Can anyone give us an idea of labour cost for changing the engine in a car?

paddedjohn

rather that taking the car 15 miles to a garage, surely there is a tool/plant hire shop in a 20 mile radius of you for the hoist, try google. another option is a couple of strong lads and a wooden beam, hard work but it works and will save a few hundred quid.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

suppose your 4x4 doesnt have a hoist bolted to the front then? seen someone make a wooden A frame and bolted a 4x4 front mounted hoist to it to lift a v8 job out.

i lifted out a zafira engine without box with a peice of scaffold and wratchet straps and man power before just make sure theyve been to the toilet its strenuous work that!! lower front of car (bumper removed and wooden chocks placed under front valance) and lift!! same to fit hoist in engine jack up car attach engine mounts fit gearbox and mount then do all the P!SSY bits.

pendulum

Rather than pay a garage hundreds of pounds he's better off buying his own engine hoist to do the job himself.
Could even buy a used one and sell it on after?

wealdroam

Your friends that do car racing... haven't they got an engine crane they could lend you?

poohbear59

Thank you everyone, I am handing on all your tips and other info to DS.
We found a hoist to rent 55 miles away so not as far as we thought.

Scotsman Can I ask where in the UK you found the £100 mechanic? Send it pm if you don't want to be public.

If we get a hoist or find another means to remove and replace engine DS is still not confident enough to connect up the new engine without his mechanic friend who is now unavailable.

Still working on how to get this done before college next week.

Strider590

If he's doing this himself, he needs to be methodical and very organised.... I suggest buying a set of parts bins just for this task, label everything, mark everything. Hell even take photo's if you come to something you know might be tricky to remember later on.

Garage's have the luxury of having spare parts available at a moments notice, where as the home mechanic can ill afford to lose anything.

poohbear59

We have had a price from a garage 15 miles away of £400 for labour only, extra for parts etc. so I think we will be taking the advice of those who suggested he carry on and do it himself. |

DS has put out a message to friends that he needs help and has decided to travel the 110 mile round trip to collect the hoist at only £30 per week. We have other things to do in the city so it won't be a trip for just one thing. Living as we do we have to make the most of car trips to town or city.

Strider I have told DS what you have said of taking photos and labelling things. He says when he took the old engine top out he reattached every bolt so he knows where they are. It looks like I am losing my plastic filing boxes but they will clean up. He is taking your advice from this stage on.

poohbear59

Should say DS is a trainee marine engineer so is learning to work on engines, just not this size.

johnnyroper

i have changed the lump in my 205 gti recently and decided to buy a 2nd hand hoist off fleabay,i actually made money on it.
£80 collected did the change over and sold on again for £90.

the astra is really easy to have lump out they come out as a complete unit and then split box off when out,swap all bits over and refit if handy with the spanners i reckon it could be running in a couple of hours.

vax2002

Make sure you turn the new engine over half a dozen times by hand before firing up so you prime the oil pump.