Help ASAP! Engine rebuild :(
- Thread starter Coops75
- Start date
So as it stands now. Valve cover and front engine cover are off. Paid them 600 for that and they have no clue of the problem. I asked them to put it back together and they said I don't want to do that but it's the only way I can sell it if people hear the noise. So they told me it's way more to put it back toget her than taking it apart and told me they gave me a great deal taking it apart and can't do the same putting it back.
I think I'm going to tow it to another place and have it put back together. Any idea of cost I should be looking at to put valve cover and front engine cover back on?
Thanks
I think I'm going to tow it to another place and have it put back together. Any idea of cost I should be looking at to put valve cover and front engine cover back on?
Thanks
Have they bothered to tell you what fluids look like. In this case specifically is the any metal in the oil? And of course the usually oil/coolant contamination issues but this doesn't appear gasket related. Did they drain the oil into a clean pan so they could inspect it for metal flecks or shavings?
I feel the pain, man. But at least it's just a thing. Granted an important near vital thing but just a thing. I've been dealing with a roofing company with a similar sense of customer care as your shop it seems. Sometimes people just kind of suck if I may say so. I would be nice if they were made to wear some type of warning vest cautioning the unaware of their toxic nature. I hope things take a turn upward.
In their only defense in business it's true time is money. But like an MD they should likely not have began surgery until they knew what they were looking for. Just my opion.
I feel the pain, man. But at least it's just a thing. Granted an important near vital thing but just a thing. I've been dealing with a roofing company with a similar sense of customer care as your shop it seems. Sometimes people just kind of suck if I may say so. I would be nice if they were made to wear some type of warning vest cautioning the unaware of their toxic nature. I hope things take a turn upward.
In their only defense in business it's true time is money. But like an MD they should likely not have began surgery until they knew what they were looking for. Just my opion.
AuSeeker
Elite Member
I don't know what it should cost to put it back together because I haven't done either of these on a V6, but $600 for taking off one valve cover and the timing belt cover sounds way out of line to me, of course they have some other time involved on trying to determine what the issue is...but by this time if they're real mechanics they should have found what the real issue is.. but since they're still baffled as to what the issue is I agree with CXS that they're incompetent, at least when it comes to a 4Runner and at this point I wouldn't let them work on my lawnmower!!
Make sure you get all the parts, bolts, etc. from them, and think very seriously about taking them to small claims court!!!
Whoever you end up taking it too see if they will testify on your behave if you take legal action again the incompetent garage!!
Hard to believe isn't it!!
No shop should take parts off trying to determine a problem unless they've got good reason to do so. It sure sounds like they just dug in hoping to see something obvious and failed. They should have disclosed what the planned to do and why, did they? If so what did they say? I've dealt with incompetence in my lifetime but have yet of pay good money for it and you shouldn't either.
If I were you I'd look into whatever legal venues are available to you. Sorry but I'm not familiar with such resources in Canada.
If I were you I'd look into whatever legal venues are available to you. Sorry but I'm not familiar with such resources in Canada.
Agreed! Years ago I had my house painted and the company used the wrong paint. They tried to blame it on their supplier and wouldn't refund a penny. I contacted the Attorney General's office and the company ended up knocking on my door with a full refund.
Use the resources that exist to protect consumers, it may be time consuming but eventually the idiots end up paying for their mistakes.
BlackWorksInc
New member
SHHHHH!!! This guy's full of crap! "If it broke during Diagnostic, it needed one anyways!" is totally the right way to sell things! :heh:
But seriously it does sound like they're just trying to buy time and get more diagnosis time out of you while they try and figure out what the issue is... I can't exactly blame them (not knowing both sides of the story) as a tear down is a course of diagnostic action (and risk) if you suspect something is deeper down; but I usually try to bill my tear-downs including "rebuild time" just in case.
XO TOYO
New member
Well I think I figured out what I'm doing. I'm not letting the shop touch anything again. I found another place that found me a used engine with only 80000kms(not miles) on it. So total will cost me $7000. I think it's my best route but it's going to kill me to never know what was wrong with my old engine 
.
.Well I think I figured out what I'm doing. I'm not letting the shop touch anything again. I found another place that found me a used engine with only 80000kms(not miles) on it. So total will cost me $7000. I think it's my best route but it's going to kill me to never know what was wrong with my old engine
Dont you want to have another place look at it first? It could be something rather easy that was over looked by a shop more interested money than a happy customer. I would never spend that kind of money unless I knew what the problem was so I knew engine replacement was the most cost effective way to go.
Arthur4R
New member
Stop for a second here, don't drop any money into it until you have a clear confirmed answer on what the problem is. Also getting an engine from a totaled vehicle in a junkyard is no where near $7000 with labor. Engine should be anywhere from $750-$1500 and labor at most another $1000. I would go crazy at those mechanic saying I am paying $600 and you don't have an answer for me what are you paying for? and they are not putting it back together? What kind of a bootleg place did you go to? I remember when my Acura's transmission was leaking oil ( car was 3 months old with 5000 miles on it) Acura initially told me $125 diagnostic if they find negligence and warranty won't cover it. They contacted Acura and Acura wanted transmission apart and take pictures of it on the inside, they called me and said that the labor would be 6 hours and like $850 if Acura won't cover it under warranty. Now that $850 is my transmission getting taking apart and put back together to have my vehicle back. Not "hey here are the screws and parts have a tow truck take it out of the dealership". You are being taking for a fool. What are you paying them $600 for? Taking apart your engine and not having an answer for you? That is a half ass job that needs to be addressed by a you.
Store was Mr. Transmission in Calgary if anyone ever has to avoid it. I've checked 10 places and no one wants to touch it now and if they do, every place is around $1000 just to try and put it back together. Then I'm back to square 1. I know the sound was something serious plus there was something wrong with the way it was driving as I didnt think I'd make it to the parking lot to pull over. Plus I was in the shop when they were running it without the valve cover and checking with a stethoscope trying to figure it out.
As for engines, I've checked car-part.com and have called around for days. Every engine is around $3000 to $4000 Canadian with something with the same miles as mine has now. The shop is charging me for 20hrs labor to take old one out and put new one in. I've checked with every shop in Calgary and they're all around the same price but at least I know this shop is good and they found a low mileage engine to ship to them.
Anyway, if I had lots of time, I would tow it home and spend a couple months trying to figure it out.
Rich
As for engines, I've checked car-part.com and have called around for days. Every engine is around $3000 to $4000 Canadian with something with the same miles as mine has now. The shop is charging me for 20hrs labor to take old one out and put new one in. I've checked with every shop in Calgary and they're all around the same price but at least I know this shop is good and they found a low mileage engine to ship to them.
Anyway, if I had lots of time, I would tow it home and spend a couple months trying to figure it out.
Rich
chompster4runner
New member
Damn, good luck with everything. Really sucks.
Cruiserfanatic
New member
I agree with the previous posts of making sure you have a confirmed cause of failure before replacing the engine. Sometimes these noises are very hard to track down because once you have the engine even partially apart, you can't run it to try to pinpoint the noise. If the compression and leak down tests showed nothing, it's not a valve issue, although it could be a lifter. Lifters don't generally cause a compression issue unless it is holding the valve open. I also have to ask the same question of did they check the oil for metal contamination? If it's a rod or main bearing, the oil will have glitter or metal flake most likely. One thing that would be hard to see without a full tear down is if it's the wrist pin or piston skirt. Unfortunately, these engines are labor intensive, so all repairs are going to be expensive. So, I guess it boils down to where your frustration level is and if you just want to replace the engine with a different one, which will pretty much guarantee the noise will be gone. I personally like to know what is wrong before replacing anything. But that's my 18 years of being a master Toyota and Lexus technician. I wasn't a shotgun diagnoser (not a word) or just a parts replacer.
