8 to 10 hrs labor to change '225' head gasket ?????

-
tiltedsix

tiltedsix

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2013
Messages
47
Reaction score
0
Location
seaside OR.
so my mechanic is saying 8 to 10 hrs ...to change head gaskets ,swap out exhaust bolts ,and put new exhaust manifold and all back together..1969 225 slant six..at $82 an hour......is it really that big of a deal to take the head off and replace the seals @ gaskets...what do you guys think...
 
Sadly, that appears to be on the low side of the ballpark for such work ($660-$1020). It takes less than 8 hrs for the head gasket proper, but an oil change and coolant change are part of the deal according to flat rate. A moonlighting mechanic should be a good prospect for a cheaper job.
 
Get a shop manual and pull that bad boy apart yourself save money . May take more time but you gain knowledge in return . Just my opinion that's how learned all I know .
 
I charge 8 hours to change a head gasket on a 210 hp Cummings marine and 10 hrs for the 315 hp.
 
For 8-10 hours,he must be adding time to repair the exhaust studs he breaks off,when removing them.
 
Johnny Dart said:
For 8-10 hours,he must be adding time to repair the exhaust studs he breaks off,when removing them.
Click to expand...

By the sound of it, you seem to think it's his fault if they break ??

Why so??

Edit - Actually,, I just reread your post, and perhaps took it wrong..

My Flat rate book shows 1964 - 67 - 2.5hrs.... 68 - 72 - 3hrs..

or 4.4 and 4.8 if you adjust valves,, which you gotta do anyway imho..

Shoot.. book say 6.8 and 7.2 hrs to do a valve grind including tune-up..
 
Oldmanmopar said:
Find another shop. He plays with his little head to much.
Click to expand...


OMFG!!!

tumblr_m2cen5AnOC1r48bp2o1_250.gif
 
inertia said:
By the sound of it, you seem to think it's his fault if they break ??

Why so??

Edit - Actually,, I just reread your post, and perhaps took it wrong..
Click to expand...

Working on the intake/exhaust studs on a slant this old can be iffy.
Studs have been known to snap frequently. Once one snaps,it sucks removing them. Soaking them with your favorite penetrator is a must.
 
Johnny Dart said:
Working on the intake/exhaust studs on a slant this old can be iffy.
Studs have been known to snap frequently. Once one snaps,it sucks removing them. Soaking them with your favorite penetrator is a must.
Click to expand...

Yep,, but if they break anyway,, it isn't the mechanics fault.. he has no way of knowing if the nut is undoing, or if the studs twisting off..

On a different note, Champion has a good read about who's fault it is if a plug breaks off undoing it..
 
tear down is quick but it takes time to properly clean all the parts before reassembly , the broken stud is almost a given if they haven't been off in a couple of years or more , my favorite re-occurring trick is the broken thermostat housing bolt , add fluid changes and tuning and that doesn't seem too harsh time wise .
 
Learn to work on your own **** or pay someone else. Those are your two choices.
 
The workshop times guide books are only approximate any way....it all goes out the window when something goes pearshaped....broken studs, broken bolts, broken spark plugs, pulled threads, stripped threads, corossion where it's the worst place to have it......then theres all the cleaning....some may be easy to clean, some may be hard to clean.
How far do you want to go ?????
This is my daily driver.....head gasket had just started sweating coolant....so I put my p&p head on it.
 

Attachments

  • IMGP0728_resize.jpg
    86.7 KB · Views: 542
  • IMGP0732_resize.jpg
    82.3 KB · Views: 547
Get yourself a set of 1/2 drive sockets and go to town. Give yourself the entire day and have the gaskets in your hand before you start. Hit the studs with PB blaster the night before. With no OHC or belt to worry about, those heads come off easily. Drive it down here and with no stud breakage, we can do it in 3 hours.
 
As said, you either pay to have the work done or learn to do it yourself. This is one of the reasons I've learned to do most of my own work. A head gasket isn't a big thing if you can follow instructions and it gives you the opportunity to take a look at the combustion chamber conditions, and clean them yourself. Just be happy that it isn't a v6/8 since you'd have to pay for both.
 
pishta said:
Get yourself a set of 1/2 drive sockets and go to town. Give yourself the entire day and have the gaskets in your hand before you start. Hit the studs with PB blaster the night before. With no OHC or belt to worry about, those heads come off easily. Drive it down here and with no stud breakage, we can do it in 3 hours.
Click to expand...
thats what i'm talkin about!200 off 200 on thats what i get...
 
I don't think 8-10 hours is unreasonable. It is not rocket science, but does take some time. OP stated swaping manifolds, and replacing bolts, not just changing the head gasket. Chances are at least one broken bolt if not more, cleaning parts, including rocker arms and shaft, then adjusting valves after putting back together. While it is off it is always a good idea to change the valve seals, also (and that takes time).

On a clean engine, with manifolds (not headers), I can change a head gasket in about three hours, as it is not necessary to take the manifolds off the head, or clean the rocker assy, just scrape the head gasket and reassemble.
 
Let,s say the head gasket job is a 4 hour deal.IF,some thing goes wrong,where the studs brake(god forbid a stud brake on a old 45-50 car engine,its impossible)and it has to go to a machine shop,you have to order the new studs,as every one in the world carry,s /5 studs,and other item brake,the tech is going to suck it up and pay for it,are you out of your mind.The time he quote,s is ball park if allot of **** happens,if it does not that that time he charges less.If you are so worried about money and repairing your car,take a coarse and do it your self and stop your bitching.When you have spent a day and a half doing it,you come back on here and tell us how you did,oh,and when it,s not running right,and have to go back to the tech to fix your mistakes,are you going to post that too.Go and get 2-3 estimates and post them,take the middle estimate,and stop bitching,mrmopartech
 
Barring a broken stud, the only special tool required is a torque wrench, right?
 
The book time would probably not include the R&R of the intake/exh manifolds. At least if I was "flat rating" it they wouldn't be touched aside from removing the fuel lines and exh pipe. That's how we used to do the 2.2/2.5Ls. So that would be a seperate charge (book time) on that.
A saavy shop owner would be thinking there's the reason the gasket blew. So the head would come off, the induction and exh manifolding comes off, and it get's sent out for milling while the block is checked for flatness. Then reassemble. They have to guarantee the job (at least in CT) so maybe that's part of it too.
 
dustya_383 said:
Get a shop manual and pull that bad boy apart yourself save money . May take more time but you gain knowledge in return . Just my opinion that's how learned all I know .
Click to expand...


Try to do it yourself. If you screw it up, then you can pay someone to fix it. :happy2:
 
If you pre heat the studs with a propane torch, they may come out without breaking.
 
to be honest

if the head gasket is bad, that doesn't say much good about the other parts...

no way would I sink 800 bucks into just changing the head gasket if the rest of the engine is worn out.

just a thought. a rebuilt slant shouldn't be only about $1000 or a little more?
 
sounds reasonable, show us a picture of said motor.
manifold studs are the pain-- the rest is not too bad-- I've never removed the 1st or last one without an issue, the rest can be had.

Buy some beer/food for a buddy(s) & have at it, price out the parts & then offer said buddy 1/2 of the quote cash is always good.

your in the hotbed of Mopars (Oregon)-- surely someone around you is knowledgeable on this.

the only thing I know is when you tear into something-- you find something else & then it snowballs.

Lawrence
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top