Top dawg- i dident mean to come off like a ahole with the pipe dream comment, no disrespect intended! I just know it takes way longer than 20 hrs. Also keep in mind that these trucks are ageing and now a days when you do a engine replacement its a good idea to spend the extra time and replace extra things because its so much easier while your in there, but it is a option. Any vehicle or equipment book time is based on when the unit was new. The way i look at it is, if the radiator is already out to do the engine job why not send it out and have the thing rodded. The cooling passages in your radiator plug up over time and then the engine cant cool properly. Then the truck runs hot and shortly the engine is toast. I would have estimated the job hours higher than what you were billed. I think 34 hours is great deal depending on the work quality.

 

What most people (and most shops that don't work on Hummers literally every day) don't realize is most cranes big enough to pick a diesel engine aren't long enough. If you have a crane at home measure the reach length from the hydraulic cylinder (where the crane crashes into your front bumper) to the end of the boom rated for something more than 1000 American pounds (equals around 3000 Chinese pounds). Chances are the boom won't be long enough unless it's from a big rig shop.

As mentioned before 34 hours is cheap (and really an unrealistic timeframe). Usually I think we charge 40-45 hours depending on the year and a few other details (such as if the truck has a body lift or not) or if the scope of work has some overlapping labor with other things we're also doing but for east coast (rusted) trucks I'd add another 5 hours just to be safe (and east coast trucks always take more than 5 more hours because everything breaks or is seized).

Ask my brother Ian but I assume pulling a semi engine is a whole lot easier than pulling a Hummer engine. Because the engine is right under the windshield frame (and the crane actually has to go under the frame for a minute) it makes it much more difficult than it looks.

 

Pulling a engine in a semi is easy. Pulling the engine in a hummer is the opposite of pulling an engine in a VW bug. I can pull the engine in my vw bug in the time it takes to smoke a cigarette. 1 throttle cable 1 fuel line, a battry wire at the anternator and four bolts and its out. I used to remove my bug engine on the side of the freeway to work on it. A hummer engine is quite buried in the truck. The frame and powertrain was built and then the body was installed. Its a real pain in the ***. I eatimate the job with more labor hours than my brother. Big dog offroad has a staff of mechanics so when one tech need a extra hand to make the job faster and easier another is there to help. I work solo and it just takes more time to do everything by yourself.

 

Thanks for the responses everyone. I apologize for the delay in getting back on here, but I just got back in town and internet tends to be pretty spotty at the track.


Ian, no worries. Written comments can easily be misunderstood and taken the wrong way. Happens all the time.


I do have another question regarding my heat not working properly, but I'll start a new thread on that one so the topic might get new responses.

 

I had my engine recently done it was roughly 45-ish hours of labor at the dealership. I had a few other odds and ends done as well, it's rare that you swap a long block and there isn't a few other items that will need addressing.

What I paid was in line, I think the going rates historically for an engine replacement all in has been around 10-15K give or take over the past 2 decades according to various web forum articles/posts.

That's for a long block, a complete engine you can probably add another 5-6k on top of that.