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At LVEL, we don’t throw guesses at it.
We follow a clear, repeatable process that starts online and ends with a fully documented engine and a build plan that actually matches your goals.

Here’s exactly what happens when you work with us.

Why We Start With an Online Tear-Down Booking

Most engine jobs go wrong because:

• Nobody actually tears the motor fully down

• No measurements are taken

• The builder “kind of” knows what failed

• The customer never sees anything

By making you book a tear-down online first, we force the process to be:

• Transparent

• Organized

• Documented

• Worth your money

You get:

• Real answers

• Real photos

• Real options

…and you decide what happens next.

Step 1 – Choose Your Tear-Down Service Online

Everything starts with a paid engine tear-down.

On our Book a Tear-Down page, you’ll see simple options:

• Inline-4 engines

• Standard V6 / V8 engines

• High-complexity / boosted engines (twin-turbo, supercharged, exotic layouts)

Each product clearly lists:

• What’s included in the tear-down

• The starting price

• Rough expectations on timeline

You pick the option that matches your engine type, add it to cart, and check out like any normal online order.

No phone tag. No “call for pricing.”
You see the price up front and lock your spot in the schedule.

Step 2 – Confirm & Fill Out the Intake Form

After checkout, you’ll receive:

1. Order confirmation

2. A link to our Engine Intake Form

The form captures the details we need to do real failure analysis:

• Year / make / model

• Engine code (if you know it)

• Current mods (tune, turbo, fuel, etc.)

• What happened when it failed (noise, smoke, misfire, coolant loss, etc.)

• Your goals:

  • OEM+ reliability

  • Street/strip power

  • Track use / roll racing

  • “Turn it up and see what it does”

You can fill this out from your phone in a few minutes.

Why it matters:
The more honest and detailed you are here, the more accurate your diagnosis and build recommendations will be. This is where we start treating your engine like a case file, not just a broken part.

Step 3 – Schedule Drop-Off or Shipping

Once we have your intake form, we’ll confirm:

• Drop-off time & location (Las Vegas – by appointment only), or

• Shipping instructions if you’re sending an engine in.

Important:

• Engines must arrive as engines only, removed from the vehicle. Superchargers and turbos (if equipped) are fine, and engine accessories can stay attached—but we do not accept complete cars, just the engine assembly itself.
  

• We don’t do removal/installation—your local shop or dealer handles that part.

• Please drain all fluids and secure the engine properly to a stand, pallet, or crate.

If you’re shipping from out of state, we’ll guide you on:

• Palletizing / crating

• Recommended freight carriers

• Where to send it and how to label everything

Step 4 – Engine Check-In & Lab Tagging

When your engine arrives, we:

• Verify your information and engine ID

• Apply a LVEL with your name and job number

• Photograph the engine as-received (for your report)

• Log it into our build tracking system

Nothing gets torn apart until it’s labeled and logged.
This keeps your components and paperwork matched from start to finish.

Step 5 – Full Tear-Down (No Shortcuts)

Now the real work starts.

Your engine is:

1. Mounted securely on a stand

2. Drained and cleaned enough for disassembly

3. Completely torn down to a bare block

We don’t stop at “pull the heads and peek.” We go all the way:

• Front and rear covers

• Timing system

• Heads, cams, and valvetrain

• Pistons, rods, crankshaft

• Oil pump, pan, and pickup

• Bearings, seals, and fasteners

Every major step is photographed and documented. You will get video inspections as well.

We look for:

• Signs of detonation, heat, and oil starvation

• Scoring on journals and cylinders

• Cracked ringlands

• Bent or twisted rods

• Head gasket failure points

• Previous bad machine work or cheap parts

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Step 6 – Cleaning & Measurement for Inspection

To do a real failure analysis, we clean and measure the right parts:

• Cylinder bores (taper / out-of-round)

• Main and rod journal sizes

• Bearing clearances (before and after removal, when possible)

• Piston-to-wall clearance

• Deck and head flatness, resurfacing

• Timing chain / guide wear patterns

We use precision tools—micrometers, bore gauges, straightedges, feeler gauges—and record the data on our Engine Rebuild Inspection Sheet.

This is where it turns from “my engine blew up” into hard numbers.

Step 7 – Your Digital Failure Report

Once the tear-down and inspection are complete, we compile a digital report QR code and send it to you via email.

Your report includes:

• Overview of the engine and job number

• Photo gallery of key components and failures

• Written explanation of why it failed (and any contributing factors)

• Notes on what is:

  • Reusable

  • Rebuildable with machining

  • Trash

• Recommended machining operations (if applicable)

• Recommended rebuild options (see next step)

This is the moment where most customers say:

“Finally, someone actually showed me what happened instead of just guessing.”

Step 8 – Rebuild Options & Estimate

Along with your report, you’ll receive clear rebuild paths tailored to your goals and budget.

Typical options:

1. OEM+ Refresh

   • New OEM or upgraded equivalent parts

   • Focus on reliability and long life

   • Perfect for daily-driven cars and mild tunes

2. Performance / Forged Build

   • Forged pistons and rods

   • Upgraded hardware (ARP, etc.)

   • Boost-ready clearances

   • Designed for serious power and E85 / race fuel

3. Hybrid Options

   • Keep some OEM components

   • Strengthen known weak links

   • Good for mid-level power goals

Each option lays out:

• Parts to be replaced

• Machine work required

• Estimated labor

• Estimated timeline

• Deposit required

You can review everything on your phone and reply with:

“Let’s go with Option 2”
or
“What would it cost if we also did forged rods?”

We adjust the estimate as needed until you’re happy with the plan.

Step 9 – Deposit & Build Start

Once you approve a rebuild:

• We collect a 50–70% deposit (covers parts and machine work).

• We order parts and schedule machining.

• Your job moves from “diagnosis” to active build in our system.

You’ll get:

• A clear estimated completion window

• Updates when:

  • Major parts arrive

  • Machining is completed

  • Assembly starts

  • The engine is finished and ready

Step 10 – Assembly & Final Checks

During assembly, everything is:

• Cleaned again before installation

• Measured and checked against spec

• Lubed and torqued properly

• Recorded on our inspection sheets

This is where the “engine lab” part really shows up:

• Fasteners and components are laid out and labeled

• Clearances are verified

• Critical steps are photographed for your records

When the engine is built, we:

• Perform final rotation and leak checks where possible

• Plug and seal all ports for transport

• Tag it as ready for pickup or shipping
  
  
  
  
  
  

Step 11 – Final Payment, Pickup, or Shipping

When your engine is complete:

1. We send final photos and your remaining balance.

2. Once payment is received, you can:

   • Pick up in Las Vegas by appointment, or

   • Arrange freight shipping back to your installer

We can provide recommended crating and freight options if needed.

Your digital report and build notes stay on file under your job number, so if you ever need to reference clearances, components, or recommendations, it’s all there.