Flat Rate Labor for Early CJ5s . . .

Does anyone have (hopefully an electronic copy) of a flat rate labor chart for a '59 or so CJ5? I took "Percival" to a local garage for a safety inspection, and feeling lazy, asked them to tune it up, change the oil, etc.

The mechanic told me the carb needed to be rebuilt (admittedly, the floats were sticking more often than not), so I ordered parts from Walck's, along with some other odds-n-ends.

I was talking to the mechanic last night on the phone (am supposed to pick it up today), and he said the rebuild was 2.5 hrs labor "according to the book". After I got off the phone, I thought a couple of things 1) 2.5 hrs seems a long time to rebuild a Carter YF carb (I did mine, maybe 10 years ago and don't remember an ordeal lasting half an afternoon) and 2) the carburetor on my weedeater is more complex than the Carter YF.

It got me to thinking that maybe their "book" only goes back to the years of the V-6, straight six, or 304 V-8 CJs, all of which have much more complex carbs than my YF.

Same thing for a tune up - 1.5 hrs? It's been awhile, and I don't work with a stopwatch, but that seems like a long time - especially when a freshly rebuilt carb is involved.

BTW, the Jeep is bone stock, except for a PTO winch up front.

Thanks in advance!

 

yikes! 4 hrs total

 

Found one for sale on the HAMB http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=696761

There are lots of used ones for sale on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=stripbooks&field-keywords=flat+rate+manual

Has the work been done? If so, you're probably going to have to take your lumps and consider it a lesson learned. If not, take it somewhere else, or do the work yourself.

Another comment - it's very expensive to own old cars unless you can do all (or nearly all) the work yourself. You can hardly get any repairs at a car dealer now for less than several hundred dollars.

 

Flat rate on the carb is also including soaking the carb parts in carb cleaner. Did you do this during your rebuild? That can take 1/2 hour or better. Cleanup can also take quite a bit of time. Things like scraping gaskets, etc. that are hard. Yes, the YF is a simple carb. Bottom line, if you don't like the price quote, find someone else to do the work or do it yourself. Bear in mind it's getting hard to find anyone willing to work on something that old, let alone someone who is capable......

 

4 hours for a carb rebuild and tune-up sounds fair (evento cheap) to me if done properly. Is he adjusting the valves? checkingcompression? Using a dwell meter or feeler gauges for the points? doing testdrives etc. are you supplying the parts or does he have to source them. All ofthese factors and others play into how much time they charge for. also on a 50+year old vehicle the Specs are more of a rough guide line, than specs anymore.When I tune a Older Jeep its set to specs, test drive, tweek as needed, testdrive again repeat until I am satisfied. the Manufacturers specs were set wheneverything was in "new condition" using the fuel available 50 yearsago, Alot of wear, and changes in fuel have happened since then.

 

Adjusting the valves isn't part of a tune up, nor is a compression check.

Until Timgr brought me back to reality, I didn't think of this as an "old car" . . . since it's only a few years older that I am.

I stand corrected!

 

The mechanics I have known count on doing most jobs far faster than the flat rate. Some jobs will take longer. It's just the way they get paid.

 

My Chilton's flat Rate is a 68. Engine tune up minor 4 cyl. 1.4 hrs.
Tune up, major 3 hrs.
Carb. recondition, 2barrel 2.3 hrs.

 

i used to love flat rate, when i was wrenchin