Monday, October 24, 2011

Car repair: what is a good cost to repair a front engine seal leak, timing belt replacement, rear seal leak?

i have a 1998 toyota camry. i dont know much about cars and rarely get bigger work done on my car since it hasn't caused me many problems - mainly brakes, tires, and oil changes. i just came from the deadlership (i got an oil change, tire rotation, and new brake pads/rotor reface) and they told me my car:

- has a fluid leak

- has a front engine seals leak

- needs a new timing belt

- has a rear main seal leak



im pretty clueless about cars and always feel like im getting ripped off! how serious are these issues, which are most important to address first, and what are resonable costs for these repairs? about a year ago i was informed of some of these issues and they haven't cause any problems yet. i dont drive that much -- about 50 miles per week with the occasional road trip a few times a year. the car is getting old and i anticipate getting a new one in the next year or so, so i dont want to spend a lot on maintenance that's not ABSOLUTELY necessary to the life of the car....i just don't want to end up stranded on the side of the road! thanks for your advice ahead of time.Car repair: what is a good cost to repair a front engine seal leak, timing belt replacement, rear seal leak?peaches, I had similar problems with my Chevrolet Equinox and last month. Get a free auto warranty quote and see if you can get the policy before you need to get your car fixed. http://www.simpleautoquotes.com/Auto-Warranty.htmlCar repair: what is a good cost to repair a front engine seal leak, timing belt replacement, rear seal leak?me and my family own a 1998 toyota camry as well. as of now it is in the shop for an oil pump leak and a broken timing belt. the mechanic told me that he charges $300 for the timing belt replacement. when they replace the belt the front seal is right there so the cost of the seal is all that should apply. as far as the rear seal, the transmission and torque converter must be removed. not sure of the cost on the rear seal. the timing belts should be replaced at or around 90,000 miles. it has been a great car and have owned it for 5 years now and this is the biggest problem to date. we love the car. the 4 cylinder engine is known to go for 300,000 miles beofre a major overhaul is required.Car repair: what is a good cost to repair a front engine seal leak, timing belt replacement, rear seal leak?The timing belt would be the most important. To replace the front main seal would require removing the timing belt anyway. When replacing the front main seal, the rear needs to be changed at the same time to prevent doing the same labor on the car again (removing the oil pan). The fluid leak can be fixed any time and has nothing to do with the others.

My advice, no more than you drive, keep oil and fluid in it and keep driving for a year. If you are really concerned about being stranded, just change the timing belt.Car repair: what is a good cost to repair a front engine seal leak, timing belt replacement, rear seal leak?well the dealer isn't selling cars they need your service to keep it going. the timing chain is only recommended at the miles set to change it,in most cases these out last most cars..if your auto isn't leaking alot i would just leave it. use slick 50 or some motor oil to help seal seals