$1700 is what I was quoted by my local independent mechanic. What’s everyone else paid recently? Also $1000 for an exhaust manifold leak.
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What did you pay for your valley plate coolant leak? (7 Viewers)
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TLC2013
SILVER Star
In 2022 it was around $1500 parts and labor at an independent toyota shop. Prices flucuate wildy for this repair. I had seen as high as $3,000 at a dealership. I am in CA so labor rates are even more expensive, $200+ an hour these days.
About $1,700 on my LS460 at indy shop. The 4.6 and 5.7 had the same issue.
$1400 at my local dealer out the door
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I finally got a hold of a dealer who knew what I was talking about. $1100, MUCH better than $1700.
Congratulations !
Along $1600 all the way up to $2800 around H-town.
Glad you found a good reasonable place .
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Me too. It’s something I’d usually do myself, but my back is getting too bad to do a lot these days. Sucks bc I’m only in my 30s!Congratulations !
Along $1600 all the way up to $2800 around H-town.
Glad you found a good reasonable place .
Is this common on all 5.7s or just certain model years?
Mine was in October 2023 IIRCMaybe important to note when ? I think yours was done along days. ?
It’s common on the Tundra’s for sure. Moderately common on the LCs. I think more people will see it at higher mileages. Radiators are more common at lower mileages though. If you need to add coolant for no reason it’s typically either this or the water pump.
That's true, generally speaking...
. However, it appears some have it not too long into mileage. The Care Car Nut explains it very well with the video. Also, my mechanic here says it is a fix that's not terrible and after all , those engines are basically indestructible... His words not mine. 
That's true. But I have always wondered if it is a biased result. Allow me ...
1. There are more Tundras with this engine than LC200's. So , statistically, it makes sense that there are more Tundra reported cases.
2. Because the Tundra is an actual TRUCK, I imagine it is used for more towing vs our LCs, and as such, the engine is subjected to more and longer stress hence making more cycles of hot/cold and even probably hotter than ours, which would course the seals / junctions to fail more / quicker.
I am totally making this up ... But have always thought it might be that.
As the Care Car Nut explains, the area where the sealant is applied is thinner / smaller than what one would want and could be the cause of the failure... And for me, more stresses, hotter condition with more hot/cool cycles, would help to deteriorate the junctions of these seals.
My mechanic also said that they are common but the problem is that because they cost money, people tend to not fix them in time and keep adding coolant.
1. There are more Tundras with this engine than LC200's. So , statistically, it makes sense that there are more Tundra reported cases.
2. Because the Tundra is an actual TRUCK, I imagine it is used for more towing vs our LCs, and as such, the engine is subjected to more and longer stress hence making more cycles of hot/cold and even probably hotter than ours, which would course the seals / junctions to fail more / quicker.
I am totally making this up ... But have always thought it might be that.
As the Care Car Nut explains, the area where the sealant is applied is thinner / smaller than what one would want and could be the cause of the failure... And for me, more stresses, hotter condition with more hot/cool cycles, would help to deteriorate the junctions of these seals.
My mechanic also said that they are common but the problem is that because they cost money, people tend to not fix them in time and keep adding coolant.
Not sure it’s specific to towing. Could just as likely happen to people who have more frequent heat-up, cool-down cycles where the metal expands and then contracts, slowly pulling away from the sealant.That's true. But I have always wondered if it is a biased result. Allow me ...
1. There are more Tundras with this engine than LC200's. So , statistically, it makes sense that there are more Tundra reported cases.
2. Because the Tundra is an actual TRUCK, I imagine it is used for more towing vs our LCs, and as such, the engine is subjected to more and longer stress hence making more cycles of hot/cold and even probably hotter than ours, which would course the seals / junctions to fail more / quicker.
I am totally making this up ... But have always thought it might be that.
As the Care Car Nut explains, the area where the sealant is applied is thinner / smaller than what one would want and could be the cause of the failure... And for me, more stresses, hotter condition with more hot/cool cycles, would help to deteriorate the junctions of these seals.
My mechanic also said that they are common but the problem is that because they cost money, people tend to not fix them in time and keep adding coolant.
It’s a $50 fix but the labor sucks. I think that’s my biggest gripe with our LCs, so many repairs are 8+ hours of labor
At least many are fix it once and be done, and most can be DIY type of project without specialty tools. Could be way worse on a $100k luxury SUV.
Still much better than a German car. On my M car spark plugs was an $800 job. PCV valve $2600. Oil filter housing gasket (50 cent part) was over $3k with labor. Half the engine bay has to come out to access basically anything.
Plus like Supra said it helps a lot that most jobs on these trucks can easily be DIY’d.
I can attest on this. One of my E46's M3's had a "killer" situation that I really gave up on it. I sold it full disclosure and the day of teh sale, guess what? It started no issiues ! Hahahah...Ce la vie !
Have you used The Car Care Nut? If so, what is your feedback? Seems like a pretty descent mechanic and shop based on his YouTube videos.
