Holy expensive repairs Batman!!

[fnlyfnd]

Damn, I just totaled up how much my repairs would cost. I'm pretty bumed out about it. Here's the deal; I need a new clutch, and oil seals. Since the engine is going to be out for the clutch and front seals, I should replace oil and water pump, timing belt, seperator plate, and vc gaskets.

Total ~ $739.37 (no labor - I cant do clutches)

 

Question...Should I also do the timing tensioner and idler? Its a 2.2~120k

 

Total w/ timing tensioner and idler ~ $846.29

 

 

Now the labor....I am assuming 10hrs on the high side (?)

10 x $68 = $680

 

Total with all above parts and labor ~ $1526.29

 

 

 

 

This sucks.

[Brumby Boy]

well if it needs doin?:-\

yes i would replace the tensioner

[kimokalihi]

I would totally just buy a new engine lol. Then use the old one for parts. But then again I would do all that work myself so it wouldn't cost me nearly as much so I dunno.

[Dr. RX]

This is one reason why I do my own repairs, but then I realize that not everyone can do that. This may seem high, but try pricing other makes. Be thankful you don't have a Porsche or a BMW. Back in the early 80's I had a BWM and had to replace the water pump. At that time a Chevy water pump cost about $20 at Shuck's, the water pump on the BMW is about the size of your fist and cost almost $200, I'm just glad that I didn't have to have the dealer install it. But then again, that was the only part that had failed in 130K. Subarus are noted for their longevity, if they are properly maintained, the one weak point is the timing belts, too bad that they need to be replaced every 60K (I do it every 50K). On the earlier cars, the weak point is the radiator, those things got glogged and you didn't know it until the thing overheated. If you can't do the work yourself, try to find a reasonable mechanic that does good work (a rare commodity these days), if not, you have to bite the bullet. It is better that you keep the car in great running shape, it will save you grief later.

[1 Lucky Texan]

meh - that's like what? - 6 payments on a new car? Plus, if you dumped your car and got another used one, soob or not, it could easily need the same work.

 

yeah, it sucks to spend the money but - what's the alternative?

 

 

Carl (who just spent $2k on his daughter's car for intermittent stalling)

[a97obw]

"the water pump on the BMW is about the size of your fist and cost almost $200"

 

Ha!! How about a replacement water pump for your Porsche 928---about $1300 (one thousand three hundred) IF you got a discount! So your daugter drove your 928 with the water temp needle in the red while on the cell phone for how long? Count on $100/hour labor and get this......48 (forty eight) hours to replace the head gaskets! Those old 928s have to be the all time "money pit" cars on the planet where the used ones are now very affordable to purchase, but the owners can't afford to maintain them.

 

When my 97 Outback wagon head gaskets failed, the cost of just the parts to replace the head gaskets, all seals, one idler,T belt, water pump, t-stat, clutch, ad nauseum was just about $1200 from one of the internet discount Subaru dealers. Add another $160 for the shop crain, $75 to clean and redo the radiator, enough O'Riellys carb cleaner to make the ozone layer put a big hole right over the back of my head:eek: can't forget the sparking plugs at $45 a set..........but compared to buying a new car and making payments?

 

Priceless!

[Dr. RX]

Ha!! How about a replacement water pump for your Porsche 928---about $1300 (one thousand three hundred) IF you got a discount! So your daugter drove your 928 with the water temp needle in the red while on the cell phone for how long? Count on $100/hour labor and get this......48 (forty eight) hours to replace the head gaskets! Those old 928s have to be the all time "money pit" cars on the planet where the used ones are now very affordable to purchase, but the owners can't afford to maintain them.

WOW, glad I never had a 928, I never replaced any parts out of wear on either my 911 or 914. I did a lot of work on them as upgrade type work, but very little maintenance type work.

[nipper]

Damn, I just totaled up how much my repairs would cost. I'm pretty bumed out about it. Here's the deal; I need a new clutch, and oil seals. Since the engine is going to be out for the clutch and front seals, I should replace oil and water pump, timing belt, seperator plate, and vc gaskets.

Total ~ $739.37 (no labor - I cant do clutches)

 

Question...Should I also do the timing tensioner and idler? Its a 2.2~120k

 

Total w/ timing tensioner and idler ~ $846.29

 

 

Now the labor....I am assuming 10hrs on the high side (?)

10 x $68 = $680

 

 

Total with all above parts and labor ~ $1526.29

 

 

 

 

This sucks.

 

Actually that does not suck. It may ba a shock at first, but once you do this you should be good to go till 200,000 miles. Also buy the parts yourself, I bet you can bring down the cost.

 

nipper

[fnlyfnd]

I keep telling myself that. I need it to last me w/ minimal up-keep once I move to CO for school ( ). I priced out the parts using a well known internet source, actually 2 of them, one was a little cheaper but roughly the same.

 

 

As for getting a new rebuilt engine.....no way that would be almost twice as much and then I would still need a clutch. 2.2's are great......its just that time

[idosubaru]

if you wanted to risk it you could keep on going since it's a 1996 which is a non-interference year. not that i recommend that. the tow bill and follow up "emergency" repair bills usually aren't pretty. my buddy has 200,000 on his toyota he bought with 60,000 on it. supposed to change belts every 60,000 and he NEVER has. if he wasn't 1000 miles away i'd do it for him.

[fnlyfnd]

I'm not doing all this because of the timing belt. I need a new clutch and front oil seals. So the engine will be out of the car for the clutch, and the timing belt has to come off for the oil seals, so everything coincides saving me a lot of money in labor. BTW I estimated 10hrs, I really don't know how long it will take. As far as the mechanic, he was a old b/f of my mom and lifelong friend. I trust him, and his wife drives a obw...while he drives a blown vette

[phatline]

[...]It is better that you keep the car in great running shape, it will save you grief later.

 

As a new owner, I find myself wondering what I should be doing to keep my used subie in shape. Any recommendations? It's a 1999 Forester S, purchased at 137k miles (138k now--still new to me). I've done the no-brainer stuff like checking fluid levels and changing the oil.

 

The carfax indicates the car saw frequent visits for service checks but it hasn't been seen by the shop in almost 20k. It had the major service (timing belt) done.

[lmdew]

Check all the T-belt idler pulleys, if they are spinning free and no excessive noise then they should make it for another 60K. The old style tensioner are very good and should not have to be replaced as long as they are good when you compress them (SLOWLY). I you have the new style tensioner, hit the yard for an old style one and the mounting block which bolts up to the engine.

 

That's half your costs right there.

[DerFahrer]

Damn, I just totaled up how much my repairs would cost. I'm pretty bumed out about it. Here's the deal; I need a new clutch, and oil seals. Since the engine is going to be out for the clutch and front seals, I should replace oil and water pump, timing belt, seperator plate, and vc gaskets.

Total ~ $739.37 (no labor - I cant do clutches)

 

Question...Should I also do the timing tensioner and idler? Its a 2.2~120k

 

Total w/ timing tensioner and idler ~ $846.29

 

 

Now the labor....I am assuming 10hrs on the high side (?)

10 x $68 = $680

 

Total with all above parts and labor ~ $1526.29

 

 

 

 

This sucks.

 

1) I seriously doubt the oil pump needs REPLACING at 120k. A reseal would be a good idea, which would consist of nothing more than a front main seal, a small O-ring, and a small amount of RTV sealant. I know of 2.2's going 300k miles on their original oil pumps.

 

2) You SHOULD replace the tensioner, but I've seen cars go longer than that with their originals. I also am pretty sure the idler pulley is okay too. Likewise, I've seen 300k out of original idler pulleys too.

 

3) What is the 'separator plate' you speak of?

[nipper]

1) I seriously doubt the oil pump needs REPLACING at 120k. A reseal would be a good idea, which would consist of nothing more than a front main seal, a small O-ring, and a small amount of RTV sealant. I know of 2.2's going 300k miles on their original oil pumps.

 

2) You SHOULD replace the tensioner, but I've seen cars go longer than that with their originals. I also am pretty sure the idler pulley is okay too. Likewise, I've seen 300k out of original idler pulleys too.

 

3) What is the 'separator plate' you speak of?

 

i agree, no need to replace the oilpump, just reseal it. On the older 1.8 You would replace them at the 3rd timing belt just because they were cheap.

Replace the tensioner

The seperator plate (i think) is that mystery plate in the bell housing. Some of them are plastic and leak like seives after a while. I still dont know thier purpose in life.

 

nipper

[fnlyfnd]

I was just going to replace the oil pump because it would be easy...but you talked me out of it. Well thats -$100.

 

The seperator plate is exactly what nipper said. If mine is plastic then its getting changed.

 

What is the old style tensioner??

[nipper]

I was just going to replace the oil pump because it would be easy...but you talked me out of it. Well thats -$100.

 

The seperator plate is exactly what nipper said. If mine is plastic then its getting changed.

 

What is the old style tensioner??

 

now if your car was closer to 200,000 miles i would recomend inspecting the oilpump and possibly changing it. At your low mileage, just replace the seals.

 

nipper

[DerFahrer]

What is the old style tensioner??

 

The old tensioner is a horizontal style, pushing out towards the left against the idler. The new tensioner (I believe it's on Phase II engines, 99-up) is vertical and pushes out toward the bottom against the idler. Yours is the old style.