 on:** December 13, 2012, 08:45:20 PM »

Quote from: luap on December 13, 2012, 08:19:07 PM

How much would you guess shipping would cost on a complete motor. 2-300 bucks?

Strapped to a pallet and shipped freight, maybe $100 from Kansas.
Plus, I'd feel more comfortable buying from a forum member that knows the history of it, that one sitting outside at Bob's Salvage Yard.

RAFster122s · « **Reply #21 on:** December 16, 2012, 10:46:41 PM »

You would have to find a carrier with space as shipping is pretty expensive these days, I'm thinking probably much more than $100 for the 1200-1300 miles?
Competitively priced you might get someone on Uship to do it for $100 as part of a load, but they usually like roll-on/roll-off service for cheap.

lucky · « **Reply #22 on:** December 17, 2012, 06:27:37 AM »

Quote from: Elniniomuchachos on December 12, 2012, 01:54:43 PM

Well I don't have a "guy". This post is to get a general Idea of what one would pay for a completely rebuilt 550 engine.

Just rebuild the engine you have!
IF you buy a used engine it could have 40 year old rubber parts even though it only has 20,000 miles. REBUILD YOUR ENGINE. There is NO quick painless solution people.

Unlike the car world you cannot just walk into a store or go online and get a rebuilt motorcycle engine.
It must be rebuilt by a shop or individual.
It better be someone who knows how to work on motorcycle engines NOT a car mechanic!!!

The only people I know that rebuilds CB750 engines completely and correctly is Cycle-X in Wisconsin. Also Hondaman rebuilds engines completely and correctly. There may be a few others but make sure it is done right!

You can rebuild your own engine if you have the skill and the experience and the help of a machine shop that knows about motorcycle engines.

lucky · « **Reply #23 on:** December 17, 2012, 06:35:53 AM »

Quote from: RAFster122S on December 16, 2012, 10:46:41 PM

You would have to find a carrier with space as shipping is pretty expensive these days, I'm thinking probably much more than $100 for the 1200-1300 miles?
Competitively priced you might get someone on Uship to do it for $100 as part of a load, but they usually like roll-on/roll-off service for cheap.

A freight truck line.
It will still cost about $250.00 one way.
From Arizona it will be cheaper that from California.

But if you have to buy all the tools to do the engine it would cost too.

lucky · « **Reply #24 on:** December 17, 2012, 06:41:43 AM »

Quote from: Elniniomuchachos on December 12, 2012, 06:41:16 PM

Quote from: RAFster122S on December 12, 2012, 05:16:44 PM
Sorry, that last sentence sounds like a straight line for "you treat your baby, how?"

There are some phoenix area hacks, I mean "builders", who gobble up all the classic bikes in the area that are decent buys and crank out "cafe" bikes. Some, are beat examples they start with, but those that aren't are sometimes nice examples that could have stayed stock and been a nice bike.

Caveat emptor...

Harrisluv up in Tucson area gobbles up several and his photos of his carb work show some nice clean work. (clean and carbs is important and in dusty southern AZ...important to keep things protected/cleaned.
I hardly ever check Craig'sList as it would be rare to beat him to a nice find...Phoenix, like I said...pretty picked over but you do find some listings.
Seen some solid examples he started with that needed some TLC and parts to bring back...didn't see the end result. He was going to flip a couple of them rather than keep them...

David

How's that? I was doing everything exactly how the manual stated as far as engine maintenance goes. Change out the oil every 1500 miles and oil filter every 3000. Sometimes I would change the oil every 750 miles and change the filter at the same time. I also lubed/adjusted the chain per spec every 150 miles. Did the 3000 mile routine every other month... The point is I did everything the manual told me to do and they still went to hell. Maybe some babies are meant to die young?

Never the less, this bike WILL be back on the road soon.

The problem is NOT the maintenence you did, but the fact the bike is 40 years old!!!
The rubber on the valve guide seals and the rubber on the cam chain tensioner crumbles and clogs up the crank oil passages and oil pump screen.
Also the rubber particles can clog up the oil galleys in the cylinder head.
It is the years not the milage.

News:

Author Topic: How much would you pay for a rebuilt 550 engine? (Read 2258 times)

bollingball