looking for good mechanic in Central Ohio

[marczing]

I'm coming up on 28k miles and need to get my valves done. One local stealer quoted me $700 just to do the valves. Any one know a reliable / honest mechanic in the central ohio area? I've wrenched on a lot of bikes but this valve train is something i don't want to do by myself as I've never done one.

 

Thanks

 

Zinger

[wrenchrob]

Im an experienced mechanic. I ve worked on pretty much anything and everything. Unfortunately I am about 5 hours away from you but I do have a service manual if you decide to tackle it yorself. Just let me know. Rob

[Rick Haywood]

  marczing said:

I'm coming up on 28k miles and need to get my valves done. One local stealer quoted me $700 just to do the valves. Any one know a reliable / honest mechanic in the central ohio area? I've wrenched on a lot of bikes but this valve train is something i don't want to do by myself as I've never done one.

 

Thanks

 

Zinger

 

Did you ask them why so much? Shouldn't take more than 4 hours plus the shims. Man their hourly rate must be pretty high or they want a bunch of money for shims.

[Yammer Dan]

I could move...Oh you wanted a GOOD mechanic. 700 bucks a pop I could fake it pretty good... If you are a fair back yard wrench it can be handled. You need a tool to change shims with and a manual.

[steamer]

I believe there are very good instructions posted right here in the tech forum. It even has pictures...which is a must for me.

[steamer]

  steamer said:

I believe there are very good instructions posted right here in the tech forum. It even has pictures...which is a must for me.

Sorry no pic's, but it's all there.

[MiCarl]

  Rick Haywood said:

Did you ask them why so much? Shouldn't take more than 4 hours plus the shims. Man their hourly rate must be pretty high or they want a bunch of money for shims.

 

At 28K miles there is a good chance he won't need any shims.

 

I usually do spark plugs at the same time. Maybe their spark plugs are $100 apiece.

[marczing]

ya' know I'm a fair mechanic, but I'd still rather have someone with me the first time I attempt it. Add to that the fact I work 3 jobs and 4 hours is a big block of time for me. I they would've quoted me under $400 I probably wouldn't have thought about it since I hadn't looked at what it involved but when he said $700 I got suspicious.

 

Zinger

[MiCarl]

Now that I'm in the shop I can look it up for you:

 

Yamaha warranty time is 3.7 hours. I mark up warranty time 25% so I'd quote it at 4.6 hours.

 

I just saw an estimate a local dealer did for one of my customers and they were marking warranty time up 50% (5.6 hours in this case). Their labor rate is $85/hour so their labor total would be $476. Gaskets would add another $63 or so. Throw in a few shims and coolant and their price would get pretty close to $600.

[marczing]

no wonder people always buy new bikes. Payments are cheaper than mechanic fees LOL

[steamer]

What about Freebird? He's in Ohio. If he can't do it, maybe he can recommend someone.