GX 470 Repair Costs from a Toyota Dealership (1 Viewer)

[dovetails]

For reference, I've posted this on /r/GXOR as well.

I bought a 2006 GX 470 for a very good price, knowing it would need some work. I brought it into my local Toyota dealership instead of Lexus, because we've had great customer service here in the past. I had them spend 2 hours going through everything the car could potentially need and make a list of what's most important right now.

I'm curious what the community thinks of these costs. Every price includes parts & labor.

1. Parking Brake not working (required for NYS inspection). Adjustment - $167.39
2. Radiator leaking transmission fluid. Recommended replacing radiator - $745.91
3. Timing belt, water pump, cam seal, crank seal, and serp belt - $1,964.93
4. Heat climate blower motor worn out/bearing worn out. Replacement. - $499.89
5. Transmission lines to the radiator completed rusted, could leak anytime - $370.25
6. Transfer Case input shaft seal leaking. Replacement - $424.86

In total I'm looking at almost $4,200. These were the necessary things to do now since they're detrimental.

Other suggested things I should do:

1. Complete fuel/air induction service - $189.95
2. Brake fluid service - $149.95
3. Transmission fluid exchange - $299.95
4. Power steering fluid exchange - $129.95
5. Driveline service - $399.95
6. Full 8 cyl spark plug job - $508.40
7. Tear in front axle boot - $377.49

 

[Alleycats]

Congratulations you purchased a used vehicle and intend to have others repair it. That's going to cost you.

Best.

 

[Rednexus]

Those prices seem pretty high to me overall, but maybe not unreasonable for dealership prices. I'd suggest finding a reputable independent shop that specializes in imports to get a second bid. There are also a lot of those items that you can easily do yourself in a day or two and save a lot of money. Either way I think the prices on some of the maintenance-level items are high and some of the work (cam/crank seals) might be unnecessary.

1. Parking Brake not working (required for NYS inspection). Adjustment - $167.39
   1. You can fix this in a hour or two as a DIY. Requires adjusting the rear brake shoes with a screwdriver.
2. Radiator leaking transmission fluid. Recommended replacing radiator - $745.91
   1. A new radiator is <$200. You need to remove the radiator anyway to do the timing belt, so this should not be $750 if you are doing the belt as well.
3. Timing belt, water pump, cam seal, crank seal, and serp belt - $1,964.93
   1. The T-belt and water pump do need to be done but I would not do the crank or cam seals. Add a bottle of AT-205 in at the next oil change to condition the seals and stop any leaks.
4. Heat climate blower motor worn out/bearing worn out. Replacement. - $499.89
   1. Unsure on this one.
5. Transmission lines to the radiator completed rusted, could leak anytime - $370.25
   1. Seems reasonable.
6. Transfer Case input shaft seal leaking. Replacement - $424.86
   1. I'd also skip this and add a few ounces of AT-205 to the T-case to seal up the leak.

1. Complete fuel/air induction service - $189.95
   1. This is much too high, it's probably a Seafoam treatment. You can easily DIY this for <$20.
2. Brake fluid service - $149.95
   1. Also too high. This is <1 hour of DIY (2 person job) and $15 for a bottle of brake fluid.
3. Transmission fluid exchange - $299.95
   1. Not a bad deal. This is a mess to do as a DIY and there is at least $100 in transmission fluid involved.
4. Power steering fluid exchange - $129.95
   1. Also a very easy DIY with just $20 of transmission fluid.
5. Driveline service - $399.95
   1. Not sure what this is - transfer case and differential fluid change? If so that is <$100 in fluid and a couple hours of DIY labor.
6. Full 8 cyl spark plug job - $508.40
   1. Much too high. This is a 30-minute DIY job that requires very few tools.
7. Tear in front axle boot - $377.49
   1. Also kind of high, this is 1 hour of labor and $60 for a Toyota boot kit. This is also not a hard DIY if you have a floor jack and impact wrench.

 

[dovetails]

Those prices seem pretty high to me overall, but maybe not unreasonable for dealership prices. I'd suggest finding a reputable independent shop that specializes in imports to get a second bid. There are also a lot of those items that you can easily do yourself in a day or two and save a lot of money. Either way I think the prices on some of the maintenance-level items are high and some of the work (cam/crank seals) might be unnecessary.

1. Parking Brake not working (required for NYS inspection). Adjustment - $167.39
   1. You can fix this in a hour or two as a DIY. Requires adjusting the rear brake shoes with a screwdriver.
2. Radiator leaking transmission fluid. Recommended replacing radiator - $745.91
   1. A new radiator is <$200. You need to remove the radiator anyway to do the timing belt, so this should not be $750 if you are doing the belt as well.
3. Timing belt, water pump, cam seal, crank seal, and serp belt - $1,964.93
   1. The T-belt and water pump do need to be done but I would not do the crank or cam seals. Add a bottle of AT-205 in at the next oil change to condition the seals and stop any leaks.
4. Heat climate blower motor worn out/bearing worn out. Replacement. - $499.89
   1. Unsure on this one.
5. Transmission lines to the radiator completed rusted, could leak anytime - $370.25
   1. Seems reasonable.
6. Transfer Case input shaft seal leaking. Replacement - $424.86
   1. I'd also skip this and add a few ounces of AT-205 to the T-case to seal up the leak.

1. Complete fuel/air induction service - $189.95
   1. This is much too high, it's probably a Seafoam treatment. You can easily DIY this for <$20.
2. Brake fluid service - $149.95
   1. Also too high. This is <1 hour of DIY (2 person job) and $15 for a bottle of brake fluid.
3. Transmission fluid exchange - $299.95
   1. Not a bad deal. This is a mess to do as a DIY and there is at least $100 in transmission fluid involved.
4. Power steering fluid exchange - $129.95
   1. Also a very easy DIY with just $20 of transmission fluid.
5. Driveline service - $399.95
   1. Not sure what this is - transfer case and differential fluid change? If so that is <$100 in fluid and a couple hours of DIY labor.
6. Full 8 cyl spark plug job - $508.40
   1. Much too high. This is a 30-minute DIY job that requires very few tools.
7. Tear in front axle boot - $377.49
   1. Also kind of high, this is 1 hour of labor and $60 for a Toyota boot kit. This is also not a hard DIY if you have a floor jack and impact wrench.

Thanks as always for the input man! I am going to DIY some of this with a buddy throughout the winter.

Unfortunately I told them to go ahead with the timing belt/water pump/cam/crank seals already. I am on the hunt for a local mechanic shop that knows Toyota/Lexus well. The guy my wife and I normally go to is... okay. But is definitely not great when it comes to getting things done on time, and takes up 20+ minutes of your time just to bull****. I'll start the search for someone good!

 

[CapsFanChris]

Thanks as always for the input man! I am going to DIY some of this with a buddy throughout the winter.

Unfortunately I told them to go ahead with the timing belt/water pump/cam/crank seals already. I am on the hunt for a local mechanic shop that knows Toyota/Lexus well. The guy my wife and I normally go to is... okay. But is definitely not great when it comes to getting things done on time, and takes up 20+ minutes of your time just to bulls***. I'll start the search for someone good!

I have had problems getting anyone to do the timing belt on my GX and $1500-1700 is about typical for belt and water pump so the other parts they changed make it seem reasonable. You didn't mention how many miles were on your GX. If you are well north of 100k, I would think twice about drain/refilll transfluid. Under no circumstances should it be flushed. If there is nothing wrong with your transmission you are inviting problems.
They said your radiator was leaking transmission fluid? Had this issue on a Honda Pilot where the transmission fluid and the coolant were mixing because of a breach in the transmission cooler where it attached to the radiator. Make sure you have a new radiator cap as well. The original oem ones are prone to fail. I think they have since modified the design.
The only other thing I would add is, don't let them try to convince you to replace the CV axle with an aftermarket one. The OEM ones are $500-600 for a reason. Buy the Toyota boot kit. Keep in mind a lot of parts are interchangeable with 4th Gen 4Runners, FJ Cruisers and even GX460's as far as suspension and drive train go. I am looking to buy a used set of front axles and rebuild them with new bolts and rebuild the other ones as a spare or to sell after I swap them out.
Good luck to you. They are incredible machines.

 

[dovetails]

I have had problems getting anyone to do the timing belt on my GX and $1500-1700 is about typical for belt and water pump so the other parts they changed make it seem reasonable. You didn't mention how many miles were on your GX. If you are well north of 100k, I would think twice about drain/refilll transfluid. Under no circumstances should it be flushed. If there is nothing wrong with your transmission you are inviting problems.
They said your radiator was leaking transmission fluid? Had this issue on a Honda Pilot where the transmission fluid and the coolant were mixing because of a breach in the transmission cooler where it attached to the radiator. Make sure you have a new radiator cap as well. The original oem ones are prone to fail. I think they have since modified the design.
The only other thing I would add is, don't let them try to convince you to replace the CV axle with an aftermarket one. The OEM ones are $500-600 for a reason. Buy the Toyota boot kit. Keep in mind a lot of parts are interchangeable with 4th Gen 4Runners, FJ Cruisers and even GX460's as far as suspension and drive train go. I am looking to buy a used set of front axles and rebuild them with new bolts and rebuild the other ones as a spare or to sell after I swap them out.
Good luck to you. They are incredible machines.

Lots of good info here, thanks! The GX has 188k mi. Still young!

I've heard mixed reviews on the transmission fluid change as well. Someone on Reddit said:

"Don’t do a full transmission fluid exchange (flush) on a 470. At their age, do a drain+fill, which gets out about 1/3 of it. The reason is the clutch packs have become accustomed to dirty old fluid."

What would you make of this? After driving the GX for nearly 6hrs straight to get it home, I felt no issues in shifting/downshifting. Never slipped, felt smooth. I have a feeling it was never done.

 

[vipergrhd]

Lots of good info here, thanks! The GX has 188k mi. Still young!

I've heard mixed reviews on the transmission fluid change as well. Someone on Reddit said:

"Don’t do a full transmission fluid exchange (flush) on a 470. At their age, do a drain+fill, which gets out about 1/3 of it. The reason is the clutch packs have become accustomed to dirty old fluid."

What would you make of this? After driving the GX for nearly 6hrs straight to get it home, I felt no issues in shifting/downshifting. Never slipped, felt smooth. I have a feeling it was never done.

Avoid doing any type of flushing specially if machine is involved, just drain and fill the transmission lets say every 30k your transmission is still young by Toyota standards. My 4th gen. 4Runner is pushing 325k with the original engine and drivetrain my only issue is my shift motor seal for my transfer case is leaking I just top it off every few months.

 

[vipergrhd]

Those prices seem pretty high to me overall, but maybe not unreasonable for dealership prices. I'd suggest finding a reputable independent shop that specializes in imports to get a second bid. There are also a lot of those items that you can easily do yourself in a day or two and save a lot of money. Either way I think the prices on some of the maintenance-level items are high and some of the work (cam/crank seals) might be unnecessary.

1. Parking Brake not working (required for NYS inspection). Adjustment - $167.39
   1. You can fix this in a hour or two as a DIY. Requires adjusting the rear brake shoes with a screwdriver.
2. Radiator leaking transmission fluid. Recommended replacing radiator - $745.91
   1. A new radiator is <$200. You need to remove the radiator anyway to do the timing belt, so this should not be $750 if you are doing the belt as well.
3. Timing belt, water pump, cam seal, crank seal, and serp belt - $1,964.93
   1. The T-belt and water pump do need to be done but I would not do the crank or cam seals. Add a bottle of AT-205 in at the next oil change to condition the seals and stop any leaks.
4. Heat climate blower motor worn out/bearing worn out. Replacement. - $499.89
   1. Unsure on this one.
5. Transmission lines to the radiator completed rusted, could leak anytime - $370.25
   1. Seems reasonable.
6. Transfer Case input shaft seal leaking. Replacement - $424.86
   1. I'd also skip this and add a few ounces of AT-205 to the T-case to seal up the leak.

1. Complete fuel/air induction service - $189.95
   1. This is much too high, it's probably a Seafoam treatment. You can easily DIY this for <$20.
2. Brake fluid service - $149.95
   1. Also too high. This is <1 hour of DIY (2 person job) and $15 for a bottle of brake fluid.
3. Transmission fluid exchange - $299.95
   1. Not a bad deal. This is a mess to do as a DIY and there is at least $100 in transmission fluid involved.
4. Power steering fluid exchange - $129.95
   1. Also a very easy DIY with just $20 of transmission fluid.
5. Driveline service - $399.95
   1. Not sure what this is - transfer case and differential fluid change? If so that is <$100 in fluid and a couple hours of DIY labor.
6. Full 8 cyl spark plug job - $508.40
   1. Much too high. This is a 30-minute DIY job that requires very few tools.
7. Tear in front axle boot - $377.49
   1. Also kind of high, this is 1 hour of labor and $60 for a Toyota boot kit. This is also not a hard DIY if you have a floor jack and impact wrench.

Listen to this guy, I agree 99.9% on what he said.

 

[BlackCat]

Those prices seem pretty high to me overall, but maybe not unreasonable for dealership prices. I'd suggest finding a reputable independent shop that specializes in imports to get a second bid. There are also a lot of those items that you can easily do yourself in a day or two and save a lot of money. Either way I think the prices on some of the maintenance-level items are high and some of the work (cam/crank seals) might be unnecessary.

1. Parking Brake not working (required for NYS inspection). Adjustment - $167.39
   1. You can fix this in a hour or two as a DIY. Requires adjusting the rear brake shoes with a screwdriver.
2. Radiator leaking transmission fluid. Recommended replacing radiator - $745.91
   1. A new radiator is <$200. You need to remove the radiator anyway to do the timing belt, so this should not be $750 if you are doing the belt as well.
3. Timing belt, water pump, cam seal, crank seal, and serp belt - $1,964.93
   1. The T-belt and water pump do need to be done but I would not do the crank or cam seals. Add a bottle of AT-205 in at the next oil change to condition the seals and stop any leaks.
4. Heat climate blower motor worn out/bearing worn out. Replacement. - $499.89
   1. Unsure on this one.
5. Transmission lines to the radiator completed rusted, could leak anytime - $370.25
   1. Seems reasonable.
6. Transfer Case input shaft seal leaking. Replacement - $424.86
   1. I'd also skip this and add a few ounces of AT-205 to the T-case to seal up the leak.

1. Complete fuel/air induction service - $189.95
   1. This is much too high, it's probably a Seafoam treatment. You can easily DIY this for <$20.
2. Brake fluid service - $149.95
   1. Also too high. This is <1 hour of DIY (2 person job) and $15 for a bottle of brake fluid.
3. Transmission fluid exchange - $299.95
   1. Not a bad deal. This is a mess to do as a DIY and there is at least $100 in transmission fluid involved.
4. Power steering fluid exchange - $129.95
   1. Also a very easy DIY with just $20 of transmission fluid.
5. Driveline service - $399.95
   1. Not sure what this is - transfer case and differential fluid change? If so that is <$100 in fluid and a couple hours of DIY labor.
6. Full 8 cyl spark plug job - $508.40
   1. Much too high. This is a 30-minute DIY job that requires very few tools.
7. Tear in front axle boot - $377.49
   1. Also kind of high, this is 1 hour of labor and $60 for a Toyota boot kit. This is also not a hard DIY if you have a floor jack and impact wrench.

Theres a lot to unpack here in your very incorrect advice. I'll break it down as the resident toyota tech and OG GX owner, Tacoma owner, and FJ60 owner.

1- Your parking brake diag may be correct but don't forget the vehicle is in NY. Rust is a real contender and can make adjustments very difficult and/or impossible. Your "hour or 2" of time to make the repair should be done for free by a technician? You go to work everyday expecting an exchange of money for labor. How is our job any different? I don't work for free and neither do you.

2- While a new aftermarket radiator is under $200, a factory radiator is not. A dealership does not deal in aftermarket parts. Also the radiator does not need to come out to do a timing belt. Lol.

3- jump on that timing belt price, since on a VVT-i 2UZ the camshafts need to be removed to do the cam seals.

4- Get an aftermarket blower motor on amazon and install it. It's a very easy replacement and only requires a phillips screw driver. It's something a novice can do in their driveway in under 30 min.

5- I agree with replacing.

6- up to you on replacement of the leaking seal depending on how bad the leak is. I would advise strongly against putting any type of stop leak or seal conditioner in your transfer case, or anything for that matter.

fluids at your discretion based on your idea of condition or previous maintenance history. I can tell you that I've done more CV boots on toyotas than most people here probably and have never done one in an hour. So take that for what it's worth. I've had one aftermarket NAPA axle in my highly modified truck for 10 years. It's been offroad in 15 states and I've sailed the truck thru the air on numerous occasions. A good quality aftermarket axle will be fine if you so choose to go that route.


Please don't forget you have to pay a tech for his/her time and experience. I have over $25K worth of tools jammed in a $15k toolbox. While I'm in agreement that a lot of the fluid services and some of the repairs can be done by a novice, it's stupid to think that because they're not considered difficult to do that a labor rate should not apply to them.
Labor times are established by many sources. Most shops in my hood use alldata. For example, lets say a timing belt pays 6hrs on alldata, and thru my years of experience and countless dollars in tools and off site training and ASE certifications, I'm able to finish the job in 4hrs. You're still paying me 6hrs to do it. I would really enjoy seeing someone who says those prices are too high go out to NY in late november and help the OP do the jobs on their back in his garage/driveway.

 

[dovetails]

Theres a lot to unpack here in your very incorrect advice. I'll break it down as the resident toyota tech and GX owner, Tacoma owner, and FJ60 owner.

1- Your parking brake diag may be correct but don't forget the vehicle is in NY. Rust is a real contender and can make adjustments very difficult and/or impossible. Your "hour or 2" of time to make the repair should be done for free by a technician?

2- While a new aftermarket radiator is under $200, a factory radiator is not. A dealership does not deal in aftermarket parts. Also the radiator does not need to come out to do a timing belt. Lol.

3- jump on that timing belt price, since on a VVT-i 2UZ the camshafts need to be removed to do the cam seals.

4- Get an aftermarket blower motor on amazon and install it. It's a very easy replacement and only requires a phillips screw driver. It's something a novice can do in their driveway in under 30 min.

5- I agree with replacing.

6- up to you on replacement of the leaking seal depending on how bad the leak is. I would advise strongly against putting any type of stop leak or seal conditioner in your transfer case, or anything for that matter.

fluids at your discretion based on your idea of condition or previous maintenance history. I can tell you that I've done more CV boots on toyotas than most people here probably and have never done one in an hour. So take that for what it's worth. '


Please don't forget you have to pay a tech for his time and experience. I have over $25K worth of tools jammed in a $15k toolbox. While I'm in agreement that a lot of the fluid services and some of the repairs can be done by a novice, it's stupid to think that because they're not considered difficult to do that a labor rate should not apply to them.
Labor times are established by many sources. Most shops in my hood use alldata. For example, lets say a timing belt pays 6hrs on alldata, and thru my years of experience and countless dollars in tools and off site training and ASE certifications, I'm able to finish the job in 4hrs. You're still paying me 6hrs to do it. I would really enjoy seeing someone who says those prices are too high go out to NY in late november and help the OP do the jobs on their back in his garage/driveway.

This is helpful, I appreciate the insight. @Rednexus has been super helpful to someone like me who is not mechanically-inclined, but I am glad you broke down your take on what I need done. Here's how things went.

1. They added an hour of labor to open it up and fix it. The lines were seized, but they told me it wasn't hard to adjust in order for the inspection to pass.

2. I went with the new OEM radiator swap. My Toyota advisor said it is very possible to do it on my own, but because the transmission lines are also rusted, it made sense to just let the tech do them at the same time, because they needed to top up the transmission fluid anyways. The radiator had a slow leak in my driveway, so I did not want to wait on this, especially with it being November, and already had a 3" snowfall earlier this week.

3. I jumped on that timing belt job as well. Got it all taken care of including cam & crank seals.

4. I wish I did this; looks like it would've saved me money.

5. Replaced as mentioned.

6. Because I don't know much on the vehicles history, I am assuming all seals have the 188k mi. on them like the car. I just replaced.

I still need to replace the CV boot. I am wondering if after removing the boot, the CV Axle itself will just have to be replaced as well. I have been talking/visiting with a local Off Road shop that I just ordered some Black Rhino wheels from. When I plan to do my lift sometime this winter, I will probably just have them replace the boot then. If they find that I need to replace the CV axle as well I will let them do it since they're under the truck/in the wheel well anyways. From reading around, I see that everyone recommends OEM axles, and to not go to a cheaper aftermarket version because they don't last. So i'll just order OEM from Toyota directly.

 

[BlackCat]

This is helpful, I appreciate the insight. @Rednexus has been super helpful to someone like me who is not mechanically-inclined, but I am glad you broke down your take on what I need done. Here's how things went.

1. They added an hour of labor to open it up and fix it. The lines were seized, but they told me it wasn't hard to adjust in order for the inspection to pass.

2. I went with the new OEM radiator swap. My Toyota advisor said it is very possible to do it on my own, but because the transmission lines are also rusted, it made sense to just let the tech do them at the same time, because they needed to top up the transmission fluid anyways. The radiator had a slow leak in my driveway, so I did not want to wait on this, especially with it being November, and already had a 3" snowfall earlier this week.

3. I jumped on that timing belt job as well. Got it all taken care of including cam & crank seals.

4. I wish I did this; looks like it would've saved me money.

5. Replaced as mentioned.

6. Because I don't know much on the vehicles history, I am assuming all seals have the 188k mi. on them like the car. I just replaced.

I still need to replace the CV boot. I am wondering if after removing the boot, the CV Axle itself will just have to be replaced as well. I have been talking/visiting with a local Off Road shop that I just ordered some Black Rhino wheels from. When I plan to do my lift sometime this winter, I will probably just have them replace the boot then. If they find that I need to replace the CV axle as well I will let them do it since they're under the truck/in the wheel well anyways. From reading around, I see that everyone recommends OEM axles, and to not go to a cheaper aftermarket version because they don't last. So i'll just order OEM from Toyota directly.

Good, I'm glad you got the issues taken care of. I made an edit to my post about CV boots. If it's a bad leak and it's been leaking for an unknown time, replace the axle. If its a small leak and the joint still has grease, re-boot it. I've had a NAPA premium axle in mine for 10 years, and my truck is one of the poster trucks for off road adventures across much of the western states. I'd say if I had no other relevant experience other than that it would prove how OK aftermarket axles can be. Yes, I would advise on waiting until its lifted to do the boot because the others are probably going to leak after their angles change with the lift. it's common.

 

[dovetails]

I would advise on waiting until its lifted to do the boot because the others are probably going to leak after their angles change with the lift. it's common.

Great thought - I didn't think of this!

 

[Red470]

Good, I'm glad you got the issues taken care of. I made an edit to my post about CV boots. If it's a bad leak and it's been leaking for an unknown time, replace the axle. If its a small leak and the joint still has grease, re-boot it. I've had a NAPA premium axle in mine for 10 years, and my truck is one of the poster trucks for off road adventures across much of the western states. I'd say if I had no other relevant experience other than that it would prove how OK aftermarket axles can be. Yes, I would advise on waiting until its lifted to do the boot because the others are probably going to leak after their angles change with the lift. it's common.

Hi Black, I already bought a set of oem cv axles waiting on some other stuff to do some front end work all at the same time. I was trying to find on the Napa site which cv axles are the Napa premium ones you referenced. Could you point me to the ones you are referring to?

 

[BlackCat]

Hi Black, I already bought a set of oem cv axles waiting on some other stuff to do some front end work all at the same time. I was trying to find on the Napa site which cv axles are the Napa premium ones you referenced. Could you point me to the ones you are referring to?

I’m sure the brand images have changed over the years. The last time I put a CV or complete axle in my truck was over 10 years ago now.

 

[10sec]

Has the GX lived it's entire life in NY?

EDIT: Never mind, I just saw your other thread you already know it's bit rusty.

 

[dovetails]

Has the GX lived it's entire life in NY?

EDIT: Never mind, I just saw your other thread you already know it's bit rusty.

Lived it's entire life between Alexandria Virgnia, and Baltimore. Pretty much same salty roads as up here in NY.

 

[Rednexus]

Theres a lot to unpack here in your very incorrect advice. I'll break it down as the resident toyota tech and OG GX owner, Tacoma owner, and FJ60 owner.

1- Your parking brake diag may be correct but don't forget the vehicle is in NY. Rust is a real contender and can make adjustments very difficult and/or impossible. Your "hour or 2" of time to make the repair should be done for free by a technician? You go to work everyday expecting an exchange of money for labor. How is our job any different? I don't work for free and neither do you.

2- While a new aftermarket radiator is under $200, a factory radiator is not. A dealership does not deal in aftermarket parts. Also the radiator does not need to come out to do a timing belt. Lol.

3- jump on that timing belt price, since on a VVT-i 2UZ the camshafts need to be removed to do the cam seals.

4- Get an aftermarket blower motor on amazon and install it. It's a very easy replacement and only requires a phillips screw driver. It's something a novice can do in their driveway in under 30 min.

5- I agree with replacing.

6- up to you on replacement of the leaking seal depending on how bad the leak is. I would advise strongly against putting any type of stop leak or seal conditioner in your transfer case, or anything for that matter.

fluids at your discretion based on your idea of condition or previous maintenance history. I can tell you that I've done more CV boots on toyotas than most people here probably and have never done one in an hour. So take that for what it's worth. I've had one aftermarket NAPA axle in my highly modified truck for 10 years. It's been offroad in 15 states and I've sailed the truck thru the air on numerous occasions. A good quality aftermarket axle will be fine if you so choose to go that route.


Please don't forget you have to pay a tech for his/her time and experience. I have over $25K worth of tools jammed in a $15k toolbox. While I'm in agreement that a lot of the fluid services and some of the repairs can be done by a novice, it's stupid to think that because they're not considered difficult to do that a labor rate should not apply to them.
Labor times are established by many sources. Most shops in my hood use alldata. For example, lets say a timing belt pays 6hrs on alldata, and thru my years of experience and countless dollars in tools and off site training and ASE certifications, I'm able to finish the job in 4hrs. You're still paying me 6hrs to do it. I would really enjoy seeing someone who says those prices are too high go out to NY in late november and help the OP do the jobs on their back in his garage/driveway.

My apologizes, I just noticed your post . For the record (as I clearly stated in my post), the time estimates I listed were DIY based on me having actually done them to my GX (which I've now turned many, many bolts on). No one is saying anything should be done for free, but that doesn't change the fact that many dealership service departments do routinely over-charge for simple repairs (as evidenced by over $500 for $80 in spark plugs or nearly $400 for a CV axle - which by the way I can absolutely do in <1 hour per side). Maybe that's the going rate at dealership service departments, but the OP can still shop around for other sources or DIY some of repairs/maintenance items and save hundreds of dollars for a nominal investment in time and tools.

I've personally been gouged by dealer service departments, the worst was inadvertently paying $50/quart and a few hundred in labor for a CVT fluid exchange on a Subaru CVT at the 60K mile service. I wish I had made a post like the OP's prior to heading in and I could have avoided that mess and just DIY'd it. Dealerships are just like any other business, they have some services they make a ton on and others they lose money on or maybe break even - apparently this one makes their money on spark plugs but not timing belts.

Regarding the AT-205, prior to dismissing it as a snake oil, I'd highly suggest look into it. It's a seal plasticizer and does a great job, it dried up the rear main leak on my 2UZ-FE. Being that it's $20 a bottle I'd absolutely try it before putting in cam seals or transfer case seals.

 

[BlackCat]

My apologizes, I just noticed your post . For the record (as I clearly stated in my post), the time estimates I listed were DIY based on me having actually done them to my GX (which I've now turned many, many bolts on). No one is saying anything should be done for free, but that doesn't change the fact that many dealership service departments do routinely over-charge for simple repairs (as evidenced by over $500 for $80 in spark plugs or nearly $400 for a CV axle - which by the way I can absolutely do in <1 hour per side). Maybe that's the going rate at dealership service departments, but the OP can still shop around for other sources or DIY some of repairs/maintenance items and save hundreds of dollars for a nominal investment in time and tools.

I've personally been gouged by dealer service departments, the worst was inadvertently paying $50/quart and a few hundred in labor for a CVT fluid exchange on a Subaru CVT at the 60K mile service. I wish I had made a post like the OP's prior to heading in and I could have avoided that mess and just DIY'd it. Dealerships are just like any other business, they have some services they make a ton on and others they lose money on or maybe break even - apparently this one makes their money on spark plugs but not timing belts.

Regarding the AT-205, prior to dismissing it as a snake oil, I'd highly suggest look into it. It's a seal plasticizer and does a great job, it dried up the rear main leak on my 2UZ-FE. Being that it's $20 a bottle I'd absolutely try it before putting in cam seals or transfer case seals.

Yes, you’re referring to what most dealers have gone to now-a-days, and that’s the parts and service pricing matrix.
I don’t particularly agree with it but my name isn’t on the building so I just deal with it.
I’ve been in the business a long time and I’ve never worked at a store that would refuse to install your own purchased parts. So if you want to find some OEM Toyota parts at wholesale pricing and then bring them in and just pay labor, I would certainly do that. I would also advise someone to ask about paying a flat labor rate vs a matrix rate and that you’re only willing to pay the labor time that whatever repair time publication they use says the job should pay. You have to be your own advocate.

Being a tech is hard work. Everyone thinks we make money hand over fist, but the truth is for every week we do well, there’s probably 2 weeks we get hosed.

Perfect example- this week was a 4 day week and I booked 40hrs. That’s great! I averaged 10hrs a day for an 8hr work day. The previous week I had to put an Audi motor in a Q5 that another tech was kind enough to take out and promptly quit. It took me 3 full days to figure that cluster out and get the car back to the customer. So 8x3 is 24hrs, I got paid 13hrs for it. While that’s not the customers fault, realize that the system is flawed and we’re typically just doing our best to keep our heads above water and make a living.

 

[Rednexus]

Yes, you’re referring to what most dealers have gone to now-a-days, and that’s the parts and service pricing matrix.
I don’t particularly agree with it but my name isn’t on the building so I just deal with it.
I’ve been in the business a long time and I’ve never worked at a store that would refuse to install your own purchased parts. So if you want to find some OEM Toyota parts at wholesale pricing and then bring them in and just pay labor, I would certainly do that. I would also advise someone to ask about paying a flat labor rate vs a matrix rate and that you’re only willing to pay the labor time that whatever repair time publication they use says the job should pay. You have to be your own advocate.

Being a tech is hard work. Everyone thinks we make money hand over fist, but the truth is for every week we do well, there’s probably 2 weeks we get hosed.

Perfect example- this week was a 4 day week and I booked 40hrs. That’s great! I averaged 10hrs a day for an 8hr work day. The previous week I had to put an Audi motor in a Q5 that another tech was kind enough to take out and promptly quit. It took me 3 full days to figure that cluster out and get the car back to the customer. So 8x3 is 24hrs, I got paid 13hrs for it. While that’s not the customers fault, realize that the system is flawed and we’re typically just doing our best to keep our heads above water and make a living.

I have no qualms with the techs themselves, like any business if the management is greedy, they'll exploit the employees actually doing the work while simultaneously gouging the customers, laughing all of the way back to the bank. Good management on the other hand will treat both the employees and customers well (without gouging) and build trust from both sides. I currently work for a company that is the latter, in the past I worked for a company that was the former (and left over it).

Techs are unique because you guys are often insulated from the customer and have to work through the service manager. In my line of business (I'm a consulting engineer), I often get to work directly with the client and build that level of trust instead of going through someone else. Talking to someone else who isn't doing the work puts the customer in an even worse spot for understanding things. It also seems like end up workings for free if something takes too long or if you don't have jobs to work on, which is also kind of unique as opposed to being paid an hourly on-site rate and getting paid more than others if you're more efficient.

Personally, I avoid the whole fiasco and just wrench myself. I've done that for all of my vehicles for the past 20+ years. It started out as half/hobby half necessity as a money-strapped high school and then college student, then warped into a hobby as I got slowly better and better at it while my income increased and need to DIY it to save money decreased. Right now I have north of $20K in parts alone in my GX, meaning I've probably saved $10-15K in labor over paying a shop to maintain/repair/upgrade it. At this point in my life it's creative/hands-on outlet from my computer-based job. I also help others - including still maintaining a old Forester I sold to my neighbor and helping my buddy do a TB/fluid baseline and later a lift/full suspension refresh on his Tundra.

 

[Colorado T]

If anyone has the leaking transfer case actuator leak, don't be afraid to do it yourself. I did mine in less than 30 minutes using timmy the toolman's video method.
Unplug the vent hose. unplug the electrical connector. unscrew the cover being careful to not let anything fall out. Make reference marks with a paint pen on all the gears as you take them out one at a time. Some of the first gears don"t matter but better to mark them unnecessarily than not. Once the gears are removed unbolt the actuator from the case the actuator body will slide off the shaft. Replace the oil seal and the o-ring and carefully slide the case back on. Bolt it up and put the gears back according to your match marks. I had no trouble holding the gears in with one finger while I replaced the actuator cover. Screws,vent hose, connector, no more mess in my driveway! The pull and twist method is not the way.