Oil leak..... Sometimes

1999 3.0L 83,000 miles

Sometimes it leaks sometimes it doesn't. I was told by the 10 minute oil change guy that it was leaking from the front crank seal (no he wasn't trying to sell me a repair).

Why does it not leak all the time?

Dealer wants $1200.00 to replace all of the front seals, timing, waterpump and pan gasket. I know that I could get it done elsewhere for cheaper, but I like the fact that they will stand behind their work.

What say you?

$1200 is an outrage, it's a 6 hour job if he drinks a lot of coffee. And the parts are about $150 for everything. Timing belt alone is $30. See here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DODGE-CARAVAN-3-0L-90-00-TIMING-BELT-KIT-NEW_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33625QQitemZ8024755 556QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?UseCase=C001&UserAction=performSearch&Parameters=Auto+Store%7C%7EREGULAR+PARTS+LOOK+UP%7 C%7ETiming+Belt

Any good mechanic should stand behind their work. I would expect a timing belt job like this to be about $500 at the most. I was quoted $450 for my Nissan the last time I asked.

Also, another consideration is that the 3.0L engine is non interference, which means when the timing belt brakes, it does not hurt the motor. Replacing the timing belt is not so mission critical as an interference motor.

How much oil does it leak? You can buy a lot of oil for $1200.

I thought that the parts cost seemed high. They said timing belt, water pump, coolant, crank seal both front, thermostat and gasket. Labor: $787.50 (8 hours) + Parts $450.00 + Tax $33.00 = $1,2.70.50

I think I will shop another dealer for parts and see if they are jacking me.

When comparing prices keep in mind that the dealership uses OEM parts while other mechanics will use replacement parts. OEM parts almost always cost more but are usually more reliable and fit 100%. If you want to see whether or not they charge too much on parts, check one of the many OEM parts distributors. If you can buy them cheaper that way, there should be no issue just having them use your parts or even have an independent mechanic perform the work.

The latter might be the cheapest solution while giving you the best quality of parts.

When comparing prices keep in mind that the dealership uses OEM parts while other mechanics will use replacement parts. OEM parts almost always cost more but are usually more reliable and fit 100%. If you want to see whether or not they charge too much on parts, check one of the many OEM parts distributors. If you can buy them cheaper that way, there should be no issue just having them use your parts or even have an independent mechanic perform the work.

The latter might be the cheapest solution while giving you the best quality of parts.


By OEM parts you mean MOPAR parts, correct?

MOPAR parts do not have a very good reputation, it's almost better to get 3rd party OEM parts in place of MOPAR. It really doesn't matter that much.

Yes, Mopar or Dodge (it really is not a brand, you get factory replacement parts). Never heard of Mopar to have a bad reputation but then again I don't consider OEM parts really Mopar. In my opinion it is better to buy something that fits your car than some cars or many. If you go to the dealership you can ask them for the part numbers (very important) so you can compare prices online. Be careful without numbers since they vary from model to model, best if you have a parts list for your car.

If it was my car, I would get OEM parts online and go to Pep Boys or a mechanic you trust. On the other hand, if you are about to get rid off this car and just need it to run at the moment, then I would not waste any more money than you have to.

Actually this particular motor is made by Mitsubishi, so the original parts were Japanese. The same engine is found in Japanese cars like the Diamante. Also, the same kit fits motors for Avenger, Sundance, Le Baron. It covers Caravan/ Voyager for 12 years. It's a really common engine, thus they have this timing belt kit anyplace like Pep Boys or Autozone.