ArmyofOne

ok, the inner CV joint ont he right side of my car has begun to grind. if the joint comes off plane (if the right wheel is lower that the left wheel) then the joint will grind. its only doing it in reverse while turning off plane...

1st question, i was quoted $659.72 to replace. they will replace the drive axles, the inner and out CV joints, all as one unit. also all the bushings that they have to remove to get to them will likely be replaced, along with wheel bearings repacked. Fair Price? i could do it myself, but i do not have time, and it seems as if the bicycle will be coming out of the garage for a few more weeks (which may be a good thing, cause i need to lose about 20 more lbs before i go active duty in Feb).


2nd question, how much time to i have? how long can idrive it before they go completely, and what will happen when they do?

steviej

iTrader: (1)

If it is just the CV joint(s), then just replace the effected shaft. A remanufactured 1/2 shaft comes complete with new boots all packed and will cost you less than $100 from Autozone, PepBoys, or
ExpressAutoParts ($62.49), etc. It only takes about and hour and a half to do it. Any Chiltons Manual (the big Import edition for your year car can be found in almost every public library) will have good instructions.
You may just have to buy or rent a large socket for the hub nut. Why replace the bearings, bushings and the other shaft if you don't have to, especially if they are ok?

Are you sure the bearings are repackable, they may be sealed units.

Ask yourself, how long do you intend on having the car and how much do you want to spend?
If you are getting rid of it in Feb, then just do the shaft, if you see yourself in it for a year or two then maybe think hard about the whole shabang.

steviej

ArmyofOne

well once i get the shafts done, then i really should look at my position, and how long i really want to keep this car. my boss's kids just FUBARRED my hood tonite playing Basketball (i was working on the clutch in a 1992 Ford Escort w/ 192K miles) and all of a sudden i hear metal pop. i look over and there is a basketball rolling off the hood of my car...and a dent where it landed. i was soooooooooooo pissed. the hood isnty salvageable, have to buy a new one...

anyways, i looked today at o'rileys auto parts and for $55.99 + $60 core i can have both axles. i have a ball joint separator...but do i need to do a front end alignment after i do this?

i have a haynes manual for a 1990 camry, same car right?

ArmyofOne

another issue i have with this as well. 1500 miles ago, the transaxle fluid was BLACK. i had a drain and fill done. it took 2.8 quarts. thats all fine and dandy, but i would rather not have the trans fall out on me 2 weeks after i have this done. so what im wondering is, how much fluid will drain out? all of it? more than half?? i really hope not, because i dont need the trans to fall out of this car. and if i put more than half of the fluid in, i have a sneaky suspision i will need a new trans before christmas. it hasnt given me any slip at all unless i drive it REALLLY hard, wayy harder than any ever day driving, so should i be ok? i just want to make sure all the fluid is not going to come out of the trans is all.

now the fluid that comes out will be from the diff correct? so abotu how much should i expect? also, can i refill the diff through the dipstick? or do i have to "pump" the fluid in the old fashioned way?

khhoang

A local Firestone tire center changed both of my front axles (new half shafts @ $74.99/ea) with labor cost @ $144. Total was $293.98. I had a torn left front axle boot and Lexus dealership wanted $267p&l to change that boot alone. I've heard that replacing a torn boot is too time consuming esp if they also have to decontaminate/clean the CV joints and if you're paying for labor that is where it's gonna hurt. Also, CV joints could already have suffered some damage. For older cars like my 95ES I went ahead and replaced both axles so they would wear evenly under normal driving conditions. Well, this reply is for your price comparison. If there is any comment on what I should have done differently, I would like to learn more about my car.

khhoang

A local Firestone tire center changed both of my front axles (new half shafts @ $74.99/ea) with labor cost @ $144. Total was $293.98. I had a torn left front axle boot and Lexus dealership wanted $267p&l to change that boot alone. I've heard that replacing a torn boot is too time consuming esp if they also have to decontaminate/clean the CV joints and if you're paying for labor that is where it's gonna hurt. Also, CV joints could already have suffered some damage. For older cars like my 95ES I went ahead and replaced both axles so they would wear evenly under normal driving conditions. Well, this reply is for your price comparison. If there is any comment on what I should have done differently, I would like to learn more about my car.

ArmyofOne

ok so in other words, im getting raped, i figured as much, these guys are BS'ers. FWIW its City Garage in Ft Worth. that wants to ream me like this...i will buy the re-maned axles and have them installed elesewhere.

LexFather

You can drive the snot outta the car with them broken. They will make that awful noise though. And a $300 job sounds about right. Not $700. That is nuts.

Did the car have records before u bought it? oF when the last services were performed? If you feel the tranny fluid is that bad, get it flushed out. The tranny fluid is expensive, that is near another $100 for a full tranny flush

ArmyofOne

NO.

if i flush the trans fluid, i will be rebuilding the trans a few days later. the ATF will eat the bands in the trans. its not slipping. but i woudl rather just introduce new fluid into it gradually, by doing a few more drain and fills between now and the time i leave in feb. as for the price of the car, i have already gotten a 3/4 refund ($1500) for the price of the car (which was $2000) when my laywer threatened the previous owner with legal action (lawyer was a family friend, i threw him $100 for his time) so the car has cost me $500. plus the $500 or so i have put into it since i got it, (Brakes $340, misc. other items: ~$160). now this, then there is the $800 or so i have to spend at JP Imports to get my Timing Belt, WP, Hydraulic tensioner, and Cam and crank seals/valve cover gaskets (since he is in there) replaced. i may have him do the plugs too while he is in there. then there is the Steering rack, shich is small potatoes coparably (it wont break unless i hit something REALLY friggin hard). then i can start worrying abotu the little things:

heres the full list:


mechanical issues:

-inner and outer tie rods are worn (NEW STEERING RACK= $1300 P&L).****

-CV joints (inner and outer).****

-Rear Brakes.****

-New Struts.****

-Plugs.

-Wires.

-Camshaft/Crankshaft seals.

-Valve Cover Gaskets.

-Exhaust manifold gasket, rear bank.

-Exhaust leak somewhere (i think at the resonator, least of my concerns)

-front wheel bearings (ill be hearing them anytime now...)


i think thats it...

oh, there is a directional tire on the rim backwards ****

and thats just the mechanical stuff that i havent done yet...


Cosmetic/bottom of priority list/minor annoyance issues:

-Drivers window switch brakcet is broken, switches are loose.

-Rear drivers door lock only works manually, not with power system (i could play it off that i didnt know about that if i sell the car...but im not like that...)

-HVAC controls only work on the 2 highest settings, all of the functions work, but only on the 2 highest fan settings.

-dash has a little heat warp (not intolerable, and it is a 15-year-old texas car, that obviously wasnt taken care of, i can live with a little dash warp).

-bottom 2 (out of 15) defroster elements on the rear glass dont work...who cares at the moment?

-Cassette Player doesnt work.

-Power Antenna no workie :help:

-Front Bumper...it lost a fight with a ford contour matter of fact ... bought it like that)

-right headlight aiming spring is broken, its permanently pointed down, unless i stick a piece of cardboard under it. *GHETTO RIG*

-Left Parking light held in with a galvenized screw *GHETTO RIG* (i didnt do it...)

-there is an indicator light that tells me i have a brakelight bulb out...but there isnt a brake light bulb out... so i put a piece ov black electrical tape over the light...*GHETTO RIG* (gettin some serious ghetto rig points here!! )

-Short in the Parking Brake indicator light, it will pop on once in a while when you are driving, give the ebrake handle a quick tap, and away it goes.

-center console side panel tabs are broken, so it pulls apart...getting ready to put a shoelace with aa knot in each end on it...*GHETTO RIG*.

-One side of the backseat doesnt fold down...it did when i got it, so i dont know what happened...





stuff i have done:

-Oil change (~15 bucks, did it myself)

-Transaxle fluid drain and fill $28

-Air Filter.

-Front Brakes (new brembo rotors...didnt have a choice on brand, you cant even get these rotors from toyota anymore, new Wagner pads.) $339.71

-Power Steering Pump Belt $85 P&L...trust me, that was a *****, the motor had to be disconnected from the mounts and dropped 4 inches, then the belt had to be stretched to fit over the pulley. its all a serpintine belt...except for the P/S pump

-New Serpentine belt

-New Rear Light bulbs, all except for 3 (the outer brake light bulbs, the 3rd brake light)

-Coolant Flush (next weekend.)

damn. and i wanted this car? the only thing that works flawlessly is the damned sunroof...oh shiz...***KNOCKS ON WOOD***

steviej

iTrader: (1)

didn't you buy this car from your boss or someone you work with?

I say it's time you take the car out back and shoot it. j/k.

keep pluggin away at it. Sooner or later is will be all done.

steviej

ArmyofOne

i got a 3/4 refund ($1500), i did get the car from my old boss at motorola. i dont work with him any longer , he is in a different dept.
so the car effectively only cost me $643 (including tax, title and liscense) to buy.


MOST of the things i can do myself, providing i have the time, but i have to at elast get the oil leaks and the CV joints fixed before i leave in feb, so my brother can drive it while im gone.

being that it isa rare car, i intend to keep it, and eventualy do a FULL rebuild on everything, after i have another car , to the tune of $8,000. i may not rebuild the motor, cause it runs good, but the trans i probably will, just because it will go out around 200K, most do.