Advice please - reasonable time to rebuild engine

[RobinLegin]

my lovely Stag has had an engine rebuild and I was shocked by the bill. More than indicated by a large margin.
Analysing the bill i have one line for labour which represents 42.2 hours. I then have another line stating engine rebuild - parts and labour with a figure close to what was initially indicated. Before I go back to the specialist I would welcome any views out there on the following:
1. Average time one could expect to:
a. Remove engine and gearbox
b. Split and dismantle engine prior to a rebuild
c. Reassemble and install everything and check all in proper working order.
2. What are other members experience of cost for the above.
I would welcome views as I appreciate my specialist s work and only wish to challenge if I have reasonable grounds.
Many thanks

[DJT]

The Stag Repair Operations book states:

Engine and Gearbox Assembly - Remove and Refit - about 9 hours
Engine Assembly - Strip and Rebuild - 20.55 hours

So that is over 30 hours already. Multiply that by their labour rate and this could come to somewhere between £1500 - £3000.

This is for a virtually new engine. Not one with seized head studs. Add in time for machining, etc., and it soon adds up.

[Scar]

I've been quoted around £5k for a full strip down and rebuild including crank regrind etc.

[STypeR]

I would probably plead poor and ask for a discount on the bill or ask to pay them over a period of time; everything in life is negotiable!
I have had bills like this in the past and as DJT mentioned it does quickly add up! So not a lot you can do when you have to pay the specialists.
There is very little I cannot do on my cars but like many of us allocating the time is the main issue. When I am very busy (or a bit lazy) I take my modern cars to the mechanics for maintenance, they are very friendly and don't work for free but I have yet to find one that does not like charging the maximum they can get away with; I would do the same.
Classic car ownership is no different. The more time you have, the more skilled you are and the more work you can do on your own the more you will save. And it is amazing how many different skills you need to be able to do everything on a full restoration. Plus no one will take the same care on your car as you do.
Was easy for me to hire a lift for about 40 pounds for a few days, undo everything and pull the engine/tranny out. The ROM is about right in stating 9 hours for removal and refit. My brother in law helped. That was about a 400 pound saving. The heads were a nightmare but I eventually got them off, stripped the engine and took everything to the respective specialists. Found a semi retired Stag specialist who came to me and I helped him reassemble the engine. That was about 150 pounds. Found a new set of pistons for about 125 pounds on flea bay. Also a new set of rods that were very cheap etc etc.
Takes forever when you are a one man show though.

[fussydave]

My engine rebuild was £5500 to include removal, complete strip, machining for Jack shaft, rebore, head skim, crank regrind and hardened, supply of electric water pump, new, uprated, repositioned alternator, new header tank and a few other minor mods. All done by Wards, their labour rate being £60 +VAT per hour. This was done in 2016. Price also included revisit to retorque heads and oil change.

Dave.

[Jonat127]

As per fussydave I had my engine rebuilt by wards with everything he mentions and a new set of pistons plus tubular manifolds. My bill came in at £6k
I did quite a bit of research before choosing wards and other stag specialists were up to £1500 more for the same work!

[rwdstag]

I did all the strip down and then took the lot to my very good but expensive machine shop cost once reasonable again by myself £2750 ish

[rwdstag]

Reassembled even

[Tim Ward]

Around 8 years ago, so memory a bit vague. removed engine took to local engine re builders [not stag specialists] who also sent the crank off for a treatment on my request [can't remember exactly which one]. Rebuild kit from James Paddock and chains.

Collected the assembled engine, refitted the ancillaries and then had tuned by a local specialist. It was time consuming removing and refitting, but enjoyable, sprayed the engine bay whilst out.Total cost around 2.2 k. Still running very well. Tim

[RobinLegin]

Thanks all. Will try to negotiate a réduction now I have some data to use. It does leave an unpleasant taste though especially as I have been a good customer paying promptly over many years. I hope I don’t have to go looking for another specialist. And I really must get m y daughter’s stuff out of my garage and fit it out as my workshop and start saving money. As a new pensioner this is essential !

[STypeR]

Just say to them you feel it is a bit high Robin and if they would like your repeat business to please see what they can chop off the price or please have another look at the bill as you were not expecting such a high amount and ask them for a pensioner rate now that you are retired/pensioner.
If you are still physically fit and able I would urge you to attempt everything you can on your own, the Stag is still not too complicated a classic; definitely a lot slower to get things done this way but the great members of this forum and the Jaguar forum I belong to have saved me thousands over the years.
Never too late to learn - I have a desk job so have no industry exposure to this type of skill but I have thoroughly enjoyed learning over the years - stuffed up plenty of things too on the way mind you as well..
I fight with my wife for the valuable double garage space we have in an inner suburb and if I let my family have their way they would take over the whole garage as well.

[Seaking]

[QUOTE
I fight with my wife for the valuable double garage space we have in an inner suburb and if I let my family have their way they would take over the whole garage as well.[/QUOTE]
Seems like you need to splash some grease and oil around your garage to keep out unwanted family stuff lol. May build a spanner alarm well just buy some old rusty spanners to leave by the doors.