I'm torn

[DETROITMUSCLE]

Well today I went to start tearing apart my car for the H/C install and my dad, who is real worryful tells me that its "a lot of work blah blah..." and to get some more quotes from shops on the install because we've been busy as hell at work latly and I have class all night after work so not much time to do it all. My question is should I have a shop install all of this? He said he'll pay for it all up front and I can pay him back by working weekends. Should I just do this and know the car will be turn-key and go or go at it myself and see how it turns out? Its such a tough decision and I need help deciding. I'm gonna get some more quotes.

[1bad83ta]

Hmm that one is a toughy. I would try to do as much work as I could so as to keep the cost down but once it looks like it is going to take forever to finish I would probably have someone do it. I'm all about doing everything myself though but I make time to do it.

[DETROITMUSCLE]

Yeah that is the whole problem for me is making time when I really have none. I called Stenod though and he said he'd do it all for $900 so I might just take it there since I was very pleased with my TC install from there.

[Orange Terror]

I take it you have another DD?

[DETROITMUSCLE]

Yeah I drive a 97 Jimmy and the car is stored.

[c0ncEpT]

Well its a toss up.... In 1 hand you dont have to worry about it and yo know everything is going to be done right the 1st time and on the other hand you get to hands on work on your own car and have fun doing it. So its really your choice

[Orange Terror]

Yeah I drive a 97 Jimmy and the car is stored.

So you've got what, 2-3 months to do it vs $900?

[DETROITMUSCLE]

That is very true but I'm far too impatient to wait that long lol. I want to be able to put insurance on it in March and drive it then if its not bad out. I will most likely pay to have it done then work it out with my dad considering we just got a shitload of work today after I posted this. I guess its better that he did stop me from working on it because I would've had to anyways.

[MattODoom]

Just do it yourself, you'll:

-Save yourself $900 that could be spent on other parts

-Get the satisfaction of having done it yourself

-Know that it is done right

-Do other things you want while it's apart.

[DETROITMUSCLE]

Yeah I'm still very undecided but if I get the time to do it before I have it all ready for Stenod to install then I will, if not then its getting installed.

[93formulalt1]

I would probably pay up the $900 and have it done professionally, because I would probably be really nervous about screwing it up. That's just me, though. If I knew I could handle it myself, I would go for it and buy more go fast parts lol

[Haans249]

All I gotta say, is do it yourself.....its really not as much work as you might think.

When I did mine, it took me two weeks, but thats just because I was installing a whole bunch more stuff, but honestly, it would take one day to tear it down and have the Cam out and heads off, then the next day to get the cam in...keeping in mind you don't have to take off the oil pump and timing chain crank sprocket ect...and thats one day assuming you have the proper tools to degree the cam in (which I have btw...) The next day to put the heads back on and intake with injectors ect... then the last day to button everything back up. It would be a very simple easy install that should take no more then 3-4 days with power tools, and good instructions. Power tools will save you a lot of time, and if you're not replacing the oil pump/timing chain, things get easier. Also, the degree will only be done if you have a adjustable timing chain, and if not, then its just dot to dot. So I vote for doing it yourself!

Best regards,
Adrian

[SS4Matt]

I would say do it yourself. i don't know about the cam...cause my car already had it in...but my heads were a piece of cake. and i have no lift or powertools or anything....i took extra time to clean the crap outta everything though while i was at it.

My vote is to do it yourself!...crap i'll come out and help you sometime if you want to too...make it a 12 pack kinda job lol!!!

[Haans249]

thats what I'm sayin, if you need help, i'll come over for a little bit and help you with the more sensitive stuff too....like getting the cam in properly, but honestly, with good power tools/compressor....its a cake job. No lift required =D Just make sure you have EVERYTHING you need cause if anything, thats what will slow you down the most...breaking a sensor, or a bolt. But with an aluminum block the most probable thing would be to strip a hole or something but that can be avoided by being careful. Besides, with the heads off, you can pull the lifters and that makes the cam job THAT much easier. Anyways, do it yourself, and if you need help let us know, we'll help you out.

Best Regards,
Adrian

[1bad83ta]

crap if I was down there more often I would come and help ya! I love working on cars! But it seems you have some helping hands so I would do it yourself and save the 900 for something you want!