It was popping off with what evever I put on. In the shop now, let's see what they figure out.

 

Man this one leaves me scratching my head. It would have been interesting to tap a pressure gauge right into that tube and see what pressure is before the intercooler and after the intercooler. What boggles my mind is the stock setup reads boost after the intercooler and your boost numbers seem normal after, so if there was a restriction, you'd think it would be low on that side right? I can't seem to wrap my head around this one man, please keep us updated.

 

Ok I need some help, just got off the phone with the shop. they said my exhaust leak was coming from the manifolds, they said there are gaskets there, where there shouldn't be. Ideas?
Also I was going to have them install the Bullet Proof egr system, (oil cooler/condenser, and items) I live in california so I still need that. $5000
Third item was the new studs, can they just replace the studs, without upsetting the gasket, or do they need to pull the heads and do the full inspection on them? $2500
4th cost of sct tuner and install about $900

 

Good god those prices are horrid. I'd walk away from that, they clearly don't know anything anyways.

True, stock heads didn't come with a gasket to seal the exhaust manifolds, however this is a Ford P/N for them, and they typically use them when they put new heads on or break that seal. Once the seal is broken, it's basically impossible to get it sealed again, so we buy the gaskets to make that seal. Ford exhaust manifold gaskets: 6C3Z-9448-A You'd need two of these, one for each side. They're the same for each side, just flip it over. So while stockers didn't come with these, anyone that has been worked on will have them. For instance I had a single head replaced a while back, so I only have a gasket on one side, other is still factory.

$5000 to install the bulletproof EGR cooler and remote mount oil cooler? What a rip off.

As for studs, sure you can just replace studs, but you'll probably have all sorts of issues. IMO, it's a waste to even think about doing them without taking the heads off and bringing them to a machine shop to be gone through. Most repeat issues stem from owners not having the heads properly decked. $2500 just to pull stock bolts and swap studs in? F that....

$900 for a tuner? You do realize there is really no "install" to a tuner right? It plugs in, you pick the tune, load it on and go. It's pretty simple. An SCT with custom tunes will set you back about $500 from Innovative Diesel, loaded with their tunes made for your truck, and there is no install, do it yourself.

 

ok so I guess someone has pulled off those heads then for some reason. thats why there are gaskets on there now.

$5000 for the parts and labor, still too much?

it was $2500 to all that other stuff to the heads, the magnetic thing and all.

Your right I can do the tuner myself.

 

I had my heads done at a local performance machine shop... It was just a hair under $500, and that included a $48 charge to remove 2 very stubborn broken off exhaust bolts. So it was more like $450 for all of that work to be done on my heads.


You could have someone do ALL of this work, including putting in ARP headstuds and doing headgaskets for probably 1/2 of what they're quoting you...

The $900 for the SCT and install seriously leaves me baffled. I don't know how anyone could justify telling a customer it's going to cost $400 for them to install an SCT... something that takes 5 minutes or less.

You really need to find a different place to bring this truck.

I still don't see this stuff resolving the original issue of boots blowing off either.

 

considering you can buy and install the full Bullet Proof set up and install in a weekend for about 2k I would say it is a Rip Off, considering a good diesel tech should be able to do the job in an 8 hour day, plus if they are quoting you to do the heads there would only be an extra 2 hour, if that, to do the extra work for the BulletProof set up, all the parts are new and clean so there wouldn't be any time wasted on the old parts.

 

The magnetic thing is called magnaflux, its a method of checking for cracks. Unless I am mistaken, you can't magnaflux aluminum heads because al is NON MAGNETIC. ANY shop charging to magnaflux al heads needs a single finger salute and go somewhere else.

I would go somewhere else anyway. MKM customs sells head gasket kits come with exhaust gaskets, and charging to do 10 minute SCT install (I timed it) is BS. SCT install has choices YOU should be making, anyways.

 

I checked the personal profile for LargeMarge and couldn't tell if the poster is male or female. Without trying to sound politically incorrect or opening a hornets nest is Marge a female where just maybe they are trying to take advantage of the gender.

 

Karl, good thing we have Iron heads huh?



bkmac, male or female, it sounds like the dealership is just trying to take advantage no matter what. A lot of people these days don't work on their own stuff, and a first time diesel owner would certainly be overwhelmed the first time they open their hood, I know I was. There's a lot going on under there if you don't know what is what.