Cams + install = $3000?
 

I'm coming from a mainly Honda background, where you could swap K20 cams in 15 minutes on your own and they cost about $700 for a stage 2 set.

Is this 3K number something we should expect for FA20 cam swaps? I'm looking at other sites and seeing about $600-800 for a set of EJ20 cams...is the install cost really going to be $2400?

Well we need 4 cams, so a set of 4 will probably be around 1500 dollars, and right now 1500 for an install I guess isnt out of the question. This motor is a pain in the ass to work on apparently.

I'd like to see anyone install a set of cams on the FA20 in 15 minutes... :)

I think i heard my mechanic say we need to drop the engine to do cams :mad0259:. Might as well save up and do more mods like valve springs, retainers, arp head studs, as well as some porting.

This is one of those things that makes me happy I have the patience to do my own work. I would never pay that much for cams to be installed thats just not worth it. I would do it for an excuse to pull the engine out of the car just so I know how to do it in the future. I cant imagine that this car would be too difficult to pull the engine. I think after doing it a couple times you could pull it in 2-3hours tops.

I heard that the engine can be pulled out pretty quick as well. The estimate might be based on how new the car is and techs not knowing how fast you can pull the engine.

It might be possible to do it without pulling the engine but given the instructions on jacking up the engine to change the spark plugs, it would probably be faster and much less painful to just pull the engine. I used to be able to pull my EJ257 engine in like 45 minutes and there is no turbo stuff on this car so it can't take that long.

There are also four cams and lots of stuff which needs to be put back together correctly, but $2400 for labor seems excessive.

I would recommend doing it whenever you need to swap the clutch and just do that as well when the engine is out.

Timing belt change on boxer motor costs around 800 bucks. Considering you will have to take the engine off, i would say somewhere around 1000 is a average price.
And yes we need 4 cams with twice of work

Engine must be pulled, complete front timing covered pulled, valve covers, then you can finally get to the cams. Then reverse it all. That's going to be a pretty labor intensive job, so a reputable shop will charge for thier time spent. I see cams only being sold for this when someone is already building the motor. Pretty much how it goes for the subby guys.

This ain't your daddy's inline 4. Headwork on a boxer is a PITA.