POLL! Hours to remove single engine 280da

Time it´ll take

  • 1h

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 2h

    Votes: 5 33.3%

  • 3h

    Votes: 1 6.7%

  • 4h

    Votes: 6 40.0%

  • 5h

    Votes: 1 6.7%

  • 6h

    Votes: 2 13.3%

  • 7h

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 8h

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 9h

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 10h

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    15
R

RobinK

Member
Mar 31, 2021
32
Boat Info
Sundancer 315 2003
Engines
454 b3
I have gotten into an argument with my local workshop regarding work hours, so I would really appreciate if there´s anyone that can give me an honest estimation under the following starting conditions:

- Boat´s on dry land in the shop
- Sterndrive is off
- Enging hatch is off and out of the way
- Nothing´s stuck (bolts etc.)
- Single engine 6.2 MPI= good workspace in the engine compartment

What would it take to remove the engine and put it down on a freight pallet (no fastening), including:

- Exhaust pipes
- 4 engine mount bolts
- Fuel hose
- Water hose
- Remove shiftplate (3-4 bolts)
- Main electrical contact
- Mercathode wires
- (forgetting anything?)

Not taking in account if anything´s stuck, just a standard job like you´ve done it countless times. You've got a big brand new tractor with the right tools/accessories on it for the job and good workspace around (and you´re a certified Mercruiser shop ;) ).
Please leave a comment if you've done a similar job or just guessing (that's fine).
 
Last edited:
Best thing you can do is call another shop and ask them. Shops run off of the time listed in the computer to do "X" job. If it takes less then they still charge the listed time. And of course if it takes longer, they charge you that. So if Billy Bob can remove one and it takes him 3 hours, that is one thing. But if the hours list says 8, that is what it "should" take.

I just finally got my pick up repaired. To replace the injectors and seals associated, it's listed as a 12 hour job. But, it took them over 14 hours spread out over a two week time frame. So I wasn't charged the $4600 for the job as listed in the time schedule. I was charged $5200.

So if someone can, as most will, be able to remove it in "X" amount of time. To find out what your paying for, it's best to find the time that they are charging you for.
 
I would think 2 people and 3 hours as the max.
So 6 x hourly rate would be the MOST I’d expect to pay.

As a wild ass guess, did they quote you $800??
 
3 hours, give or take a bit. But keep in mind that moving the boat to the lift, prepping tools, cleaning up, moving the boat to a temporary storage spot... all that is accounted for in time. Unless the time is way out of whack, don't worry about it - there's always going to be inconsistencies and some jobs take longer/shorter than other times.

But, as you alluded to... if bolts are stuck/corroded/etc - that adds to the time and could add quite a lot.
 
RobinK said:
I have gotten into an argument with my local workshop regarding work hours, so I would really appreciate if there´s anyone that can give me an honest estimation under the following starting conditions:

- Boat´s on dry land in the shop
- Sterndrive is off
- Enging hatch is off and out of the way
- Nothing´s stuck (bolts etc.)
- Single engine 6.2 MPI= good workspace in the engine compartment

What would it take to remove the engine and put it down on a freight pallet (no fastening), including:

- Exhaust pipes
- 4 engine mount bolts
- Fuel hose
- Water hose
- Remove shiftplate (3-4 bolts)
- Main electrical contact
- Mercathode wires
- (forgetting anything?)

Not taking in account if anything´s stuck, just a standard job like you´ve done it countless times. You've got a big brand new tractor with the right tools/accessories on it for the job and good workspace around (and you´re a certified Mercruiser shop ;) ).
Please leave a comment if you've done a similar job or just guessing (that's fine).
Click to expand...
If it's in a shop with a gantry and air tools? Shouldn't take more than an hour. Especially for guys that do it routinely. Add an hour for the move etc. I can do it in less than 2 hours by myself in my yard with no air tools and sweating in the humidity...

IMG_20210911_165413.jpg
 
Last edited:
Espos4 said:
I would think 2 people and 3 hours as the max.
So 6 x hourly rate would be the MOST I’d expect to pay.

As a wild ass guess, did they quote you $800??
Click to expand...
Well, I've removed and installed a 454 with under the exact same condition, by myself, the first time I ever did it, under an hour. That's why I'm puzzled about 9 hours worktime. What are they doing for 9 consecutive hours in a clean, low hour engine compartment?

I appreciate taking your time to comment, but for 2 experienced guys on one engine under the above, optimal conditions?
 
Last edited:
HawkX66 said:
If it's in a shop with a gantry and air tools? Shouldn't take more than an hour. Especially for guys that do it routinely. Add an hour for the move etc. I can do it in less than 2 hours by myself in my yard with no air tools and sweating in the humidity...
View attachment 112575
Click to expand...

That's my experience too, so I'm puzzled by their workhours, but also when people suggest about 4 hours. I just don't see it.
I also think a main point here is that they (should) have done this countless times, this is what they do. There are boats out there with really tricky access and tight openings. That's not the case here, it's easy access, nothing in the way above since the arch goes forward. And a single engine with low hours.
 
JHornsby3 said:
Best thing you can do is call another shop and ask them. Shops run off of the time listed in the computer to do "X" job. If it takes less then they still charge the listed time. And of course if it takes longer, they charge you that. So if Billy Bob can remove one and it takes him 3 hours, that is one thing. But if the hours list says 8, that is what it "should" take.

I just finally got my pick up repaired. To replace the injectors and seals associated, it's listed as a 12 hour job. But, it took them over 14 hours spread out over a two week time frame. So I wasn't charged the $4600 for the job as listed in the time schedule. I was charged $5200.

So if someone can, as most will, be able to remove it in "X" amount of time. To find out what your paying for, it's best to find the time that they are charging you for.
Click to expand...
I'm familiar with the concept and there's no customer in the world that should accept paying for more hours than actually spent. That's fraud. Not saying it's always unfair to charge a full hour even if it takes 20 mins.

But nowadays, most serious shops actually charge parts of an hour because of just in time-models in their business system etc. that are ment to measure the actual labour being put in. A positive effect is that the customer won't have to pay for more labour than actually put in.

I'm finding it hard to believe there are pre-measured labour models in lifting an engine out of a boat, since the conditions are so vastly different from one boat to another.
 
Lazy Daze said:
3 hours, give or take a bit. But keep in mind that moving the boat to the lift, prepping tools, cleaning up, moving the boat to a temporary storage spot... all that is accounted for in time. Unless the time is way out of whack, don't worry about it - there's always going to be inconsistencies and some jobs take longer/shorter than other times.

But, as you alluded to... if bolts are stuck/corroded/etc - that adds to the time and could add quite a lot.
Click to expand...
Funny you mention it, there's no cleaning being done here. On the opposite, they managed to soil my original white vinyl pretty badly. Luckily they managed to clean it off after I demanded it, but still.
They haven't even so much as pulled the drainplug for the water under the engine. Just the engine straight out.
 
Its possible that they quote and bill based on standard times like car repair shops sometimes do. Remove and engine probably has a “standard” 9hr time which accounts for some being more time and some less. I know that the standard times the auto shops use are quite a bit higher than the actual average. That is why you can often wait an hour at an auto shop for a 2hr labor job to be done.
 
RobinK said:
Funny you mention it, there's no cleaning being done here. On the opposite, they managed to soil my original white vinyl pretty badly. Luckily they managed to clean it off after I demanded it, but still.
They haven't even so much as pulled the drainplug for the water under the engine. Just the engine straight out.
Click to expand...
Well, I was actually referring to cleaning THEMSELVES up (and tools/supplies, etc) :) But, yeah, you shouldn't have to remind them to clean up the customers boat to at least the condition it was brought in at.

To that actual "job" of actually pulling the engine, it's one to two hours. But once you add in the other things, that's where the "total time on job" comes in. I could live with 4 hours - although I wouldn't like it. 9 hours is ridiculous unless there were unforeseen circumstances. This would be a good time to have a (gentle) conversation with them as to what caused the time to double.
 
It all depends on who is doing the work...if you hired the two pros that worked on my boat, Mr Dolittle(really) and his helper, they'd still be at it on day two.:rolleyes:
 
Woody said:
It all depends on who is doing the work...if you hired the two pros that worked on my boat, Mr Dolittle(really) and his helper, they'd still be at it on day two.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
And would have taken the wrong one out!
 
RobinK said:
I'm familiar with the concept and there's no customer in the world that should accept paying for more hours than actually spent. That's fraud. Not saying it's always unfair to charge a full hour even if it takes 20 mins.

But nowadays, most serious shops actually charge parts of an hour because of just in time-models in their business system etc. that are ment to measure the actual labour being put in. A positive effect is that the customer won't have to pay for more labour than actually put in.

I'm finding it hard to believe there are pre-measured labour models in lifting an engine out of a boat, since the conditions are so vastly different from one boat to another.
Click to expand...

In my case there was other "things" that played into the overage.

For anything that I am paying someone to do for me, I always make the calls and research before hand. I know how to do the job but my worn out busted up body doesn't allow me to bend like I used to. But having the know how helps with what they are doing and their quote for the job.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,118
Messages
1,426,471
Members
61,034
Latest member
Lukerney
Back
Top