Engines and new engine costs (1 Viewer)

[DivByZero]

@Cruisers and Co how many hours to swap an engine do you think? You have done a couple in
The last months.

I don't wrench for a living, but I've learned that 30+ year old vehicles have a lot of unique surprises. If I'm doing something "right", a quick 30 minute job could become a 7 hour marathon if I find something not quite right that needs attention to deal with properly. Guys like @SNLC take that extra time to deal with things that they find and do it properly, which means time needs to be variable. The alternative is, ignore the other problems, don't look at anything too closely, just do what's written on your docket, get in and out, and anything else is a future owner/mechanic problem. That's the difference of working to a timer rather than working to a standard. I know which of the two I prefer.

Edit: Not disparaging @Cruisers and Co there, misread who was quoted, just making the point across the board that asking for an hour estimate for such a full-on job is a hard thing to do. If someone estimates 20 and halfway through the job it's found that 40 is needed because of 14 major issues along the way, it's hard to have that conversation when an expectation has already been set.

 

[Cruisers and Co]

Edit: Not disparaging @Cruisers and Co there, misread who was quoted, just making the point across the board that asking for an hour estimate for such a full-on job is a hard thing to do. If someone estimates 20 and halfway through the job it's found that 40 is needed because of 14 major issues along the way, it's hard to have that conversation when an expectation has already been set.

Yup, every easy job is one broken bolt away from turning into a nightmare...

When replacing engines, we first visually evaluate the vehicle to get an idea of what's going to be necessary in addition to just a motor, work up a list of addition parts/time ... and then we have a discussion with the client before hand about the fact that there will likely be more that goes into it and that they need to prepare for xyz happening. Rarely do we ever go "yup this is going to take 35 hours"

Like the above engine that's going in today needed a new distributor assembly because we took it off and found oil inside, hadn't planned on that but we had already had the discussion about xyz could pop up

We usually land near the quoted hours but we also quote the if xyz happens. Only if the client is good with that then we'll proceed and if anything is found we have that discussion right away. We're very realistic with everyone that brings one through and realize that not everyone has an open checkbook to just go wild on this stuff.

What's that's gonna cost, parts, labor, turbo??

Less than an LS Swap! Really depends on the options and parts added during the process.

 

[calokie]

Yup, every easy job is one broken bolt away from turning into a nightmare...

When replacing engines, we first visually evaluate the vehicle to get an idea of what's going to be necessary in addition to just a motor, work up a list of addition parts/time ... and then we have a discussion with the client before hand about the fact that there will likely be more that goes into it and that they need to prepare for xyz happening. Rarely do we ever go "yup this is going to take 35 hours"

Like the above engine that's going in today needed a new distributor assembly because we took it off and found oil inside, hadn't planned on that but we had already had the discussion about xyz could pop up

We usually land near the quoted hours but we also quote the if xyz happens. Only if the client is good with that then we'll proceed and if anything is found we have that discussion right away. We're very realistic with everyone that brings one through and realize that not everyone has an open checkbook to just go wild on this stuff.


Less than an LS Swap! Really depends on the options and parts added during the process.

@ the OP,
So for reference a "smog legal" LS swap by a reputable shop is north of $25k @1-3 years wait time.
You can by an new E-Rod LS for 10k spend 5k-7k on adaptors and harness and be done with it, or go the LS junkyard route for for about 5k

A few local shops recently quoted me $1700 just to swap out my T-Case!
SWAP not rebuild F-ing swap! (to the moon and back lol)

 

[Broski]

What's that's gonna cost, parts, labor, turbo??

Fresh Motor new turbo the works installed, I would guess 15 to 20 K

But a basic new car starts 40k and you can easily spend 80 to100k on one so it's all relative. and none of said cars are going to be around in 30 years there just not made like our old Cruisers were.

 

[Cruisers and Co]

@ the OP,
So for reference a "smog legal" LS swap by a reputable shop is north of $25k @1-3 years wait time.
You can by an new E-Rod LS for 10k spend 5k-7k on adaptors and harness and be done with it, or go the LS junkyard route for for about 5k

A few local shops recently quoted me $1700 just to swap out my T-Case!
SWAP not rebuild F-ing swap! (to the moon and back lol)

Erod swap is well north of 25K all said and done... For reference there's the current Erod engines without transmissions and then some LS Connect and Cruise Packages from GM

 

[Broski]

@ the OP,
So for reference a "smog legal" LS swap by a reputable shop is north of $25k @1-3 years wait time.
You can by an new E-Rod LS for 10k spend 5k-7k on adaptors and harness and be done with it, or go the LS junkyard route for for about 5k

A few local shops recently quoted me $1700 just to swap out my T-Case!
SWAP not rebuild F-ing swap! (to the moon and back lol)

Are you living under a rock
I do most of my own work, But a friend of mine that can't turn a wrench told me he was quoted $ 1000.00 for a transmission service Yep that's the world we live in now.
Have you bought a loaf of bread lately ?

 

[SNLC]

Just another data point on the motor in my LX 450, it was from Autozone, so was some sort of reman. That said it is still running strong, uses no oil and has presented exactly zero engine problems as it nears 10 years since it was installed.

Sure and many other examples here on the board too. I am simply giving info because people don’t always understand what they are buying.

We have had one come in the shop that had 460,000 on it with original head gasket. So ya they also don’t all blow a HG.

Cheers

 

[Fj80oregon]

The OP will have some fun reading when he gets back, post on Wednesday and come back to some big numbers and lots of good opinions. This truck took me 4 weekends for removal swap parts to a fresh rebuilt long block and install by myself.

 

[calokie]

Are you living under a rock
I do most of my own work, But a friend of mine that can't turn a wrench told me he was quoted $ 1000.00 for a transmission service Yep that's the world we live in now.
Have you bought a loaf of bread lately ?

I’m holding on to nostalgia memories

I guess $425 per hour is the going mechanics rate now

 

[Broski]

I’m holding on to nostalgia memories

I guess $425 per hour is the going mechanics rate now

Believe me I’m right there with you , I just turned 65 and I can remember $.25 cents a gallon gas.

 

[Kernal]

Lets hope it doesn't lead to Hyperinflation in the US, but I think we've all seen labor and other vehicle related costs going up over the last few years.

Example: Germany 1900's (note 200 BILLION Marks for one loaf of bread). IIRC (history) they just kept printing money to pay off debts until their currency became worthless.

 

[greentruck]

Erod swap is well north of 25K all said and done... For reference there's the current Erod engines without transmissions and then some LS Connect and Cruise Packages from GM

Wow, for the price of most of those - without install costs - you can buy a good, used 80 series.

 

[calokie]

Wow, for the price of most of those - without install costs - you can by a good, used 80 series.

Try finding a good used 80 that’s not at the “I’m about to need a head gasket replacement” age

I say just buy a modern IFS and sas it

 

[greentruck]

Try finding a good used 80 that’s not at the “I’m about to need a head gasket replacement” age

I say just buy a modern IFS and sas it

I think the fear of head gasket failure is a bit overblown. And a HG fix is way cheaper and more straightforward than even the cheapest LS swap. And any LS swap results in a freak of a vehicle, as would SAS-ing an IFS truck. Having dropped a small block Chevy into my FJ55 years ago, well, I can see the advantages, but have learned that they are often outweighed by the disadvantages. Mr. Toyota didn't build a perfect vehicle, but he did make a maintainable vehicle. That's good enough for me.