Grand Sport motor getting replaced - <3K miles
12-18-2009, 08:15 PM
#22
Le Mans Master
As far as the hand assembly question, consider the advantage of having the engine factory blueprinted. Instead of grabbing a block and shoving 8 pistons into it, care is done to make sure each piston has the proper clearance, for example.
12-18-2009, 08:16 PM
#23
Drifting
The hand built thing is one guy, from start to finish.
hey, I saw the video, ...and GM even said so
Oh, and what Airbus said.
Hey air bus, finally got my bilstein sports and z51 sways, man u weren't lying bout the ride. I'm in love all over again.
Sorry hope I'm not hi jackin. edit: the thread that is. no pun intended.
Last edited by vetsvett; 12-18-2009 at 08:21 PM.
12-18-2009, 08:28 PM
#24
Safety Car
i lost an engine at 3.3k miles, chevy repaired it.. that's what a warranty is for!
I didnt want another car because I love my car, not too many with comp grey rims..
I didnt want another car because I love my car, not too many with comp grey rims..
12-18-2009, 08:34 PM
#25
Safety Car
Member Since: Aug 2007
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Production line assembled engines have been used by the automotive industry for how many years now?
Assembled by just one tech, cool. But I really do not believe it really is adding anything to the quality - thus the point of this thread!
12-18-2009, 08:46 PM
#27
Team Owner
The "hand assembled" engines are not blueprinted. ALL the parts are normal run parts made to the same specs. There is no hand fitting of a particular piston to a particular cylinder, etc. There is no special machining done to the parts except for the torque plate honing done on the supercharged engines.
Because of the special long snout crank and the special oil pump assembly and pan required on the dry sump engines, it is better to "hand assemble" the engines off line vs running then down the normal production line. This is normal procedure in manufacturing; build odd ball units off line to keep from disrupting high speed machining/assembly lines.
Because of the special long snout crank and the special oil pump assembly and pan required on the dry sump engines, it is better to "hand assemble" the engines off line vs running then down the normal production line. This is normal procedure in manufacturing; build odd ball units off line to keep from disrupting high speed machining/assembly lines.
12-18-2009, 08:53 PM
#28
I'd thing that a person who only puts pistons in an LS3, and does it 10x a day, would be better at putting pistons in that a guy who does it 1x a week.
Jack of all trades is a master of none. Engines are the same, don't matter who (or how many people) builds them.
Jack of all trades is a master of none. Engines are the same, don't matter who (or how many people) builds them.
12-18-2009, 09:31 PM
#29
Team Owner
Member Since: Jun 2005
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St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
Sorry to hear that this happened to your practically brand new car. But very glad to hear that it was handled so quickly and well by both the dealership and GM. You may not have intended it as such, but to me this is a compliment to both! 
12-18-2009, 09:39 PM
#30
I am sorry to hear that this happened, but as someone already mentioned, anything made by human hands can fail. That's what the warranty is for. A popped motor is rare, but if it should happen, then at least the warranty makes it a lot easier to take.
To the original poster, best of luck getting it back on the road.
12-18-2009, 09:51 PM
#32
Drifting
12-18-2009, 10:58 PM
#34
Team Owner
It will be really interesting to see what happens...I'm wondering what is wrong with the engine that would require replacement when it was driven back to the dealership under its own power with the check engine light being the only symptom....
12-18-2009, 11:05 PM
#35
You know this "hand assembled" thing has had me wanting to ask a question for awhile now (or make a statement) - ALL engines are "hand assembled"!! Do you guys think there is a robot out there putting these non-Wixom engines together cause that sure as heck is not happening. The Wixom engines are fully assembled by "one person" vs going down a production line where several people may be involved, but they are all "hand assembled".
More likely just a failed/bad part rather than someone making a mistake during assembly.
More likely just a failed/bad part rather than someone making a mistake during assembly.
12-19-2009, 12:10 AM
#37
Le Mans Master
Oh, so I guess the proper manufacturing tolerances are not there within the junk engines the rest of us have.
Production line assembled engines have been used by the automotive industry for how many years now?
Assembled by just one tech, cool. But I really do not believe it really is adding anything to the quality - thus the point of this thread!
Production line assembled engines have been used by the automotive industry for how many years now?
Assembled by just one tech, cool. But I really do not believe it really is adding anything to the quality - thus the point of this thread!
The hand built engines are assembled by GM's best technicians. There is value in this process and GM isn't doing it just to impress you.
Here's some info that explains the build:
http://www.corvetteclubofamerica.org...ection%203.pdf
http://www.popularhotrodding.com/tec...ter/index.html
http://blogs.automobilemag.com/65756...ter/index.html
12-19-2009, 12:30 AM
#38
Team Owner
Wow, how do you guys turn this guys engine replacement into all this hate....lets just forget all that and see what happened to his engine and give him some encouragement while his new car is in the shop...
12-19-2009, 12:41 AM
#39
Safety Car
I'd like to know what the code was and why did they yank my motor without my say so. They are very few 'mechanical' failures that will set a CEL.
12-19-2009, 01:33 AM
#40
Melting Slicks
Sorry you feel your engine is "junk" because it doesn't get the care the hand built units do.
The hand built engines are assembled by GM's best technicians. There is value in this process and GM isn't doing it just to impress you.
Here's some info that explains the build:
http://www.corvetteclubofamerica.org...ection%203.pdf
http://www.popularhotrodding.com/tec...ter/index.html
http://blogs.automobilemag.com/65756...ter/index.html
The hand built engines are assembled by GM's best technicians. There is value in this process and GM isn't doing it just to impress you.
Here's some info that explains the build:
http://www.corvetteclubofamerica.org...ection%203.pdf
http://www.popularhotrodding.com/tec...ter/index.html
http://blogs.automobilemag.com/65756...ter/index.html
Am I the only one that sees hand built as a bad thing? Human hands are inherently flawed and when your dealing with something as precise as a high hp motor I would rather have a machine do it. Maybe thats my natural trust in computers over the mind when it comes to precision
On his best day maybe a human hand can produce a superior engine but on his worst day there is far too much room for error imo.