How much time does it take to remove and install transmission by the book?
^^Correct^^
I just did it. I have a lift, borrowed a tranny jack, and my SAE friend helped. He had all the long extensions, wobble heads, and air tools. Took 2.5 hrs.
IMO $400 is a deal.
I just did it. I have a lift, borrowed a tranny jack, and my SAE friend helped. He had all the long extensions, wobble heads, and air tools. Took 2.5 hrs.
IMO $400 is a deal.
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Joined: Aug 2010
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From: Ann Arbor, MI
Love it. Right up there with Armchair Quarterbacks. 
Agreed. Never rush it yourself. Heck, I probably spend 1/2H making sure the converter is installed all the way, measuring the gap to the pads, selecting/measuring spacers, and torquing the bolts evenly. (Sometime forget loctite and have to repeat.)
Remember, any mistake will cost you many hours and perhaps $1000+.
Headers and a custom exhaust can also add to the time.
Remember, any mistake will cost you many hours and perhaps $1000+.
Headers and a custom exhaust can also add to the time.
I've done this 3 times in the last week and I'd pay somebody $400 in a heartbeat IF I knew they knew what they were doing.
I remove the top bolt and the top driver's side upper bolt from the top. Its easier taking the intake off than fighting with those 2 even with all the right tools IMO. I can do it in around 3 hours but I'm taking my time and goofing around.
I remove the top bolt and the top driver's side upper bolt from the top. Its easier taking the intake off than fighting with those 2 even with all the right tools IMO. I can do it in around 3 hours but I'm taking my time and goofing around.
I love all the internet super mechanics. Removing an auto trans in an fbody is a pain in the ***. If you can't do it yourself, I wouldn't bitch about a $400 charge. That's a deal for most people. If you've never done it before, and some mechanics have not, I would set aside a full day taking your time.
^^^THIS. You guys don't work for free, right?
If you really think you are getting ripped off that bad, that's what a phone is for - call around for a better price.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2022
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Likes: 1
Depends on Perspective Sure you can do it in 2 hours, I certainly do not charge by the hour. I charged by the job. Certain jobs require certain tools certain tools have different prices have different prices I didn't spend over 80 grand in tools(Includes my Toolbox), Just so I can work on other people's stuff really cheap or for free. On top of working at a shop I probably spent a little more than 15000 just into my own garage and put my own hoist in. For us to justify charging X amountThe price is obviously increasedTo recoup our own money spent to do this stuff outside of the shop. A little bit here a little bit there. Outside of a shop 400 bucks is a deal no matter how long it takes the technician to do it. You cannot look at it like he only worked on it for 2 hours and he charged me $400. You should look at it more like you saved $600 by having your friend do it. Just my opinion.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 2
Likes: 1
Depends on Perspective 
My experiences have taught me that having others work on my car was risky business so if you don't know how or don't want to do the work yourself hopefully you can find a place with people you can trust with your vehicle. My transmission tunnel would not be in the condition its in had I done the work myself but instead I trusted a company that hired a moron who obviously didn't know how to use a pry bar or had any respect for someone else's car.
My experiences have taught me that having others work on my car was risky business so if you don't know how or don't want to do the work yourself hopefully you can find a place with people you can trust with your vehicle. My transmission tunnel would not be in the condition its in had I done the work myself but instead I trusted a company that hired a moron who obviously didn't know how to use a pry bar or had any respect for someone else's car.
Ha Ha Ha..They used the pry bar to pry the transmission free from the engine and dented up both sides of the trans tunnel. Also used the pry bar on the trans tunnel at the shifter and bent some of that up. I guess the lazy **** didn't want to remove the shift **** to get it out.
Most people don't appreciate a shops overhead and other forgone opportunity costs by taking on a particular job. 400.00 is reasonable to tie-up a lift and a mechanic basically for a day. And if I was a mechanic I wouldn't care what ANY book or arm chair quarterback says how much time it should be done in - I'm not killing myself and I'm billing you for the day.
