Fair labor cost for Oil Pump install?

[HaraldHardrada]

Fellow Wagoners...

What's a fair cost on the labor of swapping out the stock 6.4 Oil Pump and installing an aftermarket one (that is bolt-on, plug & play swappable with stock)?

I am looking at the Melling High Volume performance oil pump (10452HV) to mitigate the Hemi Tick that comes from lifters scoring the camshaft.

https://www.melling.com/7-31-23-new...dge-chrysler-jeep-5-7l-6-1l-ohv-hemi-10452hv/

https://www.jegs.com/i/Melling/689/10452HV/10002/-1

I'm in the southern California area and just calling around to local auto shops people are quoting me $700+ in labor if I supply the pump. Is it really THAT bad?

 

[tron67j]

Anyone's definition of fair gets trumped by what a shop is asking you to pay. Are you really going to argue with a shop by saying a bunch of strangers on a website says their labor is too expensive. . If you want it done, go with the best shop, not necessarily the cheapest. Good luck

 

[HaraldHardrada]

Anyone's definition of fair gets trumped by what a shop is asking you to pay. Are you really going to argue with a shop by saying a bunch of strangers on a website says their labor is too expensive. . If you want it done, go with the best shop, not necessarily the cheapest. Good luck

Appreciate the point you are making. I am not wanting to cheap out, just trying to get a pulse on level of effort so I don't needlessly get taken for a ride with the billing. My other vehicles are older BMW M cars and Range Rovers, so I am well acquainted with costly labor rates

 

[jr27236]

This definitely is not a little job to complete. Like others said find the most competent shop. Labor time/rates are pretty much set. Don't know what Cali does but I'm sure it's draconian LOL

 

[HaraldHardrada]

Thanks all -- I've reached out to Melling directly to see what estimate range they believe is reasonable # of hours to install their oil pump part. I'll report back once I hear from them and/or once I've had the part installed by a shop.

For anyone that's curious, this video is one of the ones that started my interested in the Melling part. Prior to that I was considering swapping in an SRT Hellcat Oil Pump, as is frequently proposed for this issue.

Hemi Tick Prevention Just Got Even Better! (no affiliation)

 

[chri5k]

Fellow Wagoners...

What's a fair cost on the labor of swapping out the stock 6.4 Oil Pump and installing an aftermarket one (that is bolt-on, plug & play swappable with stock)?

I am looking at the Melling High Volume performance oil pump (10452HV) to mitigate the Hemi Tick that comes from lifters scoring the camshaft.

https://www.melling.com/7-31-23-new...dge-chrysler-jeep-5-7l-6-1l-ohv-hemi-10452hv/

https://www.jegs.com/i/Melling/689/10452HV/10002/-1

I'm in the southern California area and just calling around to local auto shops people are quoting me $700+ in labor if I supply the pump. Is it really THAT bad?

How many hours are they quoting? There is a “book time” for that job. The shop simply multiplies the book time by their hourly rate. All of the auto shop software packages have the book rates in them.

Unless a shop is lowballing their hourly rate to earn new business, there probably won’t be much difference between local shops. They all know what the guy down the street is charging. If they are all around $700 and someone says they will do it for $350, run away fast.

 

[tron67j]

Appreciate the point you are making. I am not wanting to cheap out, just trying to get a pulse on level of effort so I don't needlessly get taken for a ride with the billing. My other vehicles are older BMW M cars and Range Rovers, so I am well acquainted with costly labor rates

Totally understand. It is funny, right after I read this, I happened upon an article about a mechanic who showed the level of effort required to replace a headlight on a Ford Focus (think it was a Focus). He showed that he had to remove the entire front bumper fascia and then the light housing to get to the bulbs, and even then a pain for how the bulbs are buried in the housing.

Here goes the storytelling: I remember when I could sit in a fender in my truck and pull stuff to fix, and actually fix it for $50. Now we thank progress for vehicles with engines where we have to pull them to get to a spark plug that costs $50 a piece.

Oh well, good luck!

 

[4xdad]

I suggest that you watch a YouTube video on the subject you might not be able or willing to do it yourself but you would know what the job entails. So you should be able to get a fair idea of what it takes. Dealership probably not a good idea.

 

[HaraldHardrada]

Hey all, so it looks like $700 was a reasonable quote..... I heard back from the manufacturer (Melling) after asking what approx. labor time installing their part should entail:

"Below is the screenshot of what ALLData service information shows for an estimate. The labor time base hours are 5.7 hours with adds for 4WD and skid plates for high side labor of 7.0 hours."