Priced rear main replacement..

[LoxRunner]

My 2002 has a rear main seal leak (got it that way) but not too bad a leak. Add maybe a quarter of a quart of oil between oil changes. Been thinking of having it fixed sometime before this fall when I'll be leaving for college (want all my maintenance up to date by then) so I called my local toyota dealership to get some prices and numbers for that and figured valve cover gaskets and such since it would be in the shop. $900 just for rear main! :mad2: And then like $450 for valve cover job.

My question is, is it really worth paying dealership price for this job? I sure as hell cant do it, and I dont know of any shops off the top of my head, but I could investigate and find out.

 

[GHARP57]

Do you want to spend 10 hours under your vehicle? they need to lift it and remove the transmission do properly do it. I have watched the techs and it takes them all day to do it. 900 doesnt sound too bad, plus it comes warrantied from the dealership.

 

[99Runnr]

That's an ALL labor job... You know what it entails right? Pulling trans/transfer case, clutch, flywheel, ect. Or your probably an automatic, but you get the idea, it's a *****.

Your best bet is a) using someone REPUTABLE cause if they seat the seal wrong and it leaks again, your going to want someone who will stand behind the work. b) someone who goes by book hours, some shops wing it. Use that quote for the quoted hours the job takes and apply it to somewhere the labor rates might be less hourly.

 

[broken wrench]

For sure do your homework, i have seen the seal get seated wrong with an engine on the stand by a master tech. Luckily he caught it during his double check.

Point being it can happen easier while truck is in the air. You want a shop that will stand behind its work !