And here is my frustration du jour:

Had a shop replace the engine in my Chebby wagon. It is was built like cars should be built - V8, RWD and lots of torque.

Anyway, I had this persistent problem. the car would overheat in first few mins of driving. I couldn't figure out what it was. I mean, I must have asked 3 dozen people. Got all kinds of suggestions. Thermostat? Replaced 4 of them. Water pump? It is new. Radiator? Almost new also. Air in the system? Bled the thing about half a dozen times. Nothing helped. It would just overheat, run real hot for a few mins totally in the red, then come back to normal.

It took me 3 (three) months to figure it out. I would bring it to them several times. The best they could do the last time was install a 160F T-stat, which helped that problem, but it ran too cool, the computer never got out of the cold mode and I got real bad performance and mileage. Only hid the problem. The factory installed 195F. That's what I want.

I finally figured it out. The idiot mechanics didn't install the heads right. Or the head gaskets. Something didn't seal and exhaust air is getting into the cooling system every time. Then it warms up. I have all the symptoms of that happening. Loosing coolant, low compression on 2 cyls, the cooling system spitting up coolant when first driven.... I will insist they redo the heads. <sigh> It remains to be seen whether they actually do that.

I requested a leak down test, they had no #!$ understanding what I was talking about. When you get to the point where you know as much as your "mechanic", you should probably reassess your choice of "mechanics". Better yet, do everything myself.

Maybe this frustration with heads is the catalyst for me. I am really very very tired of paying too much and getting too little and waiting a week for each repair. They work on hundred cars per week and yes, I do understand they cannot give each vehicle the attention it deserves. Even though it takes me about 5 times as long to do anything by myself, that's what I will do from now on. I would have done this engine install by myself too, but got scared of the learning curve -- but no more! Nobody around here seems to understand the complexities of fuel injection or engines. They can swap parts and tires and oil change but that's about all.

Oh yeah, I am glad _I_ don't work as a pro mechanic, I honestly couldn't keep up, so my respect to real pros, but they seem to be about 10% of the industry.

 

I'd say closer to 1% of the industry.

 

And I thought my truck has problems...

 

I would make them pay for some other mechanic to redo teh ENTIRE engine. If you have exhaust getting in the coolant then it is likely that you were also getting coolant in the oil and in the cylendars; this will destroy your engine. Likely what they did was instal the wrong head gasket or did not properly deck the block or mill the heads. Either way, DO NOT let them just replace the head gaskets or put the heads on correctly. You should demand your money back or that they have another mechanic fix it at their expense. Maybe they just made a mistake and usually don't, but the fact that they don't konw what a leak down test is shows that they are incompetent mechanics.

 

I've been a licenced heavy truck and trailer mechanic in Ontario for 17 years (310T and 310J for anyone interested). I don't get many call-backs - air brakes, air suspensions and spring suspensions are easy to work on when you are experienced.

There is a reason I don't work on cars other then my own - too many variables and too many things that can go wrong.....

Just my 2 cents worth

 

I entirely agree. I'm a 3rd year Commercial Transport mechanic in BC. In my short career I have yet to have a come-back. I get paid to work on tractors and trailers. I take beer to work on my brother's and sister's vehicles, and I do mine and my wife's cars for free. No others. I'm not worried about comebacks, just that "side jobs" come with headaches caused by owners.

Now, if someone were to come to me with a problem, I could point them in the RIGHT direction and leave it up to them to find a competent parts replacer.

 

First check I always do...

BACKSPACE!

always do.

Pull the radiator cap, and look for bubbles when the engine is running.

There should be none, but they usually are there. You can get a sniffer to analyse them if you want, but air doesn't belong in a radiator. It's a dead giveaway.....

*SMACKS THE GAVEL DOWN*

Blown engine! Next case....

 

Yes, it is and it took me a while to figure out. My automotive knowledge has advanced considerably in the last few months. Mostly an attitude change. Kind of like "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintainance" - it is not your relationship with your vehicle, but your own mindset which reflects in well-running vehicles.

 

CARPE!!!!

You astound me, son....

Few read that book anymore, I congratulate you!

 

I would make them pay for some other mechanic to redo teh ENTIRE engine. If you have exhaust getting in the coolant then it is likely that you were also getting coolant in the oil and in the cylendars; this will destroy your engine. Likely what they did was instal the wrong head gasket or did not properly deck the block or mill the heads

First of all, it is a used engine I got off ebay for a few hundred, and this install did not cost me that much - about $600. So I am dealing with used parts here, I should keep in mind.

Secondly, I have absolutely no leverage at this point and am totally at their mercy. If they decide not to do this, I will have to do it on my own - and I am mentally prepared for this possibility. should have been able to diagnoze this the day I picked up the car 3 months ago. I didn't know much about cooling systems and head gaskets and all that stuff. I thought it was a bad T-stat, lazy to open as is the case with new T-stats and I was wholly wrong. They thought the same thing. But I am novice and I don't fix autos for a living. They should know better than that.

Tomorrow I should know definitively what's up, if they will redo it. In either case, no one touches my wagon or my truck from now on. I and only I am wholly responsible for them.

 

Ah, I hope I astound you in a positive way. You would be surprised at the esoteric stuff I read, I can certainly name some most obscure things nobody has even heard about. For fun, I read "Monetary powers and disabilities of the US Constitution" and contemplate the advantages of fluctuating bimetallism.

Pirsing was an interesting character. He had a mental breakdown while teaching English as far as I know , was that before or after "Zen"?

 

Um, it's a used engine off eBay? How can you be sure it was ever any good to begin with?

Do you have a friend who knows more than you do who can be "bought" with beer and pizza? Working alongside someone is a good way to learn. Read books too.

If "Zen" is autobiographical, Pirsig had his breakdown before he wrote the book.

 

I used to wrench...and I'd say that 10% is, if anything, a bit low.

 

They owe him new ead gaskets, but a blown engine? Probably not.

 

If you had a shop replace an engine that you supplied...why would they have pulled the heads off? Did you tell them to replace the head gaskets?