L8 APEX
02-16-2004, 10:13 PM
Most of us are skeptical of dealers in the first place. I try to give them the benefit since they are paid top dollar for work and specialize in one make of vehicle. They are factory backed and trained so there is no excuse not to do the job right. A customer brought his truck in for 77K mile service and to find a coolant leak. This truck has had about three head gasket replacements by the dealer for oil leaking issues. When a head is removed you must also remove the timing cover and water pump. Most water pump seals do not reinstall well due to swelling so you use a new one (a dealer only item BTW). Apparently when the tech changed the last head gasket he reused the old WP seal and cut it. Instead of replacing it he uses RTV sealant to make up the difference. When I told the cusotmer about the source of the leak even though he could have it "fixed" by the dealer for free. He told me he'd rather pay me to do it right. So I ordered a new WP seal from the dealer and did it the way it should have been done. Here are pics as I pulled the pump out of the engine.
http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/data/500/15WP_gasket_broke.jpg
http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/data/500/15pump_leaking.jpg
http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/data/500/15pookie.jpg
PS: I did like David's idea of selling him a new water pump with the gaksket. There is a business man:bows :D
http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/data/500/15WP_gasket_broke.jpg
http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/data/500/15pump_leaking.jpg
http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/data/500/15pookie.jpg
PS: I did like David's idea of selling him a new water pump with the gaksket. There is a business man:bows :D