repair costs for 2007 engine gasket leaks

tl;dr
is $3600 p&l a price to be expected for an 07 with 150k miles to reseal timing cover, replace head gaskets, replace valve cover gaskets and spark plugs?

any and all mechanical tech folk,

I don't do major work on my truck. prob the biggest thing i have done was replace rotor and pads on front and rear shocks

I have a local Toyo/Lexus shop i trust my 07.
they recently retired and sold to another Toyo/Lexus shop owner (who was always a little higher in pricing)

I took it in for rear drum check.
after assuring me the rear drums were in good shape, they checked the rest of the vehicle.

what they cam back with was:
Driver side valve cover leak = $700
Timing cover leak = $2800
and approx 10 business days.

on their scale of 1 to 3; 1 being you can let it slide for a while and 3 being "i can't believe it is still running, he said mine is about a 2

they did say that head gaskets were not leaking but, if I did the above,
they would go ahead and do both valve covers, timing cover and head gaskets and plugs for $3600 p&l

he def did not take the "doom and gloom" approach but said by this time next year it may be a different story.

pretty much the only major thing i have had done is steering rack replacement a couple years ago.

sorry for all the words.
Greg

 

Well If your do the timing cover you have to replace the valve covers no matter what so i don't under stand why they gave you a separate price for replacing the drivers side. Also If you are not having an issue with the head gaskets then i would leave them alone. It sound they are trying to sell the job by making your think you have a bigger issue then you have.

Alot of the timing cover gasket on the 4.0 seep oil from the passenger side where the cylinder head, block and timing cover meet and its not a big deal usually just seepage and never really warrants the price tag it cost to do it. I would leave it all alone unless your head gaskets actually go.

 

You replaced the rotors and pads on your front and rear shocks?

 

Think he was just missing a comma there

 

A lot of things were missed in all that ....carry on and good luck!

 

I agree. But the numbers seem a little high. Also wouldn't mess with head gaskets until forced too...

 

It is deff on the high side and the way they quoted you for separate jobs and want your to replace parts that don't need to be replaced all seems fishy. The 4.0 head gaskets are not common for failing so by replacing them they could do more harm then good.

 

Even for where I live where everyone is a greedy asshole. That's pretty high.

 

@stefanlg55 @VT_TACOMA thanks for the actual helpful content

 

Wait so my comment about that price being high even in one of the most expensive places in america wasn't helpful to indicate that the guy is over charging you? Whoa. Go get ripped off then

 

All taco 4.0's have timing cover leaks sooner or later. (by the power steering pump)

Wait until you have a stretched timing chain to repair the leak. Or if its leaking onto your parking pad.

 

Let us know how it works out.

 

Price sounds high to me. A couple suggestions - find a reputable good independent mechanic shop (ask friends and associates who they suggest) and get a second opinion.
If you are not seeing oil in your drive way you probably don’t need to do anything at this point. If you are, then you need to get it repaired.
I’ve never removed valve covers from a Toyota but I have from a lot of other vehicles. I have found when the covers are leaking it’s often simply because the valve cover bolts need to be tightened. Tighten them to torque specs and see if that takes care of the valve cover leak.
If the head gaskets aren’t leaking leave them alone unless you have to replace the timing cover gasket.
Good luck.

 

seemed as if you were going to start playing the same game as the other guy.

thanks for the input