Jim Grant's Tech Tips
'98 Dodge Caravan, Costly Valve Cover Gasket
Q:
I have a ‘98 Dodge
Caravan 2.4 liter engine with 102k miles. Recently, I had the valve cover
gasket replaced...the mechanic told me 4 of the bolts were loose causing
the oil to seep out from the gasket...he also stated it looked like this
was a manufacturer defect...this repair cost me over $1100 do you have
any comments?
- Jill M.
A:
Confused or concerned
it is hard to say which, but let’s put it this way. If all you had
replaced was the valve cover gasket the repair bill should have been around
$100 to $150 depending on the labor rate in your area. An $1100 repair
bill sounds more like the cylinder head was removed, serviced and more.
That is why there is a concern if all you had was a valve cover gasket
replaced. Cylinder head service requires more time and parts. Maybe there’s
confusion in the job description. I’d suggest a closer review of
your service invoice so you know just what work was performed.
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