Remind me to stay away from aircraft grease.
Costs for an engine swap
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Costs for an engine swap
I'm looking at upgrading engines sometime in the future. I know that number can vary greatly
Aside from the cost of purchasing a crate engine, how much would a mechanic charge? I know that number can vary greatly, just looking for a ballpark.
FYI, for an 81 auto.
Aside from the cost of purchasing a crate engine, how much would a mechanic charge? I know that number can vary greatly, just looking for a ballpark.
FYI, for an 81 auto.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 205
Likes: 3
From: Sneads Ferry NC
Are you unable to do it yourself? Labor can be rather expensive. When I used to work for Honda labor was 89.95 an hour and a remove and replace the engine would usually be somewhere around 18 to 20 hours of labor. Obviously this was for a dealership and they always charge more but I am sure you will still be looking at no less than 1200 dollars in labor which would include all fluids. Try to find someone that can do it on the side. I would take a job like that for 500 dollars in labor plus cost for fluids
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,889
Likes: 23
From: Kansas
Sure wish you were close to me themetalman03886. I used to pull & install those myself, but old father time has ended that fool hardiness. And if it's greasy, I'm not working on it at all. LOL Have a great one. Gene
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
The problem with older engine swap is things always break or you start replacing other parts "while your at it" Yes I would charge about 500 or so for a straight engine swap but more like 1000 for a good job done right. I always try and do a little extra and ask if they want anything else when doing the work. Good work is not cheap. Anyone can throw an engine is a car but to do it right and have it look like it was done right takes time. A lot depends on the condition of the car and what else needs to be done. Most of the work on C3 cars is custom work and you pay by the hour. Tough to get flat rate jobs done on these due to the age of the car.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 801
Likes: 1
If I had pay someone to work on mine I would have to let it go.can't afford parts an labor both.sometimes labor is more than parts but I understand the family thing.I wear gloves when I work on things now so the grease part dosent enter the picture.some of the grease I use on aircraft removes paint so gloves are a force of habit.
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Instructor
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 205
Likes: 3
From: Sneads Ferry NC
Haha yeah doesn't sound so great but it does the job which needs to be done every 14 days along with every 25 flight hours per aircraft, we have 22 Aircrafts. Man I think I'm going to get cancer now
