local shop

[bottlefed1]

Ok so for the past almost 2 years my 400 has been sitting broke in my garage. I figured it had been sitting long enough and needed to be fixed, so i took it to a local shop near me to have him tell me what was wrong with it. I take it there and he tells me that he will pull it apart and tell me whats wrong and give me a call. About a day and a half later he calls and say that its going to need a new piston and a clutch, I say fine go ahead and order it and explaind that It needs new brakes and a new front wheel also and that since the motor wil be apar to add a cam. He siad that it would need to be rejetted as well I said fine. 2hr's pass and he calls me back and says that the total will be $1100 and some change. I figure not to bad and put $500 down to have him order parts and get started.

A week passes and no word from the guy so I call him to see what the status is and he says that all the parts are in but he ran into a problem and that now I need a main bearing which is going to bring the total to $1666.

Should 1 new front wheel, all new brakes, a new dirt digger clutch, new weisco 12.5:1 piston, a stage 2 hotcam, rejet, main bearing and labor cost that much?

[trailrider894]

Originally posted by bottlefed1
Ok so for the past almost 2 years my 400 has been sitting broke in my garage. I figured it had been sitting long enough and needed to be fixed, so i took it to a local shop near me to have him tell me what was wrong with it. I take it there and he tells me that he will pull it apart and tell me whats wrong and give me a call. About a day and a half later he calls and say that its going to need a new piston and a clutch, I say fine go ahead and order it and explaind that It needs new brakes and a new front wheel also and that since the motor wil be apar to add a cam. He siad that it would need to be rejetted as well I said fine. 2hr's pass and he calls me back and says that the total will be $1100 and some change. I figure not to bad and put $500 down to have him order parts and get started.

A week passes and no word from the guy so I call him to see what the status is and he says that all the parts are in but he ran into a problem and that now I need a main bearing which is going to bring the total to $1666.

Should 1 new front wheel, all new brakes, a new dirt digger clutch, new weisco 12.5:1 piston, a stage 2 hotcam, rejet, main bearing and labor cost that much?

The parts will not even come CLOSE to that... this guy is just taking advantage of you... I could do a Fully Built EX engine with some of the best parts on the market for less than that.

[countryrider]

I build motors for a living and that is know bargen but he is not overcharging you ether.

[01boneless]

my god dude you could buy a 400ex running for that my advise is switch shops thats what they do they think people know nothing and try to take advantage of them the sad part is people that dont know much about them get ripped off big time!

[Scro]

My advice would be to buy a service manual. You would be surprised how easy (and fun) it is to work on a motor. Most shop rates are going to charge comparable to other shops in the area. It's easy for someone that doesn't own a shop, but are mechanically inclined, to say that's a high price. It's about supply and demand. Most people would pay that price and never think twice.

[bottlefed1]

I dont have all the tools required to do it my self .

[Scro]

Originally posted by bottlefed1
I dont have all the tools required to do it my self .

You could get all the tools you need for a couple hundred bucks. Alot cheaper than what he is charging, and you will have them for next time.

[jgar]

A few hundred in tools will last for years and many projects. If you are not going to be turning a wrench every day craftsman tools will do just fine.
The 1600 sounds like a fair number, might even be a deal with the slow economy. Iam sure you could find a farmer an CL to do it for 1/2 price lol. Bottom line is you get what you pay for.

[10sball]

how did he "run into a problem" and now you need a main bearing? sketchyyyy

[countryrider]

buy all the tools and books you want but don't forget to buy the knowledge to do it the right. because when the motor blows he will charge you more

[CJM]

you do realize a 12:1 piston will blow the headgasket unless you run 110 octane and have it jetted near perfect right?

[bottlefed1]

I have been told that.

[JOHNDOE83]

Machine shops charge $60 a hour for labor some charge more, with parts and labor it seems like a decent price.

But you could have done 90% of that work yourself.

[bottlefed1]

Im at work but i just got it back from the shop today and final bill was just under $2k. and I was mistaken on the piston is an 11.5:1 not a 12.5:1.

[greencow]

Its up to you but dont let him do the brakes there easy and i bet he is charging you alot for something that you could do with a socket set and 1/h

[CJM]

Thats dang close to needing 100 octane. try 93, it pings and makes horrible noises you need 100.

Ouch on that bill.. I did all of my own work I could and still came out way less than that. Just be happy if it does break its on them and not you.

[bottlefed1]

I can't wait to ride it before it broke it had an fmf power bomb and an amr coil. Now its got a stage 2 cam 11.5:1 piston powercore 4 slip on rejetted barnett dirt digger clutch the airbox lid removed. I hope its alot faster.

[CJM]

compression is power, more comp you do more power it makes.

Sadly the aircooled engine is what holds the EX back form being the best bike. Everyone else's 400s are watercooled (zuki, kawi, etc). If it was watercooled you could run a 12:1 or 13:1 piston and get away with 93 pump gas.