4.5hrs to replace lower valve cover gaskets?
12-06-2011, 05:17 PM
#1
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
4.5hrs to replace lower valve cover gaskets?
I bring my car to Indy for an oil change and new tires so I said what the heck replace the valve cover gaskets not a big job, right? He says bout 4.5hrs, huh? I couldn't help question him on that so he gave me print out from the All Data software and showed me. Sure enough that's what it calls for.
I thought 1-1.5hrs tops.
Any thoughts...
I thought 1-1.5hrs tops.
Any thoughts...
12-06-2011, 05:56 PM
#3
Rennlist Member
4.5 for just the lowers seems a bit steep; I'd guess more like 3 hrs. I can't imagine how it could be done in 1 hr, and I've done it probably 3 times. Seems easy in theory but there's stuff in the way that makes a couple screws hard to get to. And you have to be careful because you DON'T want to strip a screw head.
Does 4.5 include uppers too?
Does 4.5 include uppers too?
12-06-2011, 06:16 PM
#4
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Eric is right 1hour with a track car because the exhaust/headers are gone and or much more simple other wise couple of hours being careful and not snapping bolts etc. I have done top and bottom covers with engine in the car and even all the hydraulic lifters, but it requires some tricks and a big box of tools.
12-06-2011, 06:18 PM
#5
Rennlist Member
Sorry, I should have mentioned I have Super Cup mufflers that are very easy to drop for access to troublesome bolts. I also replaced all my bolts with new ones from Porsche.
12-06-2011, 06:43 PM
#7
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Thread Starter
All data states 4.5 for lowers only. So what would you guys say is a realistic time? What needs to come off. Btw, been going to my Indy for a long time and trust him only. He is not a Porsche only shop, it's a foreign repair shop, but he works on plenty of p-cars.
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12-06-2011, 08:05 PM
#8
his book time of 4.5 hours must be start to finish and include time for some rusted muffler strap bolts or a stripped valve cover allen screw. if you're doing plugs you could figure the covers would only add an hour, adding the job to new tires all you've saved is the time it took to get the car up on a lift and wheels off. maybe 30 minutes?
if the covers are seeping give a quarter or half turn to the allen screws in the area and wait for a bigger job at your shop to replace the gaskets.
if they are leaking bad its actually an easy diy, certainly easier than changing the oil. and I'm going to say 4.5 hours for a first time diy. for a shop that works on p-cars, has to be in the 3 hours or less that eric posted.
if the covers are seeping give a quarter or half turn to the allen screws in the area and wait for a bigger job at your shop to replace the gaskets.
if they are leaking bad its actually an easy diy, certainly easier than changing the oil. and I'm going to say 4.5 hours for a first time diy. for a shop that works on p-cars, has to be in the 3 hours or less that eric posted.
12-06-2011, 08:08 PM
#9
Rennlist Member
his book time of 4.5 hours must be start to finish and include time for some rusted muffler strap bolts or a stripped valve cover allen screw. if you're doing plugs you could figure the covers would only add an hour, adding the job to new tires all you've saved is the time it took to get the car up on a lift and wheels off. maybe 30 minutes?
if the covers are seeping give a quarter or half turn to the allen screws in the area and wait for a bigger job at your shop to replace the gaskets.
if they are leaking bad its actually an easy diy, certainly easier than changing the oil. and I'm going to say 4.5 hours for a first time diy. for a shop that works on p-cars, has to be in the 3 hours or less that eric posted.
if the covers are seeping give a quarter or half turn to the allen screws in the area and wait for a bigger job at your shop to replace the gaskets.
if they are leaking bad its actually an easy diy, certainly easier than changing the oil. and I'm going to say 4.5 hours for a first time diy. for a shop that works on p-cars, has to be in the 3 hours or less that eric posted.
12-06-2011, 08:22 PM
#10
Rennlist Member
+1. I'd be really surprised if tightening the covers would do any good, and indeed might just do some bad (maybe warping the covers or causing a screw head to strip later). The screws don't want much torque, and most people just use the little L-shaped allen wrench and go finger tight.
12-06-2011, 08:25 PM
#11
Rennlist Member
p.s. to the OP -- if you're cheap enough to haggle over one hour of shop labor, then you're a prime candidate for a simple DIY like this! It's one of the easier DIYs, so we cheap bastards would never pay to have it done. 
12-06-2011, 09:27 PM
#14
Porsche book time is double what a real master mechanic takes.Porsche has to charge you to do the job twice because of there two year warentee.Half the time the kids they have working at the dealerships f--k up and the work has to be redone.So 2 hours and 45 minutes it is.An independent should not have the nerve to charge book time.They can not compete with the pice of mind a Dealer warrantee comes with.Knowing that I can drive across the country and a year and a half later and have warrantee work done on a gasket job at any dealer in any major city is what the book time represents.Not how long a job actually takes to do.Independents like yours are out of the minds to quote you book time.Something all non-dealer wrenches reading this should try and get there swollen heads around.
12-06-2011, 09:30 PM
#15
Rennlist Member
4.5 hours is pretty high, IMO.
As a point of reference, we do them in about half that time and that includes removing grime and as much accumulated oil as we can clean off of the top of the heat exchangers (without removing them)...
As a point of reference, we do them in about half that time and that includes removing grime and as much accumulated oil as we can clean off of the top of the heat exchangers (without removing them)...