How long to service an engine?

[vyv_cox]

Your best bet is to find out what the service covered and what was carried out. until then youll have no idea if it was reasonable or not.



Steveeasy

Sailing in Greece has taught me to always get a fixed quote for every job. I failed to do this once when I needed a 1/8 BSP thread tapped in a boss on my fuel tank. I took the tank and new fitting to the workshop hoping they would do it while I waited. They didn't, I collected it later. Invoice €80!!! I refused to pay it but had to settle for €50.

 

[langstonelayabout]

9.5 hour day ( 07-30 until 17-00 ) 2 jobs 4.5 hours each add 0.5 hour at O/t rates & you have it.
No time to get a third one in. How do you pay for the rest of the day? If it takes half hour less you still loose the bloke for a day for 2 jobs. One job here & another at the marina 20-30 miles away.

Got to get there, find the keys at the marina office, get access. If the boat is on dry land rig a water supply etc to get the engine hot .Servicing should include flushing the raw water cooling with fresh water & adding antifreeze. This means getting water to the intake
All this takes time, regardless of the claims about doing it in one hour. People do not actually take into account all the peripheral things a visiting engineer has to do.ie signing in & out etc.

I would charge 5 hours for a basic engine & that is not unreasonable

Wow! That's great. When I get back home I'll be starting a new career...

 

[langstonelayabout]

not an 18-cylinder Napier Deltic or something..)

Yes please! Would love to be stood next to one of those at the warm up but would feel that the clag would get the sails dirty...

 

[doug748]

I don't think you can moan at 5 hours ( not saying I wouldn't, I would moan like a stuck pig) if the job was done propper.
You pay for the bloke to climb the ladder, scratch his bum, have a smoke,oh, remember he forgot his spanners etc, etc. Which is why DIY is such a good deal, as you get all that for free.

"Sailing in Greece has taught me to always get a fixed quote for every job."

Yes, not only in Greece, I was turned over recently by a garden contractor. If they arrive smiling look out. These girls copped it in transit from the land of the Gods:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEeBcU5tuqg&t=108s

 

[CLB]

Happy New Year!

How long would you expect it to take to service an engine, (i.e. change all fluids and filters)

It's a new engine with all round access. Let's assume that the engineer is sat waiting for it to warm up before he changes the oil.

I've my own rough idea, but I'm flabbergasted by the number of hours that have appeared on my invoice.

You say it's a new engine. Does this mean it was a first service? If so, there may have been many 'checks' to carry out. Lots if things to ensure are still tightened and in spec. There may have been more to it than a simple oil change.

 

[capnsensible]

So, its a new engine. The first service normally has to be carried out by an agent to get the manufacturers warranty. A read through the instruction manual reveals the running in procedure and the items to be covered in first and subsequent services. In my experience of hanging about in places (various) the first service always seems to cost a bit but worth it for the vital tick.

Older engines, yacht size, yeah a couple of hours. For some enthusiastic DIY ers, also time and money to fix thing they broke, or undoing stubborn bolt, drilling and helicoil etc plus blood everywhere! Done some of that myself even though I should know better!

 

[Kwik Decision]

Beta 30.

Beta suggest that the heat exchanger is taken apart and cleaned as part of an annual service. This will add a fair amount of time over and above the usual oil and filters change.......

 

[Daydream believer]

The hourly rate also has to be taken into consideration when comparing charges

 

[Daydream believer]

Wow! That's great. When I get back home I'll be starting a new career...

Stick to working for someone else - you will not make a boss

 

[langstonelayabout]

Stick to working for someone else - you will not make a boss

LOL - I’ll tell my team that tomorrow ?

 

[alahol2]

I'm impressed by the efficiency of all the respondents here. It usually takes me 2 or 3 days to service the engine. That may well include searching the garage for the bulk oil/antifreeze/ATF that must be in there somewhere. Going down to Asda/Tesco to get the oil/antifreeze that's still somewhere in the garage. Retreiving the socket set that you loaned out a couple of weeks ago. Finding all the bits of pipe, string, gaffer tape, bucket etc for the recirculating cooling water system. Chatting to the neighbours, tea break, lunch break, coffee break etc.
Actually, looking at that list, 2 or 3 days is pretty good going.

 

[scottie]

9.5 hour day ( 07-30 until 17-00 ) 2 jobs 4.5 hours each add 0.5 hour at O/t rates & you have it.
No time to get a third one in. How do you pay for the rest of the day? If it takes half hour less you still loose the bloke for a day for 2 jobs. One job here & another at the marina 20-30 miles away.

Got to get there, find the keys at the marina office, get access. If the boat is on dry land rig a water supply etc to get the engine hot .Servicing should include flushing the raw water cooling with fresh water & adding antifreeze. This means getting water to the intake
All this takes time, regardless of the claims about doing it in one hour. People do not actually take into account all the peripheral things a visiting engineer has to do.ie signing in & out etc.

I would charge 5 hours for a basic engine & that is not unreasonable

How many people are expected to work a 9 1/2 hr day with no breaks

 

[Daydream believer]

LOL - I’ll tell my team that tomorrow 

Team, or employees?- there is a difference.

 

[jordanbasset]

I'm impressed by the efficiency of all the respondents here. It usually takes me 2 or 3 days to service the engine. That may well include searching the garage for the bulk oil/antifreeze/ATF that must be in there somewhere. Going down to Asda/Tesco to get the oil/antifreeze that's still somewhere in the garage. Retreiving the socket set that you loaned out a couple of weeks ago. Finding all the bits of pipe, string, gaffer tape, bucket etc for the recirculating cooling water system. Chatting to the neighbours, tea break, lunch break, coffee break etc.
Actually, looking at that list, 2 or 3 days is pretty good going.

I had been thinking that, plus if I did it in a couple of hours I would only be given another job to do

 

[Daydream believer]

How many people are expected to work a 9 1/2 hr day with no breaks

None, but I still had to pay them from 07-30 until 17-00.

 

[Spyro]

The hourly rate also has to be taken into consideration when comparing charges

The op is asking how many hours not rates per hour. The job should take the same no matter what the hourly rate is. If someone is charging less per hour but bumping up the time taken then they are at it.

 

[Baddox]

It takes my wife about 2 hours to service our Volvo D1-20. Perhaps a little longer when she includes an impelle change.

 

[lw395]

I'm impressed by the efficiency of all the respondents here. It usually takes me 2 or 3 days to service the engine. That may well include searching the garage for the bulk oil/antifreeze/ATF that must be in there somewhere. Going down to Asda/Tesco to get the oil/antifreeze that's still somewhere in the garage. Retreiving the socket set that you loaned out a couple of weeks ago. Finding all the bits of pipe, string, gaffer tape, bucket etc for the recirculating cooling water system. Chatting to the neighbours, tea break, lunch break, coffee break etc.
Actually, looking at that list, 2 or 3 days is pretty good going.

I recognise this!
Personally I tend to do all the service tasks separately, so one day I might change the oil and filter, another day the fuel filter. Another day clean out heat exchanger and change engine anode. Check the tappets another time.
It normally takes me 4 hours to change the oil on my bike. But that includes 3 hours doing other things while the oil drains.

5 hours, I'd want to understand what had been done. Most cars, there are standard times for routine servicing.

 

[scottie]

I recognise this!
Personally I tend to do all the service tasks separately, so one day I might change the oil and filter, another day the fuel filter. Another day clean out heat exchanger and change engine anode. Check the tappets another time.
It normally takes me 4 hours to change the oil on my bike. But that includes 3 hours doing other things while the oil drains.

5 hours, I'd want to understand what had been done. Most cars, there are standard times for routine servicing.

Most cars are serviced in a service bay with all the necessary tools and specialised hanging on the wall etc and you drive your car to the workshop
How long does it take the average person to drop off and collect their car.
Not that is relevant in this discussion how many boatowners would be prepared to pay a garages hourly rate for someone working on their boat?

 

[Graham376]

5 hours, I'd want to understand what had been done. Most cars, there are standard times for routine servicing.

Without knowing what's been done, impossible to judge. New engine, first service maybe head bolts need re-torquing, tappets checked, gearbox oil changed, engine oil and filters, fuel filters, impeller etc. With travelling time that lot could easily be charged at half day labour, no hurry when on hourly rate.