I don't mind working on motors, but when it comes to installing a cam I don't want to screw anything up. I would like a professional shop to handle the installation, the shop I had quote mine came back at $2500 which includes all gaskets, fluids and dyno tuning and any modification required. Is that really high? I have nothing to base this off of to determine if I would be over paying.

 

You posted head/cam--install a cam or what else? The best way to tell if you are paying too much is to go to a dealer and tell them exactly what you want done.

They have labor charts for all jobs and can tell you how long it should take to do something. Use their labor times and multiply times the hourly charges by your mechanic.

List all the parts you will need and look for the best deals and compare with the mechanics prices.

Total it up and you have a ball park figure of what it should come to.

example: If the dealer quotes 15 hours for a cam swap @ 75/hr you have 1125.00 in labor. If the mechanic has the ability to dyno tune for the cam, etc., compare it with other dyno tunes. Shouldn't be more than a couple hundered for a dyno tune. So now you are up to 1325.00 plus gaskets, fluids, sealer, etc. Another 75 bucks. So for a cam swap you're looking at around 1400.00 +- in this scenario. But..if you are talking about including RRs, heads, etc. you obviously are talking alot more.

For 2500 bucks, I'd want to know exactly what they plan on doing. JMHO

 

BTW: Choosing the right mechanic is the most important thing you can do. There are pluses and minuses when deciding to go with a shop or a dealer.

Dealer mechanics may get the job done faster than the book says, but may hurry the job because they are going to be held accountable if they go over, which may translate into a fast, sloppy job. On the other hand, you get a guarantee on the labor and at least have that, whereas going with a shop may require you to sue if they booger the job---and this can be a very stressful situation and may even prove useless.

Swapping a cam may be relatively straight forward, but if the installer is not meticulous, i.e, cares about his work, you are risking a major engine failure and probable new shortblock which can cost you over 2500 alone. Choose wisely and suffer the consequences.JMHO

 

It would be heads, cam, new timing set, throttle body and of course modification of the valve covers and timing cover. So I would drop the car off and pick it back up all complete.

 

That much work shouldn't total more than 1500$ in labor if you ask me....

 

Ok, when you say "heads" what do you mean--are you talking about porting, bigger valves, Roller rockers----what? If you are talking about porting heads, I assume that they are stock and the mech. will farm them out to a machine shop for the work. If this is the case you need to know which machine shop and check the rep for their work including their experience with Lt1s and the flow they are able to get. Machine shops charge how much work they are going to put into a project and the labor is charged accordingly. You need to get the particulars.

Shops usually do business with one machine shop in order to get a good price. If the machine shop is less than great, you are going to get less than great results. If the machine shop is only going to do the machining and the mechanic is going to install the springs, valves, etc. You have 2 vendors to deal with if something goes wrong. Better to have the machine shop do the complete work on the heads to make sure everything fits well and have the mechanic install the completed heads along with the cam.

On the other hand you still are faced with a situation where if the install is boogered, the machine shop won't guarantee their work on the heads.

It's a catch 22 situation.

Obviously the best thing is to find a shop that does everything, but has an excellant reputation for standing behind their work. It is well worth the extra money since if anything goes wrong and they guarantee the job you at least have something to look to if the worst happens.

Never get too friendly with the shop or mechanics--it makes things much more difficult when something goes wrong, whereas if you go to a dealer, you never get the chance to get friendly and their rep is on the line if you decide to kick it up a notch though the dealer's bosses. Good luck.

 

This shop will handle everything. They seem like a really good place to deal with. Talking to them over the phone they answered all of my questions. The $2500 was me bringing in my own complete set of heads and cam (rockers, pushrods, etc..), whereas they will supply the heads, cam and everything else I mentioned earlier for $5500.

 

I'm doing the same thing soon, but I am supplying every part that I want put on, already ported heads, cam, timing chain, new lifters, new roller rockers. The only thing the shop will supply is the correct pushrods and gaskets. They are also going to install some new front struts while the front of the car is out. BTW..most shops remove the entire front suspension subframe with the engine attached..removing it from the bottom of the car, that is if they are an experienced f-body shop.
I know the mechanic/shop owner so I trust him for whatever price he says, I wouldn't let anyone else touch the car.
Don;t have a solid price, but the $1500 should be in the ballpark for just labor. Bottom line is know and trust the shop/persons doing the work. If you don't have a reputable shop in mind, you should join your local f-body club and get to know who they are, or do the work yourself if at all possible.

 

That is a high price for a heads/cam INSTALL even with a tune.

 

theres a very well respectable guy here in ky that really knows lt1's, i could of have a head/cam install with a new tune for $500 turn key, or $ 350 if id help him out

 

2500 bucks....does he wear a mask and gun? If you have ever installed a pair of heads and set the valves then you know most of what you need to know. Do some reading and/or get a little help and you can do the cam. It really is not that difficult and when done you will be pumped. Then get it tuned.

 

If you can wait until August I can do all that for a lot less. LOL

 

Short answer is no. I think they are charging too much. We just swapped LS1 engines from a stand into the car in one day. That was moving everything from the assembled engine onto the shrtblock and tourqing EVERYTHING to spec. The guy paid us 20 cases of beer! HaHa! Start reading and wrench your own engine. You'll be better off for it in the long run. FWIW

Bryan