Engine Gasket Job

No.11

10 Year Member
Oct 13, 2009
614
10
48
Los Angeles
I need to have my oil pan, valve, head, and intake gaskets replaced on my 90 302 5 spd. I can't do it myself for lack of time and knowledge. I really don't want to screw this up since it's my daily driver. So I need to take it to a mechanic to have the job done. Odyssey Auto Repair in Torrance seems pretty good. I called them about the oil pan gasket and they said to do it the right way (pulling the engine and "rotisserieing" it) it would cost $600. X_x Does this sound right? I mean I'm pretty sure they're good at what they do since I saw several fox bodies there, but do you think I could bring this price down? I'm providing the oil, filter and the gasket hehehe... but I don't have the rear main seal or drain plug gasket.

The other thing I'm debating is, since I need to have the head, valve and intake gaskets replaced, should I go and get some heads and intake for cheap first so I can install them while the engine is pulled and parts are off anyway? It would mean going really broke as I would probably spend another $500 getting those. Or, would I get decent power for a street car with the stock heads and intake? I'm thinking of adding a 70mm TB and 75mm MAF later on down the road. Orrr...heads and intake ported while they're off the car?

As you can see I have no idea what I am doing... anybody got rough estimates on what each thing could cost at a decent place?

Thanks.
 
Do it yourself, if you are gonna keep this car now would be a prime time to learn how to do the stuff yourself, or you are gonna be throwing a LOT of money away very quickly. If I payed 600 bucks for someone to do an oil pan gasket, I would die. Its so easy to do, there are lots of threads on here of people doing it them selves and how they do it without pullin the engine out. But if you are gonna pay someone else to do all the work I would sell the car and get something newer or else you will find yourself broke very quickly :shrug:
 
I need to have my oil pan, valve, head, and intake gaskets replaced on my 90 302 5 spd. I can't do it myself for lack of time and knowledge. I really don't want to screw this up since it's my daily driver. So I need to take it to a mechanic to have the job done. Odyssey Auto Repair in Torrance seems pretty good. I called them about the oil pan gasket and they said to do it the right way (pulling the engine and "rotisserieing" it) it would cost $600. X_x Does this sound right? I mean I'm pretty sure they're good at what they do since I saw several fox bodies there, but do you think I could bring this price down? I'm providing the oil, filter and the gasket hehehe... but I don't have the rear main seal or drain plug gasket.

The other thing I'm debating is, since I need to have the head, valve and intake gaskets replaced, should I go and get some heads and intake for cheap first so I can install them while the engine is pulled and parts are off anyway? It would mean going really broke as I would probably spend another $500 getting those. Or, would I get decent power for a street car with the stock heads and intake? I'm thinking of adding a 70mm TB and 75mm MAF later on down the road. Orrr...heads and intake ported while they're off the car?

As you can see I have no idea what I am doing... anybody got rough estimates on what each thing could cost at a decent place?

Thanks.

pulling the engine and "rotisserieing" it?! okay whatever...

You are in LA, I am in LA, I can help you out on this one, But depending on your budget also, To get your stock or whatever heads you got ported will approx cost $1000 for real nice high flowing race port job, to port whatever intake ou have will cost anywhere from $250-up.

$600 for just oil pan gasket sounds just plain stupid! and rip off, Do some research and find a better shop, in order to change the rear main seal you will need to drop the transmission, Do the rear main when doing a clutch, this saves you $ and also shop will most likely do it for free.

Who cares if they have few fox body sitting at the shop? I have couple mustangs sitting in my garage right now, PM me and i will show you how to to this or do it for you, we can finish in about early morning to little after noon.

Tell the shop, I work at a shop and that's a rip-off, Those are the guys who gives other shops a bad name

Good luck :)
 
I need to have my oil pan, valve, head, and intake gaskets replaced on my 90 302 5 spd. I can't do it myself for lack of time and knowledge. I really don't want to screw this up since it's my daily driver. So I need to take it to a mechanic to have the job done. Odyssey Auto Repair in Torrance seems pretty good. I called them about the oil pan gasket and they said to do it the right way (pulling the engine and "rotisserieing" it) it would cost $600. X_x
.

Look into buying a "freshened" long block and let them install it for the $600 is what I would look into. There are lots of good motor exchanges out there offering bang for the buck. Most places I've ever talked to want $1000 just to put in and remove an engine!! Not alot of places want to do it anymore.

If you can't tie the car up for long you don't have much choice but to let someone skilled do it for you. At least this way you have a brand new engine!! In no more than a week. Face it your car is 20 years old and needs some love$$$$