Are There Any Honest Mechanics?
 

I had a leaky coolant system and took it to a mechanic my friend had worked for. He found the leak, it was the "upper return hose" and sat just under the distributor. L shaped hose about 4" long. Then he tells me to get it off he will have to remove distributor and this will cost me 225 dollars. When he goes to office I check the hose and can see the worm screw on the side, quite accessible under distributor. I go around to the front and move the fan blade and sure enough, there's the other one. It's a little tight but definitely doable. I says to the guy "Yo, buddy, you don't need to remove the distributor, here are the worm screws right here" and I point em out. He looks all perplexed and says "Oh yeah, alright, it will only cost 165 dollars". I said "What are u freakin nuts" and left. I went to auto parts store and bought hose for 6 dollars and two new worm screws, some anti-freeze and replaced hose. I went to strauss auto and asked them to do pressure check. They did it for a couple of bucks and said it was just fine. Two weeks ago, I went to the mechanic at the gas station I always fill up at. I asked him about putting in an O2 sensor. He said with thick accent "Oh, very difficult job, need special tools". I looked in my book and saw nothing difficult about it. I went to Autozone and bought O2 sensor for 50 dollars and put it on with one socket and a rachet. Is everyone out there to rip me off. How can I find an honest mechanic? Do they exist? I'm startin to get P.O.ed here. I live in North Jersey, and if anyone can recommend someone who they know will be straight with me, please let me know. I had a tune up done in the spring and now I'm wonderin if the guy even took off the throttle body to get to the rear plugs. People Su*k.

James in NJ

get yourself a service manual and a set of tools .

you better keep an eye on the blowing of hoses and water usage

make sure that hose you bought has a formed right angle or you'll be choking water flow at the bend .

do you have a rushing water sound in the morning when you start up ?

has the hose at the back of the block been replaced ? it's got 2 90 degree bends in it .. it might be the next to go

Re: hose
 

Yeah, I definitely bought a 90o hose, I did not just bend a straight hose. I do have manual and tools, but I work 2 jobs, and its dark when I leave for work and its dark when I get home. And lately the weekends have been like Biblical disasters around here. There are some jobs I am a little nervous about tackling. Like taking off that throttlebody, which I would love to do. I'd also like to replace valve cover gaskets as I think they could use it, but everything is so tight under that friggin hood. Anyways, are there honest mechanics out there, or is everyone out to screw me?

James in NJ

What manual are you using? Sounds like you know more than the mechanics to me. And if you think about it, doing somethings for yourself will help in future diagnostics when something goes wrong. But at least you have the common since to not let some greasy mechanic out to make a buck rip you off...good for you!

agreed... learn how to do it yourself :)

but if you are one of those that don't have time at all for that then ask the mechanics the same question... how much to put in an 02 sensor ;)

You Can Do It !!!!!!!!
 

Bring on over to my shop. I know supras well, and I've never ripped anyone off. There is enough work to make a good living, AND be honest.

The ripoffs are just lazy bastards that actually enjoy stealing from you !!

I've fired some when I was foreman at the Toyota dealer.

You don't EVEN wanna know some of the crap those kind do to your car, or don't do, but charge you anyways.

It sounds like you have some mechanical abilities. Get a Chilton manual so you have a reference book to get greasy while you fix things yourself. Use the TSRM, and print out the pages you need to do a particular job.

Ask all the questions here before tackling a job that may lay up your car for a day or 2.

That throttle body will come right off with a 3/8" 12" extension and socket. Those valve covers are easy to get off with a BIG tipped phillips screwdriver.

Make sure you use a fender cover, even a towel.

Take some photos before you start if you need, so you can see where it all goes back.

Get a muffin pan to keep the nuts and bolts seperated as you remove them. This will make re-assembly much quicker, and less headache.

Get all the parts and gaskets ahead of time. Keep 2 cans of 'brake cleaner spray' on hand. A magnetic tray is handy, or an old speaker magnet.

VC gasket job won't take you more than 2 hrs. max.

sorry to but in on this thred

but i keep reading about rushing water sound when cold?
what is this linked to?

Re: Do it yourself
 

I can't find a chiltons book for my specific year supra. I did find a book (forgot name) on supras in general and it is somewhat helpful. The TSRM is very helpful, but I'm afraid of getting in over my head. I saw a site where they show every part and part number in blow ups and the parts separated. I once saw it on a Body Shop Computer. Does anyone know the URL for this? I think this would be very helpful.

Thanks,

James in NJ

Toyota Parts
 

the rushing water/gurgling in your dashboard is due to air in your cooling system
you need to burp it :)