Repair estimate for my car - What do you thing?

[Jtels2593]

Re: Repair estimate for my car - What do you thing?

I told you what it was on the other page...my car had 263,000km on it and never leaked...don't think they are known to leak much...do you have oil leaking out the front of the engine?

Why not just live with the rear main seal leaking? odds are that a few years later or less that rear main is going to be leaking again...but if they do change it, make sure they change the rear cover gasket as well at the same time...which is behind that plate that houses the rear main...some shops cheap out and dont change this....leads to leaks faster

The rear cover gasket is included and I believe they are being purchased as a set. My friend has a '99 Grand Prix and the rear main seal has been leaking for over five years and he has never onced had it repaired. The reason why I want it repaired is because the oil is burning off of the crossmember and coming up through my vents. The smell makes the interior smell and turns my stomach. I tried multiple air fresheners, but that didn't help at all.

[Jtels2593]

Re: Repair estimate for my car - What do you thing?

I cancelled the replacement of the PCC valve. After further investigation it appears that is a repair I can perform myself. That just knocked another $150 off of the bill.

The mechanic said he wrote up the oil pump shaft seal incorrectly. He described to me a seal that is somewhere near the distributor that might be leaking.

My knowledge of auto repair is limited to tune-ups, brakes, exhaust, suspension, some electrical, how an engine works, rebuilding the top half, etc... There are a whole lot of things I don't know and never took the time to learn. Hell, I know the basics of how a transmission works but I couldn't even begin to tell you verbally. At least I'm being honest about it. I meet too many people who pretend to know everything about cars and building engines.. but even then I still think they're all talk.

[Bird_Of_Prey]

Re: Repair estimate for my car - What do you thing?

Distributor? You know you don't have a distributor, right?

[LETZRIDE]

Re: Repair estimate for my car - What do you thing?

LOL...only gaskets that could leak from the coil pack area are valve covers and UIM/LIM gaskets...

Try going to some smaller shops for a quote...ones advertised on the radio are going to be expensive...

Also...I don't know how bad it would be to do this, but you may want to consider running a die in the oil and using a black light to see where else you might be leaking... Not sure how safe die is in the oil though...I'd be doing an oil change within 100km though...

Other option is powerwash your engine down and look for leaks...you might be able to eliminate a lot off that bill and only pay for the rear main...shop here charged me 350$ to pull and reinstall the trans when I had mine rebuilt...I say that cause we are always more expensive over here than our US counterparts...I wouldn't settle for anything more than 600$ for that job though...especially on a hoist the job is a joke...you'll need new flywheel bolts to...our are TTYl

[Jtels2593]

Re: Repair estimate for my car - What do you thing?

Yes I am aware, this is my 2nd V6 and I have already tuned-up this car. The information that I wrote above is what he said.. that was without really look at the car.

Distributor? You know you don't have a distributor, right?

[Jtels2593]

Re: Repair estimate for my car - What do you thing?

I spoke with four different repair shops in the area this morning and all of them quoted me between $650 and as high as $1,000, just for the rear main.

LOL...only gaskets that could leak from the coil pack area are valve covers and UIM/LIM gaskets...

Try going to some smaller shops for a quote...ones advertised on the radio are going to be expensive...

Also...I don't know how bad it would be to do this, but you may want to consider running a die in the oil and using a black light to see where else you might be leaking... Not sure how safe die is in the oil though...I'd be doing an oil change within 100km though...

Other option is powerwash your engine down and look for leaks...you might be able to eliminate a lot off that bill and only pay for the rear main...shop here charged me 350$ to pull and reinstall the trans when I had mine rebuilt...I say that cause we are always more expensive over here than our US counterparts...I wouldn't settle for anything more than 600$ for that job though...especially on a hoist the job is a joke...you'll need new flywheel bolts to...our are TTYl

[tcrenegade50]

Re: Repair estimate for my car - What do you thing?

Yes I am aware, this is my 2nd V6 and I have already tuned-up this car. The information that I wrote above is what he said.. that was without really look at the car.

I think you have a leaky muffler bearing lol

[tcrenegade50]

Re: Repair estimate for my car - What do you thing?

I'd stay away from the first place that you got that quote they guy doesn't sound like he knows what he's talking about, also do you have BOTH a leaking rear main as well as leaking oil pan?

[Jtels2593]

Re: Repair estimate for my car - What do you thing?

UPDATE:

I removed the car from their lot Friday evening. I explained to him the problems I had with the bill and some of the repair work, he stood his ground and told me good luck finding a cheaper repair shop.

I took the car to a BBB recommended repair shop closer to my home. The car was inspected this morning. The rear main is leaking and the their cost is $635. The oil pan gasket bolts needed to be tightened and that was all.

I am holding off on the PCC valve as the hard shifting problem has only happened a handfull of times and isn't something to be concerned with. That was the recommendation of the repair shop and a few members on this board.

I decided to have them replace the converter and I am purchasing a Magnaflow catback in a few minutes when I get done typing this reply.

The O2 sensors I have done before and will do them again. Rockauto.com sells them wholesale for about $40 I believe. I am also going to tackle the power window motor myself, again, which should make for a long day.

That reminds me, I need to call the shop and ask them to check my turn signal fluid..

[Red&Black_Attack]

Re: Repair estimate for my car - What do you thing?

It be cheaper just to get a shiftkit which usaully fix's tranny issues for good as far as the sensors go. 300$ got my HD-2 kit and installed.

Good luck letting a shop do anything w/out gettin a huge bill. I quit letting shops do maintenence. Only things I've had a shop do lately is gears and the shiftkit as mentioned.

Pulled the motor, trans everything and had it rebuilt (shop rebuilt it) and put back in myself with help from dad. Costed 1600$ for everything.

Shops are just so dern expensive.

[Jtels2593]

Re: Repair estimate for my car - What do you thing?

Thats pretty much what my problem is.

My father has a huge pole barn with all of the necessary tools to repair and rebuild a vehicle. Unfortunately I live roughly 80 miles away and don't get out there as often as I'd like.

I don't have a garage attached to my house, it's a 50's build 1 level, 3 bed, 1 bath home in a small community. I don't have a jack, stands, oil pan, nothing. Those things I will buy soon as I do all of my own oil changes. My driveway is brand new concrete and I'm afraid of damaging it, so more than likely I'll lay down cardboard.

The freezing temperatures also make it difficult to do anything outside. I used to be able to take a quick trip to my parents and wash my car inside of the pole barn, now I'm limited to a Mike's Express.

[ssms5411]

Re: Repair estimate for my car - What do you thing?

I would buy all the parts and have them just do the labor and charge for basic shop charges. If they say you can't use your own parts don't trust them and go to the next shop that will use the parts. Or like SRT8 said buy a used L26 with low miles out of a 08' car and have them swap engines which should be about the same amount of time & labor. That way lower miles and a stronger and more effiecent engine will be in there. The L32 rods are stronger and the heads flow better in the L26 than the L36.