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Old 09-16-2011, 11:49 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
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Year: 1986
Coachwork: bluebird
Engine: Int. DT466
Rated Cap: 35
how much time to swap engine?

I recently had my old 7.9L international switched out for a DT466. The shop that I had it done at had dragged the work on for months! never giving me an accurate time frame. As you can imagine I'm very frustrated with them for a variety of reasons. My biggest worry is that their work hours log is sloppy to say the least (and probably rounded up). Does anyone know generally how long it should take to do this conversion? With all the bells and whistles? (new radiator with hoses,downpipe, muffler, speedo/click down cables, air filter, shorten driveshaft, cut hole in firewall, move tranny,
Im trying to have a little better defense when I tell them i don't want to pay full price!
Thanks

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Old 09-23-2011, 08:52 AM   #2
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Re: how much time to swap engine?

the original quote was about a day and a half. now they're trying to charge me for over 40 hours and $2000 in parts! They say it took 16 hours to disconnect my old engine, lift it out, and lift the new one in, just sitting there unconnected. They are trying to rip me off. I have many points against them and I would like to add a ballpark knowledge of the time it should take to my defense. thanks.
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Old 09-23-2011, 10:25 AM   #3
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Re: how much time to swap engine?

No way would I bite on 16 hrs to remove the engine.
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Old 09-23-2011, 10:36 AM   #4
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Consult a bus shop at a school, city bus, or large truck shop. Do not mention your current engine work. Frank
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Old 09-24-2011, 01:43 AM   #5
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Re: how much time to swap engine?

Quote:
Originally Posted by kyletheyeti
I recently had my old 7.9L international switched out for a DT466. The shop that I had it done at had dragged the work on for months! never giving me an accurate time frame. As you can imagine I'm very frustrated with them for a variety of reasons. My biggest worry is that their work hours log is sloppy to say the least (and probably rounded up). Does anyone know generally how long it should take to do this conversion? With all the bells and whistles? (new radiator with hoses,downpipe, muffler, speedo/click down cables, air filter, shorten driveshaft, cut hole in firewall, move tranny,
Im trying to have a little better defense when I tell them i don't want to pay full price!
Thanks
I think you shot yourself in the foot on this one. What you were asking for is not a small job. Swapping an engine with the same engine is one thing but swapping one engine for another is asking a lot. I think the quote they gave you for a day and a half is off the mark even if the engines were the same. Working for customers is a pain in the ass they never want to pay the full bill but they always want you to go the extra mile and do it in half the time. Things do not always go as planned. More jobs have glitches along the way than they go smooth, stuff like broken bolts or stubborn removal and or replacement of components are always unforeseen and always cost you time.

Did they give you a story? Every time a mechanic is on a job there is or should be a story written (they charge you for that too) when the mechanic punches off from that job giving details of what tasks were performed during the time he was on that job. You are also paying for the clean up time of tools and the area that was worked in every time the the mechanic punches in and out from that job.
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Old 12-01-2011, 12:36 AM   #6
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Year: 1988
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Re: how much time to swap engine?

I can give you some idea, from a hobbyist perspective.
I pulled out an MV404 engine and 5 speed, pretty much the same size and weight as a 6.9.
Took me all day, working on my own. Not too hard, just a LOT of heavy stuff to move.
Two guys in a shop, with the right tools, could do it in a day. That's 8 hours.
It's the install that takes time, and all the things that crop up.
To change to the DT466, I've had to make a lot of little adjustments.
Cut out the doghouse, new place for the accelerator pedal and cables, electrics had to be
carried over from the DT to the old firewall, then spliced internally.
New holes all over the firewall for stuff like the tach cable and doghouse bolts.
Some stuff lines up perfectly. Some not.
It's taken me longer than anticipated, but I'm almost done.
I'll drive it in a few days )

Did you provide a donor vehicle, or was this parts sitting on a pallet? Makes a difference
having everything available and not having to run around looking for stuff.
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Old 01-16-2012, 09:16 PM   #7
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Re: how much time to swap engine?

Depending on the laws in your state, you may or may not be liable for the charges above the original estimate, but only if you can prove the shop did the work without first consulting with you and getting your permission. If this is the case, definitely DO NOT mention this until they're done. If the owner thinks he's not going to get paid for what he's done, he'll just push your bus out the door and tell you come pick it up. Wait until it's finished, pay him what he wants, then take him to small claims court. This is really your only legal recourse.

Of course, maybe the guy is super conscientious and he will offer to reduce his fees until you are happy HAHAHAHHAHAHAHA ... sorry, I couldn't type that with a straight face.
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Old 01-17-2012, 08:39 AM   #8
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Re: how much time to swap engine?

I would have made the mechanic sign a contract for the full amount of what it would cost to change the engine over, and the time frame involved, at which point if he goes over that, he starts to pay you a certain amount every day. That is done every day with equipment.
That being said,
It is not hard to remove the front clip and use the forklift to take out the motor/trans. Should take less than a day for that. with 2 mechanics maybe 4-6 hours at most. Even with them drinking coffee.
Then you either gotta move the rear crossmember or fab a new one, get the driveshaft chucked up in the lathe if necessary, and make the front motor mounts or whatever. Like earlier post said, more fiddling around with small stuff that may take as much time as changing the engine in the first place.
I think the whole thing should take no more than 3-4 days if there are two mechanics that have the proper tools, and they know what they are doing.
Course that might cost $4500 @ 150/hr not counting parts.
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Old 01-17-2012, 12:24 PM   #9
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Re: how much time to swap engine?

I am a firm believer of not modifying OEM products. $2000 U.S. bankrupt dollars sounds cheap when you consider fabricating motor mounts, drive shafts transmission mounts etc.
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