How long will it take me to replace v8i head gaskets?

Anyone able to give me a rough estimate on how long it'll take me to replace the head gaskets in my v8 Disco 1?

I have some engine rebuild experience (but a few years ago now, and not on a v8).

I'd give a 'practiced' ameteur mechanic a day; but give a full week-end for dealing with 'niggles'; but if it were me, I'd presume to have the car out of commission for a week and a week-end; giving the first week-end to get the heads off, Monday lunch-time to drop them into an M/C shop to be skimmed, Friday afternoon to collect them, and that week-end to re-fit; becouse they are alli, I always 'presume' that they'll need a skim after a head-gaskets gone, and rejoice if my steelie and feeliers tell me other wise!

disregarding the skimming as this can be done while you wait or take a week to complete depending on the company, i can do it start to finnish in 6 hours on my v8 range rover (1996)

its leccy coils etc so slightly different but not by much!!

its a piece of **** if you get cracking. get all the parts you need beforehand and things will go smoothely!!

I done mine for the first time a couple of weeks ago, it was dead easy. 3 hours to get everything off one day, 4 1/2 hours to put it all back another day together. I'm not including in there the fact that between the days I stripped both heads, cleaned 'em, ported 'em, polished 'em, cleaned the valves, lapped 'em, re-tapped the head bolt threads, re-tapped the spark plug threads, re-tapped the exhaust manifold threads, stripped and rebuilt the dizzy, replaced the rockers, etc, etc, etc. But it started third turn of the key, the first turnover had the coil disconnected deliberately to get the oil pressure up, the second the timing was out and it's running beautifully.

It's a pity the nice peeps who charged me £70 (including 40% discount) fooked my injectors and the motor hydrolocked, luckily it was only ticking over at the time.

I've done two now, first took about 4 days with having the skimming and striping one the treads tightening the heads down. The second 3hrs to strip, 2hrs for the skimming and about 4-5hrs the next day rebuilding. They aren't to bad as head replacement go because no timing to set up. A little easier that other engines but you have to do 2 sets of tightening down and so on.

Thanks every one - sounds do-able assuming no big gotchas along the way.

Do watch out for the exhaust manifold bolts - they are notorious for snapping and be careful when doing stuff up; it's very easy to pull a thread. Make sure you clean all bolts and threads. Apart from that just use common sense and take your time.

i good tip for anything seized on a aliminium head/block/part is to pour boiling water over it! usually frees it quite nicely!!

Yeah! Exhaust Mainifold bolts!
Bit of a bugger! Removing the heads 'in situ' awkward to get all the manifold bolts out of the head, while the down-pipe flange studs are a real pita.
Probably least hassle, if you can, to split the pipes at the flange, but as said, the studs are notoriouse for stripping, shearing or bending, and you have to 'wiggle' the heads out of the hole with the manifolds on.
But I think I'd rather risk that than the skinned knuckes trying to get the rearmost manifld bolts out of the head in the restricted access under the bulkhead.
Once off, manifolds come off the head easily enough, and you can drill out the old flange studs and replace if they are in bad shape.

one thing that has been missed while you have it stripped is inspect the cam for any wear if it is over 90,000 miles well worth a strip and overhaul the heads.
i did a set recently and changed all the exhaust manifold bolts for studs made the rebuilding very easy or as i didleave the exhaust manifold on and undo at the down pipe atleast if you break one of these studs it is a lot easier to repair of car.
average time for me is around 2hrs stripped and 2hr to rebuild unless it is warped or some thing breaks on stripping