Expensive Spark Plug

[jScotD]

Shop manager said it could have been worse....meaning that if I hadn't of taken all the Tupperware off..............Common Currency Today....$80 an hr...it would have taken longer than 3 hrs....fouled plug.....threw a monkey wrench into the works...computer 'S got confused....

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Shop manager said it could have been worse....meaning that if I hadn't of taken all the Tupperware off..............Common Currency Today....$80 an hr...it would have taken longer than 3 hrs....fouled plug.....threw a monkey wrench into the works...computer 'S got confused....

Thanks for the heads up ....... However I have no idea what your are talking about ...... Maybe someone can explain it .......... Mike

[Chupaca]

Assuming this is a V-twin and we are talking about the forward plug which is a bit of a pain to get to. If so even the worse mechanic could do it in less than 3 hours with the panels on. There are short cuts if you still have oem air box.. $80.00 an hour is not bad not sure about the rest...

[KX5062]

Thanks for the heads up ....... However I have no idea what your are talking about ...... Maybe someone can explain it .......... Mike

Maybe it was supposed to be a text message to a buddy who knew what was going on.

[BajaRon]

Having over 15 years experience with eBay customer's emails, I think I can interpret this for you.

His Spyder was running badly so he pulled off some a-sundry Tupperware panels to see if he could find the problem. He gave up and took it to the dealer where they charged him 3 hours labor at $80 hr. ($240.00 for the mathematically challenged), to troubleshoot and replace the offending spark plug. (We can only hope he received 2 new spark plugs and a solution for the fouling problem so it would not cost him another $240.00 down the line - But I digress).

He thought that was expensive so he said something. He was then given these assuring words from the shop manager. 'It could have been even more expensive if you had not removed the Tupperware first'.

I know that would have made me feel MUCH better!

[PapaHotel]

And yet, he may have been charged the three hours because that is what the "book" says it takes to replace the plugs. The mechanic just got it done in less than book time.

[ARtraveler]

I hate to say it, but most of us think that $80 per hour is cheap. My dealer charges $130 per hour. They use the book times unless it takes longer--then I get charged for that also. If they finish earlier, tough noogies.

That's the way most service departments work. They are a "profit" center for the business and that is what is supposed to buy the latest and greatest tools to fix any problems.

[Warlock]

I hate to say it, but most of us think that $80 per hour is cheap. My dealer charges $130 per hour. They use the book times unless it takes longer--then I get charged for that also. If they finish earlier, tough noogies.

That's the way most service departments work. They are a "profit" center for the business and that is what is supposed to buy the latest and greatest tools to fix any problems.

Unless it's a different problem and the job calls for 5 hr labor and they do it in 8 they aren't suppose to charge you the extra hrs. If they do and you pay it shame on you. That is when me and the service manager has a come to Jesus meeting.
David

[ARtraveler]

Unless it's a different problem and the job calls for 5 hr labor and they do it in 8 they aren't suppose to charge you the extra hrs. If they do and you pay it shame on you. That is when me and the service manager has a come to Jesus meeting.
David

Mostly agree, but when they are the only game in town its time to pick and choose the battles. Get the service department ticked off and you could have issues.

[jScotD]

I was I-padding with a sick cat on my lap at the time....I got the plugs and wires and other stuff, from BajaRon..thanks Ron...but it was acting so weird..and a friend had some time off to be able to use his truck to tow it..around here $80 seems to be the going rate for a lot of services..that is what my air conditioning guy charged me to change out a module.............I was told that the fouled plug would cause the computers to go awry...Now my question is ...if I had just changed the plugs myself...would the computers automatically reset themselves?.......oh and I get to wash it again....when they loaded it on the trailer...they ran through a water puddle of white driveway gravel ...now..since I took all the plastic off...everything...wires etc...have white goop on them...

[Warlock]

Mostly agree, but when they are the only game in town its time to pick and choose the battles. Get the service department ticked off and you could have issues.

Know what you mean. We are limited on dealerships here and only thing helps is I'm a mechanic by trade. But at their mercy when bud's is involved.
David

[BajaRon]

I was I-padding with a sick cat on my lap at the time....I got the plugs and wires and other stuff, from BajaRon..thanks Ron...but it was acting so weird..and a friend had some time off to be able to use his truck to tow it..around here $80 seems to be the going rate for a lot of services..that is what my air conditioning guy charged me to change out a module.............I was told that the fouled plug would cause the computers to go awry...Now my question is ...if I had just changed the plugs myself...would the computers automatically reset themselves?.......oh and I get to wash it again....when they loaded it on the trailer...they ran through a water puddle of white driveway gravel ...now..since I took all the plastic off...everything...wires etc...have white goop on them...

I think they are saying that the computer tries to compensate for the fouled plug. They will automatically 'Reset' or go back to normal operation once you get the fouled plug issue corrected.

Hopefully, the plug fouled because your wires were bad. But if not you may be lugging the engine (too low RPM for the conditions).

My ignition set will resist fouling much better than the OEM gear. But you still need to keep your RPM in the correct range. Everything will work better if you do. Not saying that you are. Just throwing that out in-case.