Ballpark cost to replace timing cover gasket

[shadow460]

Anyone know how many hours "the book" shows to replace the timing cover gasket on a 98 Explorer with the 4.0 SOHC. I realize my mechanic's estimate will be different, but I'm wondering what the average is for those who have taken this to a shop.
I don't think I can lift the cover back in place without dropping it. I also do not know how to keep coolant from spilling into the oil pan when I pull the cover off, but I do know that would make a mess. I guess I could take the water pump back off, but I'm still not sure I could get the cover back in place, so I've decided to let a mechanic handle it... that is, unless it's gonna be over $1,000 or so with labor.
I googled it and came up with every repair but this. I don't need new timing chains or a new cover, mine just needs re sealed.

 

[koda2000]

I don't know what a mechanic would charge to do this job (I do my own repairs) but if you remove the timing cover you need to plan on changing your oil afterwards, so I wouldn't worry about spilling antifreeze. Also, plan on removing the water pump to make the job easier. I don't understand you statements regarding lifting the cover back into place. Are you disabled? The cover is made of aluminum and is not heavy.

What are you leaking and how bad is it? If it's antifreeze you might want to try using a bottle of K-Seal in the radiator. The V8's are prone to develop coolant leaks from the timing cover gasket. I've had this happen on two V8's. K-Seal stopped the leak (which was a steady drip when cold) almost immediately and has lasted for 3-4 years without ever leaking another drop. K-Seal costs about $12 for a small bottle. It's great stuff and worth a try. It wont hurt anything and remains in the cooling system to seal future leaks. I put it in all my vehicles even if they're not leaking.

 

[LoquetusofBorg]

The job is not that terrible to do. remove the fan and shroud and you will have complete access to it. I did not say it would be easy but "not that terrible to do". Like Koda said, you will have to replace oil anyway.
My 2 cents worth.
Loquetus

 

[LoquetusofBorg]

If you do the job yourself it will only cost you the gasket and oil-filter and of course the time. If you are a entry level mechanic it should take about 4 hours maybe 5 if you run into snags. Having the right tools is the key to get this job done quickly. I bought a fan removal tool for around 20 bucks and the first time I used it, it paid for itself. Good luck and please keep us informed of your fix. Thank you.
Loquetus

 

[shadow460]

It's leaking coolant from the port on the passenger side of the engine. I replaced the water pump last week since the front seal on it went bad.
My main issue was that every time I'd drive it and let it cool off after replacing the pump, I'd find air in the radiator. When I changed the radiator last year, I drove it about 700 miles over that weekend and it burped. This time I have driven it maybe 100 miles and although I fill up the radiator, it spits that coolant back into the bottle and then either more air burps to the top of the radiator or it draws air in.
I put a pump on it again and ran it up to 16 psi, same as the radiator cap. It kept dropping slowly so I crawled under and saw the front cover gasket leaking. It wasn't fast, it just looked like a few drops had run out of the flange there and the pressure gauge I used took three to five minutes to drop to zero. The water pump, in the other hand, absolutely gushed when I did that.
I've run the copper Bar's Leaks in it since I changed the radiator last year. That's one of the very few additives I use in anything.
Disabled? Actually, yes. Part of my lower back doesn't flex. I wasn't sure how heavy the cover is, but with that particular back issue, getting into some tight spaces is difficult.

Next question, do I need to remove the crankshaft pulley or lower the oil pan at all?

 

[koda2000]

If I were you, I'd try the K-Seal. Don't bother with the Bars, I've never seen it work. If you still have a leak after using the K-Seal you're out $12 and less than 5 mins of your time. I'm telling you K-Seal works, and I'm not a fan of fixes in a bottle.

 

[shadow460]

Harbor Freight had a 20% off sale today so I went and bought a hydrostatic test kit (that's the fancy name for the radiator pressure tester). I ran a hydrostatic test on it but I didn't pump it up very high. It holds 4 psi so long as I don't bump the connection between the tool and the radiator. As soon as I bump it, the pressure drops.
There was no evidence of any leaks at all on the front cover gasket. Maybe it only leaks when it's cold. Maybe it's been like that for ten years. Maybe the Bars Leaks is working (it's liquid copper like the K Seal is). All I know is that the front cover gasket was dry enough to bake saltines on it.
The only time I've seen something like this happen is with A/C work. A hydrostatic test is used to locate leaks and once in a while the leak will be on the test equipment or the connection to the unit. In both cases, the HVAC system will fail its hydrostatic test.
I think what happened yesterday is that I put enough pressure, 16 psi, on the system that it decided to weep out a little. That's better than the hydro test I pulled on the AC last year. I'm used to hydro testing residential units... as soon as the gauge on the AC hit 110 a fitting blew off the bottle. Normal residential AC units get up to 400 psi in some parts. Hydro testing can be done at half that, for 134a its 60 psi and I'm thinking for coolant it's 5 or 10.
I'll drive it a while and see if it keeps losing coolant. I'm not taking anything apart if it doesn't need worked on. Since I need a project and have a brand shiny new tool, I'd be happy to run a hydrostatic test on any of ya'lls Explorers... let's see if the head gaskets can withstand 300 psi... :O

 

[shadow460]

I think I've reached the end of this issue. The truck had four different leaks and the only things NOT leaking were the front cover gasket, head gaskets, and other hard to reach stuff.
This leak turned out to be the infamous thermostat housing leak. I said to heck with it and bought the whole kit ftom O'Reilly.
Now being the diligent mechanic I am, and safety conscious too, I replaced the radiator cap with one of those new ones that has the pressure release handle. I also replaced the t stat housing and water outlet. That all worked so good that my coolant level in the bottle did not budge. The system held 10 psi for eight minutes and 15 psi for two minutes immediately thereafter without a break. (My hydrostatic kit isn't the greatest).
The system never burped either. I found out why: that safety cap has a rod going through it... and the seal on that rod was bad right out of the box.
I put the old cap back on yesterday and when I went to check this morning it had indeed drawn coolant from the bottle. There was still a pretty good air bubble in the radiator but I was rewarded with a nice strong suction and the level was about two inches from the very top.
It's drawn in more coolant and I think it's slowly purging that air. I can find nary a leak on that engine.
I do have an appointment scheduled with my mechanic Monday but that may wind up getting used for him to listen to my lower timing chain. It has a faint rattle that's been present since I got the truck well over a year and 19,000 miles ago.
I also found a bird nest in the engine right behind the t stat housing.