seeking more advice regarding repairs

[jazzgitah]

Have a 1998 Legacy L 2.2 awd wagon w 160k. I had a Japanese auto repair shop replace serpintine and alt,ac drive belt and was given a list of impending repairs which include:

 

lower ball joints have wear and right ball joint boot is cracked.

oil seeping at trans drive axle seals

oil leaking from valve cover gasket

oil leak under timing cover

left cv boot cracking

brakes at less than 50% - rotors rusty and scored

 

I'd appreciate any feedback or advice on these repairs based on the experience and expertise of other owners of this generation. What kind of costs am I looking at and what priority should I take?

Thanks in advance.

[Feldman]

only the oil leaks from timing cover and trans are difficult repairs all the rest are pretty simple and straight forward if you're handy

 

A little seepage from the trans isnt going to cause any problems, doesn't sound like its much at all just check/change your fluid regularly

 

leak from behind timing belt cover could be bad if is causes your timing belt to fail by weakening it. Only way to confirm a leak would be to take the front belts back off and take the timing belt cover off. both of which are pretty simple

[johnegg]

Have a 1998 Legacy L 2.2 awd wagon w 160k. I had a Japanese auto repair shop replace serpintine and alt,ac drive belt and was given a list of impending repairs which include:

 

lower ball joints have wear and right ball joint boot is cracked.

oil seeping at trans drive axle seals

oil leaking from valve cover gasket

oil leak under timing cover

left cv boot cracking

brakes at less than 50% - rotors rusty and scored

 

when you say serpentine, do you mean the timing belt?

 

i would do the valve cover gaskets now.

 

i would do the ''timing cover'' leak when the timing belt is done. i would do ALL the oil seals and timing components at the same time.

 

the ball joints probably don't need to be changed but it just depends how loose they are. the cracked boot will cause a failure eventually since the grease will leak out and the dirt will get in.

 

brakes as needed, be sure to re-grease the slide pins. but they don't need changing just because they are ''50%''. if they feel ok and don't make noise i'd put this off.

 

cv boot cracking, once it tears the grease will leak out, causing a ''stink'' if it gets on the exhaust. if you catch it before it tears you can just ''re-boot'' it. most shops and parts store don't recommend this since it is more labor than just replacing the axle and after market axles are ~$90. but re-placement axles, especially re-man axles, can be junk. if you have a subaru axle now it is a much higher quality than the run of the mill replacement. reboot it, do not use a ''split boot''.

 

DO NOT do the seals on the trans at the axles without reading up on it. doing them wrong will ruin your trans. you will regret doing them wrong.

 

on the one hand the shop is being comprehensive. this is good.

 

on the other hand if you did all of this you would be spending A LOT of money, unless you do it your self. if the shop said ''you need to fix all of these NOW or you might crash'' then i would take everything they say with a grain of salt.

 

typically, the techs at most shops get a ''commission'' on any service you buy other than what you brought the car in for. so they are just trying to make a living. it all boils down to how they ''present'' you the ''need to do'' list. is it ''pay attention'' or ''you need to do it NOW''.

[jazzgitah]

Johnegg.....not timing belt. It was the serpentine belt and the ac/pwr str belt. Cost $81 so I know the timing belt wasn't involved! BTW, what is an average cost on the timing belt when it does need replacing?

 

Thanks to all for advice.

I am not a do it yourselfer so I need guidance in the minefield of shop repairs.

 

Thx

[johnegg]

the last time i paid to have it done at an independent shop it was 575$.

 

see if you can ''bring your own parts'' and have them install them. not many shops will let you do that but it will allow you but discounted timing belt parts, belt , idlers, water pump and tensioner, and replace everything. a lot of shops will only replace the idlers that make noise. this means the idlers not replaced will have to go another 60k miles with out failing. that may be asking a lot of a factory greased bearing. a failure means a valve job, $$$$.

[stevenva]

"a failure means a valve job, $$$$" Isn't the 2.2 a non-interference engine?

[johnegg]

"a failure means a valve job, $$$$" Isn't the 2.2 a non-interference engine?

 

yes for 90 - 96.

 

not for 97 - 00.