I have a 1998 Durango and it has just started overheating in the last 3 days! At first it was overheating and then it cooled down and in the last 2 days it is consistently overheating. I had my friend look at it who is a mechanic at a local shop here and he says that I have a blockage and the radiator needs flushed, my water pump is leaking and needs replaced as well as my thermostat needs replaced.

All this is fine, but when I call around on the parts needed it doesn't come up to $100 but I am being told that for parts alone is $300....

Can someone tell me what all is needed for the parts alone to cost $300 and then I have the price of labor!!

Can someone please help me???

:icon _confused::icon_conf used:

 

keep in mind that most shops (all that i know of) mark up parts (yes 200% is rediculous IMO) but i come up with

water pump - $70
pump gasket - $2
thermostat - $9
stat gasket - $2 (couldnt find this quickly enough so i guessed)
Coolant - $8 x 4 gallons (manual says 14.6 quarts, but it comes in complete gallons)
TOTAL - $115

id expect about 20% markup so id find a new shop if i were you

(20% markup = 138 so you should be charged no more than 150 for parts by my math)

unless he is also trying to change out hoses on you, or is charging you for a flush kit (not that he should need one IMO)

 

Thermostat - $8 - $15 at autozone

Thermostat gasket - $1.50 at autozone

Water pump - $50 - $80 at autozone

Water pump gasket - $2.50 at autozone

Total minus the flush needed - Cheapest - 62.00 plus tax if needed.

At the highest - 100.00 plus tax if needed.

Now it can get higher if you go for performance parts. These prices are OEM parts. Note this is minus the stuff needed to do a flush. Add another $20.00 roughly and you can get the flush kit hardware and chemicals needed. Takes about a half day or less if you do this at home with the water hose.

This was for a 5.2L and I am not sure what size engine you have there. So you friend is on par.

EDIT: Opps forgot the price of coolent but it has been given to you.

 

Ya but there is a 100% mark up on parts!

So if $100 bucks Times 2 is $200 bucks then install hours of at least 2 @ $80 bucks = $360+tax. If the guy is asking $300 then it's a good enough deal for that amount of work. Could ya do it cheaper, well hell yes you can but do you have the tools and know how?

 

hydra, read more carefully, the mechanic wants to charge him 300 JUST FOR PARTS, assuming he relayed the accurately, this mechanic is out to screw him

 

Ask him if u can bring him the parts. Also he's probably going to have the radiator removed and cleaned professionally. I'd do that over a flush. Many rad shops will do it for $50, rad in hand. Obviously more if u take it in. If I were u I'd take my cooling issues to a rad shop and see what they charge.

 

Definitely a screw job about to happen if you move forward with this guy. Find someone else and tell them what the this "scamechanic" was going to charge you and if you have found an honest mechanic he will gladly to the job for the right price.

I can also tell you that the diagnosis sounds right to me as I have a similar D with the same problem of overheating and fixed it with new waterpump(always get new never remanufactured pump..right Hydra..) new 180 degree thermostat and reverse flush with fresh coolant.
My mistake and regret was when I did the waterpump I did not replace the thermal clutch as you have to take itout anyway to change the pump and radiator cap and the overheating continued. In fear of a blown headgasket I pressure tested and found the system to hold pressure fine but the cap to be bad so I replaced that. It got much better but at idle w/ A/C on Max it would still overheat and I realized at 170 degrees or so the fan was not roaring like it should. So I had to break that big stupid nut on the clutch again and change the thermal clutch on the fan. Now she's cool as a cucumber and the A/C colder than it's ever been.

Whoa!! sorry for the long post...if you are having the pump done change your thermal clutch on the fan as well while it is out as mine seemed to test okay but was not and cost me extra labor of fighting with it installed on the engine.
HTH and good luck. Don't forget to keep us updated!!

 

Good tip.

Hopefully she will log back on with an update.

 

LOL

No, I only do brand new and never rebuilds. I have had WAY too many issues with rebuilds!

Then again I think you meant that with a lil sarcasm.....LOL.....