LuvNLife
Junior Member
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2014
- Posts
- 15
- Reaction score
- 16
- Location
- Crossville, TN
- First Name
- Jerry
- Truck Year
- 1985
- Truck Model
- C10 Silverado
- Engine Size
- 350
OK; here's the backstory. Bought an '85 C10 shortbed earlier this week. It ran and drove, but the virtual rust free body was the main selling point. The engine is a bit cobbled - clapped out Edelbrock carb with an adapter to a cast iron intake, plug wires zip-tied (yes, all 4 per side) tightly, etc. I just wanted it to last a year, then I was going to swap in a new long block. Well, Murphy's Law always seems to take a bite outta my rear.
I was letting it run in my garage (doors open) to see how it ran warmed up, and it didn't sound bad. The weather has been cold, rain and crazy high humidity. I noticed a lot of condensation coming out of both of the pipes (headers into Flowmasters, dumped at the rear) and it didn't stop for the entire 15 minutes of idling. I stepped on it, and it really left a plume. Tomorrow, I'm going to take it out for a run and check my coolant levels before and after, in case both combustion chambers cracked somehow. The oil on the dipstick is clean, there's no milkshake under the fill cap or in the radiator. Worst case, the engine swap won't wait.
I know local labor costs for mechanical work, but I'd like to get some sense of how many hours changing out an engine should run for an average shop that knows Gen 1 small blocks. The only options are power steering (no A/C) and a Turbo 400 trans. All of the parts going on, intake, fuel pump, water pump, etc. will be brand new. Only little parts like the distributor hold down, fuel pump push rod and oil filter adapter have to be pulled. My guesstimate is 12 labor hours, but I'd like to hear from some that either do this for a living or have "been there, done that".
Thanks!
I was letting it run in my garage (doors open) to see how it ran warmed up, and it didn't sound bad. The weather has been cold, rain and crazy high humidity. I noticed a lot of condensation coming out of both of the pipes (headers into Flowmasters, dumped at the rear) and it didn't stop for the entire 15 minutes of idling. I stepped on it, and it really left a plume. Tomorrow, I'm going to take it out for a run and check my coolant levels before and after, in case both combustion chambers cracked somehow. The oil on the dipstick is clean, there's no milkshake under the fill cap or in the radiator. Worst case, the engine swap won't wait.
I know local labor costs for mechanical work, but I'd like to get some sense of how many hours changing out an engine should run for an average shop that knows Gen 1 small blocks. The only options are power steering (no A/C) and a Turbo 400 trans. All of the parts going on, intake, fuel pump, water pump, etc. will be brand new. Only little parts like the distributor hold down, fuel pump push rod and oil filter adapter have to be pulled. My guesstimate is 12 labor hours, but I'd like to hear from some that either do this for a living or have "been there, done that".
Thanks!
