Topic: 403 rebuild advice

[Rapp17]

Sorry if this isn't the right place to ask about this (I'm still new) anyway, the 403 in my 79 trans am has finlly kicked the bucket. I found some magntic metal shavings in the oil but it still maintains good oil pressure (40 cold idle 20 hot idle 50-60 when on the throttle hard) nor does it knock, tick, or burn oil. The only obvious signs of anything wrong is a little bit white steam from the valve cover breather but it's been doing that since I bought it and the odometer has rolled over 1,000 miles ago Anyway, I know I'll have to get the full story on what went wrong when I pull the motor and tear it apart but before I go though all that trouble would I even be able to rebuild it with a budget of $3,500? I'm not really looking at making a ton of power or anything like that I just want it to be reliable so I can enjoy my car again.

[LWS78SE]

Thats a loaded question. If nothing is seriosly wrong, just needing rods and mains, timing gears, rings ,waterpump and gaskets, you could keep it under $3500. If say the heads are cracked or need reworked , crank needs turned, block needs bored the price tag starts getting alot larger. Thats the way it usaully goes for me.

[TAKID455]

A rebuild with machine work will be 5-6k min.  This is you doing no work and no buddy favors.  No way around it, its not a SBC. This includes decent parts and not the cheapest junk you can find.  You can add power to it as it will not affect cost. Just part A or B.   I have a nice rotating assembly if interested. 30 over flat top pistons. Will raise the compression to about 9-9.5:1 with your 4a heads. PM for more info.

[Rapp17]

Sorry for the long wait on a reply and thanks for the estimates! I figured it was a bit cheaper to swap in a motor than rebuild the 403 so I'm going to swap in a Pontiac 400. I currently have the 400 being built but it will take about 3 weeks to finish it. I do have a few questions about the swap. What all is compatible between the 403 and the 400? for example things like the water pump pulley and the starter. I know I need a Pontiac flex plate and motor mounts. Also I'm having a lot of trouble finding alternator and power steering brackets. I don't think I can use my brackets since they were off of a cutlass and probably won't fit on the 400.