What would be the typical shop charge to replace head gaskets on an LT1?

I have been slowly losing coolant (i have had to add 2 quarts twice over the past month or so) and yesterday the temp gauge began to flucutate from about 180-230 depending whether it was idling in gear or moving. (lo coolant light was not on) Shop did a head gasket test and determined that there is CO in the coolant. So it is either a leaking head gasket or a warped cyl head (hoping it is head gaskets only)

Car runs rough on startup then runs fine later. Car has 113K on it. Oil looks fine.

What would be the typical shop charge (ballpark) to replace head gaskets on an LT1?

thanks

 

1000+ easy

 

I took need headgasket, ballpark 800-1,000 in labor alone. Plus about 200 in gaskets. Just do it yourself if you can. Thats what Im gona do.

 

Just had mine done at the dealership. 1229.00 out the door.

 

Im going to be a traveling mechanic!!! Fly me to your house and ill fix your car for cheaper than the dealership!!! WOW 1229!!!!

 

Grand prairie call me 972-824-0793 angelo

 

to Zeueses 97 RamAir

would not do me any good to call u. i am in michigan. but what would be the typical cost? (i have had quotes from 1500-2K)

thanks

 

My mechanic pulled the A4 out which we sent to CPT then he dropped the engine and kmember out the bottom, put in my blower cam and installed my Trickflow heads, put in a new timing chain and gear plus new pushrods, then put it all back together.
Charged me a very friendly 2400.00.
But he runs a 9 second race car and loves this kind of work.
I'm sure others have changed heads without dropping the engine but he said it would be hard to torque the head bolts down properly at the back under the cowl.

 

$1229 OUCH! Thats a stealership for ya. I would never give a dime of my money!

Chas

 

Sorry i was talking to mean green

 

1229 sounds cheap, the cheapest quote I was able to get was 1500! Thats why I decided to do it myself.

 

Are you close to Toledo Ohio?

 

You gotta do it yourself. Its the only way, plus you will learn a lot about your motor.

 

to LT4orbust:

I am about 70 miles north of Toledo, but would be afraid to take it that far with the temp fluctuating that much. Don't have access to a garage or a lift either.

Is $1600 out of line?

 

Book time according to Alldata is 14.9 hours, +.5 for A/C. and +1.0 for ASR. Sooooo, you're looking at ~15-16.5 hours @ $65 - $100 an hour. Somewhere around $1K sound fairly reasonable, but I would also recommend you jump in and do it yourself. Even if it takes a week you'll still be way ahead moneywise.