I recently had my oil changed and was advised that there was a little anti freese mixed in with the oil. And that I needed a intake manifold gasket and a water pump replaced. His price was way too much 575 water pump 975 gasket. so I brought it somewhere else and had them done. After driving van 3-4 times total of 150 miles or so while exiting off highway it died, loud noise was told from tow truck driver berings or crankshaft. Metal on dipstick. The mechanic said it had nothing to do with what he did. Does anyone know what could of caused the breakdown? I was told the motor should have been flushed and the oil changed. The oil was not changed just lowered 1 quart to let anti freese out and added oil. Please help.

 

oil should most definetely been flushed, as well as rest of motor. the antifreeze probably didn't get all out, mixed with oil, got into bearings. sorry dude.

 

I agree, whoever did the work for you was a moron. Im affraid you didn't save any money.

 

Or at least changed.

There is the possibility that the damage was already done. It is also possible that when he cleaned the gasket surface he used a Sanding disk which caused grit to get into the engine.

 

Have you ever heard You get what you pay for. Price should not be a big factor in car repair.

 

You're completely right, however, changing the water pump shouldn't cost $575 and the gasket definitely shouldn't be $975. The water pump is easier than the gasket and even if it's $975 combined that's ridiculously overpriced. It's true that the mechanic he went with should have flushed the engine but the first one wasn't honest. When the intake manifold gasket is being changed, the engine is already disassembled and getting to the water pump is a breeze. An honest mechanic would charge a small fee to change out the water pump while changing the gasket.

 

Are you aware this was a repair on a van?

 

according to false data the waterpump P# 89017748 is 250 dollars +/-. Book time (which if you have worked under the flatrate system you know is an absolute joke) lists the waterpump at 2.0 hours customer pay. which if they charge what the chevy dealers around me charge 110 an hour its 220 in labor and 250 in parts plus coolant at probably 20 bucks a gallon we are up at about the 500 mark... then add in a little cost cushion for when something comes up like needing new hardware or something and that is a resonable price for a dealership waterpump job.

for the intake manifold gasket, you have parts 6.0 book time (again a joke) AN OIL CHANGE, new hardware, maybe new thermostat and gasket, your at an instant 660 in labor and yeah squeezing another 250 bucks out of that is a stretch in parts I could see a good portion of it though.

as its been said, you get what you pay for, the only chevy experience I have is the motor I put in my parents van, and they got a new motor after the shadetree mechanic they paid to put new headgaskets on it did a crappy job which lead to total bearing failure in the bottom end. Also like its been said there is no garantee that it wasnt already too far gone, but I would lean towards coolant in the bearings causing your problem... all for an oil change

 

Sorry, I'm used to posting in the tahoe/burb forum

it's true, it's a lot harder on the van since everything is buried and taking everything out is a joke

 

Even though oil and water don't mix, at high agitation, such as in a engine at 2000+RPM the water will emulsify and get into every bearing and all portions of the engine. This displaces the oil and allows for metal to metal contact; result, blown engine.
That engine should have been flushed at least twice and new oil added after the work was completed.
If you can prove it wasn't flushed and new oil added, and this guy isn't your best friend, then go after him, and have him replace your engine.

Good luck
Smitty