How much does it cost: Leaky Oil Seals

[Pokie34]

Drove 25 miles on flat highway and when I stopped...oil smoke. I've replace front oil seals before on another subaru but after my last foray working on this car (I'm burnt out now) I'm thinking of having the seals done by a mechanic and paying the price. Does anyone have a ball-park figure on what this could cost?

[Davalos]

I'd be curious myself ... I'm also thinking about having all the gaskets done to keep the thing from endlessly leaking in my landlady's driveway. She's going to beat me with her sneaker.

[NoahDL88]

Should be under around 800 if you get all the seals replaced, with the water pump, oil pump and timing belts, all at once. thats dealership prices, independent shops will be lower, but by how much is hard to tell.

 

Davalos, call up Hodges Subaru in Ferndale, 9 mile and Woodward, ask for Ben and tell him Noah sent you and he should be able to help you out at least a little bit, or not gouge you as much.

[idosubaru]

depends which seals and what else you're going to have done while it's apart

 

seals only cost a few dollars and you could probably find a place to replace the crank seal, reseal the oil pump, cam seals and o-rings for $300-$500.

 

start adding in new timing belts, new water pump and the price goes up depending what they want to charge you for those items and additional installation costs (water pump).

[Pokie34]

hmmm... just want to add a little more life by stopping the leaks. How much just for the seals?

[Snowman]

hmmm... just want to add a little more life by stopping the leaks. How much just for the seals?

 

grossgary's estimate of $300-500 is basically what it would cost to replace all the seals on the front of the engine. Most of the cost is labor. For most people, it would be between 3 and 4 hours to finish the job. The reason that everybody suggests timing belts, water pump, etc, is that you have to take most of the same stuff apart to get to the oil seals, so you would avoid paying for the same labor twice by having all that work done at the same time. It's up to you, but that's pretty much standard procedure for older subarus.