Toyota Tercel Advice (Cam and Crank Seal Replacement)

I have a 1995 Toyota Tercel and it has about 99000 miles on it. I usually try to keep up with maintenence and when I tried to get an oil change, I was told that there was a leak in my Cam and Crank Seal and it needs to be replaced. The mechanic told me that if they change my oil it will built up more pressure and it might blow. By ?blow?, I think he meant that it will break since it?s made of rubber. He also said it?s just part of normal wear and tear. I wanted to know if he was being truthful and that 150.00 is a good price for replacing it. I think I need to change the timing belt too since I?m close to

100,000 miles. Is this true? Does the timing belt have anything to do with the cam and crank seal? Please reply as soon as possible

Thank you very much.

Jen

Reply to
Jenstiffler
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Jen,

Is your "mechanic" a Toyota dealer or an independent shop?

It is highly unlikely that an oil change will cause a cam or crank seal to blow or break. So unlikely that I have never heard of any instance of that happening.

It is possible that your cam and crank shaft seals are leaking although "leak" is a relative term. If oil is dripping out from the seal, then it definitely needs changing. If oil is slowly weeping out so that you see dampness around the seal, then I would just keep an eye on it.

If the timing belt on the car is original, then you should get that changed. Toyota dealers often have timing belt specials that are priced competitively with independent shops so they are worth investigating.

$150 sounds too low to change cam and crank seals - I doubt if anyone could do both for that job, although they could definitely spray some cleaner around the seals, wipe away the dampness, and make it look new for that price. Of course, if you're willing to get some grease on your hands, you could wipe off the area around the seals with a paper towel in about 2 or 3 minutes yourself.

I would get a second opinion on your cam and crank seals.

Reply to
Ray O

I don't know which seal you're talking about, but it's definitely time for a belt. This is a Non-interference engine, but you don't want to be 15 miles from nowhere when it goes (unless you're lucky enough to have a State Cop stop and call a tow for you...speaking from experience... ;)

I paid $150 for a T-Belt, independant mechanic. It is a single gear running the dual cams internally, so it's pretty easy. Buy the belt yourself at CarQuest (They have Gates timing belts...the one we pulled off had 80,000 and looked new!) They also recommend replacing the water pump at the same time, but it is an easy replacement and is not encumbered by the timing belt, so if your cooling system is running fine, save it for a rainy day.

Reply to
hachiroku

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