Spark Plug Change $120.00

Mobile mechanic advertising on Craigslist has quoted me $120.00 labor to change the plugs on my 2012. Not sure he is up the the job. First question he asked is the engine "Inline or Straight" Not sure I want him working on my truck, I may be able to handle the job myself just worried about snapping a plug off or cross threading one. Opinions please, I need to do this next weekend as I got JDM tune coming in shortly.

He doesn't know what he's getting into. Probably counting on 8 plugs.

The job isn't particularly hard, just time consuming.

You get what you pay for.
I probably wouldn't let my son do mine again for free.

Buzzard2 said:

Mobile mechanic advertising on Craigslist has quoted me $120.00 labor to change the plugs on my 2012. Not sure he is up the the job. First question he asked is the engine "Inline or Straight" Not sure I want him working on my truck, I may be able to handle the job myself just worried about snapping a plug off or cross threading one. Opinions please, I need to do this next weekend as I got JDM tune coming in shortly.

Click to expand...

@TMX charged me $150 to change all 16 of my plugs. Granted, they work on Raptors all the time and I was having other work done too, but I assume that is their standard price. I would go to a shop that works on Raptors regularly and knows what they are doing. Even if that means you drive to Cali to get work done. LOL I take my truck to Texas from Florida to get serviced

RDFTS said:

You get what you pay for.
I probably wouldn't let my son do mine again for free.

Click to expand...

I remember your story, I found another guy who seems to know the motor and that the wheel liners need to be removed to do the job. He stated he has done many of them in the shop he used to work at. His price is $160.00 I will either tackle it myself or hire him. I would like to gain the experience from doing the job but a bit worried I may end up kicking myself for not hiring it out.

Buzzard2 said:

I remember your story, I found another guy who seems to know the motor and that the wheel liners need to be removed to do the job. He stated he has done many of them in the shop he used to work at. His price is $160.00 I will either tackle it myself or hire him. I would like to gain the experience from doing the job but a bit worried I may end up kicking myself for not hiring it out.

Click to expand...

Do one easy one on each side yourself, that will give you a good idea what you need to do. Its the ones behind the shock bucket that are the pain in the ass ones. Maybe do them all except those two and when in for service next time, have a mechanic do the last two. Should save some money.

It's easy. Once the intake is removed which is only a couple of bolts and 2 hose clamps its pretty easy to get to em. Only 1 gave me trouble which is on the passenger side in the front cause of the shock tower. Make sure you use nickel or copper based Antisieze on the threads when installing. I had to brake about half of mine loose with a impact gun and I mean I just gave a quick hit with the gun cause dealership didnt use antisieze when i had them do it 1st time

Buzzard2 said:

I remember your story, I found another guy who seems to know the motor and that the wheel liners need to be removed to do the job. He stated he has done many of them in the shop he used to work at. His price is $160.00 I will either tackle it myself or hire him. I would like to gain the experience from doing the job but a bit worried I may end up kicking myself for not hiring it out.

Click to expand...

The wheel liners do not need to be removed. You can, but it doesn't really gain you anything if you have a swivel spark plug socket, regular swivels, and extensions.

You don't need to remove anything from the motor or the fender liners. It takes an hour or two, with 3/8 long & short extensions, sparkplug socket, ratchet and swivel. Just go thru the gap between the fender liner & frame. Also don't forget never seize on threads when installing the new plugs. Steel & aluminum aren't friendly to each other. Service interval is 100K so I only did it once on my Gen 1, and I can't quite remember if I took the wheel off for easier access, maybe so.

My speed shop charged an hour and a half although they had the intake manifold off for a supercharger install.
Id give you a price but its in Canadian and irrelevant.