cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

ok today i went to a local tuner shop to get a quote on how much it will cost to install my itr cams, itr dual valve springs and itr retainers. what the guy quoted me was $350 and to me that seems high. anyone here ever paid anyone to install their valvetrian and for how much or how much should i be paying for them to install it? i know it's pretty straight forward but i just dont got the tools and if i had someone who can guide me through it im pretty sure i can do it but i rather get it professionally installed.

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

seems pretty good to me. most mechanics around here usually charge 100/hr. i prolly woulda considered payin that much to have someone install mine, but i honestly like workin on my car to much.

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

Bring him new valve stem seal, new timing belt and a new water pump to install while you're at it. I charge $300 alone just to replace water pump and timing belt. To install springs and new seals while they are on the car will take close to an hour so $350 sounds cheap. Is he gonna do a valve adjustment also? If so, $350 is really cheap.

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

if you don't want to spend the money, do it yourself for $60 that gets you a valve spring compressor and new knowledge of taking and putting parts back together. search on google, lots of video of how to.

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

wow i guess im wrong then. it seems like its pretty straight forward. im pretty sure it would take like 1.5 hours tops just to do it

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

If it only takes you 1.5 hours to do it, you are doing it wrong.

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

it seems like it's straight forward but i guess im wrong. i've never messed with anything inside the motor before thats why. only thing i would touch are things outside of the motor like replacing it when it goes bad. alternator, starter, and things like that

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

watch the video or look at a helms manuel to get a idea of what you have to do then decide on your mechanical skills if you think you should atempt it or not

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

If you have doubts and get it done at the shop, maybe they'll give you a good deal on the tune.

It isn't that hard to do it and like mentioned, is a good learning experience

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

just scared i might do it wrong and mess up the motor which i cant afford since it's my daily driver

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

sounds like you should probably let the shop do it. and $350 is a pretty good price IMO. it will take your shop a few hours to get it done, and they do have the correct tools for the job whereas you don't (ie: how were you planning on holding the valves up once you take off the retainer? see what i mean?)

and like the above posts state, you might as well do valve seals, timing belt, water pump, cam seal gaskets, etc, while it's all coming out. :)

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

installing new springs/retainers while the head is still ontop of the block can be quite risky!

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

why is that?

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

like i stated earlier, how do you plan on keeping the valve from dropping into the cumbustion chamber once you take the retainer off? ;)

if you were to drop one, you'd pretty much be tearing the head off the block, which will take you a LOT more time.

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

To remove the timing belt alone would probably take you that long if this is your first time.
You do know that you gotta remove, the power steeing pump, the a/c compressor and alternator belts just to get the timing belt off?

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

Nylon rope, threaded thru the sparkplug hole. Make sure you swap the springs and retainers one cylinder at a time. I made the mistake of pulling all of the VT off at once and dropped 4 valves. I had to remove the head to get everything done.

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

I charge 100 to swap just springs and retainers. 60 for cams and 75 for a valve adjustment.

as far as leaving the head on the car. thread in a leak down tester hose and put 100 psi in the combustion chamber.

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

yea thats how i do it :thumbup:

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

damn, you answered too fast! hahaha, i was trying to get him to think as to the nature of the question. that must've sucked taking the time to yank the head off...

and yes, i used compressed air as well to hold the valves up. :)

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

because you can accidentaly drop the keepers into the oil galleries which leads down to the block, which can cause u alot of work.

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

So you only charge $60 to do a timing belt change? If so, you're practically working for free. Why would you charge so cheap for cam swap, yet so much for a valve adjustment?

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

Don't do springs and retainers without changing out the valve stem seals.

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

Lots of good info in this thread! Doing cams/springs/retainers/vs seals next week...

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

Yeah, that is not how I like to spend a sat. but it beats doing yard work.

Re: cost of installing cams, valve springs and retainers???
 

couldnt agree more