Whats a good price for engine work?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 725
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From: FL.
Whats a good price for engine work?
Heres the job...
The engine is staying in the car, Ill be upgrading the top end only with new Edelbrock RPM heads, Edel. rpm Airgap Manifold. a new hydraulic flat tappet Cam. New hard pushrods,new Roller rocker set up. My old original radiator is comming out and Ill be getting a alum w/spal fan setup from Dewitt's to replace it. Ill use all the rest of my stuff on the new top end. No new fuel lines ect. have to be made , its already done.
So my question is what should I be looking at for a fair price to pay a mechanic to do this kind of upgrade as a side job, not in a performance shop? Anyone got a good ballpark figure?
Thanks, I appreciate any feedback
Tom
The engine is staying in the car, Ill be upgrading the top end only with new Edelbrock RPM heads, Edel. rpm Airgap Manifold. a new hydraulic flat tappet Cam. New hard pushrods,new Roller rocker set up. My old original radiator is comming out and Ill be getting a alum w/spal fan setup from Dewitt's to replace it. Ill use all the rest of my stuff on the new top end. No new fuel lines ect. have to be made , its already done.
So my question is what should I be looking at for a fair price to pay a mechanic to do this kind of upgrade as a side job, not in a performance shop? Anyone got a good ballpark figure?
Thanks, I appreciate any feedback
Tom
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,664
Likes: 1
From: Nashville TN
Your putting a new cam in without pulling the motor?
Might be cheaper for you to yank it and have the mechanic do everything out of the car if he charges by the hour. Seems to me it would be more cost effective to yank it and have him work on it where everything is easy to get to.
When the motor is pulled you can address any other issues and clean the engine bay and get to everything else with ease.
Just an opinion, good luck!
Might be cheaper for you to yank it and have the mechanic do everything out of the car if he charges by the hour. Seems to me it would be more cost effective to yank it and have him work on it where everything is easy to get to.
When the motor is pulled you can address any other issues and clean the engine bay and get to everything else with ease.
Just an opinion, good luck!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 725
Likes: 1
From: FL.
[QUOTE=69vettester]Heres the job...
The engine is staying in the car, Ill be upgrading the top end only with new Edelbrock RPM heads, Edel. rpm Airgap Manifold. a new hydraulic flat tappet Cam. New hard pushrods,new Roller rocker set up. My old original radiator is comming out and Ill be getting a alum w/spal fan setup from Dewitt's to replace it. Ill use all the rest of my stuff on the new top end. No new fuel lines ect. have to be made , its already done.
So my question is what should I be looking at for a fair price to pay a mechanic to do this kind of upgrade as a side job, not in a performance shop? Anyone got a good ballpark figure?
Thanks, I appreciate any feedback
Tom[/QUOTE
a ballpark estimate.. anyone??
The engine is staying in the car, Ill be upgrading the top end only with new Edelbrock RPM heads, Edel. rpm Airgap Manifold. a new hydraulic flat tappet Cam. New hard pushrods,new Roller rocker set up. My old original radiator is comming out and Ill be getting a alum w/spal fan setup from Dewitt's to replace it. Ill use all the rest of my stuff on the new top end. No new fuel lines ect. have to be made , its already done.
So my question is what should I be looking at for a fair price to pay a mechanic to do this kind of upgrade as a side job, not in a performance shop? Anyone got a good ballpark figure?
Thanks, I appreciate any feedback
Tom[/QUOTE
a ballpark estimate.. anyone??
Senior Member since 1492
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me...
St. Jude Donor '09
Originally Posted by big_G
Labor only..$1,500....If you watch, $1,800...If you help, $2,000.
At the least, wait until things start breaking or become "unusable" and need replaced. At $70/hr+ it adds up quickly. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,083
Likes: 2
From: Montreal Qc.
He's talking "side job", not shop labor. Around here the shop guys work side jobs on the weekend/nights for 20-30 bucks an hour. Head/cam change could be done in the car over a weekend easily, more like a day if it comes apart easy. 300 + beer would get that done by a moonlighting pro. You could probably get some forum guys to do it for beer + pizza.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,752
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
A full top end job, including the heads, cam, radiator and all clean-up and painting of parts.....$300 and beer? First off, a good mechanic won't need the $300, second...if you get someone to do it for that price, don't expect any help if the job goes south. The rule still applies...you get what you pay for.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,130
Likes: 1
From: mesa,az
Well, if I was to do it I would want $500 for the job.It's a time consuming job but not particulery hard. I wouldn't expect to get the cam degreed or any port matching done. More like yank off, slap on, tourque down.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: FL.
Originally Posted by vho69
don't do the top without doing the bottom or you'l be doing both again
Other than that, I feel on track with it now. Ill be talking with the mechanic that wants the work this afternoon. Ill go five hundred if thats his price but no more...Thanks everyone, The help is appreciated
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,720
Likes: 12
From: Chattanooga TN
Originally Posted by 69vettester
The low end in the car seems strong, I thought it would support the 70-80 HP&TQ upgrade, without any problem..But does anybody else strongly agree with vho69's comment. please chime in...
Other than that, I feel on track with it now. Ill be talking with the mechanic that wants the work this afternoon. Ill go five hundred if thats his price but no more...Thanks everyone, The help is appreciated
Other than that, I feel on track with it now. Ill be talking with the mechanic that wants the work this afternoon. Ill go five hundred if thats his price but no more...Thanks everyone, The help is appreciated
As far as an estimate, I wouldn't touch it for side work for any less than $500. There is too much risk. Unhappy customer, leaks, fiberglass/paint damage, etc... I say at a shop at least $1000+. If it was easy, you'd do it yourself. Other than a torque wrench there are no special tools involved though. Get to it
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
for $500 he would have to be a real Buddy. IMHO if you farm this work out you need to go with a reputeable shop and pay the money. This is the kind of work that could make a real difference in how your car preforms, or doesn't. If the guy is good and you trust him, go for it. But if it goes titsup, don't expect him to step up to the plate.
One gear at a time
Joined: Aug 2003
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CI 8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09
My experience is that reputable shops too often fail to deliver what was agreed upon, for the price agreed upon, when agreed upon. Many reputable shops fail to do 2 out of the 3 on a regular basis. My experience has been that you do not consistently get what you pay for. Even the high end shops can and do lose focus, or do not pay the attention to details as you would like.
If you want it done right, do it yourself, or learn to do it yourself. I try to rely on shops (machine shops, etc.) for the absolute minimum only. The rest I do myself. I've been burned time and again paying a premium to "get what I paid for", only to have what was paid for not delivered.
"You get what you pay for" sounds like a spiel a shop or contractor would use to scare someone into paying their exhorbinant prices. Personally, I'd have no problem paying an agreed price for quality work, but my experience is far too often, the quality doesn't match the premium paid.
If you want it done right, do it yourself, or learn to do it yourself. I try to rely on shops (machine shops, etc.) for the absolute minimum only. The rest I do myself. I've been burned time and again paying a premium to "get what I paid for", only to have what was paid for not delivered.
"You get what you pay for" sounds like a spiel a shop or contractor would use to scare someone into paying their exhorbinant prices. Personally, I'd have no problem paying an agreed price for quality work, but my experience is far too often, the quality doesn't match the premium paid.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: FL.
Originally Posted by markdtn
Other than a torque wrench there are no special tools involved though. Get to it
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,570
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From: Algonac Michigan
I didn't intend on doing a complete rebuild either but I'm glad I did. With no symptoms,after pulling the motor I found 2 cracked rings and 2 spun rod bearings. Pull it and do it all...
Later,
Sly
Later,
Sly
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 725
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From: FL.
Originally Posted by sly vette
I didn't intend on doing a complete rebuild either but I'm glad I did. With no symptoms,after pulling the motor I found 2 cracked rings and 2 spun rod bearings. Pull it and do it all...
Later,
Sly
Later,
Sly
Thanks Sly....Thanks All.