zamboxl

iTrader: (1)

ok guys i got a question for the real pros in here, not wanabees *cough* *cough* like my self *cough* lol . ok i need to change my heads and every single shop i talked to tells me that to change the heads is like 11-15 hours. That doesn't seem right to me, i ask one of the guys if that time was taking out the engine, and he told me that was only for the heads, and quoted me like 1k for the job according to the computer. I already asked on here and was told by most people around $500 for the job but i just wanted the pros in here to tell me just what computer this local guys are looking at or what are they smoking over here in south florida.

TTPMatt

iTrader: (18)

We normally charge $600 to R&R heads on the car. It is a good 8 hours of labor when done right. We scrape all of the carbon off the pistons, and clean every single bolt hole before reinstallation.

- Matt

zamboxl

iTrader: (1)

cool thanks

JZ'sTA

iTrader: (23)

Cleaning the bolt holes is the most boring process.
I have heads of guys doing it in 3 hours, but thats BS, unless you just fly through it and torque the bolts to whatever you arm tell's you is good.
Matt is probally right on, normally a 7-9 hour job if you dont get a lot of people distracting you.

jrp

iTrader: (16)

if i were a paying customer i'd spent a bit more on labor that was done right and thorough then save a couple of bucks and have potential problems and have to go back and fix the work that should of been done right in the first place.


i dont remember off hand how long it took me to install my heads.

Demon SS

iTrader: (3)

we charge $600 labor for just a heads swap and plan for an 8 hour job

Cal

iTrader: (1)

Have them do studs while they are at it . . . those aluminum threads are only good for one time around at that kind of torque, imho. At the very least they should be chased out, and that's time consuming too. Swapping heads on a LS1 is definately something you don't want to rush through. Get a shop that has done it before, or study up on it and do yourself, slow and methodical

JZ'sTA

iTrader: (23)

I wrote my sentence incorrectly.
I ment to say I have seen threads where guys have done the job in 3-4 hours, and was calling BS on this.
Doing it correct the first time is the only way to go.
Just clearing that up because of my fast typing and non proof reading self.

JZ'sTA

iTrader: (23)

agreed, studs are a extra piece of mind.

gollum

iTrader: (1)

You will have to remove the motor to install or remove heads from the head studs. I know of one shop that drops the motor from bottom for just a cam install. They say it is easier that way.

pdd

iTrader: (3)

not true in my car. i have the arp studs and just put my head on and it clears the studs just fine

gollum

iTrader: (1)

Sorry. I was thinking F body only.

mrr23

iTrader: (3)

it took me and a friend about 10 hours to swap the heads on the wife's car.

strokedls1

iTrader: (1)

You can install the heads on stud in the car on a vette or f-body. Dropping the motor would be so much unecessary work for a cam swap. I agree that 8 hours is a pretty good guesstimate to swap heads. It does take a long time cleaning out the bolt holes and piston before reassembly. Studs are definately a good thing.

Cal

iTrader: (1)

When you pull the heads, some coolant will go down some of the head bolt holes. If you leave it in there or forget to blow it out, and put the head bolts back in, it splits the block!

wrencher

iTrader: (2)

I think all the normal everyday shops you talk to will charge full book time. They usually wont cut a deal on a job, thats how they make money. The sponsors shops on the otherhand do these all the time. They know this job well from doing alot of them. They got it down & can wip them out from experience, so you can get a better price from them.
I think that is the answer you wanted?

zamboxl

iTrader: (1)

well as far as price i already got a guy on this site thats doing the job for a pretty good price, i was just asking casue it seemed really od that a head swap on the ls1 would take close to 2 days to do. Aleast according to what the local shops have told me, i remeber that i put this mottor together in like 2 days a year and a half ago so i just couldn't see how the heads would take almost as long as the whole block. well actaully it took me more than that casue i had to have somone else put in the oil pan casue i din't have the aligntment tools but the rest of teh work me and a buddy did took about 2 days. And that was 2 days of a with a beer brake like every hour lol.

wrencher

iTrader: (2)

That why it pays to shop around! Lots of places are like that, they're not gonna go out of there way for the job. They will quote the job according to what book time says.
Your better off w/ someone who does LS1 heads all time anyway.

Builder

Is it worth pulling the old heads yourself? That could save a couple of hours labor. Tow or drag it to shop after...

GueSS Who

I have done over 30 set of head on LS1 cars and for a good shop with a good experienced person it shouldn't take more then 4 hrs. It takes about 30 mins more if you are using studs. If it is old style gaskets it takes a bit longer also to get the mating surface clean. I always clean the carbon from the pistons and check the block for being straight. This process always consist of cleaning threads too. I do it the fast way though. A friend of mine took a stock head bolt and made a groove on both sides of the bolt. Take a impact and run the bolts done till they stop. Pull the bolt out and the grooves are full of ****. Do it again if need be. 4hrs at most for me.

No matter if it is a vet or a F-body the heads will go on with studs in. If you still have the A/C box in an F-body you have to take the lower 2 studs out of that side before sliding the head on and then screw the studs down manually after the head is on.


Don't do this because stuff gets lost. Not intentially but it will happen. Let the person that took it off put it back together in every case. This works for damn near everything in life. It works out for the best that way. I have had to clean up peoples messes before and it is not fun.