Cost to change spark plugs in a 2001 GT

I don't know if anyone recalls this, but I complained about an intermittent throttle/timing issue a few months back. Last week, the "intermittent" problem became "all the damn time." I'd start her up, and she'd die. I'd get her to run for a bit, but I'd get to a stop sign, and she'd die. Turns out I just needed the throttle body cleaned (or so the mechanic said, but it kinda sorta makes sense to my non-wrench turning mind).

Anyway, my 2001 GT has 86.7K miles, and the mechanic wanted to change the plugs, and I said go ahead. I'm surprised they lasted that long. Anyway, I didn't pay attention to the bill when I was checking out, but when I got home I saw a dollar figure next to the plugs and the labor for the plugs and thought "no freakin' way." So my big question here is this:

What is a reasonable price for a mechanic to replace the spark plugs in a 2001 GT?

I googled the group before posting but didn't see an answer.

Next part. I had the serpentine belt replaced last September by a Ford dealer in Tuscaloosa when it started to come apart on a trip. I just had it replaced again because it was showing unusual wear in one spot. The belt looked brand new except for a six-inch long strip (about 1/16 inch wide) that came out of the side of the belt. This brings me to my second question:

What might cause that?

I told the mechanic about the September replacement and asked him to inspect the belt path, but he said it looked okay and everything appeared to be in alignment.

- Max - ======= My vision would turn your world upside down, tear asunder your allusions and send the sanctuary of your own ignorance crashing down around you. - Huey Freeman

Reply to
Max C. Webster III
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Ugh, make that a throttle/idling issue. Ged knows why I typed "timing."

Reply to
Max C. Webster III

Great googly-moogly, Max!

The sister group to this site is: alt.autos.ford reading on there, a little, would have had you telling the Mechanic what was wrong.

Three times what you'd think it should be.

Either a faulty mfg'd belt... or poor installation procedure - forcing belt on.

Reply to
Backyard Mechanic

When I did describe the issue, he knew exactly what the problem was, and a little googling at AAF seems to confirm that.

One has to remember, BM, that I'm a bean counter/systems analyst, not a wrench turner. I may be able to conceptualize the problem with a car, but I frequently don't know the correct words for the problem or exactly how the problem exists. I just knew I had a throttle/idle issue and suspected it just need an adjustment. It didn't occur to me that it might be sludge gumming up the works.

When the problem first started, it was only an issue at starting. Once the car was started, the problem went away.

Hmmm, is there some special issue with replacing spark plugs in the 2001 GT?

If I'm reading the handwritten invoice correctly (and they didn't put things on the wrong line), then a set up eight plugs was $98 ($12.25/plug) and labor was $70 (two hours). That seems excessive to me, but may be accurate.

- Max - ======= My vision would turn your world upside down, tear asunder your allusions and send the sanctuary of your own ignorance crashing down around you. - Huey Freeman

Reply to
Max C. Webster III

The plugs are about what a dealership will charge, maybe just a tad more. But the labor was $70 for two hours? So if my public education doesn't fail me now....lessee here..... $35 an hour??!! You got by CHEAP!

Reply to
Kruse

If it's anything like the Grand Marquis I used to own, two hours would be rather quick. The problem on that car was that the two rear passenger side plugs had little to no clearance between the firewall and all the other junk they put on that side of the engine(A/C hoses, heater core hoses, etc). I always did it myself, but it wasn't uncommon for me to take a long time to get those last two changed. I bought several wrenches in an attempt to make the job easier, but it didn't make much of a difference. There were problems getting to them from both the top and the bottom of the engine. I wondered if the dealer removed the engine to change the plugs on that car...

The other factor may be the design of the plugs themselves. I've seen some that were unusual with multiple gaps that cost a bit more, but lasted a bit longer than the standard plugs.

Reply to
drsmith

If done at a Ford dealer probably not a multiple gap, but possibly a double platinum. That, too, could explain the cost.

Reply to
Kruse

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