Labor cost for replacing cam towers

[Craig Stevens]

What would be a fair cost to pay a shop to remove & replace a set of cam towers? Does the intake & exaust have to be removed to do this? Thanks, Craig

[Tim Walsh]

well the engine has to come out I expect, but I can't think of any particular reason that the intake and exhuast has to come out.

Why do the cam towers need to be replaced in the first place? They're fairly robust, aren't stessed that much and don't break very often .

[ChrisBennet]

I can see breaking one cam tower from say a rocker shaft coming loose but replacing two sounds kinda odd.
-Chris

[AFJuvat]

Agree - I've replaced one before, but never two at once.

BTW, a small dot of Loctite Green keeps rockershafts from wandering out.

AFJuvat

[Craig Stevens]

To Answer your questions, the engine was rebuilt (top & bottom) about 2 years ago aprox 8000mi. From the time of the rebuild, the rockershafts have leaked & wandered. They have the rsr seals installed, & I have replaced all the rocker shafts also. It's a bit@h to do with out droping the engine, but I cut down 2 allen wrenches & it takes about 2 hrs & there tight again. When the mechanic built the engine he must not have checked the cam housing bores because 4 of them are way out of spec. the engine is out already to do body work on the car, so while it out I was going to change out the towers to fix the leaks & stop the wandering. I dont have the courage to time the cams. the guy that built the engine sold his shop in the meantime, so no recourse. that brings me to the the present. In Waynes book, it states that you are suposed to secure the towers before tightening the head studs. That's why I was asking if the exhaust & injection have to be removed to change out the towers. Your help & interest are greatly appreciated. Thanks, Craig

[ChrisBennet]

You can bolt the cam towers on before or after torquing the heads. I torque the heads first.
-Chris

[Craig Stevens]

Thanks Chris, what do you think would be a fair price to r&r the towers & time the cams with me suppling all the gaskets, replacement nuts & asst hardware? I was thinking $500 to $750 , Am I out of line? Thanks, Craig

[ChrisBennet]

Craig, you have a PM.
-Chris

[Craig Stevens]

Chris, PM'd you back, Thanks, Craig

[john walker's workshop]

about 20 hours (plus parts) at a shop, X $90hr. so the $500-$750 wouldn't cut it.

[350HP930]

Originally posted by Craig Stevens
Thanks Chris, what do you think would be a fair price to r&r the towers & time the cams with me suppling all the gaskets, replacement nuts & asst hardware? I was thinking $500 to $750 , Am I out of line? Thanks, Craig

I think you are too low due to all the work involved in disassembling and reasembling the cam towers not to mention the valve adjustment.

Have you got a quote from Dave White and Eibell yet? Whatever they are telling you is the fair market value for the work you need done.

[Craig Stevens]

Wow, I'm Shocked. I was thinking leave the cis & exaust in place. Drop the muffler, remove the chain housing covers & cam housings, reassemble & time the cams, Adjust the valves & button it up. I only paid 40hrs for a complete rebuild.( Ah but then I am rebuilding! Forget I said that) I am not arguing with you & John. Lord knows John has forgotten more than I will ever know about Porsches. I guess I'm just wishfull thinking here. I have not checked with White or Eibell. Thanks for the info. Craig

[john walker's workshop]

i'm figuring engine on stand, intake/exhaust off, chain housings off, towers and heads off as a unit and set on the bench, cams and rockers out, heads removed from towers, scrape all the sealer off heads and towers, reassemble in reverse order. a valve grind is 30 well spent hours with pretty much the same procedure, other than going through the heads, so 20 seems about right. i'm sure the job can be short cut, hell, it can probably be done with the engine in the car if the guy was enough of a masochist.

[ChrisBennet]

This is what I think I'd do if I had to do that job under "battlefield conditions" - clean but without an engine stand.

1. Remove the exhaust (EDIT: I mean meant muffler) and the pesky cat converter or test pipe.
2. Get the motor up off the ground some so you're not working in a pool of oil. A hoist would be great for supporting the motor from above in a safe manner. You can rent engine hoists.
3. Disassemble and degasket one side at a time. This is key: Tip the motor on it's side some so that any gasket scrapings, dropped washer's etc. fall away from the motor not in.
4. Assembly is the reverse of disassembly as they say.

-Chris

[echrisconnor]

Don't let cam timing scare you away from this whole procedure. If you can read a dial indicator and follow instructions, its really quite easy. Find someone locally from whom you can borrow the necessary tools and make this a couple weekends worth of fun. It will take you more than 20 hrs to do, but will be a great learning experience.

[Craig Stevens]

Thanks for the info & Positive thoughts. I have to decided to do it my self! If there is a large flash, followed by a huge explosion emanating from the west coast of Florida, it ain't the space shuttle. Could this be the time for a hotter cam? Hmmm. Thanks again for everyones help & interest, Craig

[350HP930]

Yup, if you have to go into the cam towers anyways in a non emission testing state like florida soup up the cams while you are in there and make it worth your while. If you have yours reground it will only add about $500 to your project.