valve cover gaskets are leaking

[D_Train]

I brought my car in to get a checkup and they told me

valve cover gaskets are leaking
$348.63 to fix.

What are they, is that too much to pay, can i do it myself, what risks do i run right now?

In addition they tell me that soon my drive belts will need replacing. Again, can I do that myself, what risks do i run, what parts will i need, etc.

$150 for them to do it.

[dcrusupra]

Thats a lot of money to fix valve cover gaskets.

Get these, call toyota and get the valve cover gaskets and do that yourself. It's not hard. Just remember where all the vacuum hoses go.

The belts arent that hard either. Just get the correct sizes and replace them. Everything should be around $150 if you do it yourself. Belts are probably gonna be $25-30 (3 of them) each, i think the gaskets are $20 each, and those bolts are $32.

[D_Train]

Originally Posted by dcrusupra

Thats a lot of money to fix valve cover gaskets.

Get these, call toyota and get the valve cover gaskets and do that yourself. It's not hard. Just remember where all the vacuum hoses go.

The belts arent that hard either. Just get the correct sizes and replace them. Everything should be around $150 if you do it yourself. Belts are probably gonna be $25-30 (3 of them) each, i think the gaskets are $20 each, and those bolts are $32.

Now keep in mind i've never done anything like this before. I have changed oil and spark plugs and flushed the radiator and changed lightbulbs, but no engine work like this. If I have the supra manual and some elbow grease I should be able to do it? I don't need another person or anything?

Any word on the risks I run right now?

[dcrusupra]

Well if you've changed the spark plugs, that means you've taken off part of the intake. Its not hard getting the valve covers off. Just do the same like you were going to change the spark plugs. There are 6 screws that hold each valve cover on. Not much room to screw anything up until you start putting things back on and forget where things go. But there are millions of pictures out there of these engines.

The belts are pretty straight forward also. Theres one that goes around the power steering pump and crank pulley. One that goes around the a/c compressor and crank pulley. And one that goes around the alternator, fan, and crank pulley. Which ever one you need to replace, just loosen either the a/c compressor, power steering pump, or the alternator. Problem is they are in a line. I don't remember the order of them but it would be best to replace them all. Again, you wont have any trouble unless you don't remember which belt goes where on the crank pulley. But you'll get it because they wont fit right if one is in the wrong place.

[twerb089]

lucky for me i only got one belt

be sure to clean the surface where the valve cover goes on the head. can used a razor blade or something of that nature. just try not to get any of the old shit in the valve train.

its not that hard. and +1 to remembering where vacuum lines go

[D_Train]

I'll try to see if I can get a friend to help me. If anyone knows the order of the belts let me know. But just to make doubly sure i'm not biting off more than I can chew?

and Actually i feel like such a nubbie that if anyone could post a list of parts that I would need for the repair that would be AMAZING. I hope that my requests aren't ludacris, i don't mean to be a weenie.