How much to flow heads

[mt-engines]

When you get a price that seems out of line for something like a flow test........ my take on it is........ that place isn’t really intested in doing the job.

Which I can totally understand.

Or, flow doesn't mean as much as people think
Or, lights, heat, labor are higher because their skill set is higher....

Or, they know what your goal is, and a valve job will get you where you need...

I get people often asking for flow numbers. I throw an arbitrary number out there.. bottom line is, if you know what you are doing, cfm is a byproduct of proper sizing..

X amount of HP requires X amount of RPM... and the same X equals CSA.... CFM is a byproduct..

Why flow a head for $50 when I can do a VJ for $300.. hourly labor is required.. some are dirty, some need a valve job. Some need me to find a valve.. shop rate

[rfoll]

I payed $50, a few months ago, here in Oregon, just to flow one intake and exhaust.

Where did you take it? I live in Oregon.

[racear2865]

I had one come in last week and I told him $75. He said that was too high. I told him not a problem. See ya. Next day he called back and wanted me to do it. I told him, I was tied up all day on the dyno.
reed

[norm]

How much time does it take to actually get the head fixtured on the bench and then flow it?

I can't imagine anyone making enough money to be worth their time at $50-100

[hoffman900]

How much time does it take to actually get the head fixtured on the bench and then flow it?

I can't imagine anyone making enough money to be worth their time at $50-100

This. And that's for something super common that the guy has all the fixtures set up for and can do it quickly.

[PRH]

I can't imagine anyone making enough money to be worth their time at $50-100

For sure it’s not a big money maker.

The more popular BB Mopar heads are the quickest for me to test.
If the head is “ready to test”....... clean, dry, disassembled(at least for the cylinder I’m testing), I’m pretty sure I can mount the head and flow one set of intake and exhaust ports, and have it back off the bench in under 30mins.

Any other head takes me a little longer....... but some don’t take too much longer.

I don’t have any electronics on my bench, so I have to calculate the flow numbers when I fill out the flow sheet.

I have a set of new heads here to have the guides checked/honed, seats recut, and the bowls blended. I include a flow test with that job.
I’ll see if I can remember to time myself when I test it.

[frnkeore]

I payed $50, a few months ago, here in Oregon, just to flow one intake and exhaust.

Where did you take it? I live in Oregon.

Quality Machine (QMC) in Medford, OR.

He then took it to a local guy that builds Sprint Car engines, to be tested.

[k-star]

I get $100 to do one intake and 1 exhaust, that includes Air speed if the customer wants it and a print out of the test. I change a little more if they want CSA measured at the 3 normal spots.

[BOOT]

Why flow a head for $50 when I can do a VJ for $300.. hourly labor is required.. some are dirty, some need a valve job. Some need me to find a valve.. shop rate

Exactly no one is forcing you guys to do it, I'm sure there are those who will take the money.

[mt-engines]

Why flow a head for $50 when I can do a VJ for $300.. hourly labor is required.. some are dirty, some need a valve job. Some need me to find a valve.. shop rate

Exactly no one is forcing you guys to do it, I'm sure there are those who will take the money.

I'm not UNICEF.

[BOOT]

I'm not UNICEF.

If your time is worth $300 an hour then I'd prefer to go elsewhere since we know that flowing a head is not an advanced job, you just need an expensive piece of equipment. Same as I wouldn't pay you to sweep my shop floor at that rate, I'd hire someone else less skilled. It's just good business practice.

[Stan Weiss]

Why flow a head for $50 when I can do a VJ for $300.. hourly labor is required.. some are dirty, some need a valve job. Some need me to find a valve.. shop rate

Exactly no one is forcing you guys to do it, I'm sure there are those who will take the money.

I'm not UNICEF.

You also did not post one useful piece of information for the OP in all of your posts.

Stan

[David Redszus]

It is a basic part of human nature to place a higher value on my time than on yours.

When someone questions the quoted price for some skilled operation, I invite them to be
present to observe (and perform the grunt work necessary) the work required for fixturing,
set up, measurement, and re-measurement validation, and data presentation.

Work is very cheap if you don't have to do it.

[mt-engines]

Exactly no one is forcing you guys to do it, I'm sure there are those who will take the money.

I'm not UNICEF.

You also did not post one useful piece of information for the OP in all of your posts.

Stan

How did yours help?

[frnkeore]

mt-engines wrote: ↑Tue Nov 09, 2021 5:41 pm
Why flow a head for $50 when I can do a VJ for $300.. hourly labor is required.. some are dirty, some need a valve job. Some need me to find a valve.. shop rate

This is a red flag for me. I'm a retired aerospace machine shop owner so, I have been in business and couldn't do the above, to anyone.

The only way I can see something like that that to be ethical, would be to give a big discount on the flow bench so, the customer could actually see what that "special" valve job would do, in before and after testing.

I wanted my head tested, because I had ported it, using my valve angles! Now if MT said that he could improve the flow by ~x cfm, with his modifications. I might say "go for it" but, there will have to be a improvement, close to your numbers or no extra $.

I do agree with the condition of the heads, be a variable on pricing. My where clean and bare.