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Doesn't $3400 to fix a slow oil leak seem like a lot?? Especially for one that doesnt required the engine to be pulled or trans to be dropped. This is at an indy shop too.
I brought my car in because the leak is more of an inconvenience than anything. It leaves a drop or two of oil under it wherever i take it which i found annoying. But this seem excessive to fix such a small problem
Is this shop trying to take me for a ride? let me kno what you guys think..
thanks,
PS - besides this the car has been very reliable and the few probs i did have i was able to fix myself for hardly any $$$
Looks like the oil temperature regulator cover is leaking which requires timing cover removal. Big job but an indy shop I would guess about 2k. What's their breakdown on the quote?
Im near Phila, PA Strigio & Mightar so that wont work but thanks for the suggestions
Rocman8 - your are right on, the timing cover does have to come off but the quote has no real cost breakdown. They are now saying the engine would infact have to come out and the price would be even higher anyway. It is hard to get an exact answer out of them as to the precise location of the leak, im not even sure they know..
I am going to take it to a second shop and get another opinion & quote
Ill update again when i get a second option in case anyone runs into this same issue in the future
i have the same oil leak...my car is all apart for this stupid O-Ring. i'd shop around, but yes, this repair isn't going to be cheap. i'm planning to have my head bolts done at the same time, so in the end its going to be rather expensive. I would recommend you do the 2 O-Rings at the oil cooler hard lines right next to that part as well, if they don't plan to. they should though as they will need to be removed.
Hey Barry - No updates, I didn't end up having the work done. I had a throttle body go bad so I used the funds to repair that instead. I know it is not ideal but I just couldn't justify putting that kind of money into a slow leak on a 10YO car. I check the oil weekly and never gets anywhere near low. The leak is very slow
I had a slow oil leak, that turned out to be the oil cooler return lines o-rings. And they also found a cracked engine coolant expansion tank. These oil cooler lines that run back into the side of the engine block, aren't I repeat aren't easy to get at.
I was a struggle for my tech to access, but he perform a hail Mary. Your coast should be around $500-550. These oil rings weren't easily sourced as only one Mercedes dealership had them in the entire DC metro area, and we have tons of dealerships here.
They only had three of them, and I bought two. He had to remove the coolant expansion tank, disconnect the the AC line from the AC compressor, remove a metal bracket, loosen all oil cooler lines so they could pull the lines from the block to access the o rings.
Then spray everything down with brake cleaner, as there was oil in the engine pans, all over the AC compressor, stabilizer bar since it right there, all over the side of the block. We probably went thru 4 cans of brake cleaning.
Keep in mind, that this oil was being sprayed out from the bad o rings, so it was a fine mist, that coated everything. The oil level was fine, since I just changed the oil myself 10 days prior. I thought maybe I didn't tighten the oil cooler and oil pan bolts enough.
But I knew that I did. I was the safety inspection guy who found the issue, and I'm glad that he discovered it, so that I could have the issue addressed.
Hey Barry - No updates, I didn't end up having the work done. I had a throttle body go bad so I used the funds to repair that instead. I know it is not ideal but I just couldn't justify putting that kind of money into a slow leak on a 10YO car. I check the oil weekly and never gets anywhere near low. The leak is very slow
Good luck with yours
Yes, but small leaks turn into big leaks. I'm sure that someone could do it for much less than $3400
my mechanic went through 4 cans and said forget this...he then used 2 gallons of gasoline with a spray nozzle rig he put together.
first time he just moved the AC compressor out the way....second time he said it was MUCH MUCH easier to just remove the AC compressor and other items all together. much faster that way.
my mechanic went through 4 cans and said forget this...he then used 2 gallons of gasoline with a spray nozzle rig he put together.
first time he just moved the AC compressor out the way....second time he said it was MUCH MUCH easier to just remove the AC compressor and other items all together. much faster that way.
So your saying that your mechanic sprayed the oil soaked areas down with gasoline?
it works the same as brake cleaner but is cheaper. he sprayed all down with pressurized air and let car sit for 1 week before continuing work.
after everything i brought my car to a automotive steam cleaner and had the engine bay professionally steam cleaned. engine bay is so clean you could eat off of it.
My tech sprayed the areas down with brake cleaner and then used an air nozzle, and it did a great job. My only issue with gasoline is it's flammable.
But if it was steamed cleaned afterwards, then oh well. I have a little issue with pressurized steam or water, is that water can be forced into the electrical connectors of the sensors.
And then all hell breaks loose with electrical issues, attack of the gremlins. Then you ask yourself, why in the hell did I do that.
Yuille, don't forget that brake cleaner is just as flammable. It's a petroleum distillate just as much as gasoline is. I would guess the solvency is nearly identical to gasoline, except you don't get it in a nice compressed aerosol can.
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Then you ask yourself, why in the hell did I do that.
