2001 GMC Yukon small oil leak that I got checked

[Ella ramaley]

My yukon has started leaking some drops when parked. I took it to a mechanic to get checked. I was told oil pan gasket 551.00, front diff seal 549.00, and rear main 1006.00. They would take off 200 -300 if I had all done at once.
Is this a decent price for the work? Do I need to have this work done soon for any reason? I plan on using this truck to pull a small camper 2000lb. this summer.
The truck has 130,000 miles on it.

 

[OR VietVet]

I would first get a second opinion unless this is a shop you used before and trust them. The leaks you listed are common. The rear main and oil pan gasket work can overlap and that is why the labor could be discounted if done at same time. The front diff can leak in at least 4 places and would be best to know where the leak is to compare the estimate. I would want for you to post up what the breakdown is as to what cost is what. What are the price of all parts and the parts that will be used and who makes them.

If I have not said it before, welcome to the forum from Oregon.

 

[Fless]

If you do have the oil pan gasket done, have them change the O-ring in the oil pump pickup tube. Not knowing what the mileage is on your truck, that O-ring is likely original equipment and deteriorates over time, causing oil pressure issues.

 

[OR VietVet]

If you do have the oil pan gasket done, have them change the O-ring in the oil pump pickup tube. Not knowing what the mileage is on your truck, that O-ring is likely original equipment and deteriorates over time, causing oil pressure issues.

Good call on replacing the o-ring. I just did the rear main seal and the oil pan gasket on mine and also did the o-ring with a brand new pickup tube. I meant to mention that but age got in the way.


Plus, it would help to know where the OP is to have a guess on labor charges.

 

[Ella ramaley]

I live in Layton Utah area. 130,000 miles on the truck.

 

[OR VietVet]

Low mileage and I am assuming the auto repair shops labor rate is likely in the $80-$100 an hour area. The prices don't seem too high, especially since they said would credit back for overlap labor. I still would want to know who makes the parts they will use. There is crap and there is quality. Crap means you will likely be back in there soon to RE-FIX. If you really like the rig, I would fix. The oil leaks should not cause a towing problem as long as you keep the oil level checked and add as needed. Same on the diff fluid leak. You can do the repairs in steps as well.

Again, I would still get a second opinion based on what I stated earlier. Get a breakdown on what amount is parts, what is labor and the makers of the parts.

 

[blueinkd]

I just paid $400 to have my rear main seal replaced. Shop around. There are smaller reputable shops who can do a quality repair as well. I supplied my own parts.

 

[Rocket Man]

Those prices are real high imo, even with that “discount ”. Get prices from several shops.

 

[fasteddy]

That's a terrible price.
$2100 for seals? LOL
But I know they need to be done......The rubber seals all go bad....after 15+ years.
But $2100 is a total rip off.

Geez
It would be cheaper to pull the engine and do it while its out.
And front engine seals go bad too alot. That should be replaced.



I did my rear seal when the transmission was out getting rebuilt....so $35 for parts.
All the labor cost is pulling the trans.

At 130K miles you're gonna to need a trans rebuild too if you're gonna tow a trailer.... and a cooler.
So ITS CHEAPER to find a trans guy and have them rebuild the trans and replace the rear seals while its out.
2 birds and all.

Also the oil pressure sensor is prone to leaks too. Replace that as well when the trans comes out.
Its at the back of the engine so easy to get to when the trans it out. Cam Sensor is there too.

 

[Ella ramaley]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I will try and get more estimates. Mechanics seemed to awfully busy here though.

 

[blueinkd]

They might be busy. Everyone is right now with people catching up on repairs they have been waiting to resolve due to insufficient funds. 100% in agreement with those estimates are high. Shop around and if nothing else, see if you can prolong the repair. Use a drip pan to keep it off your floor and regular oil level checks should be practiced. Mine leaked almost a year until I got it fixed

 

[OR VietVet]

Some may disagree with me but if the shop is very busy that usually indicates a shop with a good reputation. That can also mean they charge more than other shops. Quality costs. I ran shops so I know how all expenses get rolled in to fees for work. Sometimes people will say too much for a repair simply because they do not have the money for the repair unless it is half the stated price. Shops charging a price is what they think their work is worth, especially if they have a good warranty. A repair job is not too expensive just because someone cannot afford the quote. It does not mean it isn't over-priced either. Multiple estimates and compare apples to apples.

 

[latvius]

When you have the rear main done buy one of these and have them replace the plastic barbell. I have no idea how long that plastic barbell will last could be 60 years or 6 days after you put the trans back in. For $27 it's worth buying a piece of mind.

https://www.saccitycorvette.com/Billet-BarBell.html

 

[Rocket Man]

When you have the rear main done buy one of these and have them replace the plastic barbell. I have no idea how long that plastic barbell will last could be 60 years or 6 days after you put the trans back in. For $27 it's worth buying a piece of mind.

https://www.saccitycorvette.com/Billet-BarBell.html

Great idea. I didn’t replace mine and wish I would have.

 

[SUMTOY2]

My yukon has started leaking some drops when parked. I took it to a mechanic to get checked. I was told oil pan gasket 551.00, front diff seal 549.00, and rear main 1006.00. They would take off 200 -300 if I had all done at once.
Is this a decent price for the work? Do I need to have this work done soon for any reason? I plan on using this truck to pull a small camper 2000lb. this summer.
The truck has 130,000 miles on it.

I would get a second opinion and find out what exactly is leaking. I just had my avalanche done with a new rear main seal and was advised to do the oil pan gasket. My mechanic is an ex dealer mechanic and is highly trained and recommended. He did the rear main and pan for 700. The rear main alone is 10 to 11 hours for 4x4. Get underneath with a flashlight and inspect it. Also feel behind your valve covers to see if there's any oil there, they are notorious for leaking.

 

[Larryjb]

Having done the rear main on mine and know the work involved, I would be leery of anyone charging $400 for the rear main.

How careful will they be removing all the electrical connectors?
Will they clean gasket surfaces properly before installing the new gaskets?
4WD will be more expensive, BTW.
Will they replace the rear cover gasket as well? (probably a more common leak than the rear main seal)

A good tech will be worth more than $80/hr. In fact, that is probably a low number. That means the tech is completing the job in 5 hours. I suppose an experienced tech could do the job in 5 hours, but I suspect $80/hr is a low rate these days.

 

[JonnyTahoe]

Having done the rear main on mine and know the work involved, I would be leery of anyone charging $400 for the rear main.

How careful will they be removing all the electrical connectors?
Will they clean gasket surfaces properly before installing the new gaskets?
4WD will be more expensive, BTW.
Will they replace the rear cover gasket as well? (probably a more common leak than the rear main seal)

A good tech will be worth more than $80/hr. In fact, that is probably a low number. That means the tech is completing the job in 5 hours. I suppose an experienced tech could do the job in 5 hours, but I suspect $80/h Time is money. The quicker they can finish the job the better. If it starts to leak again are they going to warrantee it or just keep making up excuses why its not their fault.

 

[WickedGoat]

I just got done repairing some oil leaks on my 2004 Yukon 4x4, with the oil pan gasket being the last of the repairs being done last night.

I can tell you right now that I replaced the valve cover gaskets and the oil pressure switch first and that solved a lot of the leakage. You can see trails of oil all around the cylinder heads that will eventually leak down to the bottom of the engine. The oil pressure switch, which sits st the back of the intake, will leak down the back of the engine, imitating a rear main seal leak.

I have changed the oil myself on the truck since 2009 when I bought it so I noticed when leakage was appearing around the oil pan. So I decided it was time to fix all of this crap. 196,000 miles on it and no plans to get rid of it, so I ordered everything from Rock Auto. I even ordered a Dorman rear main seal kit and installation tool, but I don't need them now. When you pull the oil pan down, you can see the back of the flex plate and the immediate rear main seal area. Mine was pretty dry, so I am confident the valve covers, the oil pressure switch and the oil pan were the culprits.

So to sum up this novel I wrote... get a second opinion for sure. If you can spin your own wrenches, do this stuff yourself. It is not hard, just time consuming. You need to clean mating surfaces and you can replace other stuff while you are in there. Rock Auto has the best prices for this stuff. The only thing I bought locally was a new drain plug, just because, the oil pump pick up tube seal, which I read about after I placed my order with Rock Auto, 4 cans of brake cleaner and oil and a filter. I did the oil pan gasket last night and all I have left to do is spray some engine degreaser on the bottom end and hit the car wash. I sprayed a whole can of brake cleaner on it and let it run last night for 20 minutes and there were no leaks.