The money pit

[djsroknrol]

The other day, I finally got the disbelief out of my head that I finally have my vette. Over last weekend, I drove it back and forth to work and picked up my daughters at school on Friday (the wow factor is a plus for students being picked up in it), and then decided to get to work on my punchlist on Monday.

Well, I took the vette with all the parts to my mechanic, who is a Hi-performance specialist. On the way, the oil pressure dropped to nothing...zero, red light, the whole nine yards. Oddly enough, there was no odd noises from the engine, which made me think that it was only a sending unit problem.

Yesterday, I got a call from the mechanic saying that he wanted to show me the oil sample he took. The oil looked like someone poured silver paint in it. According to the mechanic, the crank bearings went south and the silver color was fine bearing shavings.

Thank goodness I'm not paying for it...my son had the intake gasket redone along with an oil change in Las Vegas before he brought the car down...we all concur that they botched the work in Vegas and they're footing the repair bill.

The bummer is that I only drove it 3 days and now it's in the shop for 3 weeks. I wondered if a short block might be the better way to go...so what do you all think?

 

[hotmtrsports]

I would think the only people that can decide that are the ones paying the bill!

Chuck M

 

[Jeb]

I agree with the above...whoever is paying the bill should be allowed to determine how they will bring the engine back to the condition it was prior to their involvement as long as their decision is based upon a legitimate process of determination.

If economics determine for the party paying the bill that using a "new" short-block is the way to go, then that's what they'll probably do. If they determine that repairing the existing engine makes more sense, then that's what they probably will pay for. Anything over and above what they determine is the best way to return the engine to the way it was prior to their involvement would be on you (as long as their decision is legit).

You might be able to cut a deal with them to pay a certain amount and then you could pay whatever else is required to bring the engine up to whatever level you wish.

 

[djsroknrol]

I believe you guys are right...but I'm fuming over the whole thing and the kids feel so bad about what happened. The only thing I can do is wait to hear from the shop in Vegas as to how they're going to proceed.

 

[hotmtrsports]

I would be fit to be tied myself.

I would also be very hesitant to have the work done by them...if they botched up a simple intake gasket and oil change????? Also, if the main bearings went, what about the rod bearings or the camshaft bearings, the oil pump, etc etc. Maybe the cheapest way for them will in fact be a short block!

What did they put in there, kerosene instead of engine oil? Did they put any oil in it? This would be so embarrasing to a shop. Maybe you can get your short block if you promise to shut your mouth about the name of this place

I'm getting pissed just thinking if this were done to my car

Chuck M

 

[djsroknrol]

I would be fit to be tied myself.

I would also be very hesitant to have the work done by them...if they botched up a simple intake gasket and oil change?????

What did they put in there, kerosene instead of engine oil?

Chuck M

No...they will never have any work from me or anyone else that I know again...besides, that work was done in Las Vegas and the car is in Arizona. My son is working it out with them in Vegas and they're supposed to be paying for the repairs here.

As for the business name...well, when I lived in Vegas, they had the worst reputation to begin with. When my son told me where he took it, I thought that it had been so long, maybe things had improved....I guess a leopard never changes its spots. The shop in Vegas has been cooperative so far....so, we'll see how it plays out.

 

[hotmtrsports]

That's great.

Nice to here that.

Hope it continues to go smoothly.

AND QUICKLY!!!

Chuck M

 

[G Winter]

Most shops have insurance for major problems like this. A lot will depend on that. The insurance company will have the last word if they are involved.

Glenn

 

[93Rubie]

Beware, they could ship a junk yard engine to be installed in your car. Aftermarket warranty companies do it all the time.

 

[boomdriver]

Beware, they could ship a junk yard engine to be installed in your car. Aftermarket warranty companies do it all the time.

I've heard of that...

The arguement is "it was a used engine and thats what you are getting".

I have been burned by automotive warranty / ins before. They will claim neglect,. abuse, everything they can, in order to justify paying as little as possible or not at all...

They are the most chicken s*** people in the auto industry. Scam artist. Shops buy thier blanket coverage, and people buy these extended warrantys that are as worthless as the paper its written on.

Be sure to call your states Bureau of automotive repair. Just about every state has a dept that monitors auto repair and helps with these situations. They also list poor shops and rate the best....ex: Gold Star repair facilitys..etc

Good Luck to the OP. It's a rotten situation to be dealing with but I'm sure it will work out somehow. Who knows....you could come out with some of your list taken care of...

 

[djsroknrol]

Here's an update:

The mechanic showed me a small sample of the oil....it looks like some swirled in some silver paint in it and the oil doesn't even look like it was changed (only 500 miles since the oil was changed). Still waiting to hear news from the shop in Vegas.

 

[boomdriver]

Here's an update:

The mechanic showed me a small sample of the oil....it looks like some swirled in some silver paint in it and the oil doesn't even look like it was changed (only 500 miles since the oil was changed). Still waiting to hear news from the shop in Vegas.

For your OWN PROTECTION...

go get a sample of that oil and find a lab that does oil analysis and DOCUMENT this.

500 miles? the oil would be near clear, transparent IF it were changed and not contaminated with something. Bearings are made of different materials, not steel. They're coated. When one self destructs, or gets ground to pieces, it can show up like silver paint in the oil.The crankshaft must be ugly...

The cost of an analysis is'nt very much.

Call a dealership or a performance shop and ask them where to get it done. There are kits at some auto parts that have a sample cup (you've seen them before) that you fill and mail in.
It very well could save you in this deal...its science that can tell you exactly what went wrong and why. Fleets use this to plan downtime or budget for repairs because when oil is studied in a running engine it tells you what parts are wearing, how much, predicts failure and points a finger at the cause.

In this case, it will tell if that shop added the wrong oil, or something else. They may have put trans fluid in there....thats why you need the analysis, to get definate answers and to have some ammunition in case this turns into a fight. This shop could easily step away because it is not there, and then what do you do? A lawyer would be the only recourse.

 

[Jeb]

If you get a sample...make sure you can prove where the sample came from. If you can't, it's worthless.

 

[aklim]

I'm confused so somebody help me out here. How do you botch an intake gasket and oil change and have it affect the bearings?

 

[djsroknrol]

From what the mechanic explained to me, if the valley isn't covered and they use a Rolox(?) to remove the 3 part gasket prior to installing the new gasket, then shavings can enter the engine and sandpaper the bearings to death.

Someone jump in and expound or correct if necessary....

And on a sour note, my new plates showed up today, and I'm really bummed about having them and not being able to put them on...

 

[aklim]

From what the mechanic explained to me, if the valley isn't covered and they use a Rolox(?) to remove the 3 part gasket prior to installing the new gasket, then shavings can enter the engine and sandpaper the bearings to death.

Someone jump in and expound or correct if necessary....

And on a sour note, my new plates showed up today, and I'm really bummed about having them and not being able to put them on...

View attachment 1400

Not sure what Rolox is but I have used a scrapper blade to get the gaskets off. Obviously, if you simply spray stuff when the intake is off, that could be a problem. Without knowing what Rolox is, it would be hard to say what could have gone into the holes and the oil supply.

 

[djsroknrol]

I think I meant more like a 3M Hookit disc on an air tool....anything like that should be scraped off instead of being ground off....

 

[aklim]

I think I meant more like a 3M Hookit disc on an air tool....anything like that should be scraped off instead of being ground off....

Still, I wonder if there is that much material that will screw up the bearings.

 

[93Rubie]

Roloc Discs made by 3M are great when used correctly. I have heard of this happening before to other people. I would not let any mechanic that uses them on a engine (other than disassembled, then cleaned) work on my weed-eater.

The discs when in use come apart tiny grains at a time, and when this gets ran through the engine oil, well it is like sand paper on the bearings.

When I do engine work, I pour trans. fluid all over the heads, valley, etc...before I button it up, to get any dirt, dust, etc...down into the pan. Then drain oil and put in fresh stuff. Never had a problem.

Then again I use scrapers and rags with some brake clean or carb cleaner to get old gasket, etc...off not Roloc Discs...that mechanic is no mechanic, they are just a old fashioned DUMB....

 

[boomdriver]

Roloc Discs made by 3M are great when used correctly. I have heard of this happening before to other people. I would not let any mechanic that uses them on a engine (other than disassembled, then cleaned) work on my weed-eater.

The discs when in use come apart tiny grains at a time, and when this gets ran through the engine oil, well it is like sand paper on the bearings.

When I do engine work, I pour trans. fluid all over the heads, valley, etc...before I button it up, to get any dirt, dust, etc...down into the pan. Then drain oil and put in fresh stuff. Never had a problem.

Then again I use scrapers and rags with some brake clean or carb cleaner to get old gasket, etc...off not Roloc Discs...that mechanic is no mechanic, they are just a old fashioned DUMB....

It just ain;t that hard to remove old gasket material...scrapers, rags and air have been doing it for many years. The FIRST rule has always been....'cover the valley' and any/all ports or passages.

I tried those to sand the aluminum wheels to prep them for polishing....the disc are like those fiber-abrasive wheels that are used in a drill except they are a solid mat, not a strand or fiber. I believe they were designed for paint & body work. They will dig into metal pretty good...
Its insane to use something like that on an engine that is not going to be tanked and cleaned. Its just like grit in a flap wheel or the strand wheels.....Far too nasty on soft bearing surfaces. Who ever did that may as well have sand blasted the old gasket off.

The complete absense of common sense is the standard by which this newest generation lives by. They almost make me glad to be "old".