Rebuild a 2.7L or 3.0L six motor, which is cheaper? Options

[boxsterfan]

Which /6 motor is cheaper to rebuild? 2.7L or the 3.0L?

1. Assume core motor is in good condtion and no crazy findings when you tear it down.
2. Assume you are building the motor for longevity
3. You are putting this in a 914/6 conversion (was /4)

[Luke M]

I like Mark have built a 2.7 rs spec engine and currently doing a 83 3.0 for my brothers 914.
I can tell you this, my brother got a sweet deal on the 3.0. The po was upgrading to a 3.6 and the 3.0 was a running engine per the shop doing the swap. If you look around like we did there's deals to be had. With that said both engines had there fair share of problems. On the 3.0 it was resealed by the shop doing the swap and had pressure fed tensioners installed at the same time. I started to check the 3.0 over and figured I'd better retorque the head studs. That came to an end fast after I snapped off a lower stud. It did start to take the torque but it didn't feel right then snap. Long story short apart it came. So far the main difference in the two builds is the machine shop cost. My 2.7 had a linebore to standard , shuffle pins, case savers on all headstuds/case through chain stud/ trans mount studs, spigot faces machined flat, all that work was done at Ollie's machine ( go to their website to view the cost). That was not a cheap machine shop bill but it needed to be done. I had a local shop polish and inspect the crank, install new rod wrist pin bushings, and clean a few other misc parts. The same shop removed one of the snapped off head studs in the 3.0, polished the crank , inspected the rods, cleaned the case, cam towers, and chain boxes. Once the case on both engines where sealed up the prices seamed to be close on other parts. The 3.0 parts seam to be a little bit higher in cost. Both engines got replated nikasil cylinders and new je pistons. The added cost to the 3.0 came when we went to buy big port heads. They need to be sent out for a rebuild yet but total cost once done is $1300.00 on heads alone. Cams/rockers need to be sent out at a cost of $700.00. Based on what is or is being done on both engines the 3.0 is still well under cost of the 2.7. If I had to do it again I'd opt for a 3.0 for sure .
Both engines are getting the same induction, ignition, exhaust so the big expense comes down to machine shop repairs.