Do you trust your local mechanic or reputable shop or do it all yourself thread????
#16
1JZ Single SC400
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I try to do everything myself but sometimes I just about run out of physical ability or talent
I got to drop the trans to fix the rear seal and dunno if the seal will come out easily?
Also I would have time to clean the tranny good like it was new
Hate to pay someone 5 hr labor then to find later
a bolt stripped because of impacts being used to install the bell housing bolts
Also this is a lexus after all and it is hard to find a wrench buddy like I used to be able to with say a dsm or miata community... I learned alot from others learning how to weld and use heat or visegrips and other tools when I owned the other cars
I got to drop the trans to fix the rear seal and dunno if the seal will come out easily?
Also I would have time to clean the tranny good like it was new
Hate to pay someone 5 hr labor then to find later
a bolt stripped because of impacts being used to install the bell housing bolts
Also this is a lexus after all and it is hard to find a wrench buddy like I used to be able to with say a dsm or miata community... I learned alot from others learning how to weld and use heat or visegrips and other tools when I owned the other cars
Once the tranny is removed. It straight forward. Remove the flywheel. Then undo the 10mm bolts holding the seal flange in place. This makes it putting in the new one a lot easier. Then use high temp silicone to place the flange in place. Use a tad of grease on the outside only to insert the new seal. Push it in until it is flush or wont go any further. Then reinstall the bolts. Then put flywheel back on. The install tranny. If you have a atv jack or jack, use chains to secure the tranny to it going up or down. Food for thought. You can do it.
#17
Instructor
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Reminds me last time i brought my car into a formula D participating shop.... Came to pick up for a wastegate spring change and they said it was fine but had a "slight misfire" In short, the plugs were saturated with god knows what liquid whether oil or water so it could not even idle without misfire and the wastegate was not even functioning Oh and my transmission was basically blown as it would not hold in 1st or second
All of these problems were non existant when i brought the car in. My baby felt destroyed. It took 5 straight hours of labor to fix everything they did.... Oh and i got to rebuild my tranny quite a bit earlier than i expected.
Oh and this was all after their turbo rebuilder relapsed on heroin and took my money and left me with a half rebuilt turbo needing a new exhaust wheel. So to throw them a bone i just asked for a simple wastegate spring change and we would be square.
In short I will never trust a shop for my car again.
All of these problems were non existant when i brought the car in. My baby felt destroyed. It took 5 straight hours of labor to fix everything they did.... Oh and i got to rebuild my tranny quite a bit earlier than i expected.
Oh and this was all after their turbo rebuilder relapsed on heroin and took my money and left me with a half rebuilt turbo needing a new exhaust wheel. So to throw them a bone i just asked for a simple wastegate spring change and we would be square.
In short I will never trust a shop for my car again.
#18
Lexus Test Driver
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You can't do everything yourself..
Only things I take my car to my friend shop , welding and tuning.
And he is the only person that ever worked on my car.
You take your car to the dealer and still get rip off sometimes.
Only things I take my car to my friend shop , welding and tuning.
And he is the only person that ever worked on my car.
You take your car to the dealer and still get rip off sometimes.
#19
1JZ Single SC400
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Wow, that is a lot for a simple waste gate spring. So what happened to the car and the remainder of the turbo parts? Did they give you some sort of discount or no charge on something? I wouldn't trust them either.
#23
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I just cannot seem to trust anyshop in town for any kind of maintenance. I am the only one driving a SC3 in 30 miles radius. Chances they know anything about a 1JZ SC3 is out of the question. I did the swap myself, it was a pain in the *** because i had to go to school in the morning and work on my car all afternoon till evening ( Thanks to a friend lending me his garage space). I still felt i was way better off doing it myself than giving it else where to get it done. Later i wasnt happy with the soarer harness extension. I tried to make appointment with about 5-6 shops for a harness swap and they would never call back and tell me if they are capable of doing it or not. I ended up giving my car to a fellow CL member to swap harness and do a little bit of cleanup job, since i dont have a garage space to work on. But i still feel i was way better off doing that , rather than giving it locally to someone who has no idea about what my car is about.
Once i had given my previous vehicle to a shop for a drive shaft bearings and fuel pump job. Never got it back running perfectly, hell i even had vibration after the bearing swap. Few 100 dollars on that thing taught me a lesson to learn how to do it all myself. I'm glad i can do most of the things myself now.
Shops here literally want us to beg them to work on general public cars like their tools were made of gold or something. Only thing i would really go to a shop would be welding, tuning and this like alignment or underbody stuff. I'm no way in hell going to let any shop touch my motor.
-L0kz
Once i had given my previous vehicle to a shop for a drive shaft bearings and fuel pump job. Never got it back running perfectly, hell i even had vibration after the bearing swap. Few 100 dollars on that thing taught me a lesson to learn how to do it all myself. I'm glad i can do most of the things myself now.
Shops here literally want us to beg them to work on general public cars like their tools were made of gold or something. Only thing i would really go to a shop would be welding, tuning and this like alignment or underbody stuff. I'm no way in hell going to let any shop touch my motor.
-L0kz
#26
1JZ Single SC400
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The big question is, would all of you still do the DIY, if there was no ClubLexus? This website has so much wealth and knowledge that is poured in from all the world. It's just crazy. Someone has either tried it or figured it on here, in just about everything possible.
On my SC I try to do everything as a DIY. Sometimes I had throw in the towel, but that doesn't I wasn't watching the other person or mechanic fixing it and troubleshooting it.
On my old dodge truck, I threw in the towel. The shop called me this afternoon and told me that it was completed, except for the temperature gauge not working. I told them to keep it and figure it out. I was leaning towards a sensor. That was the problems after all. The total bill for checking timing, looking at the distributor, new wires, adjustment of the valves, sensor, and tow, was 330.00. I thought that was ok due to the length of time it took me to get it running. I gave up and call them. I will pick it up soon and be glad I spent every penny on it. The original problem was it had a blown head gasket. I put new plugs, new gaskets, new seals, water pump, and hoses. Should be good for awhile. Now I have 1k in it including this bill, head work, gasket set, ballast, coil, tires, and few misc. items.
On my SC I try to do everything as a DIY. Sometimes I had throw in the towel, but that doesn't I wasn't watching the other person or mechanic fixing it and troubleshooting it.
On my old dodge truck, I threw in the towel. The shop called me this afternoon and told me that it was completed, except for the temperature gauge not working. I told them to keep it and figure it out. I was leaning towards a sensor. That was the problems after all. The total bill for checking timing, looking at the distributor, new wires, adjustment of the valves, sensor, and tow, was 330.00. I thought that was ok due to the length of time it took me to get it running. I gave up and call them. I will pick it up soon and be glad I spent every penny on it. The original problem was it had a blown head gasket. I put new plugs, new gaskets, new seals, water pump, and hoses. Should be good for awhile. Now I have 1k in it including this bill, head work, gasket set, ballast, coil, tires, and few misc. items.
#27
Lexus Test Driver
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Mark to be honest with you I learned all this crap on my own, trial and error, breaking stuff, spending ridiculous amount of money. Setup after setups, from 1jz, to na-t, from 2jzgte to na-t, na-t to na-t, then na-t , then gte, then another na-t.
I wish someone would just spoon feed me.
When I first joined people wouldn't even wanna tell you how to get your tach working when you do a gte swap Lmao , it was a big secret.
People wouldn't wanna tell you how to go coil on plugs.
Sometimes I just feel like why would I be the one sharing with the others since the others will not share with us. .
Ali will tell you when did stuff on my car and learned how stuff worked on my 2nd SC with all kinds of Toyota parts on it and modification.
I wish someone would just spoon feed me.
When I first joined people wouldn't even wanna tell you how to get your tach working when you do a gte swap Lmao , it was a big secret.
People wouldn't wanna tell you how to go coil on plugs.
Sometimes I just feel like why would I be the one sharing with the others since the others will not share with us. .
Ali will tell you when did stuff on my car and learned how stuff worked on my 2nd SC with all kinds of Toyota parts on it and modification.
Last edited by 99SC42; 08-28-13 at 10:51 AM.
#28
1JZ Single SC400
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Believe me Quick I couldn't have done my thread without your help as well, as well as many others. Cartmill played a great help on the wiring on the injectors and getting the troubleshooting done. He is now active with the Nissan G35 and 37, the last time I spoke with him. I remember calling you, and all I could do was listen to you due to the wealth of knowledge pouring from your mouth. I was telling myself to ask you to slow down, cause some of the things you were saying I couldn't understand. You know I talk slow and I am from Alabama. Lol
There are many people on here who voice their opinion about things. There are only a handful who I actually listen to. These are the super SC fanatics.
There are many people on here who voice their opinion about things. There are only a handful who I actually listen to. These are the super SC fanatics.