Engine Swap Price
06-20-2018, 02:16 PM
#1
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Engine Swap Price I have a LQ4 408 that I would like to put in my son's 98 Firebird. What's a rough guesstimate on what that'll cost? I'd supply the long block. Would obviously need an upgrade to the fuel system and programming.
06-30-2018, 05:01 PM
#6
A shop should charge around what the book time is for an engine replacement with transfer of parts, which is 16 hours. Plus another hour or 2 for the fuel pump. In all honesty they will probably charge in the neighborhood of 20 hours to r&r the engine, do the fuel pump upgrade etc. Which depending on shop rate could be $2000 or more.
07-02-2018, 10:25 AM
#7
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07-02-2018, 11:19 AM
#8
That seems awfully high, that's over 33 hours at $150 an hour. If OP's motor is complete and ready to go, then it should be R&R with transfer of parts, plus some for the fuel pump upgrade and another 2-4 for misc, and tune. I'll ask my brother what his shop would charge in the Northern VA area.
07-09-2018, 01:26 PM
#10
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A shop should charge around what the book time is for an engine replacement with transfer of parts, which is 16 hours. Plus another hour or 2 for the fuel pump. In all honesty they will probably charge in the neighborhood of 20 hours to r&r the engine, do the fuel pump upgrade etc. Which depending on shop rate could be $2000 or more.
07-10-2018, 08:01 AM
#12
That's an absurd price for what OP is questioning. Also, OP, you don't necessarily need a "hot rod" / "LS specific" shop to do a simple engine swap. Almost any basic mechanic shop should easily handle swapping an engine, except for the tuning part of course.
07-11-2018, 08:22 AM
#13
Might be a absurd price but its realistic in todays shops. Dealer quoted me 10k to swap motor in my 99TA. 5k for the engine 5k for labor. I checked locally labor time to pull the engine, every shop I called quoted 24-25 hrs TO PULL THE ENGINE. That's not replacing the engine. That's 2500 minimum, then till you prep the replacement engine etc trust me you'll have another 25 hrs into it. Think what you want but I'd call around and get quotes. Most shops
I called said "WE DON"T WORK ON THOSE CARS" <right there is why its so dam expensive to find a decent shop. Oh theres plenty of crapo shops that will take your money, NO THANKS. good Luck finding a good one.
Few months back I called the only shop I would trust to do a cam-lifter replacement without tuning quote was 2500. Shop also warned me it would probably be 1000 more before they were done depending on how long it takes to prep things.
I called said "WE DON"T WORK ON THOSE CARS" <right there is why its so dam expensive to find a decent shop. Oh theres plenty of crapo shops that will take your money, NO THANKS. good Luck finding a good one.
Few months back I called the only shop I would trust to do a cam-lifter replacement without tuning quote was 2500. Shop also warned me it would probably be 1000 more before they were done depending on how long it takes to prep things.
07-11-2018, 09:48 AM
#14
Might be a absurd price but its realistic in todays shops. Dealer quoted me 10k to swap motor in my 99TA. 5k for the engine 5k for labor. I checked locally labor time to pull the engine, every shop I called quoted 24-25 hrs TO PULL THE ENGINE. That's not replacing the engine. That's 2500 minimum, then till you prep the replacement engine etc trust me you'll have another 25 hrs into it. Think what you want but I'd call around and get quotes. Most shops
I called said "WE DON"T WORK ON THOSE CARS" <right there is why its so dam expensive to find a decent shop. Oh theres plenty of crapo shops that will take your money, NO THANKS. good Luck finding a good one.
Few months back I called the only shop I would trust to do a cam-lifter replacement without tuning quote was 2500. Shop also warned me it would probably be 1000 more before they were done depending on how long it takes to prep things.
I called said "WE DON"T WORK ON THOSE CARS" <right there is why its so dam expensive to find a decent shop. Oh theres plenty of crapo shops that will take your money, NO THANKS. good Luck finding a good one.
Few months back I called the only shop I would trust to do a cam-lifter replacement without tuning quote was 2500. Shop also warned me it would probably be 1000 more before they were done depending on how long it takes to prep things.
And yes it's absurd, but most of the high end LS shops cost $$$ and primarily work on newer stuff. If it's something beyond my skillset or space to work in, I expect to pay a lot.
07-11-2018, 11:35 AM
#15
After all these absurd numbers ya'll are getting I hit my brother up who manages a hot rod shop in the DC metro area. Asked him this very question, he worked it up and shot me a number of $3000, at the very most 3500 all in with misc parts and tuning. A shop quoting 25 hrs to pull an engine, and then another 25 to reinstall is not a trust worthy shop. The dealer service manual only pays 16 to remove, swap parts, and reinstall.. At a shop, knowing what you're doing you can have it on the ground swapping parts in 3 hours, 4 tops. Sounds like all these shops ya'll are contacting are scare of f bodies. They aren't hard to work on, just a little more involved. If you want to drop it off and have it done for not an absurd price, holler at me, I'm a mechanic by trade and do side work with my brother alll the time.
07-11-2018, 04:47 PM
#16
I just did this with my 99TA and the new 416 LS at Norris Motorsports a well know and reputable performance shop.
Exact estimates would of course need to come from the shop doing the work.
Shop rate for labor was $95 an hour.
Swap complete LS engine $1500
Build up short block into a long block.
This covered cam, heads, intake, oil pan, oil pump etc $500
Tune $500
$2500 for engine install
Given the K-member was easy dropped to do swap the cost to install aftermarket K-member $300
Given k is dropped doing a clutch at his point is basically free.
There were a few miscellaneous charges. My Racetronix fuel system needed the wiring rerouted. $100
My old Y pipe was trashed and had to be replaced. $200
My vendor sent the wrong crank sensor So I had to eat the cost. Shop wasted at least an hour and a half sorting that out. Invoice said 58x but the actual part number on the crank sensor supplied proved it was actually a 24x. Cost $150
Typical fuel pumps/Racetronix 255 hot wire installs for 4th Gen LS cars typically $300 to $500 depending on details based on my experiences.
Later my 99TA was stolen and the new motor damaged. While motor had to be pulled, gone through, parts replaced or repaired and put back together.
R&R engine $1500
Labor to take engine apart & put back together $2,500
Diagnostic time & Labor: The newly repaired engine had a knock. It was the Fast intake, several runners were damaged, split apart and had to be replaced. None of this was visible so it was to listen several placed with stethoscope etc to figure this out. Take intake apart, put back together, reinstall. $600
Retune engine due to cam change & exhaust change with engine repair $250
Given what was involved, I felt the pricing was fair and reasonable.
Hopefully, this will help give a rough ideal of what the 6.0 swap will cost.
Exact estimates would of course need to come from the shop doing the work.
Shop rate for labor was $95 an hour.
Swap complete LS engine $1500
Build up short block into a long block.
This covered cam, heads, intake, oil pan, oil pump etc $500
Tune $500
$2500 for engine install
Given the K-member was easy dropped to do swap the cost to install aftermarket K-member $300
Given k is dropped doing a clutch at his point is basically free.
There were a few miscellaneous charges. My Racetronix fuel system needed the wiring rerouted. $100
My old Y pipe was trashed and had to be replaced. $200
My vendor sent the wrong crank sensor So I had to eat the cost. Shop wasted at least an hour and a half sorting that out. Invoice said 58x but the actual part number on the crank sensor supplied proved it was actually a 24x. Cost $150
Typical fuel pumps/Racetronix 255 hot wire installs for 4th Gen LS cars typically $300 to $500 depending on details based on my experiences.
Later my 99TA was stolen and the new motor damaged. While motor had to be pulled, gone through, parts replaced or repaired and put back together.
R&R engine $1500
Labor to take engine apart & put back together $2,500
Diagnostic time & Labor: The newly repaired engine had a knock. It was the Fast intake, several runners were damaged, split apart and had to be replaced. None of this was visible so it was to listen several placed with stethoscope etc to figure this out. Take intake apart, put back together, reinstall. $600
Retune engine due to cam change & exhaust change with engine repair $250
Given what was involved, I felt the pricing was fair and reasonable.
Hopefully, this will help give a rough ideal of what the 6.0 swap will cost.
07-11-2018, 08:52 PM
#17
I'm not sure I'd even ask a dealer for a price to swap the engine on a 20 year old car And yes it's absurd, but most of the high end LS shops cost $$$ and primarily work on newer stuff. If it's something beyond my skillset or space to work in, I expect to pay a lot.
And yes it's absurd, but most of the high end LS shops cost $$$ and primarily work on newer stuff. If it's something beyond my skillset or space to work in, I expect to pay a lot.
07-11-2018, 09:40 PM
#18
That makes much more sense now 
Also my quote was from Livernois (probably the nicest shop I've ever visited), I don't think they are scared of fbodies, and I'd assume that is a "we bill 25 hours for a swap no matter what car" type of deal. Either way it seemed high enough that I had to walk away...would have been a dope stroker though.
Also my quote was from Livernois (probably the nicest shop I've ever visited), I don't think they are scared of fbodies, and I'd assume that is a "we bill 25 hours for a swap no matter what car" type of deal. Either way it seemed high enough that I had to walk away...would have been a dope stroker though. 
07-13-2018, 05:48 AM
#20
I had never worked on a 4th before I picked mine up last year. Read a few things online and skimmed the alldata breakdown for dropping the engine on my 95z. Pulled it in Friday after work at 3 and with no particular rush had it on the ground by 6. If you've got a lift, the tools, and some experience, it's a pretty straight forward job.