Engine installation labor

I just had an factory overhauled engine installed in my Piper Cherokee 180.
The shop had given me an original estimate of 20 hours of labor, but when it
was done they billed me for 33 hours blaming it on problems they had with
various fittings that they had not expected. Does anyone have any experience
with engine install on similar aircraft and what is a reasonable amount of
labor ?

--Rohit

I worked with my mechanic back in October to reinstall my overhauled engine.
I also fly a Cherokee 180. We completed the work over a weekend and did not
work full days. Lycoming has an engine installation and labor guidebook
which if I recall correctly estimates the time to remove/install the engine
at 24 hours. http://www.lycoming.textron.com/supp...5/SSP875-1.pdf
Outside of needing to be a contortionist to get at some of the connections
it's not that tough a piece of work.

"Rohit Fedane" wrote in message
rvers.com...
I just had an factory overhauled engine installed in my Piper Cherokee
180.
The shop had given me an original estimate of 20 hours of labor, but when
it
was done they billed me for 33 hours blaming it on problems they had with
various fittings that they had not expected. Does anyone have any
experience
with engine install on similar aircraft and what is a reasonable amount of
labor ?

--Rohit

I just had an factory overhauled engine installed in my Piper Cherokee 180.
The shop had given me an original estimate of 20 hours of labor, but when it
was done they billed me for 33 hours blaming it on problems they had with
various fittings that they had not expected. Does anyone have any experience
with engine install on similar aircraft and what is a reasonable amount of
labor ?

Is this just for installation or for removal and reinstallation? If it is for
both I would say it is not unreasonable. Going on takes longer than coming
off. Problems with fittings are always possible. The classic one is an oil
quick drain fitting that was put on by a gorilla and ends up getting destroyed
on removal despite various attempts to ease it out normally. On installation
it is not uncommon even from the factory to have various plugs that take
fittings installed so tightly that eventually they have to be drilled out.
Then there are baffling repairs and the like as well.

John Dupre'