I need a price check please

[Justa231]

I brought my car in to have the rear main seal fixed.
I was advised that I need to replace the bearings on my crankshaft and the manifold gasket needs to be replaced.
Can someone give me an idea on how much this should cost.

Thanks

 

[Jimn8or]

Need a whole lot more info dude...Are they going to take the crank out to do this? Are they going to machine the crank? Is it a TR/GN specialty place or the local Shell station? For example, if they don't prime the oil system before start up after changing the bearings, in 2 days you'll be back for new bearings and now mabye a crank as well! Why do they want to replace the bearings? If the mains are hooped, how about the rod bearings? Do they know the clearances...NOT the same as a small block Chevy! Are they doing this with the motor in the car? How long do they want the car for? The PCV grommet is notorious for leaking on these cars and when the oil blows back it looks like the intake gasket is hooped to alot of people. Why do they want to replace this gasket?

Be careful and govern your decisions accordingly
HTH
Jim

 

[buickboy]

My concern is do the mechanic's know they are dealing with a turbo 3.8. Do they know how to change the Rear Main Seal correctly. if it is an experienced TR shop the price would not be an issue. Non experienced mechanics can charge way more than is normal and still screw it up and it has to be redone. Parts would be in the $100-150 range depending on bearings and gaskets used.
Mitch

 

[Justa231]

Let's see if I can answer the questions.
It is a T/R specialist shop.
I was told that the clearance is supposed to be 3 thousands and its 8 thousands? Not sure. He told me that there was play and that's why the bearings had to be replaced.
I do not believe that the crank had to come out.
He was going to only change one bearing but told me that he had to buy the entire kit to get the bearing needed and then decided to change all of them. I'm not sure how many.
The motor was recently done by someone else and he's not sure why the clearance was off.
The car is done.
When he took the car for a ride to make sure that the rear main seal is no longer leaking, he smelt oil burning. H then noticed the manifold gasket wasn't put on properly.
He told me that the clearance is now perfect and there is no leak from the rear main seal.
He's going to test drive it tonight to make sure that the manifold gasket is not leaking.
PCV grommet was recently replaced.

Thanks

 

[Jimn8or]

First off, I invite you to check with some of the engine builders on this Board. My thoughts are this; I wouldn't drive my car a foot with 8 thou clearance on the mains If bearings come in std, +.001/.010/.020 etc, how is your problem going to be repaired with merely a bearing replacement and .008 current clearance??? I assume that this is a street motor and my personal feelings are that .003" clearance is 50% to 100% too much as .0015 to .002 are the norm for these motors. Again, verify this with motor builders here if you like, opinions do vary. FWIW, I think you can buy individual bearings at will, but then again, I wouldn't recommend a single bearing change either. Based merely on your 2 posts about the plan of attack by this TR shop, I'd be looking for another estimate at another TR shop first.
HTH
Jim

 

[Justa231]

My problem is that I do not know enough about this stuff to explain it better.
I do believe that I obtained the right clearance figures that he told me.
I sure he told me that .003 is what the stock specs recommend.
He did check this over the weekend and it appears that area is fine. The clearance and the rear main seal.
I believe that the job is being done right, (I hope and pray) I was just wondering what the cost to change the bearings and the manifold gasket should cost?

 

[Jimn8or]

Want motivation to be sure this shop is going to do things right?

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=115963

If this isn't motivating, nothing will be
Jim

 

[Justa231]

It's a shop that advertises here.
They have done work for me and other T/R owners that I know.
I just wanted to get an idea pertaining to price and not quality.
Can anyone give me a price?

 

[musclecar neal]

.003 is not the correct main bearing clearance PERIOD! .0015-.002 are the stock clearances . At .003 you will have trouble with oil control and pressure. It is unlikely that there was .008 clearance . Who is doing the work?

 

[Justa231]

musclecar neal,

It's the thrust bearing that was off. It was at .010 and now it's at .004.
I was advised that it should be between .003 and .005.
Is this correct?

Thanks

 

[musclecar neal]

The clearance he is talking about is crankshaft end play. How did he measure it? The factory spec for end play at thrust bearing is .003 in. - .011 in . How did he tighten the clearance up? Did he get a bearing with an oversize thrust surface of just replaced the bearing with a new bearing with a std thrust surface? Is that the only bearing he changed? Those would be good questions to ask and know the answers to. Who is doing the wrok?

Neal

 

[Justa231]

I'm not sure how he measured it.
He replaced the thrust bearing with the standard thrust surface.
He told me that he replaced all the bearings that come in the kit with the thrust bearing. Not sure which ones or how many.
He also replaced the manifold gasket. Told me it was leaking.
The motor was recently done by someone else.
How much?

 

[musclecar neal]

I smell something fishy. Unless the old thrust bearing was toasted and torn up pretty bad there is no way to go from .010 to .003. NO WAY. Something is wrong here. I would like to see the parts. Sounds like BS to me. Major BS. I would really like to see how he measured the end play.

At my shop I would charge 3.5 hours to change the main bearings and rear main seal and 2.5 to do the intake gasket with cleaning all the parts adjustments. That is @ 60.00 per hour plus parts. Main bearings are 30.00, rear main seal 7.00, pan gasket 15.00, silicone for main cap and intake 4.00, 2 cans of brake cleaner @ 2.00 per can, Intake gasket 27.00. oil 12.00, filter 5.00.

360.00 labor
104.00 parts

464.00 total and maybe a discount for a TR guy

I still think this is TOTAL BS the story your being told unless I could see the parts taken out and the parts used.

 

[Justa231]

I picked up the car.
He did leave me the old bearings in the box of the new ones.
If your still interested, I can take some photos and email them to you.
Four bearings in total.
Please advise me of your email.
He was a bit more expensive, but not much.
Everything in the NY area is more expensive.
Actually, the labor was the same, the parts were a bit more.

 

[musclecar neal]

Send me pics. I still think he is full of it. Almost imposible to be true. Get good pics of that thrust. What did you pay?

426hem1@comcast.net or click on my email thing below.

 

[musclecar neal]

what was the part number on the box for the bearings?

 

[Justa231]

Which ones are the thrust bearings?
I'm looking at the parts right now.

 

[musclecar neal]

The bearings that look like none of the others. Have sides to them. You should have 8 bearing halves there. all but 2 should look the same.

 

[Justa231]

Sending you the photos.
You should have in a couple of minutes.

Thanks