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  View original topic: Little advice for a beginner
Vwandxrlust Fri May 08, 2015 5:02 pm

Hi everyone, i need to know how much cost a replacement of a front crankshaft seal, an oil pressure switch and a full tune up if i go to a mechanic?

I wish i could do it myself but this is the first time i do any repair on my 73 bus that i recently bought.

The mechanic told me 600$ and i doubt it should be that much..
Please any advice?

LowType2 Fri May 08, 2015 6:08 pm

It's the labor cost. Each mechanic charges what they will. If it is a job they don't look forward doing. They give a higher price.

Search around for multiple shops. Ask around here in the forums for some locals that are around were you are. That is how I learned. :wink:

busdaddy Fri May 08, 2015 9:42 pm

Vwandxrlust wrote: Hi everyone, i need to know how much cost a replacement of a front crankshaft seal, an oil pressure switch and a full tune up if i go to a mechanic?

I wish i could do it myself but this is the first time i do any repair on my 73 bus that i recently bought.

The mechanic told me 600$ and i doubt it should be that much..
Please any advice?
Welcome!
You'll either have to spend ~$70 on books and a couple hundred at least on tools and dive in yourself, or buck up and pay the shop. That estimate doesn't sound at all unreasonable for an engine drop and the rest of the jobs described, welcome to vintage VW ownership, it'll only get worse :P

You should also ask the Moderators to move this to the Baywindow forum since that's what you have :wink:

vwracerdave Sat May 09, 2015 1:56 pm

Welcome to the Samba.

$600 total parts and labor is about right. You have to pull the engine to replace the front main oil seal. A full tune up can be $120-$150 parts and labor.

gt1953 Sun May 10, 2015 7:05 am

Um lets see now engine out and in for me takes a comfortable 2 hrs. Yes you will here OH I can do it all in a 1hr. Good for you.
Seal installation is not that hard, you want it done correctly. With the engine out what other items need attention? Now it the time to do it.
If you are not comfortable with that quote obtain several more or do it yourself.

iowegian Sun May 10, 2015 8:44 am

vwracerdave wrote: Welcome to the Samba.

$600 total parts and labor is about right. You have to pull the engine to replace the front main oil seal. A full tune up can be $120-$150 parts and labor.
I thought these cars were supposed to be really cheap to repair. :x

my59 Sun May 10, 2015 9:06 am

iowegian wrote: vwracerdave wrote: Welcome to the Samba.

$600 total parts and labor is about right. You have to pull the engine to replace the front main oil seal. A full tune up can be $120-$150 parts and labor.
I thought these cars were supposed to be really cheap to repair. :x

They are when you don't pay for labor. ;-)

borninabus Sun May 10, 2015 9:42 am

$600 is right in there.

the real issue becomes everything else that needs to be done once the engine is out.
the last main seal job we did came in at about $1300 after the clutch kit, flywheel resurface, engine degrease, new oil cooler & eng compartment seals........etc.

skills@eurocarsplus Sun May 10, 2015 2:21 pm

^^^^^^^ this

I am slowly backing away from the aircooled crowd that needs repairs. saying 6 bills on a flywheel seal is about right. also, expect it to weep, because it will.

now lets say I did the job and found a bunch of mickey mouse shit...like wrong nuts/bolts etc....you are buying new ones. why? because when I get sick of hearing you complain, I won't touch your car again but the next guy (if he has a clue) will say "boy, some hack was all up in here, blaa blaa blaa" if all the hardware is wrong. I won't give you an opportunity to give me a bad name because you were cheap

also, expect an upsell of cooler seals, strip the tins and clean and possible replace galley plugs. I have come to the conclusion that most of the people have Honda expectations with their 40+ year old cars. very (and I mean very) few understand what it takes.

as pointed out, that six hundo isn't even the cost of admission

KTPhil Sun May 10, 2015 3:49 pm

Where in California are you? There are plenty of Samba members around. Maybe they would be willing to mentor you for a few beers and spending cash, and then you'd learn a heck of a lot for less than the shop cost, and be able to manage it yourself next time. As long as it's not your daily driver and you can work to the other guy's schedule, it becomes a win-win.

rockerarm Sun May 10, 2015 4:23 pm

Well first WELCOME.
Now, that set aside. I don't know what the hourly shop rate is for other parts of the country are but in Calif they may seem high, like upwards of $100-125 per hour for mainstream vehicles. Maybe some dedicated air-cooled guys are charging less but really they are paying the same for mortgage, food, gas, etc, here. I recall getting approx. 3 hrs to r&r a late bus engine, 1 hr to r&r flywheel, clutch, to repl the main seal, 2+ hrs to perform a full tune (valve adj, r&r plugs, compression test, repl points, time, adj carbs, road test and final quality control check). An oil/filter might be .5 hr.
This is labor only and doesn't account for the parts, which don't vary that much, I guess.
Maybe this is why I didn't go to college. Sorry. Tech's work for their cash. I wont go further.
Hope this helps, Bill.

sjbartnik Sun May 10, 2015 6:34 pm

iowegian wrote:
I thought these cars were supposed to be really cheap to repair. :x

The '70s are over man.



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