Unreal

So someone emailed me to review a quote for a heads quote, but has emails and PMs turned off, but I thought this would be good info for everyone.

I would shop around.
2 12594171 Exhaust manifold gaskets 16.25 29.90 - Not needed unless they damage yours
1 748RR Spark plug wire set 153.00 94.80- WAY WAY over priced
8 TR6GP Spark plug NGK – platinum 3.95 28.00- Platinum are for long life, not performance. Very poor choice of plugs IMO. Run OEM ones if you want new plugs.
2 12582179 Head gasket 51.50 92.70- Overpriced
1 134-3610 Head bolt set – ARP 169.20 155.60- Overpriced
1 89017852 Intake manifold gasket – set 88.40 79.50- Reusable, and no need to replace unless they damage them.
1 01306 Driven power steering fluid 21.50 19.80- Meh, overpriced
8 5w30 Mobil 1 motor oil 6.95 51.20
1 PF48 Oil Filter 6.95 6.40
2 80204 Water wetter 9.50 17.50
4 36-384 Extended life antifreeze pre-mix 16.80 57.60- $58 in antifreeze? Are they drunk?
1 2800B2 Bearing guard pre-lube 6.72 6.05
1 346-1371 Rocker arm bushing kit 255.75 230.40- Retail on those kits is ~$120-150 depending on brand. $230 is crazy
1 8905-16 Pushrods 3/8” x 7.750” 235.20 202.80 - No need for pushrods like that, or $200+ ones. Plus they need to measure, then select appropriate rods.


Parts Total $ 639.05 – 1,072.25
Labor Total $ 1,394.00 – 1,681.00
Outside Work $ 2,740.00

They are quoting $1681 in labor for head swap, and then $2740 additional for the heads to get reworked at an outside place for a total of $5800 for a simple head swap. This is crazy. If people are getting quotes like this, they need to shop around.

psp6158

Thanks for looking out for us...

~STOLEN~

you could get a complete top end setup for that lol

MTPZ06

Terrible

Nowanker

It's a rough world trying to run a repair shop.
Some of the prices are pretty f*ckin' high... what shop uses 'pre-mix' antifreeze? $58?!
But I must disagree on the need to replace intake and exhaust gaskets.
Yes, they theoretically are reuseable.
But no way I would stick my *** out in the breeze on a customer car, trying to save them a few bucks but making myself liable to redo work if they leak.
Rough enough assuming liability for new parts that are sometimes sh*t, and ditto for any sublet labor operations...

MYCoupe

I agree with you. If I'm running my own shop there is no way I'm reusing gaskets on a customer's car. If I was doing the work on my own car that is a different story...

Unreal

I've reused intake gaskets now on 4 manifolds, 20+ times. The exhaust manifold ones 10+ times. Never an issue. You can easily inspect and look at them. No reason to blindly replace a reusable gasket.

MTPZ06

This guy just dropped $5K at a dealer for head work...unfortunately they clearly forgot the lash caps.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...long-post.html

Unreal

The idea of replacing the reusable oring seals each time is silly. By that logic they should replace the valve cover gaskets, and TB gasket as well, since they are the same reusable type of oring "gasket" as the intake manifold. The MLS steel exhaust manifold seals are very robust, but can easily be reused.

Mordeth

Agree with Unreal. I have my valve covers and intake manifold off pretty regularly and there is no possible way I am replacing gaskets every time. They hold up fine to repeated removal/reinstall. I do keep spares handy in case I see something I don't like though or tear a gasket. As for the exhaust manifold gasket - same thing. Hold up fine to repeated installs. But I have replaced them once (recently) as from inspection it was time and I was rebuilding the engine. I do always replace my head gaskets though when heads come off.

And the quote in this thread is ridiculous. $5800?

$1500 for fixed heads with upgrades. $80 worth of gaskets and $1000 labor. Figure $300 - $400 at most more for odds and ends. Pushrods ($120) if needed, oil, plugs/wires etc. Quote should be in the $3k range. No reason to mess with rockers unless there is an issue.

Racingswh

As we have eluded to in the past with the drop in purchase prices of these cars more new owners are finding themselves faced with the possibility of fairly high maintenance and repair costs they might not have budgeted for. Just finished a lengthy conversation with friends yesterday where 8 out of 9 of us had lost an LS7.

Great that you are offering options and pointing out where they may find some savings which can take away some of the financial pain.

I think it's important to either find a fair shop you are comfortable with and can speak to openly and honestly about budget and cost in relation to the work being performed or if you have the time and facility tackle the job yourself.

Thanks for the help you regularly give others. It's always impressive to me how many here on CF are willing to provide good, thoughtful information and answer questions even when they are the same they have seen and answered hundreds of times before.

TXGS507

Guilty....

dhpeck

thanks UNREAL, as it is my quote. Couple things, is there a consensus that I don't need to add the expense of the rocker arm bushings and pushrods? My shop mentioned this as an optional add. They said the OEM needle bearings can destroy an engine.

Next, they are using Stage 2 WCCH heads and also have money in quote for a dyno tune post install.

$5700 on the high side of quote is a lot of money which includes the dyno, rocker arm bearing and pistons but I do trust their work.

Thoughts?

Mordeth

Are they milling your heads? If so, you measure for new pushrod length. You don't just assume 7.75". Also no reason to change them unless it is needed after a measurement.

What year is your car? The needle bearing issue was with 2007s. And if you really want to replace them then just get OEM arms for $14 each. Otherwise, leave them alone.

And what do mean by "pistons"? What is wrong with your pistons?

Unreal

You "may" need pushrods, but BTR has very nice pushrods for $120, and they need to measure and then order the correct ones, assuming the stock ones don't work. If they work, just put them back in. Pistons? That is a whole different game, and means removing the motor, machine work, and a lot of extra stuff.

No need to touch rocker arm bearings unless you have an issue, and if you do the BTR kit is $130, and simple to install. $2800 for stage 2 WCCH is high too. List price on WCCH stage 2 heads is $1754, so where is the extra $1000 coming? It is like they are taking normal MSRP and adding 30-70% to all the prices. Almost everything on that quote is marked up through the roof, not including labor which is quoted very high.

And I tried to respond via email but your account settings won't allow that, and you can't get PMs either. I figured this would help everyone, so glad you found this.

dhpeck

I apologize I meant pushrods. My car is a 07, so the needle bearings might be a risk?

dhpeck

Thanks UNREAL, trying to figure out how to turn my email/PM on right now

dhpeck

The $2800 Stage 2 head quote is including a dyno tune estimate of $660.

Unreal

Yes, if they fall into the bad months, but at the same time, they might have been fixed already if the car has any mileage on it, as those fail early. Plus when they fall, it doesn't take out the motor. It causes some noise, you fix it, and move on. They do not destroy the motor. You can do new OEM rockers for $14 each, or BTR kit for $130-140 and be done, not $240+100+ in labor.

For that quote, you could literally pay a shipping company to send it here to Arizona to CPR, get the work done, and back and come out ahead.

feconi

That is in line with a quote I got for the job. Back in August '17 I was quoted roughly $5000 to swap a set of AHP Stage 4's (basic setup w/ minor milling, PM guides, etc.). IIRC labor was more than 50% of the total cost. Thing is, I know of a couple of Z06 owners who used that shop for the swap. Shops are quoting those prices because some people will pay them.

That motivated me to DIY and I'm glad I did. My all-in cost (including plugs, gaskets, etc.) for the same AHP head package was about $1900, and I knocked it out over a long weekend.