Average price for D2 4.6 head gasket job?

[Blue]

2004 D2
75,000 miles

I am losing coolant and the shop told me that my head gaskets are leaking. I've been losing about a water bottle's worth of coolant every few days and I've just been refilling it as needed. This has been going on for a few months but it seems to be getting worse. I really can't see shit as far as evidence of leaks goes. No real deposits around the engine, no fluids dripping, no drops on garage floor. I had it in for an oil change the other day and that is when one of their techs ID'd the head gaskets as the culprit (he's a former Land Rover tech now working at the independent import shop where I take my Rover). They said the coolant is being forced out while the engine is running. No evidence of coolant in oil or vice versa. I had the valve cover gaskets and throttle body gasket replaced last September at 63,000 miles to fix obvious oil and coolant leaks at that time. A few months ago I was leaking coolant at the radiator bypass valve but that was just a loose clamp.

It's been running fine, including a 1200 mile round trip to Colorado and several 400-500 mile trips up to northern AZ. Temp gauge has always been smack in the middle since I purchased it in April 2008 with 50,000 miles on the clock. The head gaskets were replaced at about 49,000 miles by the local dealer (I confirmed this with the dealer before I purchased).

The local independent shop quoted me as follows:
12 hrs labor X $95/hr = $1140
Head gasket = $475
Head bolts = $32
Coolant = $44
Total = $1,691

Opinions?

 

[benlittle]

Oh man, I'd order the gasket set and bolts from british pacific. That will save you a bit on the cost for materials. I don't see any resurfacing costs there for the heads or valve work etc. I wonder if that's included in the head gasket cost??

Head gasket jobs are simple though. I would skip the labor and do it yourself.

 

[ruditron]

you are on crack if you pay that!

the whole head gasket kit is like $140 from rovers north plus $40 for bolts.
for $1700 i could buy a new 4.6, and still have money left to drink away.


buy the kit and get you some tools and beer and learn to save some money.

 

[RoverDII]

2004 D2
75,000 miles


Head gasket = $475
Head bolts = $32
Coolant = $44
Total = $1,691

Opinions?

Does the $475 for head gasket include cost of machine shop for heads? Sounds a bit pricey.
I got most all I needed from AB: head gasket kit (everything you need) $169.
AB sells a head bolt kit for $79 but I went with ARP stud kit for $150.
Had heads redone at machine shop for $125.
I actually did more work while I was already in deep but thats just to give you an idea on a head gasket only figure.
Labor: $ well, paid myself... twelve pack.
:cheers:

 

[roverover]

yea that price is about right but you should be getting a valve job in that price
$1000 labor
$110 gaskets and bolts
$350 valve job and resurface
$50 shop supplies

$1500 +/-

 

[Yadranco]

That price is too high.Here in Montreal local LR mechanic is charging 750$ gaskets and labor included.Your mechanic gave you that price because he is too busy to take your truck .If you are crazy to pay that price he will put all other trucks on hold and fix your first , because sucker like this you don't find every day.

 

[DNTLDISCO]

I just did my heads myself, after getting about 6 estimates for the job. Your bid sounds about right, I was going to be charged Upwards of $2300 for them to do the heads at the same time. I ended up doing them myself, because I felt I was being overcharged.

Cristian

 

[eliaschristeas]

big fan of doing everything myself. 1600 isnt bad for that truck provided they know what they're doing and include a valve job. however: x2 on $500 and you can do it yourself....

 

[MilSpec]

I was also quoted about $2300 for a headgasket change and valve job from the only indy shop in Wilmington, NC. :banghead: Before they even diagnosed what was wrong.

So its apart right now in my garage waiting on the heads to be finished. Even with my head repair cost, I'm still under $700. This on a 2002 RR.

 

[singingcamel]

Thats about right, but be sure you know what all is included, make sure the shop resurfaces the heads, Question the cost of the head gaskets and see what included in that price, seems high there. You may want to replace the thermostat and water pump since the engine is down that far for good measures.

 

[roverover]

That price is too high.Here in Montreal local LR mechanic is charging 750$ gaskets and labor included.Your mechanic gave you that price because he is too busy to take your truck .If you are crazy to pay that price he will put all other trucks on hold and fix your first , because sucker like this you don't find every day.

Hard to find a shop rate of $20/hr here

 

[Big Papa]

Wow, this is the 2nd HG repair with only 75K miles? I'm at 122K, and haven't done a HG repair yet. My time will come though...:ack:

I bought the "In search of the Experience" DVD, and has a good video of HG repair...

http://insearchoftheexperience.com/

Do it yourself, and save a ton of $$$$$

 

[adriatic04]

blue, just curious - how low would your water level get before adding more? Mine always seems to drop a hair below the cold level and then usually stays steady there. If it is filled any higher it always goes down to that level.

 

[Tugela]

Here's a link to a post that includes cost breakdowns, time, etc. for the head gasket replacement project. I also did the work myself and it saved me a pretty penny. Learned a lot in the process, too. Hard to put a value on that. I encourage you to consider doing it yourself. There are lots of great resources here to help you.

+1 on buying the "In Search of the Experience" DVD. That was the best $15 I spent on that project.

http://discoweb.org/forums/showthread.php?t=67575&highlight=head+gasket+debrief

 

[Blue]

Thanks for all the feedback, guys.

I assumed that the $475 included machining heads but I better double-check to be sure.

There's another good independent Rover shop that I know of and I'll be getting a price from them too. I'll find at least one more and get a third price as well.

Not sure if I want to take this on myself. I have a house with garage, tools, etc. but what I don't have is an overabundance of time. Tugela you spent 32 hours on it? Kudos to you for digging into it like that but even if I only spent half that much time on the project it wouldn't be worth it to me. Another concern is that shit like snapped bolts always seems to happen to me at the worst possible time. I can see being half-way into it and having a major malfunction. I also would have to put this off until October or buy an AC unit for my garage.

To answer adriatic's question, my expansion tank has been almost empty a couple times when I've checked it. This is maybe going 7-10 days without adding fluid. Then again I just had my oil changed last Friday and they topped it off and this morning I only had to add a few ounces. So all in all the leaking coolant issue probably has not gotten worse as time has passed. What I'm really worried about it having a major blow-out and losing enough coolant to cook the engine before I can shut her down.

I'll have to pick up that DVD either way though. Sounds interesting.

 

[dcarr1971]

...I assumed that the $475 included machining heads but I better double-check to be sure...

...I'll have to pick up that DVD either way though. Sounds interesting.

FWIW, I wouldn't bet on the $475 including the machining. I got the same amount quoted from reputable shop here in Pittsburgh. When I asked someone even more reputable and 'in the know' about the high price I was told that this is the WorldPac price for an aftermarket HG set.

+1 on buying that DVD though. I'd thought about doing it myself but then I chickened out. After I saw the posts from Big Papa and Tugela I went out to that site and picked it up too. (The next time I need a HG, I've going to give it a try myself...now I just have to hope it doesn't blow out on me in the dead of winter! )

 

[pdxrovermech]

If its at 75k and this is the second HG job it needs, I would probably find another block unless you plan on just selling it.

And that price seem more than fair. I wouldnt do HGs (including machine work) for less than $2k, but I like to think you get what you pay for.

 

[ptschram]

My flat-rate price for non-SAI is $2100. $2600 for SAI trucks.

 

[ptschram]

When I asked someone even more reputable and 'in the know' about the high price I was told that this is the WorldPac price for an aftermarket HG set.

+1 on buying that DVD though.

The gaskets from WorldPac, if you don't get the Victors, are the exact same ones I sell for $175 a set with bolts.

The best part of the DVD is the guy with the silly haircut and messy shop

 

[D Chapman]

Forget about using head gaskets. Just use a little Right Stuff.