A shop quoted me $400 to install a set of headers...sounds high. Is this a reasonable price for labor?

 

I bet you and a friend could do it cheaper.

 

My daughter and I installed JBA shorty headers on my 4.6 in about six hours. Niether one of us are mechanics. It would seem to me that a mechanic by trade should be able to it in three or less hours, so $400 seems a bit steep. Trouble is many mechanics don't want to fool with it. The real b_tch of the job comes when you have to thread those new header bolts back into the block because the header pipes were in the way of the way my fingers bend. I would suggest the locking header bolts, just so you only have to tighten those bolts one time.

Access the exhaust manifolds through the wheel wells - remove the wheel, then the plastic fender liner and you can get right at the job. Obviously work on a cold engine.

I would say that the job goes a bit easier when working alone - my daughter is two, so new header bolts have a way of walking away.

 

Thanks guys...think I will shop around some more.