OOOPS!!

[IhaveNoPantsOn]

So, folks, this is what happens when an interference motor loses valve timing...

where are the other 6 valves, you ask? sitting on top of the pistons, of course!

Yes, it was my fault. (partly) Yes, it was at work. And, yes, I still have a job.
Luckily, it wasn't a customer car, but one of the rentals in our fleet. It was a 2000 Hyundai Sonata. I had replaced the timing belts, and was most of the way through putting it back together. The boss came over and said to stop there, and start it up, just to make sure everything was all set before we put the entire thing back together. Well, what he didn't notice, and I didn't really know (first timing belt I've really done...) was that the crank pulley center bolt was not installed. The bolts that bolt it to the sprocket were in, but that wasn't. So, I started it up, it ran for almost 10 seconds, then one of the worst sounds you you could expect came from the engine. I instantly shut it off (way too late at this point) We put it back up in the air to see what happened. The crank sprocket had worked it's way off the crank, so the crank was spinning, but the timing belt, and therefore the cams, weren't. If the stupid keyway on the crankshaft had gone all the way to the end, we would have been ok, maybe just lost the belt. But the sprocket only moved about half an inch off the shaft, and just stopped spinning.
So, now I am going in on Saturdays, without pay, to work on it. (yes, he still wants me working on the car...) He wants to try to avoid replacing the entire engine if possible, so next Saturday, I will probably be pulling pistons, if I can. Three of them are ok, but #4 got completely ****ed. Like he's been telling me all along..."This will be a learning experience."

 

[1evilregal]

learning experience?-yes
sucks?-yes
boss should've known better?-yes, if he's been in the industry for awhile....

def feel for ya bro, as I was in a similar situation, but on my own car years ago.... now I just put the crank bolt in a spin the engine by a socket afew times foward and recheck the marks to make sure they line up right(sometimes when you release the tensioner, the marks "jump" on the cam).

won't take too long to get it up and going again though!

 

[megaladon6]

ouch!! yeah, i always turn the engine at least 2 full revolution to check the timing myself. especially on DOHC subarus. god i hate those f^ckin things! that and check EVERY bolt! don't ask how i know--that was my own fun learning experience.

 

[79GP6.6L]

So, now I am going in on Saturdays, without pay, to work on it. (yes, he still wants me working on the car...) He wants to try to avoid replacing the entire engine if possible, so next Saturday, I will probably be pulling pistons, if I can. Three of them are ok, but #4 got completely ****ed. Like he's been telling me all along..."This will be a learning experience."

The learing experience is going to be "don't work for people like that." What your boss has done so far is bad enough. Trying to save that short block is a mistake. The pistons aren't the only things you have to worry about when that happens. We would always replace the entire engine when an interference motor would self destruct like that - although it was always because the customer let the belt go too long.

Sorry if I sound bitter. I've worked for people like that in the past. If he wants to save money, tell him to get a running motor from a wrecking yard and put that in. It will be less of a headache than trying to fix the damage that was done. But I do hope you get it resolved without further issues. Good luck.

 

[IhaveNoPantsOn]

Yeah...Seeing as after this happened, the crank wouldn't turn by hand at all, I'm sure something else in the bottom end is ****ed up. I guess he replaced the motor in another Sonata in the fleet, and it was like $1200. He knows a guy who used to work for him or something that now has a machine shop, so he is going to see what he can do about the pistons.
My boss is pretty, let's say 'frugal'. Only turns the lights on if he is working on the car in that bay, will re-use the shop rags until they are completely soaked with oil/coolant/grease/whatever. Spoke to me my first week about using too many paper towels to dry my hands...It's like I'm living back at home with my extremely cheap mom.

 

[drknow90rs]

Sounds like it was more his fault for asking you to start it up before you finished the job.... Good luck!!

 

[IhaveNoPantsOn]

Well, turns out, one of the rods was bent. So, along with machining the head, new pistons, a new rod, and all the labor we are going to be putting back into this ****ing thing, my boss is only saving about $200 over just replacing the engine. That's assuming nothing happened to the block. We got everything back from the machine shop a couple weeks ago, and haven't touched it yet. He got all pissy and impatient with me just before I left work yesterday, saying how the car is becoming a huge pain, taking up 1 of the 4 lifts, and it absolutely has to be out of there by the end of next week, no matter how many days we have to stay after. Without pay, of course. We also have another technician coming in next week to 'help out' with a few big jobs. Between that, and the increasing lack of patience, and abundance of douchey-ness he seems to be having towards me, I'm seriously starting to look for a new job. Good times.

 

[drknow90rs]

I cant blame you for that! No pay? No way! I would have told him where he can stick it. Years ago, I worked for a body shop where the estimator screwed up and told me that I was going to have to do a core support replacement for free. I asked him "Where are you going to find a bodyman to do this for free?" He got the hint and I got paid. LOL, good luck!

 

[79GP6.6L]

I would have quit and let him put it back together himself, and it sounds like he couldn't do it if he wanted to. I've dealt with many problem cars that stuck around because of a bad call by the boss, but I always got paid for the work that I did. Even then, it was always frustrating to spend time working on a nightmare project that I never would have gotten involved in if it were up to me. I've definitely been there. Good luck with the job search.

 

[silent_orchestra]

Wow, we would've just ripped that one out and dropped a new one in... Those little motors are easy to get your hands on around here..

Then again I work for my dad who's been a mechanic for 30+ years and he isn't a cheap b*st*rd...

I think I'd tell your boss to piss off... I'd be workin' somewhere else.

LOL at the paper towels deal too.... Our Max I. Walker guy (uniforms and stuff) told us we were using to many shop rags... Dad said he just wasn't giving us enough.