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  #141  
Old 05-19-2019, 12:27 PM
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For this reason it helps a lot to stuff the engine compartment with white paper towels or painters paper to catch falling parts. Use tape to place the paper in such a way fallen things can be seen easily. A keeper and a spring patch were caught this way saving me lots of headaches.
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Last edited by X5only; 05-19-2019 at 12:34 PM.
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  #142  
Old 05-19-2019, 12:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Purplefade View Post
Once I have everything put back together I am going to "bounce" the car in the garage and see if I can get that keeper to fall on to the floor...
It may be laying on top of the black cover/drip tray. Drop that on one side and see if it’s there.

Over coffee this morning I added up the parts required for this project. I wanted to see the cost benefits reflected against what I was quoted from an Indie mechanic (not the one who quoted me “sell it”). My assumptions are:
*all OEM parts at the indie will be used for repairs.
*the indie will charge full retail dealership prices for parts.
*the price of the specialty tools needed has already been written off.
*the indie will warranty the parts and labor if they are worth their salt.
*the indie will fix any additional items they break outside the original scope at their own expense.
*the indie will set a specific time frame of completion.
*I will want them to perform additional work such as timing case gaskets.
*they will notify me in writing if they notice any additional points of contention outside the original scope of work.
*I will need to rent a car for five days @ $50/day.

$2,900 to $3,200: P&L with engine remaining in the truck @ 32 to 40 hours turn around. $250 for the car rental. Total: $3,150 to $3,450

Performing this myself, my assumptions are:
*I will want to perform additional work such as upper timing case gaskets.
*I will replace additional vacuum lines and gaskets associated with the valves, upper timing cases, breather hoses etc.
*I do not have the specialty tools needed or a fully equipped garage.
*I will need to rent a car for seven to ten days MINIMUM, perhaps longer if a part is lost or broken or in transit.
*I will be able to work on this project for 10-12 hours Sat-Sun, 3-4 hours Mon-Fri; starting on a Saturday.
*I will need to spend my own time sourcing parts.
*no warranty on my own work.
*no additional set of hands if needed.
*I get to pat myself on the back once everything is finished.

Parts from FCP or Pelican, based on genuine OEM parts, will be $700 before any tax and shipping (calculate a few hundred less using OE parts). Rental car carries over from above @ $50/day. The valve seal tool to buy outright runs around $500 (slightly less if rented). Ballpark total is $1,700. Now, there’s a member who offered to lend me his valve seal tool, so assuming no one else has this tool when I am ready, my new total is $1,200.

$1,200 and the work is done myself, no warranty, in about ten days elapsed.
$3,450 and the work is done by an indie, warranty on parts and labor, completed in five business days.

Is $2,000 worth a warranty, no headache and peace of mind? Is it worth doing something this large on your own?

Last edited by X5M-ISH; 05-19-2019 at 12:56 PM.
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  #143  
Old 05-19-2019, 04:25 PM
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I did all that math also... and at the end of the day (for me) it came down to - I am capable of doing the job, I am interested in doing the job, I can clean up, rebuild or replace a number of other things while I’m in there and then I can blow the 2+ grand that I saved (though I did spend a shit load of time on it) on something else that I would like to have (like tinted windows and a set of 20x11 wheels ).

Decision will be different for everyone and having to rent a car to drive while your X is down definitely adds to the cost suck factor. ☹️. As does not having someone you can call when you do need that extra hand.

That said, I did the VSS, valve cover gaskets, alternator bracket gasket, upper timing cover gaskets, vacuum pump rebuild, Vanos seals, new spark plugs and spark plug tubes and all my vacuum lines for just about $600 - which will probably end up taking me just shy of 50 ish hours when it’s all said and done. (As soon as my new keepers get here... double doh again for my stupid ass missing those in my order...)

Only thing I can say is that if you do decide to tackle them yourself, it’s not hands on directly, but you will have all the help you’ll need from the forum

Good luck either way you decide!
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  #144  
Old 05-19-2019, 04:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by X5only View Post
For this reason it helps a lot to stuff the engine compartment with white paper towels or painters paper to catch falling parts. Use tape to place the paper in such a way fallen things can be seen easily. A keeper and a spring patch were caught this way saving me lots of headaches.


Heard that! I totally screwed myself, I had literally everything packed with white towels so that I could see anything that landed on them and snag it before it got lost.... My wife... being ever so helpful decided to do a large load of towels and on a whim... I stepped in to the garage to “just finish that one” and... snap, ping, fling... keeper gone ☹️

Hard lesson to learn, but I have all my towels packed back in there now, losing one was plenty for sure!
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  #145  
Old 05-19-2019, 08:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Purplefade View Post
My wife...Hard lesson to learn, but I have all my towels packed back in there now, losing one was plenty for sure!
Lmao. That’s what you get for using ‘her’ towels.

I’ll tackle this project in my driveway, but will not kick it off until July or August. Until then I’ll get the parts together and try and jump in on someones elses diy to familiarize myself. Like you, the theoretical $2k can be used for other things. This thread is very helpful.
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  #146  
Old 05-21-2019, 05:22 PM
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Well, Tuesday here and still no keepers.. so much for picking back up on VSS tonight. Silver lining is that I decided to go ahead and start putting the front of the engine back together, I went ahead and put on the timing covers and installed the vanos and a bunch of other little things...


I figured at least when the new keepers finally arrive I will just have the remainder of the valve stem seals to accomplish and bolt the valve covers back on.


With time on my hands I went ahead and conditioned the interior and vacuumed carpet and hatch floor, not exciting, but after winter it needed done.
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  #147  
Old 05-23-2019, 06:56 AM
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So Wednesday was more productive, keepers finally got here and I was able to get much more done.

I am 26 VSS complete with only 6 left to finish! Time permitting tonight I’ll get another couple finished and may have it done this weekend!
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  #148  
Old 05-23-2019, 08:35 AM
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Friggen wow. There is a guy that supposedly does this in 1-2 days max. I mean if you put in 8 hours a day straight doing it 50 times, maybe.
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  #149  
Old 05-23-2019, 09:12 AM
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If you pulled the cams you could probably do it in a couple of days but with the cams in, heck, I’ve had single valves take me 2 hours...

When I started the process I thought if I spent (worst case) an hour a valve that I could be done in a week, not just killing my self to get through it. Had I not had parts set backs and add work, that MIGHT have been possible but to all of the guys that have given me advice on my journey.... you’re WAY better off to sit back, relax, take it as it comes and just get as much done in that working session as you can.

To set goals on this job... is to fail yourself over and over again because you never know what that next valve has in store for you

That said, and I’ve said it before, it isn’t a “hard” job, it’s just tedious and you really need to be focused on what you are doing.
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  #150  
Old 05-23-2019, 09:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Purplefade View Post
That said, and I’ve said it before, it isn’t a “hard” job, it’s just tedious and you really need to be focused on what you are doing.
Sativa it is then!
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