Thread: Labor/Installation estimate for Thermoblok Spacers/Removing intake manifold

Hey guys, I just ordered a kit. Now I have a buddy who does most of my car work for me, but he doesn't have a shop (it's more like a garage) operation. Reading around, a lot of the high port guys say that its a big PITA to install.

I would like to know what you guys think the labor charge should be (just in case he charges me too much). If you are a mechanic at a shop what usually runs as a price for intake manifold removal? I'm too lazy to drive around and ask the shops since they're like 30 minutes away from my house so an estimate on what you guys think should be a nominal fee for such extensive bolt turning would be very helpful.

Merry christmas

Book value is probably around 1.5 hours. If he hasn't done it before it's probably more like a real 2 hour job. I'd expect to pay at most for 2 hours at his hourly rate. I think most independents charge $75/hr.

Do you have a phone?

Thanks Ben. If he charges me more than $150, i probably will go somewhere else. On a side not, he charged me $150 for the S3 cams install...He goes by All Data prices (a shop software). Then he gives a little discount off the software's estimated labor charge

Sounds right for the cams. It's more time consuming than most realize and things can go wrong quickly if you don't know what you're doing. The thing is, most people around here probably don't even remember what it's like to not know exactly how to do a cam swap, so they probably feel it's a lot easier than it really is.

uMM.... The lower intake plenum is 1.5 hrs, but if your talking about the whole intake manifold .... Manifold to head gasket replacement is 4.6 hrs .... Our shop labor rate is average $98/hr .....

I could make a killing as a mechanic...

No Kiddin! I need to start doing it as a side gig

better not charge me haha.

I would never want to be a mechanic I would hate even looking at my car.

its not that hard i remove my tranny rebuilt it and put it back in 3 hours and this morning my wife left before me and i busted my axel had a spare, needed to be be to work at nine was leavin at 8 changed axel and still stop to get some coffee and was to work a 9.12 and i live 22miles from my job. being a mechanic isnt that hard just the love for what you do

i could do the thermospacer in probably 45 minutes tops. But then again ive done it soo many times its not even funny.

And im the same way, i got back in town from picking up a trans from phoenix around 9 oclock, by 9:30 i had mine pulled. 10 i had the gearstacks swapped from the trans i picked up into my case. by 11 had the trans back in, bolted up and fluids in.

Its all about motivation. Other times ive taken twice that long just cuz i wasnt motivated or in a hurry to get it done, haha