The new engine

[David Williamson]

Just catching up on the news here, read through the first 3 full pages here. Sounds like a pretty shady place that did the motor. For a shop to charge $1100 to get a junk yard motor and install it, that is dirt cheap :!:

You said the fluids were full when you left that day ... were they still full after the incident :?: I will also state that the engine is definitely not seized ... you can see the alternator fan spinning when you try to start the car in your video. Start with some of the basic things to check:
-check for spark
-compression test (each cylinder)

Possibly a broken timing chain :idea: Too kind of touch on what "CAPERKEV" said, bump the engine over with the key, like normal, and see if the rotor (under the distributor cap) even moves :idea: A timing chain breaking would definitely make a nasty noise and would continue to make excessive noise because the crank gear would still be catching it and pushing it around.

Yeah they were pretty sketchy but actually pretty big around here.
There shop gets lots of business and lots of G-bodies.
No when I left their shop there was no fluids when I got home i checked them and I filled them up.
Yeah I figured it wasn't seized when I saw the alternator turning normally.
I will check for all the above to figure this out.
I appreciate this all sincerely I will check everything and when I come back in and figure anything out I will share it with you all.

 

[David Williamson]

I would buy a decent, gas efficient daily driver and put the Cutlass on hold or sell it. You have a small child that needs your attention and resources right now. I'm not 100% sure you engine is "blown" anyway. Your videos certainly don't confirm it. Where are you located?

That's what I am doing now its up for sale and I am motivated to sell it I need it gone and need a little car to get around.
One day in the near future I will get another Cutlass that needs little work and nothing molested on it.
If I get it running I have a for sure buyer for 2500, so I am trying to get it running as fast as possible to just take let it go.
Thanks for this.

 

[David Williamson]

Is there anyone nearby that can look at this car (engine) first hand and do a simple diagnosis on it? If I was nearby I would swing by and check it out.
From what I've ascertained from the video, as a few of you guys mentioned, that the motor does crank over..so it's not seized, which is a good thing. It could very well be a broken timing chain.
$1100. for a used motor in questionable condition is highway robbery. Granted there's labor involved. But how can a shop sell something and not back it up. They sound like a bunch of f**king shiesters.
It isn't fair how this young man was treated...I'm sorry. I hate to see people victimized by unscrupulous douchbags. :x

David, before you decided to buy this motor and "services" from this shop, why didn't you mention it to us on the forum?
We could have helped steer you one way or another. I was surprised when you mentioned getting a "new" motor. I thought you actually had a new crate or reman'ed motor installed.

Yeah I would have mentioned it was a used motor if I even knew.
The way they were selling it to me and my wife it was new, no miles and a great running engine.
Then my wife went into their garage to talk to them saw that it was disgusting and asked is that our motor.
They said yeah, she said I thought it was new, they said no it was used and from a guy they knew.
Then they slipped and said amen so we said its from a junk yard, yeah but it was wrecked in the rear so nothing is wrong with the engine.
I am sorry if I knew any of this you all would be the first to know.

But I appreciate the help I wish I knew someone But I could still have this shop down the road from us, the owner comes into my sisters store and says he will look at it, That he understand what they did to me and he will be glad to help.
So what I will do is take it to him and he will see what it is and will fix it hopefully for cheap, if so I will borrow the money then sell the car and be done with it.

I appreciate this Thank you.

 

[David Williamson]

Longroof,

He did mention it. He has been having car problems for quite some time now. There are probably a half dozen multiple page threads on here about all the bs he's had thrown his way and how he was thinking about doing what he currently did. Nobody is near him or willing to help him. We've put that question out there a bunch of times.

Where is the old engine David? Did you ever compression test the old one to see if indeed it was a headgasket? I hate to say it but I don't think your gonna properly be able to trouble shoot this one if you couldn't trouble shoot the other one. So as far as trying to find out what is wrong with it, I would forget that until someone on this forum, or A VERY WELL KNOWN AND TRUSTED mechanic or car guy comes and looks at it for you. Don't start tearing anything apart on it. If your going to be getting involved in a lawsuit the last thing you want to do is have it laying in pieces. I know your pissed off about this but there could be a few reasons your having problems that is NEITHER YOUR FAULT OR THEIRS. Yes they may be liable if they offered some type of warranty but if it is something like a broken timing chain then thats neither yours or their fault. sh*t gets old and wears out. In my opinion however if they are gonna sell a junk yard motor they should atleast go through it and replace the timing set, maybe have the crank polished, new bearings, valve seals, just so the thing doesn't grenade and cost them money in labor or hassle. Again, goodluck and I hope you either get a running and driving car out of this or your cash back.

Yeah I have had the worst luck with this car.
Its still at his shop laying on the floor, I hope.
I never got around to it, I am sorry.
Yeah I would never tear this apart, for a couple reasons, one being if I do take that route I have it all there and proof its not running.
Yeah i wish they took the actual approach of being "true "professional" mechanics and done thins a bit more right then they did.
I am mad very very mad, but I know if I do what I want to do I will go to jail and that's something that is unacceptable right now haha.
But I appreciate this help a lot.
I will take it to a guy who is respectable and knows what to do.

 

[David Williamson]

Chris,
I'm well aware of what David has been going thru these past months...years, not including the body shop rip-off merchant. I have been following the thread all along.
I know the word has been put out there for someone nearby to take a look at David's car and help diagnose the problem(s).
I guess there's no one locally that can take a look-see and report back to the forum. That's too bad.
We can have a pay it forward thread, but can't help out a fellow enthusiast and human being?
At any rate, I guess there wouldn't be much of a warranty on a junkyard motor. But I agree with you, that the motor should have been gone thru...timing chain set, bearings...maybe a quick hone job and a set of rings. Then there's still the heads.
Valve seals, (guides), valve job or regrind.
Could someone be plagued by constant bad luck? I suppose so. It's unfortunate.
I wish David all the best. I feel he doesn't deserve the raw deal that has been handed to him.

Thanks truly.

 

[David Williamson]

It's not bad luck, they just see him coming from a mile away. No offense David. I've been in your boat before. People ripped me off on everything because I didn't have the knowledge to know what was right. I got ripped off on a lot of rc cars when I was younger. Lots of money into those gas powered little bastards. I simply didn't know how to fix them and sunk so much money into them and got so pissed off that I just gave up on them. Finally I learned how to do it all myself and now they are fun. Cars won't be fun until your able to do a little bit of it by yourself. It takes time and sadly your getting jerked around by a bunch of *ss hats. Im really sorry for that. People in general can be *ssh*les and it seems more so in the automotive business. Particularly mechanics. Again good luck man.

Yeah also doesn't help That I have social anxiety.
I cannot talk to people, and if I do I cannot look them into the eyes.
But I appreciate this all truly.

 

[Evan11]

Just catching up on the news here, read through the first 3 full pages here. Sounds like a pretty shady place that did the motor. For a shop to charge $1100 to get a junk yard motor and install it, that is dirt cheap :!:

You said the fluids were full when you left that day ... were they still full after the incident :?: I will also state that the engine is definitely not seized ... you can see the alternator fan spinning when you try to start the car in your video. Start with some of the basic things to check:
-check for spark
-compression test (each cylinder)

Possibly a broken timing chain :idea: Too kind of touch on what "CAPERKEV" said, bump the engine over with the key, like normal, and see if the rotor (under the distributor cap) even moves :idea: A timing chain breaking would definitely make a nasty noise and would continue to make excessive noise because the crank gear would still be catching it and pushing it around.

Yeah they were pretty sketchy but actually pretty big around here.
There shop gets lots of business and lots of G-bodies.
No when I left their shop there was no fluids when I got home i checked them and I filled them up.
Yeah I figured it wasn't seized when I saw the alternator turning normally.
I will check for all the above to figure this out.
I appreciate this all sincerely I will check everything and when I come back in and figure anything out I will share it with you all.

let me get this right...when u went to the shop it had no fluids? so it was drove home with no fluids? just checking man

 

[David Williamson]

Ya I hear u David, @least with that they wouldn't be screwing ppl over from then on. Have u googled the shop ? Do they have any ratings online?

No they have nothing, You cant even look up the shop at all online.

 

[David Williamson]

If the shop was to go thru and replace bearings, hone it, polish the crank, replace parts (timing chain) ... this would pretty much be an engine overhaul ... and a lot more money. Plus, doing this would most likely void a standard 30 day junk yard engine warranty.

Agreed. There's no way that shop was going to go through that engine unless they were paid good money to do so and at the price they'd do it for, David would've been MUCH better off buying a BRAND NEW 260 HP Goodwrench 350 with a 3 year warrenty for a paltry $1500.

David, I hope everything works out for you with all of this, but I gotta say you need to start learning from your mistakes or you will just be going through this all over again.

I really do honestly, and this was the last straw no more will I go through any shop unless I have a total background check and plenty of references.

 

[David Williamson]

If the shop was to go thru and replace bearings, hone it, polish the crank, replace parts (timing chain) ... this would pretty much be an engine overhaul ... and a lot more money. Plus, doing this would most likely void a standard 30 day junk yard engine warranty.

Agreed. There's no way that shop was going to go through that engine unless they were paid good money to do so and at the price they'd do it for, David would've been MUCH better off buying a BRAND NEW 260 HP Goodwrench 350 with a 3 year warrenty for a paltry $1500.

David, I hope everything works out for you with all of this, but I gotta say you need to start learning from your mistakes or you will just be going through this all over again.

Damn Right.

I own a repair shop and there's a lot of bashin goin on here for a one sided story. I gotta call you out on this David. There's a lot of holes and inconsistand answers your givin here. No offense David but it's obvious you don't know sh*t about cars. Lets see a scan of that 60 day warranty and or the invoice they gave you when you picked the car up. Maybe you misunderstood something or possibly didn't follow through with some recommendations they made. This way everyone can see what that $1100 got you. Maybe you did get ripped off, let's see.

I totally understand, I am not saying every single shop is a scam and I am sure no one else on this thread is either.
Just some people I have been to.
I do have the receipts and I will take a picture of them and I will put em on here.
I know Like I was making all that up about Klinglesmith I had to prove to people he was actually a scam artist, I got my car tore apart and got it back in pieces and then people seen that I was not bashing this man cause I was not satisfied of I am just some type of person who loves to make trouble.
No I don't lie and I never would.
I honestly have written on here more times than I could possibly count that I am not a car guy, I know nothing I need help.
I admitted I know nothing about cars, I am not hiding that fact at all.

I do understand where your coming from and not trying to start a argument But I will give you the pictures in just a few minutes.