First off I want to thank the people who post to this forum. I used the information found here to troubleshoot a crank but no start problem on the above vehicle.

I tried to hear the fuel pump kick on but I knew it wasn't so I went through the following steps:

I first reset the inertia switch, cranked but would not start
I tested for fuel at the fuel rail, no pressure when bleeding the valve
I switched the modules around in the fuse box and under the hood, cranked but no start
Checked the fuses
Banged on the fuel tank still nothing
Made sure the THEFT light was not blinking while cranking to rule out PATS

After all this, I decided to have it towed to a repair shop and pay the diagnostic fee ($49.00). Here is what they found:

Fuel module went out, part cost $69.38 (he got it from the dealer). He went on to say that this module is located on the frame near the back of the truck (I think he said somewhere near the top of the fuel tank). Mechanic said he would change my fuel filter for the cost the part so I agreed since I change it myself every 25K miles & the truck has 48.5K miles on it at time of repair.

Went to pick up the truck today and the bill came to $270.00 including tax. This is a new mechanic who came highly recommended and since I'm new to the area I decided to give him a try. My question is, does this repair bill seem reasonable, I feel it's high, I was lookin for something around $150-$180 . He has down 2 hours of labor plus the diagnostic fee plus parts.

Thanks

 

When you back out the tax, parts, and diagnostic fee, he charged you about $118 for labor, or about $60 an hour. Sounds reasonable to me. Would have been worth every penny.

 

BlueJay-

So two hours of labor to troubleshoot and repair the problem is within limits for this type of issue? My concern was/is the additional hour since he put it on the machine. If I'm paying the diagnostic fee then doesn't that point him in the right direction? My thought is once he's been pointed down a path then it's troubleshooting everything that makes up or influences that path.

I am not a mechanic but I'm sure you figured that out already since I had this towed to a shop but my bone of contention (in my mind did not express this to the mechanic) is the additional hour of labor. I realize everyone has to pay the bills and needs to eat so I'm just trying to determine if I should go back to this mechanic or keep searching because good mechanics are very hard to find.

Thanks again for your help and contributions you and everyone make to this forum.

 

In my opinion, if the work was neat and good quality, and I felt I could trust him, I would go back. The biggest factor is finding someone you can trust. When you factor in the cost of his shop and tools, Seems fair to me.