Rebuild 2002 Yamaha G16

[mutt3497]

My 2002 Yamaha G16 engine needs rebuilding. I was just wondering what the avg cost should be. I got quote from 2 different shops and they was
$400 different. Thanks

[CP241]

What needs rebuilt exactly?

I'd recommend buying the parts, downloading the service manual and do it yourself. Parts are cheap it's the labor that costs a small fortune...

[mutt3497]

I am assuming the top end. It is smelling of oil and is blowing blue smoke from exhaust.

[CP241]

That's an easy rebuild, you don't even have to take the motor out. IF you have all replacement parts in hand, most "semi-mechanically-inclined" people could do the entire job in a couple hours. Someone with small engine experience, with all parts in hand, maybe 45 minutes to an hour.

Cheapest route would be an overbore piston/ring set. You can buy them all over online for about 50 bucks. Take the top of the motor apart (valve cover = 4 bolts, then 4 bolts to remove the cylinder head). pull it off, and then you can just slide the cylinder itself up and off. i'm generalizing, but yes it's that easy.

Then take the cylinder AND piston/ring set to a machine shop. They will bore it out and match the piston/rings to the bore. Remove the current piston, install the new stuff and put it back together. Machine shop generally will charge $50-75 for this service to bore and set up piston ring gaps.

Alternatively you could order a new cylinder, i haven't looked but doubt it's more than a couple hundred bucks from Yamaha. Then order a standard sized piston/rings and just put it all together.

IF you go the latter route, you could always get an overbore piston/rings set, and have a machine shop bore it out. Spray it with some oil, put it in a big ziploc bag and save it for a rainy day the next time :)

[mutt3497]

I got one quote from cart shop that was $850 and the other shop said $1200.

[CP241]

If you're comfortable with it, i'd recommend DIY. Will save you a ton of cash...

If not then i'd find out if they are both using OEM or aftermarket parts. But most of that pricing is likely part mark-up and labor

[mutt3497]

Not really comfortable doing it myself lol. But I just thought that sounded high myself. Especially to be that far off. The one that was $850 is certified Yamaha dealer so I would assume it is OEM parts.

[CP241]

Never assume! A lot of shops will use aftermarket parts because it allows them to carry fewer SKU's in the store and fit more applications... I'd ask for a breakdown of the price as well. I don't know what "golf cart book time" would be for the job as I don't know if a standardized reference for that even exists for golf carts, but realistically a competent mechanic that works on these things all day long shouldn't need a ton of time/labor to do the job as it's really not very difficult.

[mutt3497]

Thanks for all your help!

[CP241]

Good luck :) i've lost track of how many small engines i've rebuilt (i've got 3 of them outside my garage right now waiting to go in). not much experience with golf carts in particular at the moment lol but i'm getting there :)