CFI-EFI; Oops... yes, you're exactly right... guess I jumped the gun on that one... thhe main one is in the C4 General Discussion forum... sorry about that. nyway, we can delete this one, or, move it over to the General Discussion forum?

At any event, I wanted to insert my letter into the General Discussion forum that I wrote to the GM Legal Department and get all of your insight on... ? Or, would that not be a good idea?

 

Sorry you encountered all the trouble.

With that said, the problems you described don't sound like anything more than minor things we all experience working on/maintaining our Vettes.

As you said, your Vette is your hobby.
Go doen to Sears and invest in your hobby.
Buy several sets of sockets,wrenches,rachets, etc, etc, etc.

Buy some specialized engine tools if you want to do that to.
Cylinder bore dial indicator, misc. micrometers up to 4~5 inches.
Harmonic Damper puller. Torque wrenches both Inch lbs and foot pound wrenches. On and on.

For 2 to 3 thousand bux you can have most of the tools the guys that built your engine had/have. Well maybe 4 to 5 thou.
Buy some books/service manuals.

I don't know what could possibly be a better indication that you need to expand your knowledge/experience than having a bad experience like you've been through.
Start the "divorce process"... the process of divorcing the service industry.
You can do it, we will help.
The best way to "send your message" is to never walk back into a shop and give them the "key to your wallet".

 

Well... I highly doubt... most people experience have had their original Corvette Engine block and heads swaped out. Being an ex mechanic, I never experienced this kind of act before. And sears can't even come close to sell the kind of equipment needed to properly rebuild an engine!

 

I don't believe they sell machine shop equipment, but if you take a look in the Craftsman's Tool Catalog, I think you'll find well over 90% of your needs.

RACE ON!!!

 

Sears does indeed sell ASSEMBLY tools but NOT the tools needed to REBUILD an engine... Cylinder Hone, Milling Machine, Valve grinder, Presses, Hot tank, Degree wheels, and I won't even get into thhe parts.

If you are having your engine rebuilt by someone that can supply his shop from sears... I strongly urge you to never use such a shop.... regardless of how many Motors, Chilton, hayes engine manuals he has.

 

Actually, I do. ME! And I have a pretty decent track record. Not only on the engines, but on the track, too. I must have forgot where it was I was posting. Not all engine builders have to have $2 million worth of machine shop tools, to build an engine. Some of use employ the services of a competent machine shop and then check their work. Farming out machine work WOULD be beneath SOME Corvette forum members. Not ALL of us have unlimited resources. I realize, "Sears" and "Craftsman" are cuss words to the Snap On crowd. I imagine your machine tools are on order with Abercrombie and Fitch?

RACE ON!!!

 

Satan, in the past I built a number of engines using mostly tools from the Craftsman catalog. For the very specialized machining work I simply used a local machine shop. All assembly, setup, etc. was done by myself. I've probably spent ~ $3,000+ in tools in the last 30 years (tools were cheaper then ), and the labor cost savings I have saved over time are surely many multiples of that.

You really can do a lot of the complex work, although you may not be as quick to finish the job vs a professional mechanic who does it everyday. Not only will doing the work increase your knowledge, it can also be satisfying to know that YOU did all that work.

Thomas

 

I agree you get the block machined by a competent shop and you assemble and do all the grinding etc. yourself. Tools required to do this are not expensive, a dial indicator, bore gauge, mics, etc.etc will cost you a few hundred. If you take your time you can build it better than most and just as good as a pro because you have time and it takes time to do it right

 

Well...most of my tools are Craftsman... some MAC and a few are S & K and although I think Snap-on makes a good tool... they are WAY over priiced, some argue that price also pays for the drive up service they offer. And although I probably have worked on more vette's than some have seen... the time that "precision" demands when it comes to rebuilding a motor, simply takes more time than I have to give... hence the reason for the outside rebuild... well, that and my cylinder hone is old and worn out (don't know who makes that one)... nice to see some of us have a lot of time on our hands.

Vet Nut's post was condescending and simply... ignorant... a "nut"?.. could be! But it is nice to see the troops rally around the wagon.

Oh and by the way... my last Scew Driver I purchased was a Stanley and a phillips at that... does that count?!

 

???

Satan, I'm not sure what you are trying to read into Jim's reply.

Some of my friends understand why I still work on my cars, others look at me funny. Its not a matter of how much time I have (because I don't), or about saving money at this point (I live well and the savings on shop bills would have no impact at all on my life).

"Rally around the wagon" now who is being condescending here? If spending money was the only skill needed, then you would have a bitchen running car - relax a little. Some of the guys are just giving good ideas why doing more of the work on your car can be to your benefit.

Really I wish you the best of luck, and its cool that you do not want to do engine work.

Thomas

 

I read through the post (and checked your bio - you seem an intelligent sort and not a quack so take heart and perservere on this issue) and I wonder if you can't remain first-name with the guys you have traded with for years. Skip the middlemen and take the owner out for lunch. Assuming your business account is enough to keep his attention, explain the sordid story and suggest that he stand behind the work you paid for on your car. Perhaps he can get your engine to a competent shop who can do a proper job on the mill. If none of his mechanics can be trusted to r&r the engine (a simple task for shop mechanics who get lots of practice) then he has been living on borrowed time as a dealership. While you're at it ask that original-looking engine components be found and returned to your engine bay. Of course, you document these efforts...and then you have a good small claims case if it goes to...hell. (Sorry, couldn't resist that one) Best of luck, I am sure that you are frustrated. I won't bore you with the complete story of how I was asked to pay $550 to a local Chevy dealer for aligning my wheels! They kept my car 4 days! No one else (NTW, SEARS, etc) would do it - all stock stuff here - so I was up against a wall. I got the dealer to take $150 and was glad to be done with the hassle. I do all I can myself on my car but each person does what they are comfortable with. Be proud that you even have a nice Corvette and keep it on the road! No one should be victimized because they trust a professional to work on their car...too bad so many are!

 

My post CERTAINLY wasn't "condescending" towards you.
In NO way did I mean for it to be.
Your dealer yes, you no.
This isn't an apology because I don't have anything to apoligize for.

Yep, I do 99% of my work with Craftsman tools not that I'm really advocating the purchase of them.
I was reccomending the purchase of "some" tools to save you from the mental anguish you came on here expressing.

Yes I employ the skills of a competent machinist when necessary and I DO have the tools to check that work. Yes you CAN get a good set of micrometers, snap gauges, etc from Sears.
Heck, here I go again sounding like and advertisement for them and not meaning to.

Do I have ALL the tools to build engines? Yes I do. A LOT of them came from Sears. A LOT of them did not.

Anyway, I simply tried to point out what didn't seem so obvious to you and that was you CAN do this yourself and not end up at the mercy of some dealer like your last experience.

Anyway, take it as you please. I WAS trying to help.

 

I apologize. I suppose that is what's wrong with typed letters on a screen, sometimes they do little to convey what some actually imply My apologies!

 

No bad feelings.

Hope you can get this squared away.
If you lived close to me I'd fix it for you, gratis.
Actually we'd both fix it. You'd be happy and I would to becasue I'd have made a new Corvette friend.

I know how it feels to have one of our "special toys" down because someone messed it up.

Good luck with it. I hope they do the right thing for you.

Best regards and Merry Christmas,

Jim