Today's Problems

[mkast]

Student has setup his Northern Auto Parts rebuilt crankshaft on the balancing machine. On start up, initial out of balance weight is 300+ grams on the rear, 55 grams on the front. A little more than normal on a 350 crank. Recheck setup. Setup is as per the manual. Scratch heads.
Check casting number on crank, Northern sent a 305 crank instead of the required 350. Invoice stated: 350 crank.

That afternoon, installing main bearings on 455 engine, every time main cap bolts are snugged up, (hand tight), crank won't turn. Three times crank was installed then removed. Upon further inspection, thrust bearing is +.010 oversize. This bearing came out of a STANDARD size bearing box.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Today's Problems

Call them up tell them to get someone who speaks English, and knows how to read English to pack you off the right stuff.

 

[JustJason]

Re: Today's Problems

I got 3 bad trigger coils in a row for an outboard from Rapair a few years ago. It was driving me nuts. The third coil... even though the guy at tech said he checked it himself.... was bad.
Normally i'd go factory but it was 600 bucks through merc... or 150 through rapair. Customers call.
On the brightside.... Rapair did make good, the 4th one worked, they refunded me everything, all charges, the gave me the coil for free too. They also threw in a couple of freebies. A Rapair dva adaptor (already got a snap on one, but it's nice to have a backup) and a neon spark checker... which I use all the time now that i have it. I still lost on the job when I count all the hours of scratching my head and..... well you know but it could have been worse.
I charged the customer just retail for the coil, and split the hours in half in between what I spent on the job and what I charged. He understood that it was his call on the part. Had it been a merc part I would have eaten it..... but then again... had it been a merc part it probably would have worked the first time.

 

[mkast]

Re: Today's Problems

Call them up tell them to get someone who speaks English, and knows how to read English to pack you off the right stuff.

Didn't post this to slam minorities, order was probably filled by a PhD investment banker out of work.
Posted it to remind anyone opening a parts box not to assume it's the part ordered/numbered.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Today's Problems

It's always fun finding an unexpected problem while working on something...

I was installing a set of cam bearings and while aligning the last one, it just slipped into the block Grabbed the old set and mic'ed them, found that GM had installed one .010 over bearing at the factory

 

[bomar76]

Re: Today's Problems

To begin with, Northern Auto Parts doesn't rebuild cranks, they are just a store selling merchandise like any other.

The bearings should have been checked way before it got to that point, one of the basic tenants of real engine building is to trust nothing, verify everything. A 305 crank is different enough in the counterwieghts it should have been pretty obvious. The 455 bearings themselves should have been plainly marked .010 oversize, that should have been caught easily.

The crack cheifalen made about minorities is way out of line....I have used Norhtern Auto Parts many times and they have always been a first rate source for parts, and with unbeatable prices on some things. I have never recieved anything mismarked from Northern, but then again I always check everything (from everybody) to make 100% sure it's right.

 

[Don S]

Re: Today's Problems

When I was in Alaska, the owner of the shop asked me why I was using Plastigage on every rod and main bearing.
Of course, when I said to the guy signing my pay check that I didn't trust part numbers only. He said. Oh! OK. No problem.
This is a PERFECT example of why I check them all.
BTW that engine is now in his owners personal boat. Ahhhhh trial by fire

 

[bomar76]

Re: Today's Problems

It's one of the many differences between "engine building" and "throwing some parts together".

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Today's Problems

Who said i was slamming minorities.

Anyone talk to kids these day's, they talk English. Bunch don't even read English.

No one has pride in there work.

Even if you sweep a floor have pride in what you do.

Check what you ship off to a customer.

 

[achris]

Re: Today's Problems

Who said i was slamming minorities.

Anyone talk to kids these day's, they talk English. Bunch don't even read English.

No one has pride in there work.

Even if you sweep a floor have pride in what you do.

Check what you ship off to a customer.

Here here.....