KLM Transmission Build - ZF 8HP51 (A90/A91 and G20/G42)

Engine and transmission builds are deposit based. Your deposit locks in your build slot, we confirm the full spec with you before work starts, and the balance is due before the build ships.

Each stage builds on the one before it with stronger internals and additional machine work. Stage 1 is up to 1,000 WHP, Stage 2 is up to 1,200 WHP, Stage 3 is up to 1,300 WHP, and Stage 4 SAVAGE is 1,500+ WHP. See the stage comparison page for a full breakdown of what's included at each level.

If you have the skills and the equipment, we will freight a complete engine straight to your door. That said, most of our customers are better served having a shop handle the install. Engine removal, torque specs, and factory service procedures are not the place to learn as you go. If you are not fully confident, have a shop you trust do it.

That is between you and your tuner. Our builds are rated for what the engine can hold, and getting there depends on your turbo setup, fuel, and supporting mods. These modern cars are smart enough to run a built engine on the factory calibration, but that does not mean you should leave it there, especially with supporting mods in the mix. When in doubt, tune. If you have a power goal in mind and want a turbo kit paired with your build, email us and we will recommend a combination that gives your tuner the right tools to reach it.

There is no warranty on a race engine, from us or anyone being straight with you. Once it leaves our shop we have no control over the install, the tune, or how hard it gets run. What we do give you is a proven break in procedure with every build, and if something is genuinely wrong with the engine, we want to know. Tell us exactly what happened and we will help you figure out the path forward. Worst case, we offer a discounted rebuild on every engine we have built. What we are not is your install manual, if you are asking us how to put an engine in a car, see the question above and take it to a shop.

In stock parts ship in 1 to 2 business days. Turbo kits run 4 to 6 weeks because the hot side is built to order. Engine builds are timed from the day your core arrives at our shop, typically 4 to 5 weeks depending on what your engine needs and how many builds are in the queue. See the next question for exactly what happens when your engine gets here.

First, get in contact with support. They will confirm your pickup address and any accommodations needed for the pickup, and quote your round trip freight so you know the cost to us and back. If the engine is getting picked up and delivered at different addresses, tell us ahead of time. From there, you or your shop pull the engine and strip it down, all accessories off, as close to a bare engine as possible. Get it on a pallet, nothing fancy, but prop the engine so there is no pressure on the valve cover, and strap it down tight. Ratchet straps work, get creative if you have to. When the engine is ready, we set up the pickup and our freight carrier comes to you. No forklift needed, we can add a liftgate no problem. From there it is on its way.

Your engine comes off the truck by forklift and goes straight to intake. From there:

1. Teardown and inspection. Our build team fully disassembles your engine and inspects every component, usually within a day or two of arrival.
2. Build sheet. The team writes up a detailed report and we walk you through it, what is good to go, what is worn, what needs to be replaced, and any cost adjustments for replacement parts. Parts orders go in right away.
3. Prep and vapor hone. The block gets vapor honed while the build team preps components.
4. Machining. All block work happens in house, under the same roof as the build room. Depending on the engine that can mean sleeving, boring, and other processes before the head is decked.
5. Assembly. The engine enters the build room and gets assembled to spec.
6. Crate and ship. After the last bolt is torqued, your engine is palletized on a KLM fabricated engine stand and packed with your extras and the break in guide. Once final payment clears we email you to confirm your delivery address and whether you need a liftgate, then it ships same or next day.

No. We have spent years testing our setups and we know exactly what works and what we trust at every power level. Every part in a KLM build is there because it has earned its place, and our discounted rebuild offer exists because we know precisely what went into your engine. An unknown part breaks that chain. If there is a specific component you want to run, bring it up when we confirm your spec and we will tell you what we use and why.

Absolutely, a blown engine is the most common reason customers start a build with us. One thing to understand going in: once your engine is broken down, our techs inspect everything and document any parts that took catastrophic damage and must be replaced. From there, support will reach out with what is wrong, the plan moving forward, and an idea of the cost for the parts to fix it. Worst case, the core itself is unviable, and if that happens we can source a replacement core for you. Know it is a possibility before you ship.

Every engine ships with a printed break in guide in the crate. Follow it exactly, break in is not optional and it is not the place to improvise. If your guide gets lost or damaged, email us and we will gladly send you another, no problem at all.

You can. We source a core for you at market rate and build that core into your engine. Core prices move with the market and some are getting harder to find, S58s especially, so we are always buying cores when we find them at the right price to save our customers money where we can. Reach out with what you need and we will tell you what core availability and cost look like right now.