Car started shaking violently when turned on this morning

[truckguy]

hey guys, got the car to another shop. They took off the valve cover and saw that one of the rocker arm was broken and a tensioner for the timing chain was broken. The camshaft on the right was also damaged. Here's the quote they give me for replacing the camshaft, all the rocker arms and the timing chain. Aside from the parts, the labor is over $2100. Is this quote of labor cost in the ball park of normal range?

 

[bobmbx]

hey guys, got the car to another shop. They took off the valve cover and saw that one of the rocker arm was broken and a tensioner for the timing chain was broken. The camshaft on the right was also damaged. Here's the quote they give me for replacing the camshaft, all the rocker arms and the timing chain. Aside from the parts, the labor is over $2100. Is this quote of labor cost in the ball park of normal range?

View attachment 33872

You could get a re-man installed for $3-4k.

 

[coupe11]

I vote for all the rocker arms to be replaced if they are replacing the camshaft.

Broke a rocker arm shaft on my 82 K5 6.2 (twice - same rocker arm shaft). They replaced the rocker arm shaft and reused all the rocker arms.

The next time it broke (almost 1 year later to the week) I fixed it. I removed the valve cover and broker rocker arm shaft and the sleeve/bearing surface on the rocker arms was nearly worn through to the steel in spots. Surprised/dismayed at the wear for only around 125,000 mile on a diesel I pulled the other rocker arm shafts on the same side and the rocker arms showed very little wear on the bushings pressed into the rocker arms. The issue was the 1st rocker arm shaft and rocker arms had "worn in" together. When they (Chevy place) reused the old rocker arms on a new rocker arm shaft it wore both pretty badly.

Issue was a broken #6 cylinder exhaust valve spring. Pretty damned obvious when you just looked at it. It had been broke long enough the two ends where if broke had worn themselves bright and shiny rubbing against each other. Replaced that spring and the rocker arm shaft and rocker arms and never broke another one.

Don't know if anyone else has seen increase wear from putting used parts together with new parts, but I thought I'd throw that out there. If a rocker arm only cost about $7 each it really wouldn't add that much cost to the repairs.

 

[truckguy]

Yeah, I am not too concerned with the parts cost (although I can definitely save a couple hundred if I buy them myself compared to the quote). I'm more curious about what you guys think about the labor cost for doing this job.

 

[aagitch]

What about a low mile used engine. There's probably plenty of those available.

 

[truckguy]

I got a quote from the last shop for $5k total with a used engine. I think it was about half labor half parts.

 

[TobyU]

I got a quote from the last shop for $5k total with a used engine. I think it was about half labor half parts.

5 grand for used engine is crazy. But of course the shops have no mercy and they live in la la land where they think their prices are okay even good sometimes.
Go to car-part.com and search by ZIP code for engines and see what's available out there. Remember this is not the best way to buy an engine, the best way is to call some of the numbers the ones that don't have price listed.
There are plenty of decent mile used engines for under $1,500. Anyone charging over 1500 to install one is a crook.
I'm going to have to start doing the work for you guys if you're willing to pay these kinds of fees.
Give tow it to my place and I'll put you a good used one in for 3500.
We have to stop going for the mainstream normal prices. Have to shop around and find better deals and be creative.
I won't be any part of it. I will go out of my way and do almost whatever possible to prevent the shops at making this kind of money.

There are plenty of shops that will do the timing chain and gear replacement for between 1200 and $1,800. Now the price of replacing the one rocker arm is almost insignificant because the valve cover will be off anyway.
This price is parts and labor so yes, that quote is quite High. Not saying you won't get plenty more in the same range or even higher but they are all very high.

 

[JExpedition07]

Their diagnosis seems correct to me but price seems high. A proper timing job with oem parts is normally around ($2,000) plus they are replacing the cam and a few followers so I could see a few hundred extra. It really depends on your area labor rates, again I think it seems high. I would think about $2,000-$2,500 for this is fair.

 

[truckguy]

Thanks guys for the feedback. I live in the bay area in northern California, not exactly a cheap area.

How hard is it for me to do it? Is it even doable by an individual? Do I need specialized tools?

 

[truckguy]

I asked for clarification with the shop and the quoted hour was about 15 hours for the job with a rate of 138/hour.

Anybody thinks this is doable individually? Approximately how many hours am I really looking at if I do it myself?