Car service DYI advice

[Xuaxace]

My brother just took my parents toyota camry (2004 2.4L) for a minor (editmajor service) and wheel alignment and this is what we got in return. The car had a minor 10-15k ago.


All fluids are black - transmision,brake, sterring, oil, the whole lot.
Air filter is clogged (150$ for this, lol) no way I'm letting them do this.
Handbrake is loose.
Timing cover is leeking, some pulley is broken, crank seals need changing, outside belt seems changing.

QUOTE: 2.5k+ they haven't done any work yet, I'm trying to figure out the best course of action

Now, the car had a cover gasket-timing belt fixed at 80k, so having another timing belt issue with less than 150k seems just a big joke.


So what do I do? I have some mechanical knowledge and tools to do it (except maybe some expert tools) (I have changed all fluids on my bikes, break pads, clutch and some misc work, but is this over my head? Car is at the dealer and I have no idea what to do, 2.5+ is just bloody rich.

[g0zer]

when servicing costs start approaching the value of the car, its time to sell it

[Shady7/8]

I know you're speaking English cos I recognise the words, but I don't really get what you're saying

Is this the list the mechanics gave you?
This is what the mechanics changed this service?
This is what the mechanics changed last service?
This is what the mechanics have noted this time and are asking for money to complete the works whilst it's still in their shop?
Your Brother did the service?


If the car had a minor 10-15K ago surely it's due a Major service...?

All except the crank seal are easy.

Call Kamahl at K-Tech. He does Cars too I hear.

[Crobbo]

Where was the servicing done? Toyota dealers are probably the best I've ever dealt with.

[deeman111]

Just had a quick look on fleabay. Is it a timing belt or a timing chain?

If its the 2AZ-FE motor it looks like a chain
New timing chain/oil pimp chain/guide rails/lotsa stuff $159USD +postage 01-11 Toyota 2AZ-FE Engine Timing Chain Kit w/ Oil Pump | eBay

Sure you can get a new cover gasket from repco.
Oils are a piece of piss as are filters.

If your not confident, have some fellow PSBers come over, put on a carton and some food and im sure you can have it fixed in no time. Or you might just find a piece of pizza instead of a head gasket.... worth the risk tho


Have a look on ebay, lots of stuff there. When a car starts getting old there is no point taking it to the dealer for repairs, your just getting ripped off

[Xuaxace]

I know you're speaking English cos I recognise the words, but I don't really get what you're saying.

Is this the list the mechanics gave you?
This is what the mechanics changed this service?
This is what the mechanics changed last service?
This is what the mechanics have noted this time and are asking for money to complete the works whilst it's still in their shop?
Your Brother did the service?


If the car had a minor 10-15K ago surely it's due a Major service...?

All except the crank seal are easy.

Call Kamahl at K-Tech. He does Cars too I hear.

Modified original, The car is at the dealer, where they just QUOTED me what needs to be done, nothing is done. I'm trying to figure out the best course of action for the car.

[Shady7/8]

Makes sense now.

Crank seals are the hardest bit, but apart from that it's straight forward.

Get a mobile mechanic like K-Tech or do some web research for a workshop manual and do it yourself. It's similar enough to a bike, just less access (although we don't typically use power steering fluid...)

If you do it yourself, but a bottle of average and a bottle of decent fluid for each change, put the cheap stuff in first and run it for 10 minutes or so, and then change it out for the good stuff. Simple flush.

[potato]

schnieder mechanical and tyre centre.

92710610

mike there shoots straight and will do the righty.

[Xuaxace]

Makes sense now.

Crank seals are the hardest bit, but apart from that it's straight forward.

Get a mobile mechanic like K-Tech or do some web research for a workshop manual and do it yourself. It's similar enough to a bike, just less access (although we don't typically use power steering fluid...)

If you do it yourself, but a bottle of average and a bottle of decent fluid for each change, put the cheap stuff in first and run it for 10 minutes or so, and then change it out for the good stuff. Simple flush.

Thanks, I think I'm keen to give it ago as I have time, more concern with any special tools that might be needed, (pulley installer, seal installer, etc) also get a torque wrench.

[BenG]

Modified original, The car is at the dealer, where they just QUOTED me what needs to be done, nothing is done. I'm trying to figure out the best course of action for the car.

There's your problem. Dealership labour rates and the prices of genuine parts combine to a big bill...

[karri]

How bad are the crank seal and timing cover leaking? All of its pretty easy. Those 2 the hardest. Start on the smaller stuff and go from there. As far a specialised tools your not gonna spend 2500 on them that's for sure. Pulley removal kits aren't expensive.

[potato]

send out the hard bits and do the easy stuff yourself !

[Shady7/8]

send out the hard bits and do the easy stuff yourself !

Straightline2ten motto?

[smeghead]

.. my mobile mech is excellent, known him for 15+ years, does my cars & most of my family and several friends cars.

A while ago (last 12 months) I had to have the crankshaft & camshaft seals on my V6 Saab replaced along with the crank pulley. He did a service at the same time inc replacing the expensive plugs (where the rears are an absolute bastard, read much work/hours) on these cars.

Parts & labour were less than $1,500 from memory & that's for Saab parts (admittedly its a GM V6 motor), & maybe a super good price cos I'm such a great guy .

He works all suburbs, highly recommended.

Call Kim, 0418 914 457

As other have said none of this stuff is rocket science, I've done this type of stuff myself over the years, just lack of time & a garage mean that I mostly get it done by a pro these days. If it needs to be done in a given period of time without fail then having a crack might not be feasible.

[Huggy]

Definitely give it a crack yourself if you have the time. I'd rather fork out a little bit for tools that I can use again, than pay someone to do stuff I could do myself.

On a side note, does anyone have any links to service manual downloads? I found a free one for my CBR a while back, and am chasing one for an 05 Holden Rodeo 3ltr iTD...
It would help the OP as well if someone knew where to get one for an 04 Camry as well.

[Xuaxace]

Thanks for the posts,

I went to the dealer to really see what is going on, I think they blew things out of proportion (fluids were in good for example). Here is a picture of the pulley

It didn't look that bad, it is definitely wearing out, how bad does it look from the image?. The oil leak of the seal is pretty negliable, a few drops ever, the belt is fine.



What I think I might do is, buy all the pieces from the USA which will cost maybe 200$ and then either do it myself, or go to a trusted mechanic to just do (all labour, good rates compared to a major dealer I would assume). How many hours does this job look (if I change the crank seal, pulley, timing cover and belt)?

---

I took the car home by the way, would you drive it as is?

[emrys74]

what dose the service schedule in the hand book say that is a good place to start i change my dif and gear box fluid once a year unless i think i may have damaged it.
crank seal and timing cover use your own judgement if it starts to piss then you need to fix it that pulley is two bits of metal joined together by a bit of rubber and may also double as your harmonic balancer if they say its buggered it may be best you check i cant see for sure ad i cant tell exactly where on the motor it is but if you take the belt of and see if the out side has movement in it you'll know how fooked it is.
as for the time it takes well its as long as it dose if you haven't done it b4 could take you all weekend I been playing with cars since b4 i could drive had to rake the radiator out of a td5 discovery and spent half a day doing it just depends on what is where how easy you can get to things and if you have the right spanners and shit.
you could just take what you know and ask how much to change all the oils save you having to try and pour up into a diff or gear box and dispose of the old shit and to replace the harmonic balancer if that is what that pulley is that wont be cheep on its own.

[g0zer]

Here is a picture of the pulley

It didn't look that bad, it is definitely wearing out, how bad does it look from the image?

I took the car home by the way, would you drive it as is?

erm.. the only wear point on the pulley is where it contacts the v belt. i call BS on worn pulley and in your OP they claimed it was broken? i think they were trying it on.

[Scott52]

If you want to save yourself heaps of money over the years learn to have a crack at your own auto repairs. Like others have said once a car like a Camry is worth only a few grand it doesn't make sense to spend big bucks at dealers on maintenance.

Get a workshop manual and some decent tools and get stuck into it. It's all logical stuff. You can always take photos of things as you go so you remember how to put things back together. Things like axle stands, jacks, compressors et all are pretty cheap these days. You can always build up your kit over time.

Also the routine consumable parts like brake pads & discs, filters, shockys etc are heaps cheaper online ... often from overseas even with the postage.

Example:

The dealer quoted me $800 plus labour to replace the rear brake discs and pads on my Mercedes van... the total would have been $1000 or more.

I jumped onto eBay and got two rear discs and the four brake pads delivered to my door from the UK for about $275. I also got a CD copy of the Mercedes WIS (Workshop Information System) on eBay out of the UK for $12 delivered. Only "special" tools required were torx bits as many of the fasteners on Mercedes are Torx. Fortunately I have a set of Torx bits anyway.

So, one Saturday morning I printed off the section for the W639 Vito van about changing rear discs and pads and three hours later she was all done. Very straight forward job.

[Halo_2]

Take it to someone reputable and see what they say