Machine shop?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 28
Likes: 2
From: Florida
Machine shop? Got a junkyard lq9 and looking to rebuild everything in the motor. Going to boost it. is a machine shop worth going to.? Do I really need one? All the ones 100+ miles from me are quoting me $2500+ for machine work on my block and I’m not trying to spend that much. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Willing to hone myself
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 28
Likes: 2
From: Florida
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,251
Likes: 239
From: Dade City, Fl.
Go to the salvage yard. Find a Gen 4 5.3l and race it. The 5.3l is cheap enough to replace 4 times if it lets go before spending $2500.00 on a "rebuilt" LQ9. Lots of guys are doing it this way 
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 28
Likes: 2
From: Florida
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TECH Regular
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 420
Likes: 115
Most don't rebuild anything. Do your basics:
Cut and check the filter and look in the pan for evidence of wear
When you swap the cam, you'll be able to see the cam bearings
Run a compression check on it of you can.
When you gap the rings, you'll get a view of how it looks inside.
If it all checks out, then go with it. If you do want to rebuild, break it down cost per service. Some other threads recently showed their local machine shop service prices for each operation. I think it was a thread about boring vs honing.
From experience I can tell you this. Take it apart and inspect EVERYTHING. I have been inside many of these salvage yard pull outs to find things such as tweaked valves (out of concentricity), broken rings, broken valve springs, worn cam lobes, failed lifters, hard crank seals, bent pushrods, water damage, etc. I would never install an LS without hearing it run or without going completely through it, you just never know when you got a bad apple. If there is no ridge in the bore, or surface rust, I would not hone it. If you are using a flex hone and a drill, you are better off with the factory finish provided the bore is still straight and round.
TECH Regular
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 420
Likes: 115
From experience I can tell you this. Take it apart and inspect EVERYTHING. I have been inside many of these salvage yard pull outs to find things such as tweaked valves (out of concentricity), broken rings, broken valve springs, worn cam lobes, failed lifters, hard crank seals, bent pushrods, water damage, etc. I would never install an LS without hearing it run or without going completely through it, you just never know when you got a bad apple. If there is no ridge in the bore, or surface rust, I would not hone it. If you are using a flex hone and a drill, you are better off with the factory finish provided the bore is still straight and round.
These are all things you can do without machine shop services, as long as no issues are found.
From experience I can tell you this. Take it apart and inspect EVERYTHING. I have been inside many of these salvage yard pull outs to find things such as tweaked valves (out of concentricity), broken rings, broken valve springs, worn cam lobes, failed lifters, hard crank seals, bent pushrods, water damage, etc. I would never install an LS without hearing it run or without going completely through it, you just never know when you got a bad apple..
I do however always crank them on the stand before installing.
But if your planning to run 8's then your gonna spend money......
Got a junkyard lq9 and looking to rebuild everything in the motor. Going to boost it. is a machine shop worth going to.? Do I really need one? All the ones 100+ miles from me are quoting me $2500+ for machine work on my block and I’m not trying to spend that much. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Willing to hone myself
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 532
Likes: 630
To fully machine a short block, including crank balancing to new pistons, with cam bearings installed, my local shop quotes right at $1050 and this is a good shop that has rave reviews. Your local guys are nuts.