Taken as a fool?

[C3L81]

Well....I brought the newly aquired vette to a Chevy dealer yesterday for a overview and oil change. The car has been in storage since I got it and Im always looking for leaks and have found not one drop. According to the dealership service, The car needs a new Lower intake gasket, Oil Pan Gasket, and front timing chain gasket. They did not show me any of the leeks, they told me this after the car was already off the lift and outside. Do you think they are trying to blow smoke up my ass? Im going to get a low profile jack and look myself, if I do need these gaskets will it be expensive? I admit im not a mechanic and although I have changed some gaskets in my past, I wouldnt feel comfortable doing it on my investment. How much do you think these jackasses at the dealership would charge me?

 

[bill81vette]

jack up the front of the vette put jackstands under it and crawl underneath and take look yourself!!!
then you'll know if there is smoke in your shorts or not!!!!


good luck!


bill.............

 

[MidShark]

Im always looking for leaks and have found not one drop.

I'm a believer in "if it ain't broke why fix it?"
Why do they claim these gaskets need changing? Whatever they would charge you, I'm sure it's too much.

Rich

 

[78SilvAnniv]

[they say]...car needs a new Lower intake gasket, Oil Pan Gasket, and front timing chain gasket.

:confused I would think that if these items TRULY needed changing out, you would have some serious oil spots on the garage floor. For your '81, I would not recommend taking your vette to a dealership for that type of service. Find a local garage, or a Corvette only garage.
We do most of our own maintenance here at home. That consists of me anxiously biting my nails until Kenny finds the time to work on it... ...so I can get back on the road in my cool grocery-getter!

How many miles are on your 81, and how long has it been sitting? That information may have influenced the mechanic's recommendation. Engines that sit for periods of time, while they won't have as much "wear", the gaskets and belts do age and dry out.
Heidi

 

[commando57]

You can probably get a couple of flats tighter on the majority of the bolts.
Try that. Then wipe them off and watch.

 

[gmjunkie]

Older Engine's Seep Oil!! Most newer engine Don't even have Lower intake Gasket or Oil pan and Timing Cover, Just RTV gasket in a Tube!! My 28 year old daughter changes her own, and does her own Maintenance!! junk!!

 

[jdp6000]

Well....I brought the newly aquired vette to a Chevy dealer yesterday for a overview and oil change. The car has been in storage since I got it and Im always looking for leaks and have found not one drop. According to the dealership service, The car needs a new Lower intake gasket, Oil Pan Gasket, and front timing chain gasket. They did not show me any of the leeks, they told me this after the car was already off the lift and outside. Do you think they are trying to blow smoke up my ass? Im going to get a low profile jack and look myself, if I do need these gaskets will it be expensive? I admit im not a mechanic and although I have changed some gaskets in my past, I wouldnt feel comfortable doing it on my investment. How much do you think these jackasses at the dealership would charge me?

If you do require the timing chain gasket. I would take the opportunity to change the water pump and timing chain. It all has to come off anyway.

Take a look underneath . If oil isn't gushing out or puddling. I wouldn't worry about it. I have the odd sweat and drop...no big deal. It doesn't even do it all the time. Maybe someone else can supply some imput here, if there is a leak, how about tightening the bolts an 1/8 or 1/4 turn?????

Jim

 

[jdp6000]

Older Engine's Seep Oil!! Most newer engine Don't even have Lower intake Gasket or Oil pan and Timing Cover, Just RTV gasket in a Tube!! My 28 year old daughter changes her own, and does her own Maintenance!! junk!!

If she married??????:crazy

Jim

 

[vette333]

Gaskets

C3L81,
Most dealers are crooks! I would look for leaks on the floor underneath the car and check the oil dipstick level frequently to see if you are losing oil.

Vette333

 

[C3L81]

Its wonderful that your daughter knows her way under the hood. Im not a complete moron when it comes to cars, I can tune them up, change fluids and I have changed Gaskets in the past. I will be watching closley for signs of the leaks. I just wanted some opinions on the matter. Im not too worried about it. I would change the Oil Pan gasket for the hell of it, but I think there is some linkage in the way on the vette, thats something I dont wanna mess with. Thanks for the advice, Ill be watching it closley during storage months

 

[C3L81]

How many miles are on your 81, and how long has it been sitting? That information may have influenced the mechanic's recommendation. Engines that sit for periods of time, while they won't have as much "wear", the gaskets and belts do age and dry out.

It has 23,400 Orig miles. I bought it from a retired cop who admitted to not driving it much over the past 20 years (obviously) That could be why the dealer reccomended the gaskets.

 

[craig32]

Whatever they would charge you, I'm sure it's too much.

Rich

That all depends on how you feel about $50+/hour. Personally, I can do a lot of learning for that kind of money. I've felt the last few times I've had my cars to the dealership, they were teaching their mechanics on my dime. Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Craig

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Do you think they are trying to blow smoke up my ass?............I wouldnt feel comfortable doing it on my investment. How much do you think these jackasses at the dealership would charge me?

If you want a real honest opinion, I think you went looking for trouble and found it. I believe that any service writer at a dealership, if presented with an older car (especially if described as an 'investment') and is asked to do an overview would do his best to satisfy you with listing every little bo-bo that they can find. I'm sure you wanted your money's worth out of the inspection, no?

Why are they jackasses if they did what you told them to do?

 

[C3L81]

Well I didnt pay for a inspection. I went to get a Oil change because I dont have the proper tools, or space at the Storage unit I have it in, and my home gargae is full and 45 mins from the car. I asked the person I checked it in with to glance it over, If it had all those things you would imagine they would show them to you. Anyways its not a big deal and not something you honest canadians would understand =p

 

[vett boy]

I smell rip off.

 

[C3L81]

I smell rip off.

Yeah me too. Point well taken. Thanks for your comments. I had a feeling of what they would be, but it never hurts to ask and get somone elses insight

 

[vett boy]

The reason i smell a rip off is that the atomic structure of white vetts is superior to all other vetts.I've owned three and never had a major oil leak.Good guys drive white

 

[81kix]

The reason i smell a rip off is that the atomic structure of white vetts is superior to all other vetts.I've owned three and never had a major oil leak.Good guys drive white

The only oil leak I have had on the 81 (white) was the right side valve cover gasket.

 

[C3L81]

Well the Oil Pan and intake is leaking. I ran it for 1 hour and there was only a few drips from each. Should I not worry about it?

 

[IH2LOSE]

If you want a real honest opinion, I think you went looking for trouble and found it. I believe that any service writer at a dealership, if presented with an older car (especially if described as an 'investment') and is asked to do an overview would do his best to satisfy you with listing every little bo-bo that they can find. I'm sure you wanted your money's worth out of the inspection, no?

Why are they jackasses if they did what you told them to do?

I have to agree with you on this,

Me personally have never had a good exspereance at a dealership service deparment,and would be the last place(besides a 30 minute oil change place)I would be bring an old car for service. But thats beside the point.

Does this car still have all of the original soft fuel and brake lines,this is something I would think they would have pointed out as a saftey problem.