Timing Belt and Crankcase seals replaced
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fto998
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- jedwabna poszewka promocja
- Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 6:00 pm
Timing Belt and Crankcase seals replaced
Hi just wanted to let you guys know about this Castrol Service Shop at Sefton in Sydney. Noticed my FTO had developed an oil leak, so i popped into the Castrol Service shop at Sefton as it is close to my work. Mechanic informed me that the seals had gone in my crankbox (cam box) and oil was seeping out. He quoted me $300 to have these repairs done and he mentioned my timing belt may also need to be changed if its soaked with oil for an extra $100. Rang Unique at Castle hill as i had work done there before and they quoted me somewhere between $600 and $1000 couldnt give me a firm quote with out getting car up on hoist. In the end dropped my car off this morning at sefton (got a free courtsey car) and picked up the beast at 4pm. Engine sounds great & looks great. I asked him about the timing belt and he told me there was still plenty of wear left in it so he didnt change it. Great to see some honest mechanics still exist !!! Anyway he seems to have a fair knowledge to me of the FTO setup so if anyone is looking at getting some work done here is his details. Saved big dollars by not going elsewhere. Peter McKenna (02 96442844. PS Think he quoted me $290 to have the spark plugs changed with plugs costing around $26 each, so thats not bad. Other shop qouted me over $400. Just tell him Rodney sent you and you should be fine. Cheers
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Hobbsie
- Grease Monkey
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payaya
- Oldtimer
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- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:00 pm
ok get your cam seals done including the timing belt and scan me your invoice for $400.00.
The belt is harder to change than the seals so just charging you an extra $100.00 for the best is not believable.
I changed my own timing belt and the belt was $100.00. I changed my own timing belt, and if included labour then im guessing the belt would take him under an hour to change. I can tell you now under an hour is not possible.
Even if you had a pit crew under an hour is pushing it. There is so much to do even to get to the timing belt. The timing case is like fort knox!
If the mechanic was honest he would have asked you how many km's your car has done and if the timing belt was ever done. You cannot see damage of your timing belt untill you physically bend the belt the otherway. This usually exposes the cracks between the teeth of the belt. Usually the the cracks are present only to one of two teeth of the belt. The only safe was is to change your belt before 100000 kms.
The reason why he did not do it was because he knew $100.00 was a way underquote of a timing belt change
$290.00 inclusive of plugs? $26.00 is more on the expensive side but still acceptable. He would have charged you about $140.00 bucks labour or around 2 hours. That seems alright, but usually people can do it in less time. So going by the quote this should have been the more difficult job?? Guess wrong, you could change the plugs 5 times over compared to 1 timing belt.
I've done my lifters, timing and sparks.
Easiest was the sparks.
Hardest was the Timing.
Frustrating was the Lifters.
I guess if you do not know a lot about engines, sticking to your family mechanic is your best option. If you be prepared to be ripped.
The belt is harder to change than the seals so just charging you an extra $100.00 for the best is not believable.
I changed my own timing belt and the belt was $100.00. I changed my own timing belt, and if included labour then im guessing the belt would take him under an hour to change. I can tell you now under an hour is not possible.
Even if you had a pit crew under an hour is pushing it. There is so much to do even to get to the timing belt. The timing case is like fort knox!
If the mechanic was honest he would have asked you how many km's your car has done and if the timing belt was ever done. You cannot see damage of your timing belt untill you physically bend the belt the otherway. This usually exposes the cracks between the teeth of the belt. Usually the the cracks are present only to one of two teeth of the belt. The only safe was is to change your belt before 100000 kms.
The reason why he did not do it was because he knew $100.00 was a way underquote of a timing belt change
$290.00 inclusive of plugs? $26.00 is more on the expensive side but still acceptable. He would have charged you about $140.00 bucks labour or around 2 hours. That seems alright, but usually people can do it in less time. So going by the quote this should have been the more difficult job?? Guess wrong, you could change the plugs 5 times over compared to 1 timing belt.
I've done my lifters, timing and sparks.
Easiest was the sparks.
Hardest was the Timing.
Frustrating was the Lifters.
I guess if you do not know a lot about engines, sticking to your family mechanic is your best option. If you be prepared to be ripped.
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fto998
- Newbie
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 6:00 pm
Hi only trying to help people out. To put it in black and white to see if i am getting ripped.
(Paid)Seals $100, at unique $140.
(Paid) Labour $200.00, at unique $450 (at lower end of scale).
He said since he was doing the seals it would be easier and probably better for me to do belt at same time as the rear seals. The previous owner had told me the timing belt had been changed at 100k but i had my doubts. Car has now travelled 130k. Yes he asked me how many kms car had done & at what kms i think it was last changed. It is possible he didnt change the belt cause he saw it was a lot more work ? But wouldnt the guy just ring me and say i think i miss quoted you on the timing belt after looking at it there is more to it then i thought, i can either do it for more $$$ or leave it ?
On the plug prices i didnt really listen to him cause im not planning on getting them done just yet, but yes $290 was inclusive of plugs, not bad considering unique want around $400 for the same job ! Why are they charging so much if is so easy & telling me its whole day job & also full day to do seals ? I thought they were top mechanics according to a few !??? Anyway i dont doubt your knowledge payaya just trying to help out people to let them know what i got done & where & price & that there are other options out there. I guess you one of the lucky ones, been able to do all your own work on your vehicles. The only thing us that dont do their own work is have some basic knowledge, try to find a good & honest mechanic with fair prices. Where would you recomend people get seals or plugs or timing belt done if they are unable to do so themself ? Thanks for the reply and your imput
(Paid)Seals $100, at unique $140.
(Paid) Labour $200.00, at unique $450 (at lower end of scale).
He said since he was doing the seals it would be easier and probably better for me to do belt at same time as the rear seals. The previous owner had told me the timing belt had been changed at 100k but i had my doubts. Car has now travelled 130k. Yes he asked me how many kms car had done & at what kms i think it was last changed. It is possible he didnt change the belt cause he saw it was a lot more work ? But wouldnt the guy just ring me and say i think i miss quoted you on the timing belt after looking at it there is more to it then i thought, i can either do it for more $$$ or leave it ?
On the plug prices i didnt really listen to him cause im not planning on getting them done just yet, but yes $290 was inclusive of plugs, not bad considering unique want around $400 for the same job ! Why are they charging so much if is so easy & telling me its whole day job & also full day to do seals ? I thought they were top mechanics according to a few !??? Anyway i dont doubt your knowledge payaya just trying to help out people to let them know what i got done & where & price & that there are other options out there. I guess you one of the lucky ones, been able to do all your own work on your vehicles. The only thing us that dont do their own work is have some basic knowledge, try to find a good & honest mechanic with fair prices. Where would you recomend people get seals or plugs or timing belt done if they are unable to do so themself ? Thanks for the reply and your imput
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payaya
- Oldtimer
- Posts: 3670
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:00 pm
Dude im not a top mechanic, never said I was. I'm sick and tired of people getting ripped off by mechanics that why I replied to this post. Its just a lot of mechanics rip off people, never believe them unless you know them.fto998 wrote:Hi only trying to help people out. To put it in black and white to see if i am getting ripped.
(Paid)Seals $100, at unique $140.
(Paid) Labour $200.00, at unique $450 (at lower end of scale).
He said since he was doing the seals it would be easier and probably better for me to do belt at same time as the rear seals. The previous owner had told me the timing belt had been changed at 100k but i had my doubts. Car has now travelled 130k. Yes he asked me how many kms car had done & at what kms i think it was last changed. It is possible he didnt change the belt cause he saw it was a lot more work ? But wouldnt the guy just ring me and say i think i miss quoted you on the timing belt after looking at it there is more to it then i thought, i can either do it for more $$$ or leave it ?
On the plug prices i didnt really listen to him cause im not planning on getting them done just yet, but yes $290 was inclusive of plugs, not bad considering unique want around $400 for the same job ! Why are they charging so much if is so easy & telling me its whole day job & also full day to do seals ? I thought they were top mechanics according to a few !??? Anyway i dont doubt your knowledge payaya just trying to help out people to let them know what i got done & where & price & that there are other options out there. I guess you one of the lucky ones, been able to do all your own work on your vehicles. The only thing us that dont do their own work is have some basic knowledge, try to find a good & honest mechanic with fair prices. Where would you recomend people get seals or plugs or timing belt done if they are unable to do so themself ? Thanks for the reply and your imput
If your car has done 130000kms change the belt asap, it will have cracks in it trust me.
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payaya
- Oldtimer
- Posts: 3670
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:00 pm
take it to anywhere which gives you a good quote.
For plugs, if all platinum, about 1.5 hours max work it out.
20 bucks a plug and 1.5 hours labour.
Around $200-$250 max.
Timing belt
150 for belt, Pulley labour.
Parts and 5 hours labour.
$500-$600
Mitsubishi quoted me $360.00 labour for timing belt. So sort of work it out.
For plugs, if all platinum, about 1.5 hours max work it out.
20 bucks a plug and 1.5 hours labour.
Around $200-$250 max.
Timing belt
150 for belt, Pulley labour.
Parts and 5 hours labour.
$500-$600
Mitsubishi quoted me $360.00 labour for timing belt. So sort of work it out.