How many hours should a garage charge me for this job?

[grandkodiak]

How many hours should I expect a garage to charge me for to do this work:

1996 Trans Am 6-spd LT1 dual cats

ps. i am supplying all these parts, all thier gaskets, screws, etc. they need.

Heads
Int. manifold
Cam
Rockers
Throttlebody
Injectors
Plugs
Wires/looms
Shortube headers
Oil change
Fill coolant

I figure just do do one job makes doing the other that much easier, alone i imagine this take awhile but i think putting on headers would be a snap with the old heads and manifold already off, no?

i dont want to be suprised with a rediculous bill, I have $4,000 credit limit for this install, i HOPE that should be enough, but should i expect $1000, 1500, 2000...?

[Somebody09]

It should be about $0.00 because you can do all that yourself!

Honestly, when I asked about a heads & cam swap at a local shop they quoted me about 16 hours. Around here at $55/hr thats $880, but $1000 isn't unreasonable because something unforseen always comes up!

You're right, combining jobs should make it cheaper... depends on how honest your installer is though. For a headswap, you're right, the exhaust manifolds have to get out of the way. Before you put the new ones on, (which should not increase the price even ONE penny more!!!) the plugs can be replaced (again, should be no additional charge). With your heads off, the cam swap is a snap! The rockers will already be off so again, no additional charge. You have to do an oil change and you have to lose the coolant already in your engine.

I would ask the shop how much it costs for a heads & cam swap, 'cause that's really all they'll be doing. Then, after they give you a quote, ask them about not putting the stock stuff back in, and replacing it with aftermarket stuff. If they say there's an extra charge (for what? touching new parts vs old parts?), find another shop!

I still say do it yourself. It's easy.

Injectors might add something since they have to be lubricated and can be a bitch to pull out of and snap back into the rails.

Edit & side note: I don't know anything about LT1 fuel pump limits, but I replaced my pump and a lot of other LS1 folks replace theirs after a head & cam swap, not that they need to.

[SexOnWheels]

I would not say it is easy as nothing dealing with the LT1 in a F-body is easy.

But having said that you could (and should) do it yourself.

There are plenty of online guides for you to learn what to do and in what order.

Research it a little more and see if you are up to the install yourself. You will feel better about doing it yourself plus you will know that it is done right with proper torque spec's, etc.

Also add to your list gaskets and maybe some ARP header and head bolts.

[grandkodiak]

I called the one garage back and they decided theyd rahter pull the engine to after doin some research when i sent them my complete list, but they did say theyd only take 3-4 days on best case and only 12-14 hours labor!!

[SSwt00SS]

well before you get too excited, you can do some of that (if not all) yourself and save even more $$$ like mentioned above. good luck...

[mingo99z]

I pay $75 hr to have them work on my 99 camaro well worth it if the work or part does'nt work right they fix it for free. thats worth my time when I mess up and half to tare it back down and start all over that sucks.

[grandkodiak]

i'm not standing outside in 40 degree windy weather with a rusty wrench following some internet directions on my only means of transportation with no garuntee way of getting it to a professional when things go bad and i cant start the car cause half of the block is off and frozen over with dew the new morning with a half dead cat huddling in the oil pan.

[SSwt00SS]

i'm not standing outside in 40 degree windy weather with a rusty wrench following some internet directions on my only means of transportation with no garuntee way of getting it to a professional when things go bad and i cant start the car cause half of the block is off and frozen over with dew the new morning with a half dead cat huddling in the oil pan.

nothing you said sounds bad and is managable, 'cept for the 1/2 dead cat in the oil pan, that would be a bitch to deal with...

[grandkodiak]

i also dont have a lift nor any way to dispose of the oil or coolant

[Wulfe13]

I pay $75 hr to have them work on my 99 camaro well worth it if the work or part does'nt work right they fix it for free. thats worth my time when I mess up and half to tare it back down and start all over that sucks.

+1 If they fuck something up, they'll fix it. If YOU fuck it up, YOU'LL be the one buying a new engine or atleast fixing it yourself.

I would ask the shop how much it costs for a heads & cam swap, 'cause that's really all they'll be doing. Then, after they give you a quote, ask them about not putting the stock stuff back in, and replacing it with aftermarket stuff. If they say there's an extra charge (for what? touching new parts vs old parts?), find another shop!

Yep... If you just give them a list, they're more likely to charge PER item.

[x-40oz-x]

i'm not standing outside in 40 degree windy weather with a rusty wrench following some internet directions on my only means of transportation with no garuntee way of getting it to a professional when things go bad and i cant start the car cause half of the block is off and frozen over with dew the new morning with a half dead cat huddling in the oil pan.

[Spaz]

[QUOTE=grandkodiak;521401i cant start the car cause half of the block is off and frozen over with dew the new morning with a half dead cat huddling in the oil pan.

[/QUOTE]

reminds me of my neighbor driving over asking i have seen her cat. i said no and then i smelled this horrible smell coming from her car and smoke from under her hood... that car was sleeping on the radiator blades or something... i was all diced up and parts of it were cooking on the exhaust manifolds... i found her cat...

[grandkodiak]

lol that post is made even better by your icon... mmm

[Crimson Sin]

If your getting a quote for 12-14 hrs, they are being generous, my labor guide via AllData calls for near 21 hours with swap for an LT1 R&R -
Also, ask about fluids... if they are gonna R&R yer engine, then yer looking as brake fluid, power steering fluid, AC etc, Dunno about the LT1, but my LS1 R&R was a drop the cradle from under experience.
14 hours is a Freakin STEAL....just my .02 worth.
I work as a service writer and I charged MYSELF $850 for the R&R on my car...

[AKIRA]

Not to be against the crowd, but if you dont have any know how AND you have frustration issues (as I do), then Id pay someone else to do it. A lot of people on this site do hands on work and are very knowledgable, but some things hold us idiots back.

I would do it if I had 2 free days and a friend that knows this shit to do it with me for those 2 days. Id also have some extra transportation (but then again it is 2 free days). When you do it with someone, you learn about your car, have that feeling of hard work done by yourself, and having someone there that knows what hes doing helps in the confidence of the job getting done correctly.

[WhiteLs1]

Being a service writer, I would estimate about 21-25 hrs, and thats if there aren't any hickups, and expect them to have your car for some time. I would find friend or do some research and do it yourself.

[310stanger]

Its a good recommendation to tackle jobs on your car like this on your own if money is a concern and for me it is anyways. But unless you have tools, patience, and mechanical ability and engine knowledge I can almost recommend farming the job out if you have the money and are willing to spend it. The car will be done faster and you wont have to deal with the headaches. I did a similar build up only on my mustang and as stated before something always comes up. Not to mention theres things that have to be done a certain way that if you dont have engine experience your more then likely not gonna know. But the best way to "know" is to do. Give it a whirl if you want. I can guarantee youll learn a lot and when completed will have the satisfaction of doing it yourself. jus my 2 cents.

[grandkodiak]

How long does it take to drop the motor and what do you mean by r&r, all they are doing is basically a head and cam swap, they have to take all those parts off anyway to do just that, so they might as replace the old parts with the new ones i'm providing.

how long does alldata say for a head/cam swap?

[Crimson Sin]

AllData says about 16 hours for H/C swap...

[WhiteLs1]

R&R= Remove and Replace. I work on Heavy equipment but would have to say that bare minimum for an Ls1 swap would easily be 30 hours. Heads and cam swap is no cheap job. Good Luck -Dave