Didn't want to hijack 'toos thread. Nice work BTW!

Been getting a whiff of coolant after a drive for a while now. No puddles under the car or anything, just that sweet smell. Topped up the puke tank with antifreeze mix last time I had the hood open. Checked it again yesterday and it was basically empty. Again. Plus the coolant smell was getting stronger.

Decided exercising the Ostrich Approach wasn't going to make it go away so grabbed a flashlight and started searching around under the hood. Didn't take long to see fresh coolant laying in the valley of the intake manifold below the flange where it bolts to the head on the driver's side.

Turns out, that's a thing. Seems some of the manifold bolts go into the water jacket and if they're not doped properly will let coolant crawl up the threads and weep onto the intake. Don't think there's a gasket problem as the engine runs fine. The Vette board I hang out on has a couple of threads on the problem. Seems (if you're lucky) the solution is to take the bolts out one at a time, dope the threads up good and torque them back down.

I popped the hood again and had a good look at the situation and wasn't long determining that this is NOT a job I'm willing to try to do myself. The amount of stuff you have to remove just to GET to the manifold bolts is intimidating. I'll make some calls Monday. Looks like the Toy Fund is going to take one for the team. Again.

I had an Olds W30 do that to me.
I had to pull the intake, replace the gaskets and reseal the manifold bolts.(plumbers thread sealant works)

It's not that difficult on the TPI.
But it is involved. You're look at around $800.

quote:

Originally posted by ScreamingCockatoo:
I had an Olds W30 do that to me.
I had to pull the intake, replace the gaskets and reseal the manifold bolts.(plumbers thread sealant works)

It's not that difficult on the TPI.
But it is involved. You're look at around $800.

`

Thanks for the info, Sir.

I had guesstimated around $750 so I wasn't too far off. If I were 20 years younger and it didn't involve so much bending over, I'd take a shot at it myself. As it is, I'll pay to have it done. There are two shops in the area that come recommended by local Corvette enthusiasts.

OUCH!

Not done yet, but estimate is $1650 total.

Intake gaskets, valve cover gaskets, thermostat, serpentine belt (likely original) and battery.

Labor to R&R plus a cooling system flush as contents of puke tank were VERY brown/rusty.

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:
OUCH!

Not done yet, but estimate is $1650 total.

Intake gaskets, valve cover gaskets, thermostat, serpentine belt (likely original) and battery.

Labor to R&R plus a cooling system flush as contents of puke tank were VERY brown/rusty.

Ouch for real! I would give myself a few days and knock it out myself. Cover the engine with plastic and tape it up after removing everything and clean the covers and intake well. It isn't a hard job to do as much as it is an annoying job to do. take down one day - cover and tape engine openings - clean covers and intake and engine area 1 day - reinstall everything the next day. You'll have peace of mind that has been done right and only spend a few hundred (maybe $500) on parts

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:
OUCH!

Not done yet, but estimate is $1650 total.

Intake gaskets, valve cover gaskets, thermostat, serpentine belt (likely original) and battery.

Labor to R&R plus a cooling system flush as contents of puke tank were VERY brown/rusty.

Sounds like Dex-Cool...Man that shit sucks! It turns to rusty colored mud, even in all Aluminum Engines. Replace it with the Green Stuff!

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:
OUCH!

Not done yet, but estimate is $1650 total.

Intake gaskets, valve cover gaskets, thermostat, serpentine belt (likely original) and battery.

Labor to R&R plus a cooling system flush as contents of puke tank were VERY brown/rusty.

Sounds like Dex-Cool...Man that shit sucks! It turns to rusty colored mud, even in all Aluminum Engines. Replace it with the Green Stuff!

AGREED! It is supposed to be green coolant on that car.

I just realized the tone of your last post seems as though it is at the shop. Including battery and flush that isn't bad. You have $850-$1000 in parts and fluid, w/battery. Sounds like fair labor at that point.

quote:

Originally posted by FLKev:
I just realized the tone of your last post seems as though it is at the shop. Including battery and flush that isn't bad. You have $850-$1000 in parts and fluid, w/battery. Sounds like fair labor at that point.

Looking at it that way, it smarts a little less. This shop's labor rate is $110/hr which is in line with most places locally and cheaper than a dealer.

On my C5 Corvette I had to remove the intake manifold to change the oil pressure switch. Thanks GM!

Well, I won't be taking any business to that shop again.

Work appears to have been done competently, but his labor billing system seems seriously padded to me:

No hours stated, just a flat charge. Strike 1.

Repair intake leak, replace gaskets and flush radiator: $550

Replace thermostat: $220.

Replace Valve Cover Gaskets: $450

Labor for thermostat, intake and valve covers combined: $1220. Strike 2, those jobs are one procedure and shouldn't have been billed as separate flat rates IMHO.

Am I being unreasonable in my analysis?

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:
OUCH!

Not done yet, but estimate is $1650 total.

Intake gaskets, valve cover gaskets, thermostat, serpentine belt (likely original) and battery.

Labor to R&R plus a cooling system flush as contents of puke tank were VERY brown/rusty.

Knowing what YEAR corvette we are talking about would help immensly on figuring out how much it would cost.

Didn't they give you a quote beforehand?

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:
OUCH!

Not done yet, but estimate is $1650 total.

Intake gaskets, valve cover gaskets, thermostat, serpentine belt (likely original) and battery.

Labor to R&R plus a cooling system flush as contents of puke tank were VERY brown/rusty.

Knowing what YEAR corvette we are talking about would help immensly on figuring out how much it would cost.

1990

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
Didn't they give you a quote beforehand?

No, just stated that the hourly labor rate was $110.

It's on me that I didn't nail things down better before committing to the work.

I see. Sorry it didn't work out the way you'd hoped. Like you said, you learned a lesson. But your engine is good!

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
But your engine is good!

Precisely. And - somewhat surprisingly - the CFO (Mrs. PHPaul) was okay with it.

"It's something you enjoy and we didn't have to skimp on anything else, so what the hell?"

I'm guessing the battery and radiator fluid was approx $350, stat and gaskets for intake and valve covers $150 and just add $100 misc just because = $600 parts costs. $1100 labor is high by about $400 - if it were done cheaper it may not have been as competently as you said it was. Cheap is rarely good and good is rarely cheap...GO SMASH THE VETTE and be glad you don't have to clean the leak stains off the garage floor anymore.

quote:

Originally posted by FLKev:
I'm guessing the battery and radiator fluid was approx $350, stat and gaskets for intake and valve covers $150 and just add $100 misc just because = $600 parts costs. $1100 labor is high by about $400 - if it were done cheaper it may not have been as competently as you said it was. Cheap is rarely good and good is rarely cheap...GO SMASH THE VETTE and be glad you don't have to clean the leak stains off the garage floor anymore.

That's my opinion as well. I know a place I could have had it done right and MUCH cheaper on labor, but the owner had a stroke and I don't trust his assistant who's running the shop in his absence. He's fine for routine stuff, but I don't know how far his competence extends.

I wish you were in Georgia. I'd fix it for you.