ls400King

Just had some repairs done on my 93 LS400 and I suspect I was taken over the coals.

Car had a power steering pump issue and some blue smoke at start up. The mechanic was going to do the power steering pump with valve and S belt for 650. Well then he found a valve (connected to intake) and a few hoses and the pump jumped to 1600. Now the car is fixed so I am happy about that, but what is this valve. Even the "new" hose does not look new.

First I thought it was something in the engine so I went along with it...

etex

What is an S belt? Didn't you get a copy of the work order? This will show the parts installed (?) and identify them with part numbers. You will get better answers if you provide more info.

ls400King

Serpentine belt.

mOBSCENE

If you dont even know what you paid for I would consider that being taken of the coals. I couldn't imagine telling my customer "Well I changed a belt a few hoses and a "valve" for $1600.

LiCelsior

iTrader: (32)

damn i changed mine in about 4hrs or so. thats including plugging up the idle up valve that connects to the intake.

deanshark

Damn, you got taken over the coals, and to the cleaners. The valve he's talking about is the ACV which is on the bottom of the PS pump. The white smoke is PS fluid going into the intake caused by a bad ACV. About $100 for the valve and a couple hours labor. A can of Seafoam would have cleared the white smoke. $400 tops is what you should have paid. Probably you didn't need a PS pump. In the future ask to get all the used parts back for what they change. This way you can see if they actually change it and someone can see if it was really bad. Not all mechanics are honest, some are. Ask to see what's wrong, don't just say "fix it".

RA40

iTrader: (6)

Have to post the detail of the repairs. Seems high though there could have been a multitude of parts and services performed for that $1,600.

A Serpentine belt is about $45-$60, takes a few moments to swap one in. Usual service might bill it at $125 or so.
PS service, a rebuild/seal kit was $140 labor and $60 in parts. If the whole assembly was replaced, that might be a $450 service alone.
Hoses vary so we'd need to know specifically what were replaced.

For any service unless you trust and know the shop, request the old parts back to inspect, verify replacement and condition.

ls400King

Yeah.... Well I am going to resolve this. I have my mechanic and he is awesome! This was someone I knew that was going to replace the PS pump. It has been leaking for while and seemed to be whining more and more. It was losing more and more fluid.

Then there was a valve and I was thinking engine as there was smoke. The most interesting thing was all the Serpentine belt, PS pump and AVC valve are all connected.... $600 labor is BS as well is the markup on all parts.

We will make this right! Again thanks for the feedback.

ls400King

Would a bad ACV result in bad oxygen sensors? I had to replace a few months back and progressivly the smoke after startup increased till failed emissions.

Imperium11

if he was awsome i dont think he would be bending you over in the first place

ls400King

Yeah... This is not the awesome guy.

sdls

That problem could have been repaired with $150 worth of parts, and the mechanic charged you $1600. Ouch.

Imperium11

this is why i always get written estimates, cant give me one ill go elsewhere, why didnt you go to the awsome guy in the first place, this is kinda confusing

ls400King

The bill.
Hose and Valve 172.9
Valve 139.5
Switch 130
Power S Pump 382
Serp Belt 80
Fluids 22
Bushing Kit 35
Labor $560

He stated the switch and 2nd valve was on the intake? I have no idea...

LS400BOY

wow that ps pump is high