Which repair to do first?

[pb1216]

I got my oil changed and the dealership recommended the following repairs and maintenance. Which one should I get done first and what order of importance and is necessary from the list:

I have a 99 Toyota Camry with 178k miles

Oil Pan Leaking (Need to reseal)
Valve Cover Gasket Leaking
P.V.C. valve is worn
Cap Cam plug leaking
Brake fluid is black
P/S fluid is dirty
EFI Service
Coolant Service
Serpentine drive belts cracked
Replace Spark plug wires

Thanks for your help.

[Chris Crash]

Take care of the oil leaks first. Valve cover, oil pan, and cam plug.

Then the belts. Then the fluids. Then PCV and then the wires.

If it were me, though, I would do them all at once.

[TOYOPARTSMAN]

As a dealer, I look at this as really one job because it is all right there as you do one. I would take care of the oil leak firt, but include drive belts as I did. then coolant, brake fluid, which isn't that hard, then P/S fluid. But again, I would do this as one job all at once.


FYI, I to off TN members 30% off MSRP and I only charge actual shipping costs plus $1.00 - $2.00. Even if you don't buy from me, please feel free to contact me with any question you may have, I'd be more than happy to offer any assistance I can.

Good Luck

Originally Posted by pb1216

I got my oil changed and the dealership recommended the following repairs and maintenance. Which one should I get done first and what order of importance and is necessary from the list:

I have a 99 Toyota Camry with 178k miles

Oil Pan Leaking (Need to reseal)
Valve Cover Gasket Leaking
P.V.C. valve is worn
Cap Cam plug leaking
Brake fluid is black
P/S fluid is dirty
EFI Service
Coolant Service
Serpentine drive belts cracked
Replace Spark plug wires

Thanks for your help.

[pb1216]

Sorry, forgot one thing.

My left front brake is squeaking when I brake, but all my pads are good.

Should I take care of that first?


How much do you estimate these repairs will cost?

All of them necessary?

[pb1216]

I'd love to take care of them all at once, but honestly, I'm on a budget so if it's going to be over $500 for all, I need to split it up into two.

[carsrus]

Thats all easy stuff to do other then the oil pan. Easily under 150$ in parts, even from the dealer.

Theyll rape you on labor for that though. The oil pan job alone is gonna be close to 400 at the dealer.

[73sport]

Don
t do the pan yet. Why?

Do the valve cover/cam plugs ect and maybe the leak above is MAKING it LOOK like a leak below. There is is no overlap in labor. So you have nothing to loose but money. Well unless they can prove to you its really leaking there at the pan.

[ajkalian]

Originally Posted by 73sport

Don
t do the pan yet. Why?

Do the valve cover/cam plugs ect and maybe the leak above is MAKING it LOOK like a leak below. There is is no overlap in labor. So you have nothing to loose but money. Well unless they can prove to you its really leaking there at the pan.

+1 to that advice.

Oil will leak down due to gravity, so start at the top of the engine and work down. Although the oil could be blown around the engine compartment and confusing the location.

Before you have anything done, or spend any money, visit your local car wash, take a couple cans of de-greaser and clean your engine bay, the underneath, and wherever you can spray the stuff. Rinse everything off, drive home, put a big piece of cardboard under the car, and let it sit overnight.

In the morning you will know exactly where the leak is coming from, based on the spots on the cardboard. Then look above the spots, and there's your leak.


.

[fenixus]

Originally Posted by ajkalian

+1 to that advice.

Oil will leak down due to gravity, so start at the top of the engine and work down. Although the oil could be blown around the engine compartment and confusing the location.

Before you have anything done, or spend any money, visit your local car wash, take a couple cans of de-greaser and clean your engine bay, the underneath, and wherever you can spray the stuff. Rinse everything off, drive home, put a big piece of cardboard under the car, and let it sit overnight.

In the morning you will know exactly where the leak is coming from, based on the spots on the cardboard. Then look above the spots, and there's your leak.


.

i need to finally visit that self-service car wash nearby and do some engine bay cleaning on both of my cars hehe ... for some reason I was always afraid of thoroughly cleaning the engine ... I guess waiting 15 mins after driving in for cleaning and then waiting 30 mins afterward will do as safety precaution ?

I'd love to have finally a clean engine bay LOL, i was always jealous of pics of yours with that shiny engine bay

[73sport]

Just remember that water that doesn't get into high voltage places is not much of an issue. Its when sh$ts already bad, like spark plug wires and coils that problems come up.

The real problem is using caustic cleaners that put other forms of corrosion in motion inside places you can't see! Careful what you spray on!

[djb2]

Are you willing to do the easy work yourself?

Replacing the plug wires yourself is trivial.

Replacing the PCV valve and grommet is easy and inexpensive.

If you replace the valve cover gasket yourself (pretty easy), doing the PCV valve and plug wires takes no more time. Some shops (and most dealers) will charge time for each job.

Replacing the belt is also quick and easy. Note that it's normal for a multi-groove belt to be a little cracked at the rubber ribs. Only if you see cracks in the fabric does it need to be changed.

An oil leak can be ignored if it's just a drop or two. And replacing the valve cover gasket might just fix the problem.

Changing the coolant is easy, but a bit sloppy.
Changing the brake fluid is a bit harder, but still easy enough if you have a floor jack.
The "EFI service" is just running a cleaner through the injectors. It's often an unneeded money maker for the dealer.

[pb1216]

Ha! I know nothing about the inside of the cars and I have a really good mechanic who gives me a good price.

I took my car in for an oil change at the Toyota dealership and they recommended the list I gave to you.

So from what I'm taking from this is this the order I should get the repairs done.

Have my mechanic check and see if the Spark plug wires need replacing.

Replace
Valve Cover Gasket
PVC valve
Cap Cam

Check if Oil Pan is still leaking

Have them check the Serpentine drive belts for crack

Fluids
Change out break fuild, p/s fliud and coolant
See if they recommend the EFI Service

What would be an estimated cost for each?

Also, my left brake is sqeaking, but my pads are fine. What could be the problem?

[TOYOPARTSMAN]

Pads could be fine, but if it is missing any to of the shims, or if the rotor is warped, or if the pad surface is dirty, etc. Hard to diagnose a squeak over the internet.

[jtex2717]

Change the brake fluid....You dont want the brakes to fail
Change serpentine belts....need everything running
Change your plug wires
Change ur Coolant
Replace gaskets to stop oil leaking (Cam seal included) and PCV valve.....

Once all of that is done....

SEAFOAM THAT BITCH!!!!

Try to kill a couple of these off at a time and you will have no worries.....

[pb1216]

Should I change or flush the brake fluid?

I have about $250 to spend right now on the repairs.

How much of my list could I do on $250?