On Another Note, Check Engine Light On All The Time

[sodadude]

1998 Ford Windstar SEL with 3.8L.

It cost me 26.00 to tell me it was going to cost 300.00 to change a valve cover gasket.

Under comments: Valve cover has leak, will need seal, bolt, gasket, and isolator?

Can this really cause a check engine light to stay on and is that a fair price to replace a valve cover gasket?

[DRW1000]

What was the code?


Valve covers are connected to the PCV valve and ultimately the intake so it is possible depending on the code.

[sodadude]

Originally Posted by DRW1000

What was the code?


Valve covers are connected to the PCV valve and ultimately the intake so it is possible depending on the code.

No code was printed on the invoice and I did not even think to ask what the code was they read.

[DRW1000]

Do you know which valve cover? 300 sounds like a lot of money. I don't know what the isolator is.

Can you take it to an Autozone? They read codes for free I am told. Just get the raw code number and post it back. This would be the most helpful information at this point.

[kahjdh]

Didnt they have a recall on this? My 99 was idleing bad and they had a recall about the valve cover. I took it into the dealer and they replaced the front valve cover and some other things i dont remember. They did it for free so im sure it was a recall.

[theman100]

Originally Posted by kahjdh

Didnt they have a recall on this? My 99 was idleing bad and they had a recall about the valve cover. I took it into the dealer and they replaced the front valve cover and some other things i dont remember. They did it for free so im sure it was a recall.

it was not a recall, there was a TSB for that concern. the cause was that your front(rh) valve cover did not have a baffle in it, so your pcv would suck in more oil gases than it should causing your vac. hose to swell from oil saturation. codes would be p0172,p0174

[DRW1000]

Actually the codes would be 171/174. I know the TSB but I an not sure 98s were included.

The original poster said that they wanted to replace his valve gasket. If they were performing the TSB they would have needed to do a lot more including the isolator bolts and port seals,

Solardude are you sure of the parts they planned to replace? Can you get the correct names?

If they are perfomring the TSB in question then $300 including parts sounds like a good price.

[theman100]

Originally Posted by DRW1000

Actually the codes would be 171/174. I know the TSB but I an not sure 98s were included.

The original poster said that they wanted to replace his valve gasket. If they were performing the TSB they would have needed to do a lot more including the isolator bolts and port seals,

Solardude are you sure of the parts they planned to replace? Can you get the correct names?

If they are perfomring the TSB in question then $300 including parts sounds like a good price.

sorry, did not pay attention. the isolator bolts are the bolt to the intake. it sounds like they are going to replace intake gaskets for the upper. the cost for the other repair is only a couple hundred.

[rodeo02]

Originally Posted by sodadude

...Under comments: Valve cover has leak, will need seal, bolt, gasket, and isolator?

Hmmmm... As far as I know, all this only applies to the 1999-2003 3.8L's? The 1998 has a totally different upper intake/common chamber assembly? Sodadude, do you know off hand what codes the OBDII was showing?
G/luck
Joel

[DRW1000]

Originally Posted by rodeo02

Hmmmm... As far as I know, all this only applies to the 1999-2003 3.8L's? The 1998 has a totally different upper intake/common chamber assembly? Sodadude, do you know off hand what codes the OBDII was showing?
G/luck
Joel

I thought the TSB was for 99 up too. Sodadude, try and get the actual code numbers and the correct part names (at least double check).