I recently bought a 91 Camry 4 cylinder with 87,000 miles for $3300. I immediately paid a local mechanic $500 to replace the radiator and bunch of belts (timing belt?). the mechaninc said i needed a new power steering pump for $200 installed but that i could also keep an eye on fluid level and replace fluid rather than the pump. I now have problems with it stalling at stoplights so i took it to the Toyota dealer. Dealer says i need:
1. plugs and wires to prevent stalling-$250;
2. throttle body and EFI service-$125;
3. power steering pump replaced-$582;
4. rack and pinion- $740;
5. left side axle boot-$265;
6. valve cover-$100;
7. distributor o ring-$85.
Mechanic at dealership offered to give me $500 for car.
Are any of these life-threatening safety issues?
Which repairs will make the car quit stalling?
Are there any cheaper fixes?
HELP!!!!

Get another opinion from a mechanic you trust. Then you can balance these two opinions. I doubt you need everything the dealer is recommending you fix. Particularly, the pack and pinion, the power steering pump (as you already said), and the valve cover (gasket, I suppose). Are you leaking oil?

I recently bought a 91 Camry 4 cylinder with 87,000 miles for $3300. I immediately paid a local mechanic $500 to replace the radiator and bunch of belts (timing belt?). the mechaninc said i needed a new power steering pump for $200 installed but that i could also keep an eye on fluid level and replace fluid rather than the pump. I now have problems with it stalling at stoplights so i took it to the Toyota dealer. Dealer says i need:
1. plugs and wires to prevent stalling-$250;
2. throttle body and EFI service-$125;
3. power steering pump replaced-$582;
4. rack and pinion- $740;
5. left side axle boot-$265;
6. valve cover-$100;
7. distributor o ring-$85.
Mechanic at dealership offered to give me $500 for car.
Are any of these life-threatening safety issues?
Which repairs will make the car quit stalling?
Are there any cheaper fixes?
HELP!!!!



I am not a mechanic, but I wouldn't trust anybody at a dealership ever. I don't know why anybody goes to a dealership unless they have a warranty even then they will look for some way to screw you. Find somebody else.

$250 to install plugs and wires? Wires are $80(includes distributor cap) from dealer, plugs are little over $1 each. Labor shouldn't be more than 1/2 hour.

in my opinion the distributor cap, spark plugs and spark wires to install is one the easiest jobs to
do. Specially 4 cylinders easy to reach, I
have installed my 91 camry the whole shot
in half hour. Autozone should sell you the
entire staff quality wise pretty close to dealer.
Get the wells brand from autozone.

Several years ago my '90 Camry was leaking power steering fluid, so I had the dealer check it out (along with some other things). He said I needed a new power steering pump for about $700. Meanwhile, I took the car to my regular mechanic, who said I had a leak in a hose. Fixed it for under $100.

By the way, if I recall, the power steering unit takes transmission fluid. Am I right?

The High Pressure hose that goes to the pump sometimes springs a small leak.... Mine did & it was inside the heavy foam wrap, doesn't take much on this hose... I didn't fix it in time, ran it out of fluid & took out the power steering rack seals..... What a job that was....

chapol,
yes, steering unit takes trans fluid,
should be written on the unit cap.