Please Help Valve Cover Gasket Leaking

[Mikesc300]

Hello everyone, I am new to the forum but I have reading for a while one, since I am determined on buying an Sc300/400. I found a 92 sc300 at a local dealer for $6800 and it has 109000 miles. I took it to a Lexus dealer and they basicaly told me I need about $6000 of repairs on it (personaly I thought they were overpriced). The main problems were, a valve cover gasket leaking into the spark plugs ($2453.00 to fix) and a main engine seal/front transmision seal ($1827). I also took it to a local mechanic and he said he can change the gaskets for $500, and that there was no leaks in the sparks, he only noticed a few drops on the valve. So now I am confused and dont know who to trust and I bargained with the dealer to bring the price down to $6000. So my main question is should I get the car, and if I do should I address the problems right away (what are the long term effects) and is it a good deal.

Ps. The car drives great and even though I dont have any mechanical experience, I didnt notice anything wrong with it.

[OKSC3]

Umm, $2453 for valve gasket.. on a I6 none the less... Crack must be abundant around DC cus someone is smoking it. I could do the job myself in a day for the cost of the gaskets...

As far as getting it fixed quick, if your loosing any kind of compression or having anything pass the gasket it needs to be fixed ASAP.

As far as the main seal, can't tell ya on that one. But the Lexus dealer prices look high for even that. But its more work to get to it.

[Sadistic]

Compression leaking from the Valve Cover Gasket? I think you're thinking of the Head Gasket. Valve Cover Gasket is only time consuming because the intake sits on top of it.

Valve Cover Gaskets list for 14 dollars a piece, and book time is 1.3 hours to replace. How in the hell is that $2400 dollars?

As for your engine seal and front tranny seal. If you're talking about the rear main seal, how do they know which one is leaking without pulling the transmission away from the motor?

I think they're trying to take you for a major ride. I would be VERY weary about doing business with them, by ANY means.

[UCF3]

Hello everyone, I am new to the forum but I have reading for a while one, since I am determined on buying an Sc300/400. I found a 92 sc300 at a local dealer for $6800 and it has 109000 miles. I took it to a Lexus dealer and they basicaly told me I need about $6000 of repairs on it (personaly I thought they were overpriced). The main problems were, a valve cover gasket leaking into the spark plugs ($2453.00 to fix) and a main engine seal/front transmision seal ($1827). I also took it to a local mechanic and he said he can change the gaskets for $500, and that there was no leaks in the sparks, he only noticed a few drops on the valve. So now I am confused and dont know who to trust and I bargained with the dealer to bring the price down to $6000. So my main question is should I get the car, and if I do should I address the problems right away (what are the long term effects) and is it a good deal.

Ps. The car drives great and even though I dont have any mechanical experience, I didnt notice anything wrong with it.

If the block has so many leaks, it might be better if you didn't get it.

BTW where in DC are you. PM me if you want to meet and we can take a better look at it.

[Mikesc300]

On my reciept from the Lexus dealer, from the inspection its say "Major tune up (Valve cover gaskets leaking into spark plugs". and "Rear main engine seal/front trans seal $1190.00. And front struts $1097. Motor mounts $523, a/c compressor and clutch $1827, front brake pads and rotors $650 and finaly Distributer O ring $295.00", I also didnt think these were typical Lexus prices. So should I go ahead and buy the car for $6000?

ps. thank you so much for the quick reply, I was trying to decide by tomorow.

[Mikesc300]

UCF3 I tried to pm you but I had an eror showing, but the car is in college park, md and right now I am at work in va. I would realy appreciate it if you looked at it for me. I can bring the car over if you like. (703) 653-7070 thats were you can reach me right now

[UCF3]

This requires at least 4-5 hours of work time, especially the AC Compressor-clutch, struts, and engine-trans. seal/gasket.

If you want the car, badly, then go ahead and buy it, but it will require some $$$ to buy parts and work on.

Your biggest concern should be the Engine-Transmission gasket, which is easier to do with the proper tools.

If you have serious problems like this, I would suggest dropping the price down at least $2-3k or ask them to fix all of the problems.

[Mikesc300]

Do I have to fix all of them at once or which ones can wait ? Because I wouldnt have alot of money left after I buy it for $6000

[OKSC3]

Is there any non-dealer lexus mechanics in your area? I would have someone else check it out, as far as what the dealer said I wouldn't take any of it for truth because most of it looks like complete and total BS.

[AWJ]

The stuff is really easy to fix yourself - if you have done that kind of stuff before. Otherwise, find a good mechanic somewhere else. The valve cover seal is a 300$ job max just cuz you need to pull the intake manifold. The distributor seal job should be another 100$ max if you get it done at the same time because they are already there. The main seal is a little more of a problem and will be expensive - that price sounds about right if it is really needed. But get three or four opinions on it. Motor mounts, I highly doubt you need them. But those will cost new.

If you are not familiar with these issues - you could buy it and learn. Or stay away from it. It really doesn't sound to be to bad off, but I'm not there so don't let me tell you what to do. Maybe try to get them to come down a little since there are so many "problems" with it. Good luck.

[OKSC3]

For real, take the reciept from the Lexus dealer and show it to who is selling the car, should get you some good cash off, they may have done you a favor in disguise. hehe

[Sadistic]

IMO, I wouldn't pay 6,000 dollars for a car that needs 6,000 dollars worth of work.. Especially when you can find an SC that needs practically nothing for 6K. AJ is right, most of these things are little. The Rear main/Tranny Input shaft seal is a tad more work.. Book time was pretty high for both of them, but if you're doing one, you might as well do the other. It's easier to get at both at one time. Just my opinion of course, but unless the car was mint, I would look at the problems not being taken care of as a sign of how the car was treated.

[Mikesc300]

After days of doing research and multiple mechanics later I decided to buy the car. Even with all the problems it has, I still couldnt walk away from it. The last mechanic and the most honest, I believe said that the car is fine specially if I change the gasket seal. The tranmision seal, he told me was fine but there realy wasnt any way to be sure by just looking under the hood. He later noted that there wasnt any transmision fluid mixed with the leak and concluded that it was just oil coming down. Thank you guys for all the help and with all the problems and plans I have with this car, you will hear from me often.

[OKSC3]

Good luck...

[gage]

Hello everyone, I am new to the forum but I have reading for a while one, since I am determined on buying an Sc300/400. I found a 92 sc300 at a local dealer for $6800 and it has 109000 miles. I took it to a Lexus dealer and they basicaly told me I need about $6000 of repairs on it (personaly I thought they were overpriced). The main problems were, a valve cover gasket leaking into the spark plugs ($2453.00 to fix) and a main engine seal/front transmision seal ($1827). I also took it to a local mechanic and he said he can change the gaskets for $500, and that there was no leaks in the sparks, he only noticed a few drops on the valve. So now I am confused and dont know who to trust and I bargained with the dealer to bring the price down to $6000. So my main question is should I get the car, and if I do should I address the problems right away (what are the long term effects) and is it a good deal.

Ps. The car drives great and even though I dont have any mechanical experience, I didnt notice anything wrong with it.

oil was leaking from the valve covers on my 92 sc400. i was even seeing a few drops on the garage floor.all i did was tighten the bolts that secure the valve covers & it hasn't leaked any in the 3 years since.

[bean_8044]

2500 for a valve gasket?!?! That is absolutly insane. Sure that wasnt a head gasket? Even then its still insane

[Sadistic]

That's what I'm saying. There is no way that even covers a tune-up with the Valve cover Gasket. An entire tune-up is about 4-5 hours of work Booktime, including the Valve Cover Gasket. Parts are maybe 300 bucks retail. No way that's 2400 bucks.

[JPI]

$2500? I wish i could charge my clients that much for the valve cover gaskets lol :cries:

JPI

[Mikesc300]

I have had the car for a month now, and 4000 miles later the car is still running fine, as far as the leak goes, I only have only noticed real dark and sticky oil around the O ring and also along the valve seals (so far it looks like a seep not a leak) and I occasionaly smell the oil, from the seep but no smoke and I havent seen a drop oil on the ground yet. And for now I am just checking my oil level regularly and plan on addressing the problem in the near future. So I hope I will be Ok until then.

PS. Does anybody know a good Lexus mechanic around the dc metro area?

Thanks

[Sadistic]

You aren't seeing any oil because it is probably hitting somewhere and burning. And it won't really pour out of there. When your RPM's hit a certain area, the oil pressure is higher, and it can actually spray out of where the leak is. That is when you're going to notice it. You might notice if you romp on it once, you'll smell the oil shortly after.