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YACT: How much to get front crankshaft seal fixed.

cliff notes:

Belts started to slip after being replaced. Brought it back to Pepboys and a veteran mechanic over there found out that the front crankshaft seal is leaking after doing an engine oil diag and they estimate it to be 500-600 dollars to fix it. Is it reasonable?It's for a 97Galant. It has been leaking for a good while though. I was too blind to see it. 🙁
 
Just call aroudn to a few placesw (now that you know what's wrong) and ask what they'd charge. If they tell you a higher price, tell them the pric eyou got at Pep BOys and see if they'll beat it. THen just keep calling around. Most places give free estimates too...
 
Sounds about right. It's a lot of work to change a main seal. The may need to drop the engine out to be able to get to the crank pulley. I would bet that most of the cost is labor.
 
Originally posted by: IamElectro
Sounds about right. It's a lot of work to change a main seal. The may need to drop the engine out to be able to get to the crank pulley. I would bet that most of the cost is labor.

That's what the pepboys guy told me. He said the seal is 4.99 but the labor is bout 500 over dollars. I'm looking around for a private mechanic though. Might want to just sell the car away. 🙁
 
They found a leaking front oil seal because of an oil diagnosis?

You should be able to find it by the oil leaking onto the driveway. Sounds like they're looking to seperate someone from their money. I'd have someone else take a look to be sure.
 
Originally posted by: Fatdog
They found a leaking front oil seal because of an oil diagnosis?

You should be able to find it by the oil leaking onto the driveway. Sounds like they're looking to seperate someone from their money. I'd have someone else take a look to be sure.

I've tried looking but I can never find oil on the drive way. They told me they did a diag and found it to be leaking at the front crankshaft. It seems likely cause the whole area around there is smothered with oil and dirt. 30 bucks to do a diag.
 
Originally posted by: pillage2001
Originally posted by: Fatdog
They found a leaking front oil seal because of an oil diagnosis?

You should be able to find it by the oil leaking onto the driveway. Sounds like they're looking to seperate someone from their money. I'd have someone else take a look to be sure.

I've tried looking but I can never find oil on the drive way. They told me they did a diag and found it to be leaking at the front crankshaft. It seems likely cause the whole area around there is smothered with oil and dirt. 30 bucks to do a diag.

It's your car and certainly your peace of mind is the primary concern, but I find shops like Pep-boys/midas and such to be their own best customers by selling work that doesn't need to be done.

I had one doodler from Aamco trans shops try to sell me a trans for my truck. I made the mistake of having them change the fluid and he called me at work to tell me he found metal in the fluid and it wouldn't last long. He had a nice rebuilt unit ready to install to the tune of $1500. No thanks, I drove that truck another 100k towing boats and sleds and never had a problem with it.

Drive to the local self service car wash, blast that area on your car really well and keep and eye on it. If you see it leaking, then look into geting it fixed.
 
Originally posted by: Fatdog
Originally posted by: pillage2001
Originally posted by: Fatdog
They found a leaking front oil seal because of an oil diagnosis?

You should be able to find it by the oil leaking onto the driveway. Sounds like they're looking to seperate someone from their money. I'd have someone else take a look to be sure.

I've tried looking but I can never find oil on the drive way. They told me they did a diag and found it to be leaking at the front crankshaft. It seems likely cause the whole area around there is smothered with oil and dirt. 30 bucks to do a diag.

It's your car and certainly your peace of mind is the primary concern, but I find shops like Pep-boys/midas and such to be their own best customers by selling work that doesn't need to be done.

I had one doodler from Aamco trans shops try to sell me a trans for my truck. I made the mistake of having them change the fluid and he called me at work to tell me he found metal in the fluid and it wouldn't last long. He had a nice rebuilt unit ready to install to the tune of $1500. No thanks, I drove that truck another 100k towing boats and sleds and never had a problem with it.

Drive to the local self service car wash, blast that area on your car really well and keep and eye on it. If you see it leaking, then look into geting it fixed.


I'll prolly go to a detailing shop and have them clean up the interior of the engine. It's really smothered with oil at the right side of it where all the pulleys are.

Where's the front crankshaft seal anyway?? It was that expensive because they said they will have to take out the timing belt to get it too.
 
Originally posted by: pillage2001....................................


I'll prolly go to a detailing shop and have them clean up the interior of the engine. It's really smothered with oil at the right side of it where all the pulleys are.

Where's the front crankshaft seal anyway?? It was that expensive because they said they will have to take out the timing belt to get it too.

If it's just the front crank seal, they shouldn't need to remove the timing belt. The seal fits into the front cover on the engine where the crank pulley fits into it. The seal is supposed to keep oil in, and dirt out. It's probably a one piece neoprene seal that they pop in and out. If they want to remove the timing belt to do that, then there might be another seal between the timing belt gear on the crank and the sump of the block. I'm not sure how those mit's blocks are layed out. Try giving the dealer a call and see what the service rep has to say.
 
Originally posted by: Fatdog
Originally posted by: pillage2001....................................


I'll prolly go to a detailing shop and have them clean up the interior of the engine. It's really smothered with oil at the right side of it where all the pulleys are.

Where's the front crankshaft seal anyway?? It was that expensive because they said they will have to take out the timing belt to get it too.

If it's just the front crank seal, they shouldn't need to remove the timing belt. The seal fits into the front cover on the engine where the crank pulley fits into it. The seal is supposed to keep oil in, and dirt out. It's probably a one piece neoprene seal that they pop in and out. If they want to remove the timing belt to do that, then there might be another seal between the timing belt gear on the crank and the sump of the block. I'm not sure how those mit's blocks are layed out. Try giving the dealer a call and see what the service rep has to say.


Thank you sir. I was getting suspicious of the part where they need to remove the timing belt to get to it cause I've removed the cover of the shaft that's suppose to cover the timing belt and it's perfectly clean in there. I'll call up the dealer and see what's up.
 
If it had a timing chain you wouldn't need to pull it to change the seal since the seal is in the timing cover. With a timing belt though the seal is behind the belt and timing gear.
 
Pepboys is right about one thing, the seal is $5.
The labor however depends on your car I guess.

On my Sentra, it took about 45 mins to replace, and I believe I was charged $125 for it.
I think my total was $175 for belts, seal and oil change.
 
Originally posted by: Fatdog
Originally posted by: pillage2001....................................


I'll prolly go to a detailing shop and have them clean up the interior of the engine. It's really smothered with oil at the right side of it where all the pulleys are.

Where's the front crankshaft seal anyway?? It was that expensive because they said they will have to take out the timing belt to get it too.
If it's just the front crank seal, they shouldn't need to remove the timing belt. The seal fits into the front cover on the engine where the crank pulley fits into it. The seal is supposed to keep oil in, and dirt out. It's probably a one piece neoprene seal that they pop in and out. If they want to remove the timing belt to do that, then there might be another seal between the timing belt gear on the crank and the sump of the block. I'm not sure how those mit's blocks are layed out. Try giving the dealer a call and see what the service rep has to say.
Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. The front main seal on a car with a BELT DRIVEN CAMSHAFT is behind the crank pulley. The crank pulley (and thus the timing belt) MUST BE REMOVED in order to replace the main seal. If you're near 60,000 miles (or an integer multiple thereof) you should replace the belts while you're in there, it will just be cheaper than pulling it all apart again in 5,000 or 10,000 miles to replace the belts again.

ZV
 
Exchanged a few PMs with Zenmervolt. Guess I would be replacing the seal then. What elses should I replace since they're gonna take off most of the pulleys and timing belt.
 
One more thing. Please get an OEM seal. For something like that I wouldn't bother saving $5 with an aftermarket part. Same goes for timing belts and such.
 
Originally posted by: NutBucket
One more thing. Please get an OEM seal. For something like that I wouldn't bother saving $5 with an aftermarket part. Same goes for timing belts and such.

Gotcha. Should I change the water pump too??
 
Originally posted by: pillage2001
Originally posted by: NutBucket
One more thing. Please get an OEM seal. For something like that I wouldn't bother saving $5 with an aftermarket part. Same goes for timing belts and such.

Gotcha. Should I change the water pump too??

Not sure about that. I know on Hondas you change them with the timing belt since you have to take off the belts to get to it. If its the same type of setup with your Mitsu I think it would be a good idea.
 
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