Would you say $10,000 is in the ball park for a top overhaul including unleaded upgrade?
I can't comment on the price but would ask if the aluminum heads and hardened valve-seats that go with them requires an "unleaded upgrade"? AFAIK, the 400 series engine requires no modification to run well on unleaded fuel.
+1 -- not a good sign that the vendor doesn't know this... What's actually included in a "top end overhaul" can vary somewhat -- outside of the various seals & gaskets does that price include: all new valves, all new valve guides, all new valve springs, multi-angle grinding work, etc.?
My 82 400i has run fine on unleaded fuel. Not sure exactly what they are doing at $10K. If you are putting up the money for a V-12 rebuild, my thoughts are that it is way more important that it be done right--the first time. If the motor needs rebuilding and you have a couple quotes from reputible shops who understand Ferrari ins and outs, that is market price and probably what is fair. -sc
Includes new exhaust valves all new guides and seals not sure about springs.Also of course a skim and crack test.
Why does it need this work? Certainly not to run on unleaded fuel as the engines have hardened valve seats. You can work out what the job should cost by putting a price on the minimum bill of materials - Superformance or Eurospares have prices on their web site. Youll need at least : Cylinder head gaskets x 2 Inlet & exhaust manifold gaskets Oil Coolant Valve guides x 24 Valves - inlet x 12 Exhaust x 12 Valve stem seals x 24 Oil filters x 2 spark plugs machining - skim heads, remove old guides, fit new guides, machine seats. In Sydney I'd recommend Rams Head Services in Windsor, they have done quite a few Ferrari V12 heads. You can call them and they'll tell you what the machining is going to cost. Typically if youre going that deep in to an engine there will be other jobs that you'll want to do, eg timing chain and guides, water pump seals, various hoses, ignition leads, distributor caps, rotors, rebuilding the carbs or cleaning the injectors - the list goes on and on. Big ticket items could be damage to the camshafts ( worn journals ) Labour will be difficult to estimate as there are so many potential extra's to the job, as a guide Ferrari suggest 8 hours to R & R one head in a 412, based on my experience this is too low and of course that does not inlcude setting up the valve clearances (10 hours). The total labour could easily be 40 hours - @ $150 pr hour = 6K On top of that it's recommended to re-tension the cylinder heads after a few heat cycles, allow another 5 - 8 hours for that. I don't think it can be done for 10K. M
