Here's the inspection of my car.

"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck) 09/12/2019 at 13:34 • Filed to: Sportcross

1

22

Cam seals and valve cover leaking oil. Guy said it’s not excessive yet, but if I have plans to keep it long term I’ll want to fix them soon, said to leave it as is otherwise.   All I know is anything that leaves more oil on the ground than t he longboi is definitely excessive by my standard.

His theory is that it’s probably been leaking for a couple months and the recent rain and storms and splashed up and thinned the oil, allowing it to drain down and look like more than it really is.

He said rear main seal may be seeping if only a tiny bit , but advised that would be prohibitively expensive.

Not sure what I’m going to do...

Sovande > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 09/12/2019 at 13:43

1

Valve cover gasket is certainly an easy fix.

I googled the cam seals and apparently it’s difficult and fiddly and costs about $800 for the cam seals due to the VVTi system.

I’d pay to have it done and do the Valve cover myself unless it makes more sense for them to replace when they are in there since they will have shit apart anyway.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 09/12/2019 at 13:43

1

https://seattle.craigslist.org/search/cta?query=tercel

McMike > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 09/12/2019 at 13:43

0

Boxer_4 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 09/12/2019 at 13:44

0

Valve cover shouldn’t be too difficult (especially for you people with a valve cover that is easily accessible... ). Cam seals are much more difficult , since you would need to remove the timing belt and cam gears to get to the seals. When was the last time the timing belt was changed?

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Boxer_4 09/12/2019 at 13:49

0

Had the timing belt changed in 2017

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2019 at 13:49

2

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 09/12/2019 at 13:50

0

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > McMike 09/12/2019 at 13:52

2

savage.

Zoidberg “here’s a video of my favorite car in mechanical peril”

Internet “something something portrait mode”

McMike > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 09/12/2019 at 13:54

1

I can’t help it. It’s an impulse I often don’t notice until after it’s been posted.

Like portrait video, I suppose.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 09/12/2019 at 13:56

2

Oh man, that sucks. I’d just have the cam seals and valve cover fixed. I just put $1,000 into my subaru last week unexpectedly, this $1,000 will never materialize . I’d rather put money into a car that I liked tho. 

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/12/2019 at 14:01

3

Yeah, I always have these existential mini-crises when repairs like this come up, but what’s the alternative? Buy another old car with unknown problems? It’s just life...

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 09/12/2019 at 14:04

1

I’ve been payment free for two years. That’s lets see here ($320x24=$7600) well shit, I am totally okay with paying $ 1,000 a year for maintenance.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/12/2019 at 14:05

0

I’ve never had a payment, but I’ve also not kept any of my vehicles for long. Still pretty sure that for the previous vehicles the money lost on resale plus the unreliability still makes owning this car a better financial prospect.

RPM esq. > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 09/12/2019 at 14:15

1

Good car. Fix it and it will be good again.

Longtime Lurker > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 09/12/2019 at 14:21

1

Cam seals should have been done when the T-belt was done. Were they? Are they still under warranty?

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Longtime Lurker 09/12/2019 at 14:29

0

They were not as far I know.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Sovande 09/12/2019 at 15:18

1

I would be extremely surprised if there isn't overlapping labor. As in maybe the valve cover needs to come off to do the cam seals anyways.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 09/12/2019 at 17:32

0

Called it, sorta.

Trade you for a rusty salvage title Sportcross that doesn’t leak.

NKato > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 09/12/2019 at 18:02

0

I’d say get a Crown Vic, but it seems most folks here on OPPO and Jalopnik aren’t interested in getting reliable cars that aren’t insanely expensive to repair and maintain. :p

facw > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 09/12/2019 at 18:03

1

Fancy door Paseo:

facw > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 09/12/2019 at 18:05

0

Sucks, but I think you just fix it. Cheaper than buying a comparable non-broken used car (which may have problems of its own), and you like the car right?

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/15/2019 at 01:15

1

My wife doesn’t understand this math. We could replace every wear item on her car and the engine for less than a year worth of payments on something else.

But she is right that it’s too small for us with the rear facing baby seat. It’s just that she wants to jump directly to the opposite extreme and get something just shy of a pliggy van in passenger capacity.