labor time to replace radiator in minivans - Chrysler Forum

RacerXx · #1 11-30-2010, 11:38 PM

Hey dudes! I m new to this forum, but have been on others for a while. Anywhooooooo...I have a question for the techs here. What is the labor time to replace a radiator on a 96 T&C? My uncle has this car and I thought it would be an hour or 2 but I started around 930a and didnt finish until 5p. Now I charge $65/labor and it cant be $400 just in labor? I will subtract about 2.5 hours for this job because it was my 1st time doing it in a Chrysler minivan(didnt know you had to pull the nosepiece to remove the 2 10mm bolts that affix the radiator to the condenser) and I didnt use power tools(all hand tools since I did it on the street). Plus the time I spent moving my car and all so instead of 8 hours I ll say 5 hours for this job. Is this right? Whats the book say?

Autozone has the aftermarket radiator for $190, so had I done this in my shop(which I will, the 1st time wasnt because it was family it was to learn this car. And subsequent time will be for a fee) I would charge 1.5 for the part, and supplies. So where at like $285 for the radiator, $10 for clamps, $40 for the OIL cooling hoses, $40 for coolant and $325 for labor + tax.

This thing took all day.

While I m at it. I gotta look at a Jeep Grand Cherokee manana and the rear wheel bearings...are they bolted on or pressed in? I bet they wont come out with a slide hammer will they?

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CHRYSLER TECH · #2 12-01-2010, 10:55 AM

2.2 hours warranty time 1.7

RacerXx · #3 12-01-2010, 03:36 PM

Well, its 1996 so there wouldnt be any warranty time. But damn! 2.2??????????? Man, I spent all day on that thing. I couldnt go that then. I have to sell that job at least at 4 hours in order to even bother doing it. Shoot, 5 to be on the safe side. I told my uncle if I wasnt related that would have billed as a $600/job, with the aftermarket radiator.

But thanks man...wow, 2.2. Haha!

TNtech · #4 12-01-2010, 06:39 PM

I usually sell it for 3, but that includes a thermostat.

CHRYSLER TECH · #5 12-01-2010, 09:01 PM

U should have read the manual b4 u started the job that would have given u an idea of what to do. In real time Tntech and I can do them in an hour or so.

RacerXx · #6 12-02-2010, 09:08 PM

How would an independent shop have a vehicle specific shop manual for a 15 year old car?

Even factory manuals dont accurately demonstrate the REAL time needed to do the job. When I worked with Volvo they would only 2.5 hours to do an evaporator in P2 platform. Thats a 5 hour job. There was only ONE guy there who wanted to do the job and that was because he was the shop foreman so he didnt worry about making time.

CHRYSLER TECH · #7 12-02-2010, 09:11 PM

On demand. Or all data. Or Haynes. Or a factory manual.

RacerXx · #8 12-03-2010, 03:53 PM

Noooo siree bob. Haynes manuals suck! Mitchells is good for Emissions and Electrical troubleshooting diagrams.

CHRYSLER TECH · #9 12-03-2010, 04:17 PM

I dont know what ver or subscription to what U have but Mitchell and all data have the same info as the Chrysler website

RacerXx · #10 12-03-2010, 08:53 PM

Yea but the Chrysler website is only accessible to Chrysler techs. When I worked for a Chrylser shop it was cool because you could access the info from any computer(same as Ford) but you need to have an active username and be at a Chrysler dealer. And Mitchell doesnt carry current model year info, there is a model year lag which requires you to subscribe every year to get that.