4.3 gs Valve job ball park

[CristCraft18]

I'm having some first boat B.o.a.t. moments...:facepalm:

Does anyone have an idea what a valve job on a 4.3gs should cost?

#1 cyl has no compression, mechanic said that it is a stuck exhaust valve ( he ran a camera through the spark plug hole)

talked to the guy today says that it will cost $1200 and some change... does that sound reasonable?

Happy boating!

 

[Bondo]

Re: 4.3 gs Valve job ball park

I'm having some first boat B.o.a.t. moments...:facepalm:

Does anyone have an idea what a valve job on a 4.3gs should cost?

#1 cyl has no compression, mechanic said that it is a stuck exhaust valve ( he ran a camera through the spark plug hole)

talked to the guy today says that it will cost $1200 and some change... does that sound reasonable?

Happy boating!

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,.... iboats is a Diy site, not cost estimates,....

It varies by where you are, 'n the prevailin' labor/ shop rates....

It also depends on how much Boat is in the way...

 

[CristCraft18]

Re: 4.3 gs Valve job ball park

I am south of Houston Texas (clear lake ish...)

Im just enough DIYer to know when I am over my head ( ie this very moment )

Thanks for the input!

 

[Don S]

Re: 4.3 gs Valve job ball park

We will help you if you want to do the job yourself, as Bond-o started, if you want an estimate, take it to the people in your area that will be doing the work and let them look at it and give you an estimate. just because someone here that can't see your boat, or see what the problem is may give you a price doesn't mean that's what the people doing the job will charge.

 

[larson24]

Re: 4.3 gs Valve job ball park

Call your local NAPA or perferred auto parts and ask what the valve job costs, then factor in your labor rate. Keep in mind extra charges for frozen bolts ect...

 

[CristCraft18]

Re: 4.3 gs Valve job ball park

If I were to pull the heads myself, should I just do the one that has the bad cyl or should I do both heads?

Also what special tools, or gee I wish I knew that before info do I need to do it at home?

Do I need special "marine" parts or can I just get them at an auto parts store?

Thanks for yalls time and patience with a rookie!

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: 4.3 gs Valve job ball park

I would do both heads while your there. machine shop estimates vary from location to location, and by what needs to be done, however the set of heads I just had done ran $500. the set before with installing hardened seats was $751

add gaskets, fluids, labor, and easily $1200 if you pay someone to do it. do the labor yourself, and your looking between $600 and $800 ish as a very rough ballpark.

for special tools, you will need basic sockets and ratchets as well as a torque wrench.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 4.3 gs Valve job ball park

Since you have to pull the intake manifold to get one head head off, why not just pull the other one as well since it will be literally "looking at you". You then have a pair of good heads. When you get the bad one off check the cylinders on that side. If water got into the engine and that's whh the valve stuck, you have more issues.

 

[CristCraft18]

Re: 4.3 gs Valve job ball park

Water in the engine would be pretty obvious correct?

 

[Bondo]

Re: 4.3 gs Valve job ball park

Water in the engine would be pretty obvious correct?

Ayuh,.... Durin' the tear-down, Rust in the exhaust leaves a trail,... follow it to find leaks...

Of course, water in the oil means ya look for rust, 'n cracks there...

What's the history, or back-story on this motor,..??

 

[CristCraft18]

Re: 4.3 gs Valve job ball park

I haven't seen any "milky" oil so im hoping no water problems

I bought the boat with 205 hrs on it. Its a 1996 chris craft concept 18'

We did the water trial and everything seemed great, 50mph with 3 people, he gave me the "only to church on Sundays" story, and I walked away with my first boat.

Then the fun started, on the first trip out I looked into the bilge under the motor to find it full of oil! So I took it to a boat mechanic to get the fluids and filters changed, thinking that the only problem was the hole that was rusted into the oil filter. He told me that while he was doing the service to the boat he discovered a dead #1 cyl, and suggested getting a whole new block. I thought that was a bit extreme and felt I was getting the run around.

So I ran it for a few more weeks and kept seeing oil in the bilge, so I took a piece of cardboard under the motor and found that the oil pan had rusted through down by the dipstick connection. Trip to the shop #2, but a different shop this time. They pulled the motor and replaced the oil pan, cleaned up the motor and did some other odds and ends service to the lower unit, impellars etc. I asked him to check into the claim of the dead #1 cyl. He ran a camera in and found a stick exhaust valve. He said running the boat would be no problem until I was ready to do the valve job, and that sounded much more reasonable. Thats where the quote came in.

From the sounds of things his price was for one head and everything I have seen has been about the same price for both heads. I am pretty handy and I think I can do it myself, especially if its not too complicated? I'm hoping to find some pics of a similar motor for reference!

thanks and happy boating!