Car trouble, need some advice/opinions

[JohnCU]

Okay,
I went to get my oil changed today and after they got through changing it, the guy comes back and says that my lower intake gasket or something is leaking or cracked and that if I didn't get it fixed soon, there would be water in my oil. He says it's gonna cost between $450 and $500.

Does this sound right to anybody? I don't wanna be taken for a ride here because that is a lot of money and I can't afford to do something that I don't really need...

 

[Mill]

What kind of car? How many miles?

 

[JohnCU]

97 Lumina, 44,700 miles.

 

[littlezipp]

The head gasket on my last car died, and did just that. Water got into the block, and I had a milkshake in my engine. Also, what kind of car is it? The price sounds about right to me, but might not be necessary. Take it somewhere else (dealer) and ask them if you do need it done.

 

[Bignate603]

do you have a mechanicyou trust to take it to?

 

[JohnCU]

Well, I took it to the Chevrolet place that I bought the car from, and the guy seems pretty honest and he knows that it's just my mom and I so I don't think he'd try to rip us off but man that's a lot of money.

 

[notfred]

If I needed to replace the intake manifold gaskets on my car, it'd take about 2 or 3 hours and cost $15 in parts.

Most mechanics (around here at least) charge about $60/hour.

Note: if the intake manifold is cracked, then you need a new manifold, which costs a LOT more than a gasket.

 

[littlezipp]

Well, you could chance it. What will happen if the water gets into the engine is this: you will be driving along on your merry way, and all of a sudden, your heat will be through the roof. That is because all of the water is no longer in the radiator, it is in your engine block! You could push your car until the seal goes, but I don't really know if it will damage anything. There's my 2 cents.

 

[Ornery]

I just went through that, and she's back on the road. It was a head gasket and that is a labor intensive repair. I'm not too sure coolant runs through your intake manifold, but those gaskets aren't nearly as difficult to get at. How the hell did he determine this? I'd get a second opinion. At least find out specifically what is supposedly out of wack.

 

[littlezipp]

<< I just went through that, and she's back on the road. It was a head gasket and that is a labor intensive repair. I'm not too sure coolant runs through your intake manifold, but those gaskets aren't nearly as difficult to get at. How the hell did he determine this? I'd get a second opinion. At least find out specifically what is supposedly out of wack. >>

Second opinion on a repair that much is a good idea.

 

[JohnCU]

He said he had to go through a lot of stuff to get to the thing, take 4-5 hours.

 

[JohnCU]

Well, I just talked to a local mechanic who said he would do it for $300, so that isn't as bad.