An engine is one of the most vital components of any type of vehicle. Proper functioning requires an engine with well-maintained and perfectly working parts.
This much is true for ATVs (all-terrain vehicles). Therefore, if you find that your ATV’s engine has become faulty in one or more ways, you may need to perform a complete engine rebuild.
The average cost to rebuild an ATV engine is a little over $656, although costs can range as high as almost $800 and go as low as about $500.
And this does not include the cost of professional labor to rebuild the engine, which costs close to $790, on average, if you choose not to go the DIY route.
Most engine rebuilds can be accomplished by purchasing a rebuild kit that meets the specifications of your ATV model.
In this cost guide, we’ll break down the costs associated with rebuilding an ATV engine by comparing the costs of rebuilds for different types of ATVs and engines.
We will share price quotes for different rebuild kits and parts on the market and look into the labor involved in rebuilding an engine.
Further, we will share details about factors that cause fluctuations in the cost of an ATV engine rebuild. Read on to learn more about the costs of rebuilding your ATV’s engine.
Cost Breakdown for an ATV Engine Rebuild
Among the benefits of rebuilding a damaged engine include lower costs (compared to replacing the engine) and sustainability in not scrapping your engine entirely.
The costs of rebuilding an ATV engine can be broken down into the cost of parts and labor.
We’ll compare different prices of engine rebuild kits on the market since rebuild kits may prove more economical than buying individual parts (gaskets, seals, bearings, etc.) online.
Remember that the specifications of certain engine rebuild kits need to meet the specifications of your ATV and its engine.
Cost of Parts and Labor
The cost of parts will vary depending on your ATV type, the cost of shipping, and the manufacturer. Further, labor costs will vary depending on where you live and whether or not you rebuild the engine yourself or not.
Cost of Parts – ATV Engine Rebuild Kits ($656)
The average (calculated based on the price quote mentioned below) cost of an ATV engine rebuild kit is around $656. These kits typically include all necessary parts for a rebuild, such as gaskets, seals, bearings, cranks, and O-rings.
While you may not need all parts in a given rebuild kit, the cost of buying the complete kit may be cheaper than buying individual seals and other loose ends separately.
Shipping costs can add up for separate parts, as well. Take a look below at several different ATV engine rebuild kits sold by various manufacturers for different specifications.
Wrench Rabbit Complete Engine Rebuild Kit in a Box (84mm Bore) – WR 101-210
This engine rebuild kit is sold by Dennis Kirk online for a price of $572, while the MSRP rings in at about $635.
It fits Yamaha ATV models including the YFM350R Raptor (2005-2013), YFM350RSE Raptor Special Edition (2005-2007), and YFM350RSE2 Raptor Special Edition 2 (2007), and YFM350X Warrior (1987-2004). It includes everything you need to rebuild your ATV engine if you have one of the fitted models.
Wrench Rabbit Complete Engine Rebuild Kit (90mm Bore) – WR101-061
This engine rebuild kit is also sold by Dennis Kirk, but it meets different specifications. Sold for a price of about $727 online, its MSRP is closer to $800.
This kit is made for riders of Arctic Cat 400 DVX (2005-2008) and DVX Tony Stewart Edition (2006-2007) models.
Wrench Rabbit Complete Engine Rebuild Kit (95.5mm Bore) – WR101-059
This rebuild kit is suited for Suzuki ATVs specifically. Sold and shipped by Dennis Kirk online, its price rings in at about $790, while the MSRP is closer to $880.
This kit is suited to fit Suzuki LT-R450 Quad Racer (2006-2008) and LT-R450Z Quad Racer Special Edition (2008) models.
Wrench Rabbit Complete Engine Rebuild Kit in a Box (68mm Bore) – WR101-203
This kit, sold by Dennis Kirk online, is a rebuild kit complete with everything you need to rebuild several Yamaha ATV models.
Sold for about $535 (with an MSRP price closer to $595), the 68mm Bore kit fits Yamaha YFS200 Blaster (1988-2006) and YFS200SE Blaster Special Edition (2006) ATV models.
Cost of Labor – ATV Engine Rebuild ($790)
The cost of labor will also factor into the total cost of rebuilding an ATV engine. Although not everyone will pay for professional labor (since DIY rebuilding is a valid option), we’ll explore the costs of labor here.
Assuming you’ve acquired the parts yourself (a rebuild kit or otherwise) the average cost of labor for rebuilding an ATV engine is probably going to be based on an hourly rate.
These costs typically land somewhere around $75 per hour for labor. And since labor can take anywhere between 6-15 hours for an ATV engine rebuild, depending on how skilled and proficient your laborer is, you could be looking at around $450-$1125 in labor costs alone.
So, on average, professional labor for an ATV engine rebuild is closer to $790. When added to the costs of parts and engine rebuild kits, you’re looking at an overall cost closer to $1450 for parts and labor combined.
Cost Fluctuations When Rebuilding an ATV Engine
Although the above estimates represent averages across different ATV parts and models, note that costs can fluctuate depending on one or more factors.
Namely, the cost to ship parts, the type/quality of parts you choose, the type of ATV and ATV engine you have, as well as your choice of DIY or professional labor all affect the cost of an ATV engine rebuild.
Type of ATV/Engine
Firstly, be aware of the differences in cost you’ll find depending on what type of ATV you own. When looking at the price quotes for rebuild kits we gathered earlier, you can see that the larger your engine bore is, the more expensive the rebuild kit is likely to be.
We can also notice that the engine rebuild kits for Arctic Cat and Suzuki brand ATVs had higher costs than that of more popular ATV models made by brands like Yamaha.
Further, it seems that, in general, the cost of engine rebuild kits for older models of ATVs is lower. While this is not always the case, you may find that you can get a good deal if you have an older ATV.
Type of Parts
Another factor affecting the cost of an engine rebuild is the type of parts you choose. Firstly, you may find that higher quality parts render higher prices.
Certain manufacturers charge more than others. Additionally, certain rebuild kits are more comprehensive than others, meaning that they contain all parts, as opposed to just some.
The more comprehensive the kit, the higher the prices will likely be.
Further, there will be a cost difference when choosing individual seals, gaskets, and other parts vs. choosing a complete rebuild kit.
Buying things in bulk is often the cheaper option, and when you buy a complete rebuild kit, you are essentially doing that. So, if your engine damage extends to several parts, it may be more cost-efficient to just get a whole rebuild kit.
Professional vs. DIY Labor
You will also find that costs change depending on the way you rebuild your engine. You could do it yourself if you have the mechanical knowledge.
However, note that a professional will get the job done correctly and in a timely manner. Professional labor for this project is quite expensive, so if you can cut that cost, you’ll basically cut your costs in half.
Shipping Costs
Shipping costs will also affect the cost of an engine rebuild, especially if you’re buying your own parts. Some auto shops will charge you an upfront fee so they can acquire the parts needed, but in most cases, you’ll buy the parts on your own.
When it comes to shipping, you may find that some manufacturers charge higher shipping costs than others. Further, if you have to ship parts from overseas, prices will inevitably be higher.
How to Save Money on an ATV Engine Rebuild
Aside from doing the engine rebuild yourself (DIY fashion), there are a couple of ways that you can still cut costs on the project. First of all, do your homework and figure out exactly what is wrong with your ATV’s engine.
If you go straight to a repair shop, you may get cheated if you don’t know what you’re looking at.
Furthermore, you can save money by choosing parts from websites that often offer deals and discounts on their ATV parts.
Look out for when the sales are happening, and if you can, install a browser extension like Honey that will automatically scan for the best deals and prices.
Conclusion
Overall, the cost of rebuilding an ATV engine is an average of $1450, where labor makes up about $790 of that cost, and parts make up about $656.
You can rebuild an engine for about half of the total cost by making it a DIY project. Otherwise, you’ll have to hunt for the best deals on ATV engine rebuild kits online, and be sure to find parts that meet your ATV’s specifications.
