How expensive should a cam install be at a shop?
now THAT is service.Let me know if your ever in missouri lol
Last edited by SSmoken; Nov 6, 2007 at 11:44 PM.
LSInnovations: If you can turn a profit, do quality work, no comebacks and the customers are happy, keep your prices as they are. You will make more money than the expensive shops because of the volume of work. Giving the customer a perceived bargain is great for word of mouth business. Just because a shop charges double your price does not mean they are doing twice the quality or twice the attention to detail. Take care of your customers and more will be banging on your door.
Cam & Valvespring installation labor is $550 for an LS1 F-Body. If you weren't swapping springs, the price would come down to $400.
http://www.tick-performance.com/fbodyprices/
http://www.tick-performance.com/fbodyprices/
Remember guys..ALT of your charge come from not only the shop itself, but the location of the shop.
There are ALOT of shops that hurt for cash. When you walk in, theres **** all over the floor, parts EVERYWHERE, and just general caos. The guy who rings up your ticket does it on a cellphone calculator, and scribbles the prices down on a "Office depot" receipt pad. These guys will do ANTHING for a little cash. But that also means that their NOT gonna turn down other work. So your ***** gonna be thrown together so they can get to the next guy lookin to save a couple of bucks.
Their also the shop that is in an area where rent and taxes are REALLY REALLY cheap. You may have a shop in a rural area of NC that has 6000 square feet, and only pay 1000 bucks a month. Then you may have a shop in Ca, that has 3000 square feet, and pays 8000 a month.
There is ALOT of variables. Just take it to a good shop that gurantees the work. Not some shop thats run by a bunch of teenager backyard mechanics after school. **** what it costs.
There are ALOT of shops that hurt for cash. When you walk in, theres **** all over the floor, parts EVERYWHERE, and just general caos. The guy who rings up your ticket does it on a cellphone calculator, and scribbles the prices down on a "Office depot" receipt pad. These guys will do ANTHING for a little cash. But that also means that their NOT gonna turn down other work. So your ***** gonna be thrown together so they can get to the next guy lookin to save a couple of bucks.
Their also the shop that is in an area where rent and taxes are REALLY REALLY cheap. You may have a shop in a rural area of NC that has 6000 square feet, and only pay 1000 bucks a month. Then you may have a shop in Ca, that has 3000 square feet, and pays 8000 a month.
There is ALOT of variables. Just take it to a good shop that gurantees the work. Not some shop thats run by a bunch of teenager backyard mechanics after school. **** what it costs.
I am paying $1820 for installation of a cam, patriot spring kit, mellings oil pump, LS2 chain, 30# injectors, pushrods, Headers and ory, Torque arm, LCA's and panhard bar with a full dyno tune including a baseline. All parts supplied by me.
It is a lot but you get what you pay for and knowing it will be done right by a professional is worth it to me. When I dropped it off there were 3 C6 Z06's in the shop. 1 was cammed and I watched him tuning it on the dyno.
And another was his shop car and daily driver, a Procharged one making 601 rwhp at only 2.9psi. He also has a twin turbo 800rwhp C5 and a 850rwhp 98 Formula drag car. I know my car is in good hands so the price did not bother me at all.
The name of the shop is Redline Motorsports in Schenectady NY and they are also a sponsor here and Howard is a great guy. You can practically eat off the floors and every car had plastic over the front and rear fenders while there.
I hope I can pick it up soon as the wait is killing me.
It is a lot but you get what you pay for and knowing it will be done right by a professional is worth it to me. When I dropped it off there were 3 C6 Z06's in the shop. 1 was cammed and I watched him tuning it on the dyno.
And another was his shop car and daily driver, a Procharged one making 601 rwhp at only 2.9psi. He also has a twin turbo 800rwhp C5 and a 850rwhp 98 Formula drag car. I know my car is in good hands so the price did not bother me at all. The name of the shop is Redline Motorsports in Schenectady NY and they are also a sponsor here and Howard is a great guy. You can practically eat off the floors and every car had plastic over the front and rear fenders while there.
I hope I can pick it up soon as the wait is killing me.
Last edited by big reg; Nov 8, 2007 at 02:25 PM.
On The Tree
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
Remember guys..ALT of your charge come from not only the shop itself, but the location of the shop.
There are ALOT of shops that hurt for cash. When you walk in, theres **** all over the floor, parts EVERYWHERE, and just general caos. The guy who rings up your ticket does it on a cellphone calculator, and scribbles the prices down on a "Office depot" receipt pad. These guys will do ANTHING for a little cash. But that also means that their NOT gonna turn down other work. So your ***** gonna be thrown together so they can get to the next guy lookin to save a couple of bucks.
Their also the shop that is in an area where rent and taxes are REALLY REALLY cheap. You may have a shop in a rural area of NC that has 6000 square feet, and only pay 1000 bucks a month. Then you may have a shop in Ca, that has 3000 square feet, and pays 8000 a month.
There is ALOT of variables. Just take it to a good shop that gurantees the work. Not some shop thats run by a bunch of teenager backyard mechanics after school. **** what it costs.
There are ALOT of shops that hurt for cash. When you walk in, theres **** all over the floor, parts EVERYWHERE, and just general caos. The guy who rings up your ticket does it on a cellphone calculator, and scribbles the prices down on a "Office depot" receipt pad. These guys will do ANTHING for a little cash. But that also means that their NOT gonna turn down other work. So your ***** gonna be thrown together so they can get to the next guy lookin to save a couple of bucks.
Their also the shop that is in an area where rent and taxes are REALLY REALLY cheap. You may have a shop in a rural area of NC that has 6000 square feet, and only pay 1000 bucks a month. Then you may have a shop in Ca, that has 3000 square feet, and pays 8000 a month.
There is ALOT of variables. Just take it to a good shop that gurantees the work. Not some shop thats run by a bunch of teenager backyard mechanics after school. **** what it costs.
A mechanic in australia ran a buisness similar as you descibed.
except the parts layed around were on going reconditioning components like
manual transmissions,differential ratios,steering racks,cylinder heads,brake calipers,short engines,inlet manifolds,extractors etc.which by he himself was
actually doing all the remanufacturing too!
He had limited bench space, because his workshop wasn't big enough.
He was busy carrying out repairs on out of warranty cars,whilst keeping the boy racers happy,tweaking their mules too.
He did take pride in his work though,and had a sound reputation, even from the local dealership parts division team!
On the otherhand,they didn't see the workshop.
1995 vr11 ss commodore V8-304ci-manual.
44.4mpg @ 80mph,air cond all the way
who ever said its more economical to roll the windows down
Last edited by oz304; Nov 8, 2007 at 03:32 PM.
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Banned
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,875
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From: Naperville, IL
I paid a sponsor on this site $700 for labor to install heads and cam (with small things too like lifters, chain, pump, pushrods). It was the winter rate though. I supplied the parts. This did not include the tune, that was $400.
lol in the mean time ill be getting everything eles that i would need for the swap. 
Lifters and pushrods can be considered small things in a heads/cam swap, but a pump and chain are not. Those two additional items alone add considerable time to the job because the pan has to be dropped where as the pushrods have to come out anyway and the lifter are easy to get to once the heads are off. if you can get someone to do it for the cost of pizza and beer you've got a good friend.
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,043
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From: Texas and Qatar
Cam/Springs/Pump/Chain is $675 on a F-body.
Then add $300 for a tune if its our parts.
The only bad thing would be the ~5 hr drive from El Paso to Lubbock, that and you'd have to schedule the install time towards the end of January currently. We're booked solid right now.
Then add $300 for a tune if its our parts.
The only bad thing would be the ~5 hr drive from El Paso to Lubbock, that and you'd have to schedule the install time towards the end of January currently. We're booked solid right now.
aldata time on a cam swap is 15.4 hrs mitchel and chiltons are all close
so you figure 15.4 at say a labor rate of 75.00 per hour that comes out to
1155.00. just make sure they are using quality parts and things are done rite.
also it all depends on what you want done. i can see charging less if its just cam and springs. but if your changeing cam, timing set, oil pump, springs.
then yeah charge the 1155.00 but if your on changing cam and springs then charge 500 to 600 bucks.
so you figure 15.4 at say a labor rate of 75.00 per hour that comes out to
1155.00. just make sure they are using quality parts and things are done rite.
also it all depends on what you want done. i can see charging less if its just cam and springs. but if your changeing cam, timing set, oil pump, springs.
then yeah charge the 1155.00 but if your on changing cam and springs then charge 500 to 600 bucks.
The thing with the flat rate from Mitchell and Alldata is that the time they quote includes removing the heads to do a cam swap because they're going to change lifters everytime a cam is changed. Most people don't remove heads or change lifters during a cam swap on an LS series engine.
If everyone in your area is giving you about the same quote, it's probably the going rate in your area. Labor rates fluxuate a lot from city to city and state to state.
Re'
I just had cam, springs, and hardened pushrods installed.... $500 flat rate for labor. Was something that we agreed upon, and there are other shops in my area that will do it for the same price. I just went to the closest shop.
First off, will all these guys that are willing to do the install "on the side" step up and fix your car if something happens after the install? You know, cam gear bolts coming out, ripped oil pump oil ring, valve spring keeper comes out, etc.
Second, the OP should be grateful a professional shop is even willing to install his parts. I dont for the most part. You gotta buy the majority, if not all of the parts from me.
How many of you take your own steak for the chef to cook when you go out to dinner? That steak I just paid 24.95 for last night, I coulda bought for 9.99 at the grocery store. And damn, I paid like 2.95 for the baked potato too. What a freegin ripp!!
So, by the time you calculate the loss of profit by the shop for not making the parts sale, and the liability of having to warranty labor on an installation OF PARTS HE DID NOT SELL, I think they should be charging AT LEAST twice the going rate.
Second, the OP should be grateful a professional shop is even willing to install his parts. I dont for the most part. You gotta buy the majority, if not all of the parts from me.
How many of you take your own steak for the chef to cook when you go out to dinner? That steak I just paid 24.95 for last night, I coulda bought for 9.99 at the grocery store. And damn, I paid like 2.95 for the baked potato too. What a freegin ripp!!
So, by the time you calculate the loss of profit by the shop for not making the parts sale, and the liability of having to warranty labor on an installation OF PARTS HE DID NOT SELL, I think they should be charging AT LEAST twice the going rate.
First off, will all these guys that are willing to do the install "on the side" step up and fix your car if something happens after the install? You know, cam gear bolts coming out, ripped oil pump oil ring, valve spring keeper comes out, etc.
Second, the OP should be grateful a professional shop is even willing to install his parts. I dont for the most part. You gotta buy the majority, if not all of the parts from me.How many of you take your own steak for the chef to cook when you go out to dinner? That steak I just paid 24.95 for last night, I coulda bought for 9.99 at the grocery store. And damn, I paid like 2.95 for the baked potato too. What a freegin ripp!!
So, by the time you calculate the loss of profit by the shop for not making the parts sale, and the liability of having to warranty labor on an installation OF PARTS HE DID NOT SELL, I think they should be charging AT LEAST twice the going rate.
Second, the OP should be grateful a professional shop is even willing to install his parts. I dont for the most part. You gotta buy the majority, if not all of the parts from me.How many of you take your own steak for the chef to cook when you go out to dinner? That steak I just paid 24.95 for last night, I coulda bought for 9.99 at the grocery store. And damn, I paid like 2.95 for the baked potato too. What a freegin ripp!!
So, by the time you calculate the loss of profit by the shop for not making the parts sale, and the liability of having to warranty labor on an installation OF PARTS HE DID NOT SELL, I think they should be charging AT LEAST twice the going rate.