3rd & 4th Generation (1992–1996 & 1997–2001)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 1992-1996 & 1997-2001
Topics of discussion range from fuel economy, safety, modifications, performance all involving America's favorite family car, the Toyota Camry.
Just had a new radiator installed on my 1993 V6 3.0L Camry XLE (210,000 miles) after having issues of overheating...Now, after an additional week or so with the new radiator, new overheating problems...Took it into the same mechanic and saying that the head gaskets have blown...Trying to do a 'band-aid' job of sealing them but they're not holding...Advised that doing the repair would be exceeding the worth/value of the automobile.
Could this be accurate?
Bought the car used around 25,000 miles ago and have been very happy with it...It's a city car and gets fair use and would like to keep it as it has been running great...Problem is, now it starts to overheat after 10 minutes of driving and some white smoke can be visible from the exhaust.
I priced out head gasket sets online and they seem to run around $180 so why the excessive price quotes on the job?...Is this something I should research more or take someplace else?
The quotes are so high because of the labor involved. They have to remove:
Valve covers
Camshafts
intake manifold
exhaust manifolds
cylinder heads
and much more.
Continue to check out prices, and if none are doable, see what it would cost to swap in a new/used engine. If that is still too much try to find some friends that are mechanically inclined and can help you do this yourself.
__________________ All of the lag, none of the boost.
VTEC It's like waiting for really bad sex.
Just had a new radiator installed on my 1993 V6 3.0L Camry XLE (210,000 miles) after having issues of overheating...Now, after an additional week or so with the new radiator, new overheating problems...Took it into the same mechanic and saying that the head gaskets have blown...Trying to do a 'band-aid' job of sealing them but they're not holding...Advised that doing the repair would be exceeding the worth/value of the automobile.
Could this be accurate?
Bought the car used around 25,000 miles ago and have been very happy with it...It's a city car and gets fair use and would like to keep it as it has been running great...Problem is, now it starts to overheat after 10 minutes of driving and some white smoke can be visible from the exhaust.
I priced out head gasket sets online and they seem to run around $180 so why the excessive price quotes on the job?...Is this something I should research more or take someplace else?
Suggestions?
it's a gen3... so the reality is... unless you're planning to do most of the repair/maintenance yourself, it's easily going to cost more than the value of the car.
good news... there are a lot of 'write-ups' here, if you're handy with tools.
What's a typical range of quotes for a job like this?
I see that getting a gasket set is around $180 so even with labor, what's the most it should run?...A grand?
I bought the car for $3300 a couple of years ago and haven't had to do anything but change the oil for nearly two years...Would like to keep it but is this a make or break it kinda job?
it's a gen3... so the reality is... unless you're planning to do most of the repair/maintenance yourself, it's easily going to cost more than the value of the car.
good news... there are a lot of 'write-ups' here, if you're handy with tools.
Talented at many things but auto repair ranks just above rocket science, for me...I have a friend who is mechanically inclined and may be able to work on it for a small fee...Just wondering if this is an over the top kinda job for even a noob?
Well, get a few quotes and decide for yourself. The labor won't be easy even if you or a friend is mechanically inclined. You'll need some specialty tools as well, such as a torque wrench. Also you gotta take off the timing belt ... or chain, I forget on the V6 ...
and then line everything up again when you put it back together. Also there are a lot of other parts that would be smart to replace at the same time ... that would bring the cost in parts up only a little, but if you're getting it done at a shop, they'll tack a lot more labor on there too.
It seems you got some good use out of the car, and another car as good as a Camry, even used, is probably gonna cost as much or more than the repairs to your current car...
__________________
'96 4cyl 5spd Camry
147k miles and running out of things to fix...
Talented at many things but auto repair ranks just above rocket science, for me...I have a friend who is mechanically inclined and may be able to work on it for a small fee...Just wondering if this is an over the top kinda job for even a noob?
BTW, love the avatar...Little Britain is the BEST
lol, for the last 10 months i was thinking nobody knew of little britain over in the US. thanks.
back to your question, it's a fairly involved job... i would expect to pay between $300-$400 in labour alone. might be a little less in the US... not much though...
weigh your options, if you're not planning to keep the car for long, you might be better off buying another one... a camry, we all hope.
From your post I am not sure what you would be comfortable doing. The best thing by far would be repairing the head gasket(s) and possible milling the head surfaces if they have become warped.
You mentioned a "band aid" approach. I have one that I used successfully on a 1990 Camry. It was called CarGo Seal-Up. http://people.consolidated.net/cargo...od_sealup.html
Cargo worked for me for over 100,000 miles. It requires that you drain out and flush the cooling system and refill with plain water while using the CarGo. Then use the product as instructed which requires a 12 hour cooling off period and then refill with antifreeze. I changed it up a little by removing my thermostat and ran the car this way for two days (while making sure that the radiator was always topped off). I ended up having to replace my water pump because the sealant clogged up the bearing. I suspect that the water pump was beginning to leak and the sealant tried to plug the leak. I understand that Cargo "sets up" when it is exposed to air. So anyhow, I ended up spending a couple of hundred for a water pump that I would have had to replaced anyhow (I had the timing belt changed also). If your gasket hasn't deteriorated past the point where Cargo can work I would recommend trying it rather than junking the car. If you can get the head gaskets replaced, that would be better.
Just a thought...
Kep
__________________
Often, it's the loose screw between the steering wheel and the driver's seat that needs to be fixed first!
Well, get a few quotes and decide for yourself. The labor won't be easy even if you or a friend is mechanically inclined. You'll need some specialty tools as well, such as a torque wrench. Also you gotta take off the timing belt ... or chain, I forget on the V6 ...
and then line everything up again when you put it back together. Also there are a lot of other parts that would be smart to replace at the same time ... that would bring the cost in parts up only a little, but if you're getting it done at a shop, they'll tack a lot more labor on there too.
It seems you got some good use out of the car, and another car as good as a Camry, even used, is probably gonna cost as much or more than the repairs to your current car...
Just out of curiosity, what would be some other 'useful' things to replace when doing a job of this magnitude that you touched on?
lol, for the last 10 months i was thinking nobody knew of little britain over in the US. thanks.
back to your question, it's a fairly involved job... i would expect to pay between $300-$400 in labour alone. might be a little less in the US... not much though...
weigh your options, if you're not planning to keep the car for long, you might be better off buying another one... a camry, we all hope.
My wife and I are Little Britain addicts, quote many things from the sketches...Especially, 'Are you sure?'
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