I haven't noticed anybody mentioning the REAL hard part about the head
re-seal ie the exhaust manifold studs.

I'm sure that's the reason the old guy doesn't like doing them - the studs,
especially on a Rust-belt van, are going to be very difficult for an
experienced pro, let alone a beginner.

Swapping a whole motor with exhaust attached would be cake Robert but those
studs are as tricky as it gets in auto repair....

On Thu, Aug 21, 2008 at 7:42 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>wrote:

> Here on Long Island most shops are getting $90/hour and up. Some of the
> dealers are well over $100.
>
> While Vanagon head gaskets are usually not all that bad an ordeal, things
> do go wrong. If I was paying for the work, I would want someone that knows
> what they may be getting into and be sure of what the costs will be when
> things go south. What risks are they willing to take? Will you be out $500
> for labor and have a scrap engine if a stud breaks? Negotiate what they
> will eat up front.
>
> Dennis
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Richard A Jones
> Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 10:21 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Engine Replacement or Gasket Fix?
>
> > I would not want anyone who dislikes waterboxers and wants to charge 80
> an
> > hour touching it.
>
> I'm in Glenwood Spring, Colorado, and gas here costs 50 cents more than
> the Front Range (Denver, etc.)  Well, so does labor (and labour, too!)
> Boulder-Denver labor is $85-90, but one of the shops here that knows
> old VWs and Vanagons is $120.  Everything costs more here.
>
> So for one part of the country to rate the costs in another doesn't
> have much validity.
>
> I agree about "anyone who dislikes waterboxers...."
>
> Richard
>

--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
Crescent Beach, BC
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27