Hi. I really need some advice please. The mechanic is a very nice person, but I just want to know if I'm taken for a ride, since I am not an expert in cars. Sorry for the length!
Three months ago, there was a weird sound coming from the front and it turned out the engine support had cracks. The mechanic replaced it and advised that since they're disassembling for that might as well replace the old clutch disk and crankshaft oil seal. We went ahead with the replacements putting in original parts. These cost us around17k, labor and parts. I test drove it for a few minutes after their work and it seemed ok.
The following day, and the succeeding days after, whenever I went over a hump (regardless if sharp high hump or low gentle), or drove through a mini pothole or there's a change in road levels, I noticed that there was a faint "metallic" sound (like a faint high pitched "hee") that would come from the front of the driver's side. It is not loud, but you'll hear it clearly and consistently when there's no one making noise inside the car. At first, I thought it might just be the bolts/nuts/new parts adjusting themselves in place, so we left it as is for a few weeks, but the problem never left.
Together with this problem, we noticed that every morning, there's a drop of oil (size of a 10-peso coin) on the floor. Not a puddle, just a drop, but noticeable enough since it has NEVER happened to this car before, and the amount is noticeable if the car is left parked for a few days straight. Again, I thought to give it some time, just in case the oil seal is just "warming up" or being conditioned to its spot, being a new seal. A few weeks later, the problem never left also.
Third problem, the speedometer isn't working properly. It would go up to the 10km mark then the pointer would wiggle up and down to be dependable. If you speed up, the pointer would increase, but still wiggle up and down +/-10km. It will go down, when you brake. But what's up with the wiggling?
A month after the replacements, I brought the car back for adjustments to solve these 3 problems. The mechanic said the speedometer is not his fault and most likely gave out coincidentally during the replacements. For the 2 other problems, he fiddled with it a bit, tightening of bolts, etc, 10 mins tops. He told us to bring it back if the problem still persist.
A lot of weeks later, all 3 problems are still there. We brought it back a second time this morning and he didn't touch it, just looked. His advise was: most likely it's a crankshaft problem, which he said needs to be disassembled and sent to a machine shop for fixing. About the metallic sound, it is most likely bushings that need replacing.
My concerns are:
1. All 3 problems (oil leak, metallic sound, speedo wiggling) DID NOT exist before the replacements. Is it logical to believe what he's saying about the busted speedo, crankshaft and bushing being a NEW set of problems, or is it more believable to think there's something wrong in how the replacements were put in? I asked him this, but he said if there's a problem with how it was put back, since the parts are "size-exact", there's no way it will be put together.
2. Re crankshaft, in the first place, if the crankshaft really had problems, shouldn't it have been leaking already BEFORE the replacements? also, let's say it is a crankshaft problem, I am a little irritated that when they disassembled everything to replace the seal (which cost P1,700!), didn't they bother to check if the crankshaft itself had a problem, like what he's implying now. Wouldn't it have been visible to the mechanic? He said that if we're fixing the crankshaft, we have to replace the new oil seal with another new one. Grr.
Please advise on what you think of these problems. He quoted that fixing the crankshaft would be around10k! He really seems like a nice person, and seems like an expert since a lot of people go his shop, so it's frustrating that he keeps saying these alternatives, and I am second-guessing myself when I bring up my concerns and doubting his explanations.
Any help would be appreciated.
Car: 2000 M/Tl Corolla
Three months ago, there was a weird sound coming from the front and it turned out the engine support had cracks. The mechanic replaced it and advised that since they're disassembling for that might as well replace the old clutch disk and crankshaft oil seal. We went ahead with the replacements putting in original parts. These cost us around17k, labor and parts. I test drove it for a few minutes after their work and it seemed ok.
The following day, and the succeeding days after, whenever I went over a hump (regardless if sharp high hump or low gentle), or drove through a mini pothole or there's a change in road levels, I noticed that there was a faint "metallic" sound (like a faint high pitched "hee") that would come from the front of the driver's side. It is not loud, but you'll hear it clearly and consistently when there's no one making noise inside the car. At first, I thought it might just be the bolts/nuts/new parts adjusting themselves in place, so we left it as is for a few weeks, but the problem never left.
Together with this problem, we noticed that every morning, there's a drop of oil (size of a 10-peso coin) on the floor. Not a puddle, just a drop, but noticeable enough since it has NEVER happened to this car before, and the amount is noticeable if the car is left parked for a few days straight. Again, I thought to give it some time, just in case the oil seal is just "warming up" or being conditioned to its spot, being a new seal. A few weeks later, the problem never left also.
Third problem, the speedometer isn't working properly. It would go up to the 10km mark then the pointer would wiggle up and down to be dependable. If you speed up, the pointer would increase, but still wiggle up and down +/-10km. It will go down, when you brake. But what's up with the wiggling?
A month after the replacements, I brought the car back for adjustments to solve these 3 problems. The mechanic said the speedometer is not his fault and most likely gave out coincidentally during the replacements. For the 2 other problems, he fiddled with it a bit, tightening of bolts, etc, 10 mins tops. He told us to bring it back if the problem still persist.
A lot of weeks later, all 3 problems are still there. We brought it back a second time this morning and he didn't touch it, just looked. His advise was: most likely it's a crankshaft problem, which he said needs to be disassembled and sent to a machine shop for fixing. About the metallic sound, it is most likely bushings that need replacing.
My concerns are:
1. All 3 problems (oil leak, metallic sound, speedo wiggling) DID NOT exist before the replacements. Is it logical to believe what he's saying about the busted speedo, crankshaft and bushing being a NEW set of problems, or is it more believable to think there's something wrong in how the replacements were put in? I asked him this, but he said if there's a problem with how it was put back, since the parts are "size-exact", there's no way it will be put together.
2. Re crankshaft, in the first place, if the crankshaft really had problems, shouldn't it have been leaking already BEFORE the replacements? also, let's say it is a crankshaft problem, I am a little irritated that when they disassembled everything to replace the seal (which cost P1,700!), didn't they bother to check if the crankshaft itself had a problem, like what he's implying now. Wouldn't it have been visible to the mechanic? He said that if we're fixing the crankshaft, we have to replace the new oil seal with another new one. Grr.
Please advise on what you think of these problems. He quoted that fixing the crankshaft would be around10k! He really seems like a nice person, and seems like an expert since a lot of people go his shop, so it's frustrating that he keeps saying these alternatives, and I am second-guessing myself when I bring up my concerns and doubting his explanations.
Any help would be appreciated.
Car: 2000 M/Tl Corolla