Long story short, my GMPP engine threw a rod or 2 yesterday. Luckily the engine is only 8 months old and i still have a warranty. Is anyone familiar with the GM warranty system? More specifically, does it take a long time for them to decide what to do (like should i expect a rebuild kit or a new crate engine from them)?

I'm kind of glad i paid the extra to get an engine with a warranty

>Matt>

 

Which motor did you buy? I just put in a GMPP 350/330 horse motor. Hope mine stays together! Good luck with yours.

 

Can you be more specific how it happend so members don't think GM
is just throwing out bad motors

 

Warrantees are not always a given. I`m sure they will want to inspect the complete engine for abuse. If you take it apart you will probably void the warrantee. Anyway hope for the best.

 

How many RPM's were you turning at the time???

 

I know they don't warranty labor, so if they take it out to replace it they will charge you accordingly.

 

that is not always true

 

I bought a crate motor and had it installed in my Corvette at a GM service center. A few hundred miles down the road a main bearing spun, under normal driving conditions. They paid for a new block, and bearings, but the labor would have been my cost to bare. I took the block, and sold it with the Vette.

 

Were you racing? If so waranty is void. If you were just passing a semi on a long grade, normal maintenance having been done and documented, you're ok.

 

Make sure to take the blower off of it before you send it back J/K hope everything works out for ya

 

The GMPP warranty is a one year parts only warranty. You pay for all the labour. I had a new GMPP 385 Fast burn with 2000 miles on it that burned oil in one cylinder. Turned out to be core shift in the block and #6 cylinder went out of shape. After taking the engine to the GM dealer I bought it from, they took it apart and reported their findings to GMPP. After 3 months the warranty rep from GMPP refused to warranty it. I later went over his head through GM customer service and found a guy who had the authority to replace the motor and he told the parts manager to order me a new one. Brand new engine came in three days! Later It turned out that the guy that told my dealer to order a new motor did NOT have the authority to tell him to order it after all. Too late, I got the motor in the back of my truck. It took my dealer over a year of fighting with GM to pay them for the engine (dealers normally pay for warranty parts and then get reimbursed through a warranty fund when it comes to GMPP stuff) I was very lucky to get an engine and the stories I hear about other warranty issues with GMPP aren't very promising either. It still cost me about $700.00 for all the labour, oil, antifreeze and everything else I needed. Write everything down and get the names of all the people you talk to.
Good luck.
JJ

 

Read the contract. My crate is covered parts and labor.. My crate had a rear main leak at start-up and the dealer did the complete fix, including the cost of all the oil replaced. I also had a new rental for 1 day. The fact that they did all the work dosnt mean I would ever return for any warranty work in the future as it took 4 trips to the dealer for the job to be done correctly. In your case, i would make sure that the install was done correctly and that you can verify that you had oil in it when you blew it up. If you attempt to take apart anything that GM put together, that will void the warranty. I know that they told me if i changed things like the cam and such, that would void my warranty. Just make sure that you did everything as spelled out in the warranty and you should be fine with getting a replacement.

Good luck

 

I knew at the time, but was very upset that something so 'internal' would not garner me a new crate motor, which would have fallen under parts, and not labor. I could have put it in myself. Seeing as how they only wanted to order a new block, I would have been screwed on the labor.

 

I don't know if it's a pertinent comment to make, but some/all(?) GMPP engines are hencho'd in Mexico.

 

YUP they are stamped with that

 

How long has that gone on? I don't remember anything about mine beng made there.

 

My ZZ4 was made in Mexico. Actually I think (hope) that the big blocks are still made in Tonowanda, New York.

 

No one knows when they started making the crate motors in Mexico? How many companies do this? Are there ways of knowing which builders build where?

 

Actually I believe this has been the case for the better part of 5-6 years...keep in mind this is assembly only, the parts are genuine GM parts, so its just an outsourced wrench spinning facility.

I've always worked under the impression that the warrantee given is hardly one of the reasons one should consider a GMPP motor. I've heard more sob stories about getting warrantee work done on them than I've heard good stories...

I alsmo maintain that the wise path on any crate motor is to pull the pan before assembly and check torque readings...I found one Targetmaster motor with a few low rod torque readings when working on a friends car.. and two Kragen rebuilds with bad main cap torque settings...this was years ago though.

 

Just want to make sure I understand this. I'm thinking of getting either the 260hp or 290hp crate motor & installing it myself. If something goes bad, will I get a new motor for free (I will install it myself) or do I have to bring it to them to fix / install??? I would hate to have to pay for anything...