timing repair cost

Jess,

5 grand is a ripoff, and don't have a job like this done at any chain type auto repair shop. It's gotta be done by an ASE MASTER mechanic with decades of experience. I know many such individuals all across the United States. Prices for labor, parts and materials differ from state to state, so what you gotta do is post the city, state, and zip code your friend lives in and I'll come up with a ballpark price for you.

Ogden,Utah 84401. Thanks for your help. Does it make any difference that its natural gas instead of gasoline? They (Firestone) are telling her that the high cost is due to special fuel system venting procedure.

Jess,

Haven't forgotten about you man just been swamped lately. Got all the info you need but just need a little bit more time to pull it altogether and make it worthy of a post for you. Check back tomorrow early AM buddy.

Jess,

I did pick up on the CNG reference. Look man, it doesn't matter if you run this van on Fart Gas :-) You got a pair of timing chains, and replacing them has nothing to do with CNG. If mechanics are tellin you that they gotta charge you more because yours is a CNG vehicle, then they are Amateur Ass Holes that you gotta stay away from. A timing chain is a chain like all the rest, and CNG is just another method of fuel delivery. OK so I’m caught up with my work and now I got time for you. The last set of timing chains I did on a CNG Ford van like yours was back in May of 2010. Back then the job was $3100.00 complete plus tax. Now you gotta understand what I mean by complete. If you read through my (more than one years worth of past answers) on this forum, and once you get to know me, you’re gonna see that I’m extremely thorough. On a job like this, and since I’m gonna be in there anyway changing the chains I’m gonna change everything, and I do mean everything. All:

Guides
Tensioners
Pulleys
Gaskets
Seals
Cam gears
Crank gears
Timing chain cover and gaskets
Harmonic balancer
Heater hoses
Water pump
Radiator hoses
Etc Etc

Like I said, this job was $3100.00 back in 2010. If I had to do the same job today I wouldn't touch it for less than $3900.00, but you gotta understand that back in 2010 and today the bulk of this job is labor. I’m sure you don’t know it, so let me be the first to tell you. You got 13 hours of just labor here guy. Again these are New York City prices. For the city, state and zip code you posted your friend has gotta deal with the shop shown in the link below.

http://www.brautorepair.com/

Figure (ballpark) 1300.00 labor and (ballpark) 1400.00 in parts. Now I got a few questions for you?

What’s the mileage on the van?
How was it determined that the chains need replacing?
Are there any signs and symptoms that the chains need replacing?
If there are, what are those signs and symptoms?
Have the chains ever been replaced?
Did you know that the chains on this particular vehicle (in most cases) will out live the vehicle?

FYI the chains I replaced in 2010 were done OE and the van 766.000 miles on it.

I have only heard it run for a few moments and I could hear what sounded to me like the chains were slapping against the timing cover. I suggested that the tensioner or guides sounded loose. She showed up a week later saying that Firestone told her she needs new guides and to just have the complete set replaced. It has 204,499 miles.

Jess,

Don’t be too hasty with this and just jump in there and replace the chains. You could be makin a very costly mistake. The van has gotta be evaluated and the noise pinpointed and confirmed. That’s best done if the van is left overnight and checked in the morning. Reason being is that a true timing chain problem is gonna be most pronounced when the engine is first started up when it’s cold. I can’t speak for the qualifications and skills of the mechanic at Firestone. Maybe he (or she) is or isn't qualified . That’s something that you and the van owner are gonna have to figure out and come to terms with. All I can tell you is that the quoted price of 5 grand is a rip-off. My opinion is that your friend should leave the van overnight at the shop in the link for an evaluation the next morning.