How many hours for a garage to do this job - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

grandkodiak · 12-28-2006, 05:33 AM

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...?

JSPERFORMANCE · 12-28-2006, 09:26 AM

How many miles on the engine?? You may be better off having the engine dropped and gone through. Shouldnt be much additional labor.. We would probably be no higher than the $1500 area to drop it and basicly re gasket it.. Heck if you were looking to go that route it could be your opportunity to put a tubular K member and new mounts in at the same time.

grandkodiak · 12-28-2006, 09:47 AM

Just rolled past 61,000

What would a tubular k member and new mounts do for me?

Tru2Chevy · 12-28-2006, 09:52 AM

Tubular K member would be less weight in the nose of the car. If you drag race, it's a pretty good mod to do.

- Justin

JSPERFORMANCE · 12-28-2006, 10:04 AM

not just for drag racing.. It decreases the front/rear weight bias for better stability overall. And new mounts will replace your old ones and hold the engine a little tighter in the car. Putting the engine on the stand to do the work will make for a better job as well because the oil pan needs to be dropped down in the front to do the cam in the car and if you have it on the stand the gasket can be replaced much easier instead of trying to re-align it which sometimes leads to oil leaks down the road. Plus like I said before it gives us the chance to check out the bottom end to see what the bearings look like..

grandkodiak · 12-28-2006, 10:39 AM

I kinda dont want to know :-/

Think I'll skip that kmember, i just to mess around on the local roads and put a smile on my face on the highway, dont compete or anything...

1 garage i talked to said they were planning to drop the engine to do the work anyway, and 1 garage said theyd perfer to do it whilst in the car still... but neither gave me a quote or even an eta for the labor... they said give em a weeks notice and it would probably take about a week or so to get done giving time for the unexpected like stuck or broken assembly parts... now i dont care if they HAVE it for a week or even 2 weeks, i care how long they WORK on it, hence 15 hours in 1 weeks time or 2 weeks time doesnt cost me a penny difference.

foff667 · 12-28-2006, 12:42 PM

make sure you get a tune ready for those injectors before it leaves the shop.

grandkodiak · 12-28-2006, 12:55 PM

i have a mail order tune by pcmforless all ready including all the cam data, actual flow nums and all the mods

foff667 · 12-28-2006, 01:19 PM

cool deal

BonzoHansen · 12-28-2006, 01:30 PM

Just wondering, why not do some or all of it yourself?

ar0ck · 12-28-2006, 06:21 PM

Because once you break something you are F'cked, especially if you don't know what the hell your doing!

I wouldn't be suprised to see a shop charge anywhere from $1,000 to $3k

johnjzjz · 12-28-2006, 06:37 PM

their is only one way to do any of it -- thats all of it and only once --- dont be surprised to fine out it will be 5 / 6 Gs -- 60 per hour shop billing at 40 hrs per week thats 2400 per week my guess 3 weeks and 60 ?? is cheap -- jz

BonzoHansen · 12-28-2006, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TransAm4Life

Because once you break something you are F'cked, especially if you don't know what the hell your doing!

Then you never learn! And there are lots of guys here that might help, I bet. Guys way smarter than I.

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnjzjz

their is only one way to do any of it -- thats all of it and only once --- dont be surprised to fine out it will be 5 / 6 Gs -- 60 per hour shop billing at 40 hrs per week thats 2400 per week my guess 3 weeks and 60 ?? is cheap -- jz

That was my thought. Shops that will do this know many shops won't.

best of both · 12-29-2006, 10:36 AM

Just to give you a rough Idea at $60 per hour you are looking in the $2000 t0 $2500 range. You don't say if you have gaskets or not. There is a some combo labor with both jobs but parts switch over will use most of it. I used Mitchell Software to figure it out so It should be close. most shops use Mitchell, Shop Key, or All Data. I have access to all and that is a good average. I have done a few LT1s as GM tech and the shop that wants to drop the Motor is the Smart one. This would be a great time to install the tubular k member.

grandkodiak · 12-29-2006, 01:38 PM

oh man... i hope it doesnt get that high!

i have all gaskets, install kits, bolts, sleeves, wires, hell even the replacement oil and filter ready and marked.

you have me worried though now, the garage said bring it in wensday and hell start, he said hell have the car 3-4 days and itll be done with about 12-13 hours of labor charges. labor here i think is $90 so i wasnt expecting too much....

best of both · 12-29-2006, 02:36 PM

Like I said That is estimate from Mitchell, There are some areas where the labors cross with the Cam Change and Cylinder heads. I would get Quote from the shop before work begins so you can be prepared. I was a GM tech for 25 years and now oversee 130 shops and 500 techs. If you get an estimate in writing and want to e-mail it. I review them for a living as part of my job and will do that if it helps.

Knipps · 12-29-2006, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by best of both

Like I said That is estimate from Mitchell, There are some areas where the labors cross with the Cam Change and Cylinder heads. I would get Quote from the shop before work begins so you can be prepared. I was a GM tech for 25 years and now oversee 130 shops and 500 techs. If you get an estimate in writing and want to e-mail it. I review them for a living as part of my job and will do that if it helps.

we may need to keep in touch.

ar0ck · 12-29-2006, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BonzoHansen

Then you never learn! And there are lots of guys here that might help, I bet. Guys way smarter than I.

Thats not exactly true. I actually learned alot with my little adventure into LT1 land, but it was not pretty. I had alot of help from alot of members from the forums, and alot actually stopped by and lent a hand which I am very thankfull for, but it was destined from the start to be a failed project.

Sorry for the Hijack. I find it a little rediculous that so little people will work with LT1's anymore. Its a dam shame to be honest. Especially a motor that has its root as a regular small block, yet fathered the birth of the all mighty LS1.

best of both · 12-30-2006, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chevelle 454

we may need to keep in touch.

Anytime Chevelle 454. But back to the labor thing. The best thing you could do is see who lives close enough to help you. I can get you step by step instructions to do the job. I see there is at least one tuner on here. The track may open soon if the weather stays like this so get it together and let us know it seems we all like a day at the track.