LUVTruck.com

I LOVE the LUV.

I bought one a little under two months. It's exactly what I was looking for. It looks awesome and runs greats.. except it leaks oil.

I took it to a mechanic today (my husband and I were pretty confident when were bought it that the oil leak was something minor enough that my husband/our friends could fix, but nobody has had ANY time to look at it and we need to be able to drive this thing) and it's the timing cover. They quoted $1100 ($1000 labor, $100ish parts) to do the repair.

It's worth it, right? LUVs are great little workhorse trucks? That'll basically last forever? I feel like an idiot (nay, I AM an idiot) for not having someone look at it before purchasing, but what's done is done I suppose. Can't return it. If I buy another truck with that $1100 it's going to probably be just as old, and who's to say it's not going to need an expensive repair in the near future as well?

Boo. I don't know what to do.

1,100 to replace a timing cover gasket i need to open a shop!
you can buy an entire gasket set.. timing cover, head gasket, thermostat, intake and exhaust manifolds etc etc for around $100 on rockauto.com and take a full day or so and get it done. they are really easy little motors to work with, simple design.
if your husband mechanically inclined and willing to take a day to go out and put in the wrench time it will save you around $900-1000
buy the haynes manual for the truck it walks you thru the entire process i use it for all repairs on my engine.

_________________
Luvless
1980 Mikado-Sold.

1993 Lexus SC400 my Daily
2004 Yamaha WR250F my new love in life
2016 Toyota Camry my girls ride

Timing cover most likely has been worn through by a loose timing chain. If you do the work, here is probably your best source for the cover. I would replace the chain and related items as well...

_________________
If you think no one cares, try missing a couple of payments...



FIAA!

SFPP!

only question is if it is the gasket or a hole worn in the cover

_________________
Luvless
1980 Mikado-Sold.

1993 Lexus SC400 my Daily
2004 Yamaha WR250F my new love in life
2016 Toyota Camry my girls ride

Thanks for the input. We don't feel confident in doing it ourselves. I'm going to look into that Haynes manual though, I definitely think it could come in handy in the future.

We're just going to bite the bullet and let the shop do this one; there may be other problems in there that we wouldn't know to diagnose, anyhow. I'm just crossing my fingers that any other surprises are as small as possible.

I had mabey the same problem with mine, the leak was really hard to see because of the oil filter mount in the way. But still that's a lot of money for a timeing belt cover. I cracked mine off the engin block sprayed a can of carb cleaner between the cover and block squirted that red hi temp RTV around the edge and bolted it back up. let it cure for 24 hours and the leak stopped

I wouldnt buy a haynes manual they are pretty useless...to me anyway. I got a really chevy luv manual off ebay. There Great! I'd get one of them if i was you. Good luck!

_________________
"Project Rangeluv"-Dana 28/7.5 rear, TFI2.9V6 5spd, 86 Ranger frame swap, custom flatbed,Custom luv!
1989 ford bronco II "The Mountain Rig"
My build thread (viewtopic.php?f=33&t=24076)

Im in the process of rebuilding my engine, and found that having both books are great references. The shop manual has better written detail, but the haynes manual has better picture references. I couldnt find a easy source in either manual for torque specs. They are in there, just have to look for them.

_________________
1980 Luv Mikado 2wd stock
1995 Ford F150 XLT 4X4

If I were you, I would get another quote.......shop around. That sounds like alot of money for a timing cover removal and install. I would have your husband do the shopping around.......I say this because there are alot of shops out there that will overcharge you because you are a women and they assume you are not knowledgeable about the repairs being made so therefore you end up getting ripped off. This has happened to my wife and for now on I deal with the vehicle maintenance. good luck

$1000 for labor what do they have to do

loosen 4-6 bolts to drop the belts (3 on the alternator and 2 on the smog pump) from the crank
pull 1 bolt out of the crank pulley use a gear puller to pull off the crank pulley

remove the bolts from the timing cover scrape off the old gasket

if the chain is loose that means a new set of gears and a timing chain (if your replacing the chain you might as well replace the gears) ($70-$190)

new gasket for the timing cover... $20

if theres a hole in the timing chain cover thats another $30

so all in all your looking at 3 hours total 5 at most if you have to stop for a 40 and a cigar

and time spent waiting on parts if your local auto parts supplier doesn't have them in stock


even at 5 hours of work your only talking 300-500 in labor


i have to agree that haynes and chiltons manuals for this vehicle are pretty useless.. service manual is nice unless you need pictures like me

_________________
Friends don't let friends drive stock...
76 mikado, emissions delete, dual alternator, rejetted 1.9 carb swap, non factory body lines
soon non points distributor, single (semi sealed beam) head light conversion