Thread: How many hours to fix blown head gasket

to just parts swap the gasket is about 4 hours work in a well setup scenario


To do it right anything up to 8 (not counting any time for head work.)

Id figure on the shop wanting it for at least 3 days.

If the customer wanted a "fastest guarenteed fix hang the price" youd be looking at 8-12 billable hours (including the time to chase the parts) but youd get a prebuilt reco head installed straight off.as well as cooling system flush, water pump off P gasket, radiator out for inspection/rodding/replacement. total time on the vehicle might be a week depending on what parts needed what work or delays on delivery.

for a fastest cheapest fix, you'd get no guarantee Id just fit the fattest gasket measure nothing and bolt the old head back in reusing your old head bolts, good luck. You could be in by 8 out by lunch the day after the parts get here.

Thanks Dave.
They put 12 hours labour in the quote.
I did mine a couple of years ago and I dont think I took that long and I am slow.

Keith

I did mine in a day but that was with a reco head ready to go on.

Originally Posted by 123rover50

Thanks Dave.
They put 12 hours labour in the quote.
I did mine a couple of years ago and I dont think I took that long and I am slow.

Keith

Chuck in an engine degrease, a couple of bolts that dont want to play, something going wrong, inspecting the head time for ordering parts, researching the procedure (assuming they hadnt done one before) the fact its a disco so if you havent done one before theres a couple of pitfalls you can fall into that mean you have to do a couple of things all over again.

12 hours is pretty easy to burn through if they were doing everything right and not just a straight in and out parts swap.

add in drive time if they had a local head guy they took the head to and if they didnt charge for the head inspection he did because it didnt need work.

12 hours isnt utterly unreasonable and if its not linear hours might also count for occupying 2 guys intermittantly.

but its on the side of "so this 12 hours, what exactly did you do for it?" question tim.

Quoted hours always includes some fat in case things don't go to plan.....other option is do and charge than if it only takes eight hours all good

Pros and cons for each.

The longest, most tedious part is properly cleaning head and block surfaces and I always run a plug Tap down all the threads in the block, then inspect surfaces for cracks.
Removing and replacing the parts is no hassle and doesn't take too long, as Dave said if in a Disco you need to keep the end rocker shaft bolts in place to stop the end rockers popping off and the rearmost bolt has to be in it's hole when you replace the head, I hold the bolt up with a clothes peg so it is not proud of the head/block surface, not critical but if you don't do these things it will take longer, 12 hours seems reasonable, as long as they do a good job, Regards Frank.

He is getting it done anyway.
I will keep you informed as to the outcome.
Keith

I think I spent about 12 hours all up, but that included clean up after the fire...with a new head. Took ages cleaning up the block.