What's the appeal of an aluminum engine block?

[blykins]

Wrong.

What happens if a sleeve drops (had that happen once) and you don't find out until you get ready to pull it off the dyno and pull the valve covers to do an inspection?

You think the customer pays for that?

What happens if there's a pin hole leak in a lifter bore that wasn't caught until it's on the dyno and running? You don't just fix that stuff without tearing the engine completely down to bare bones.

I don't give prices only to have to take $1000 profit out of it at the end because of a manufacturing defect.

It would be simple if there were no risks to the builder and all I had to do was present the pros/cons to the customer. However, it doesn't work that way.

Why do you think there are regular street build aluminum FE blocks running around with lifter bore bushings? That's something that's not necessary unless we've gone to a .904" lifter, etc. However, there have been pin hole leaks in lifter bores and the fix is either to snag a new block or put lifter bore bushings in. That stuff ain't free.

[patrickt]

Then you restructure your pricing to reflect those prospective risks. You do not just "close the door" on risky builds. Rather, you price them accordingly and clearly, and plainly, convey the risk to the buyer. There are a lot of professions were the professional does not "guaranty their success." They simply pledge to do their best. Breaking in a SFT cam is a good example. If you do your best, and it goes south, the cost should be on me, not you.