How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

Hi Guys,

Just been given a bill for work performed on my Searay Pachanga and just want a bit of a "heads up"

Basically the boat had both motors that had back filled with water, the legs had already been pulled off and both engines were loose with all wires already unplugged, engines were pulled out sent off to workshop to be rebuilt and returned as long blocks only for minor assembley (re-install carb, headers, and accesories)

What would you guys say would be a fair amount of "Chargeable hours" to perform the following work?

Finish removal of engine's (454MAG/Bravos' if that makes any difference)

Strip down to long block's

Reassmble long blocks

Run engine's on the floor to check over

Re fit to boat engines and legs and reconnect all wiring

One leg needed a new top gearset and both needed impellers and anodes fitted.

I really need a good idea how long such work would take an qualifed marine shop to perform.

If any one happend to have the factroy allocated times to perform such work that would be awesome!!

Sorry for such a long post

Cheers

James

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

approxmently 22/ 24 hours saying every thing goes ok

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

Thanks for the reply, anyone else care to comment, not disregarding dodsonartic1 (thanks by the way) reply, just if I can get a few different people's comments it will give me more of a idea.

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

Don't know how it could be done in much less time than 14 hours per engine, and that does not include changing the gear set. Break it down it would look something like this:

Finish removal of engine 1 hr
Strip down to long blocks 1 hr
Clean and prep/paint engine parts 2 hr
Reassemble long blocks 2.5 hr
Run engine on floor 1 hr
Reinstall, align, and connect engine, reinstall drive 4 hr
Start engine ck all systems, set ignition timing. 1 hr
Change impellors, install anodes 1.5 hr
Total Hours 14 hrs

That would be if everthing went smoothly, which it rarely does. Also not included is cleaning and/or repainting the engine compartment, or a seatrial.

Dave

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

How Many Hours Did They Bill U For If U Dont Mind Me Asking

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

Thanks guys for all the replys... Keep them coming,

They are charging me for 101 hours.... This is not including rebuilding engines.

Does anyone happen to have the factory merc workshop times for this sort of thing?

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

Jasper allows 14 hours to remove and replace a long block [email protected] hr ....my shop wanted 28 hours @80.00 hr ....

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

That's not unreasonable........but at $15-$18 an hour! :eek:

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

I thought 28 hours was steep .... :rolleyes:

you would think a good guy could do it in 2 days ....16 hours ...

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

Lots of variables boat to boat but I think @ 101 hours this guys working awful slow or taking a lot of breaks. I've swapped out my two start to finish in under a forty hour work week and I'm only a shade tree mechanic :eek:

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

That's an insult to wheelchair-bound mechanics everywhere. Someone in a wheelchair could've did it in less than half the billed hrs!

If given 101 hours (and a high iron diet), I could probably poop a long-block.

D. Ocean
Miami, FLA

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

Thanks for all your replies!!

I think you guys have hit the nail on the head... Im old enough to realise when im being had on...

No i haven't paid the bill hence the reason for this thread basically Im going to go in and fight fire with fire.

I forgot to mention this was charged at a rate of $65 NZ p/h, which roughly works out at the same sort of money in $US when you look at living costs between the two countries. (It also took 2 months start to finish)

Cheers

James

Still if anyone has any officail Mercury Workshop guidelines for removing motors etc if they good post them up I would be ever so gratefull I more than happy to pay someone to photocopy/email me the info, it would be worth it in the long run

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

My merc mechanic's standard charge is 8hrs labor per engine removal and reinstall. That includes removing and replacing of the drive also.

Even if they didn't give you credit any of the disassembly that you did and they are slower than chit, 101 hrs is nucking futs.

8 hrs per engine R&R= 16
Strip down to long blocks 2hrs each max= 4
reassemble long blocks 4 hrs each=8
Run engines on floor 1 hr each=2
replace impellers 1hr each=2
BTW, impellers are not in the drives on Bravo's
Drive work 4-6 hrs max= 6

I'm at 40 hrs and I even went with hrs that are way high and would be considered TOO high by me and most others.

101 hrs is a joke

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

I like going with a quoted price not to exceed amount.
If the job has problems they can explain why and how much
extra.That way there shouldn't be in sleeping on the job.
Produce more make more everyones happy.

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

I was adding up hours when I read your post I came up with 20 to 24 hours.

I've done this job many times with friends and have done my own.

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

Last year when I had my engine pulled, I think they charged me three hours out and three hours in.

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

When I had my shop the estimate would be 20 hours labor. 101 hours????? ........Either this guy is joking and you just got PUNKED or you are getting ripped off. :eek:

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

Well I can seriously say after all these replies that I feel seriously like someone is trying to make a massive profit at my expense. Needless to say I think this one will end up in court as there is no way in hell Im going to pay the bill

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

Who cares how long it took them as long as the bill is around $1200 for the engine R&R and $800 for the drive repair

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

Thats my problem the bill is $6500 in labour.... When you say $1200 is that per engine or for both?

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

:eek: :eek:

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

The works allready done they got ya by the balls :( They did not give ya a quote before hand??????????

Looks like you want be using your boat this summer .


It takes me a lot longer to put the motor together than yall are saying , but its stock stuff ?Like JC says air wrench it :eek: :D

good Luck

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

I installed a 540 in my boat, including fabricating custom mounts, and making up all my own fluid hoses and fittings, etc etc in a weekend, and that was working by myself using a shop crane in my garage where it took tons of time to get everything in position. I also got my SSM III drive off, drained, and upper and lower split to ship the upper in just over an hour. MRD charged me $400 to swap upper gears (not including the gears). I've also built a long block (for a different project) in about a day and a half. I'm by no means a pro at this, so I think you are getting the buisiness. I'd pay them for about 15 hours per motor for that project and let them squeal all they want. Make them provide a detailed account of how each man-hour was spent. If it actually took them 101 man-hours, they aren't competent, and are not deserving of anything over minimum wage...

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

In my opinion they are double charging you.
If not more.

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

Sounds like you are getting hosed, big time. Did you get any type of quote ahead of time? If not, did you agree to paying them hourly? He should have given you some sort of ballpark figure.

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

When I was hungry I used to do repowers as a side job. A customer would bring me a boat on a trailer. My best time was 19 minutes, with air, from start of drive removal to engine hanging by a chain... ( had all i'd need all layed out and the boat was a t1t to work on)
Stripping down to base longblock (pan, windage tray, manifolds and covers removed) clean all parts (that's what takes the time) install clean sheet metal and paint, add all bolt up accesories, new belts... No need to test fire on the floor in this case because I had the boat and took very little time to pop out if I needed to...
The guy dropped the boat off on July2'nd at 6.00p and picked it up at 8.30p on the third... and i worked an 8 hour day in the middle at my "day job" I think the whole thing took less than 10 hours, but did not touch the drive, just an impeller. I think i did it for 600 bucks plus plarts.. like I said, i was hungry and worked my arse off...

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

Thanks guys for all your responses, At this point Im just going to go down and ask him to account for every man hour he "SUPPOSEDLY" put into the boat. It seems like being very genourous it should have taken 50 hours at the most, (he did have to re-wire one bilge pump....)
The biggest trump card I have is he let me have the boat back without paying the bill... I don't want to use him as a bank but in turn I don't want to be his profit for the year...

Will keep this thread updated with any new developments

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

Rewiring a bilge pump is a 1 hr max job.

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

That would be for both engines for sure.

Re: How long should it take to remove/re install engines??
 

I thought that would take at least 7 hours. boy your fast :drink:

Hi Waterboy,

What was the resolution to this? I think I might of just had a similar experience, except i am even further north of your hours, was yours in NZ?. high level mine was

remove 2x engines,
replace transom assem including exhaust horns
replace fuel system on engines while out
water pick ups replaced
A bit of bilge tidy up, wiring etc
bilge pumps replaced
drive coupler,
thermostats x2
spark plugs and leads.
re install
run up test while on the hard.
A couple other things like exhaust flapper, starter motor, alternator.

i got to the a grand total of 160hrs
Plus i had someone else do the steering refresh.

there was a long wait on the hard as parts took along time to arrive. my expectations was maybe upto 3 days to get motors out, maybe 5 days to do the engine fuel work + bilge and water pick ups, 3 days for engines to go back in, and 1 day admin, which gets to around 100hrs. given the comments here that seems to be taking the piss a little? 160hrs seems utterly insane.

interested to hear what your resolution was?

This must be some kind of a record. The post is only 16 years old!

lol

I can let you know borrow my helpers, they work for sun and alcohol :lolhit:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...2494e0656d.jpg

with those helpers i would hope for engine problem each week end !!! :)

We had one of our motors pulled. I was told it would take about 24 hours spread over 3 weeks. Is this the usual amount of days a motor should take? We are coming up on 2.5 weeks. The motor is just getting put back in and the mechanic still needs to add some parts to the motor as well as hook up the outdrive. How much longer can we expect this process to take? I'm concerned we will be longer than 3 weeks.
.