Shop time to do Head Gasket
08-07-2021, 12:15 AM
#1
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Shop time to do Head Gasket
I recently had my local Indy shop install my new Vulcan Cut Ring head gasket. I also had them change the studs back to ARP.
The head was last removed 1.5 years ago and new factory studs were installed using CMD lube for the block side. The mechanic who did the work is a great guy and has been working on classic Porsches for about 30 years so he knows his way around a 951.
The shop charged me 20 hours labor for this which seems like double of what it should have been. I know the book says 12 hours labor and warranty pays 8. So that tells me Porsche thinks it is an 8 hour job.
Seeing that the head was recently off of the car and the studs came out easily, what do you guys think the true labor hours should be?
The head was last removed 1.5 years ago and new factory studs were installed using CMD lube for the block side. The mechanic who did the work is a great guy and has been working on classic Porsches for about 30 years so he knows his way around a 951.
The shop charged me 20 hours labor for this which seems like double of what it should have been. I know the book says 12 hours labor and warranty pays 8. So that tells me Porsche thinks it is an 8 hour job.
Seeing that the head was recently off of the car and the studs came out easily, what do you guys think the true labor hours should be?
08-07-2021, 11:36 AM
#2
Racer
Did they rebuild the head while they were in there?
ive done this job in the last year, minus replacing the studs. If you have someone familiar with 944s, it is hard to imagine it taking 20 hours. 8 does seem about right, maybe even generous.
ive done this job in the last year, minus replacing the studs. If you have someone familiar with 944s, it is hard to imagine it taking 20 hours. 8 does seem about right, maybe even generous.
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fejjj (08-07-2021)
08-07-2021, 03:13 PM
#3
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
I put a fresh head from Valley Performance on the car.
08-09-2021, 09:22 AM
#4
Three Wheelin'
Yea 20 hrs is crazy… to do that job.. you can slide timing belt off, but leave it laced up intake off.. cam tower off. leave the header on the head and dis-connect the x- over to header and lift the head and header out in or piece.. if all bolts are free and nothing is broke or stripped.. 6 to 8 hours. 20 hours is almost three working days.. that’s crazy..
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fejjj (08-10-2021)
08-18-2021, 11:34 AM
#6
Three Wheelin'
As a shop foreman/professional wrench at a Porsche/BMW shop, I will say that in recent years we have begun to charge more labor hours for older cars, which includes 944s. Even a "simple" head gasket job is often not simple: parts are corroded, brittle, etc. Not to mention the time spent sourcing parts, which are increasingly hard to find for a lot of the older Porsches. We love old Porsches and it is what keeps me going, but doing routine jobs on newer Porsches and BMWs is certainly more profitable.
That said, 20 hours might be a bit much if we are talking about a head gasket swap versus a full valve grind. You should talk to the shop and ask why this time was charged----maybe there was a good reason, maybe not.
In any case, the chronic shortage of technicians is not going away, and as more and more of the old-timers retire or die out, there is less and less knowledge and skill out there to help keep these cars going (I am more talking about older air-cooled stuff). Therefore, you should not be surprised if there is a 6+ month waiting list to get work done on your classic Porsche!
That said, 20 hours might be a bit much if we are talking about a head gasket swap versus a full valve grind. You should talk to the shop and ask why this time was charged----maybe there was a good reason, maybe not.
In any case, the chronic shortage of technicians is not going away, and as more and more of the old-timers retire or die out, there is less and less knowledge and skill out there to help keep these cars going (I am more talking about older air-cooled stuff). Therefore, you should not be surprised if there is a 6+ month waiting list to get work done on your classic Porsche!
Last edited by Droops83; 08-19-2021 at 11:00 PM.
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08-20-2021, 01:09 AM
#8
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
08-20-2021, 01:11 AM
#9
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
As a shop foreman/professional wrench at a Porsche/BMW shop, I will say that in recent years we have begun to charge more labor hours for older cars, which includes 944s. Even a "simple" head gasket job is often not simple: parts are corroded, brittle, etc. Not to mention the time spent sourcing parts, which are increasingly hard to find for a lot of the older Porsches. We love old Porsches and it is what keeps me going, but doing routine jobs on newer Porsches and BMWs is certainly more profitable.
That said, 20 hours might be a bit much if we are talking about a head gasket swap versus a full valve grind. You should talk to the shop and ask why this time was charged----maybe there was a good reason, maybe not.
In any case, the chronic shortage of technicians is not going away, and as more and more of the old-timers retire or die out, there is less and less knowledge and skill out there to help keep these cars going (I am more talking about older air-cooled stuff). Therefore, you should not be surprised if there is a 6+ month waiting list to get work done on your classic Porsche!
That said, 20 hours might be a bit much if we are talking about a head gasket swap versus a full valve grind. You should talk to the shop and ask why this time was charged----maybe there was a good reason, maybe not.
In any case, the chronic shortage of technicians is not going away, and as more and more of the old-timers retire or die out, there is less and less knowledge and skill out there to help keep these cars going (I am more talking about older air-cooled stuff). Therefore, you should not be surprised if there is a 6+ month waiting list to get work done on your classic Porsche!
There were no old and brittle parts as the engine was built a few years ago and almost all of the hardware was replaced at that time.
08-21-2021, 11:01 PM
#11
Rennlist Member
That’s MG being his normal fudge ball self
LOL!
LOL!
Last edited by EVOMMM; 08-21-2021 at 11:02 PM.