Crappy Shop Work - I just GOTTA vent!

[Da_Hose]

Hello everyone,

As fellow gearheads and lovers of things automotive, I have a major peeve to share today. I have a 2002 Saturn LW200 wagon that has been a really great car for our family, but last year the cam chain broke, and we bought a 530xi to replace it.

While figuring out what to do with the Saturn, I found out that the engine GM put in our LW200 is notorious for a cham chain recall. However, new parts are better made, and it looks like the engines are well worth rebuilding. Well, I ordered a rebuilt cylinder head from a well reviewed outfit off of ebay (local shop back East). I received a head that leaks at cylinder 3 and 4 intake valves, and it looks like it's due to them cutting down the seats and re-grinding the valves so much that they make contact with the cam even when rotated for TDC. I called them, they said send back the head, they claimed to inspect it and then sent it back. Needless to say, the intakes on 3 and 4 still show daylight at full closed, which means they will leak again when installed.

My rant is as follows (kids stop reading here, please).

Why the fuck am I regularly discovering that I am more competent at machine and engine work, than a shop who supposedly specializes in that business? I am so goddamned sick and fucking tired of half-assed work from people who charge good money to do it. There is very little I cannot do or repair on a car. What I don't have is lots of time to do all the work. It just PISSES me the fuck off, when I try to find a shop to help me out, and they keep falling short. The Saturn is obviously not a luxury car, but we have taken such good care of it that I can't stand the idea of scrapping it, when I can do the work to fix it and get many more miles/years from it. Cylinders 1 and 2 have 195 compression with the valves that do close, so it is clearly worth rebuilding. I would just like a little goddamned help at times, but I cannot find people who exceed my capabilities or standards. For fuck's sake, I am not perfect and I work out of my home garage. I don't do mechanic work for a living, so I would think that finding a "professional" shop who can exceed what I am capable of, should not be so damned hard to find. I mean .... FUCK!!!!!!!

I know some of you have had similar problems finding a decent shop, so it's my turn to gripe.

Ok, rant mode off.

Jose

[BillDe]

[vadon]

This seems to be an issue in most service industries. I see half assed repairs daily in mine ( I'm a goldsmith). Local cobblers have fallen into the same standard. I have had issues with lawn and farm equipment maintenance and repairs. So much to the point that ,like you, I have to take time that I do not have to redo it myself. Thank the Gods there is an excellent machine shop and welder local to me.What really pisses me off is that these things take time I could spend tinkering on the six.

[Brucey]

forgive me if this is b-obvious, but in a typical four-pot, when #1 is at tdc before the firing stroke, #4 will be on the 'overlap' and similarly when #2 is at tdc before the firing stroke, #3 will be on the 'overlap'. On the overlap stroke, the exhaust valve is almost closed and the inlet is just starting to open. Most engines manifest 'lift on overlap', i.e. both valves are just cracked open at tdc. [ In fact this is a good way of checking that the cam is correctly timed; at tdc both valves on some cylinders should be very slightly -and equally- open.]

Could that perhaps explain what you are seeing, and why they sent the head back in the same state?

cheers

[Da_Hose]

Hey Brucey,

No, I don't believe that would be the issue in this case. The GM Ecotec 2.2 is actually a pretty high compression engine, building upwards of 225 psi. when new. I foolishly put the head on before doing a spirits test, and found that cylinders 1 and 2 were making about 210 compression, but 3 and 4 were at 30. I could also hear hissing out the intakes, so I dismantled and sent it back. Even if there were overlap when assembled/running, the shop told me they do a vacuum check first without cams in, then with cams in and manually rotate them to TDC (completely off lobe) position. There is NO way of mistaking that those two cylinders were leaking, as I could see daylight when looking in the intake port, and spirits dribbled right out of the combustion chamber. They clearly got the head back, thought it "looked good", and then just sent it right back.

Fer fucks sake, you can at least do something simple like try jiggling the lifters. On 1 and 2, they can be moved when off cam. On 3 and 4, they are jammed in tight. The ONLY answer for this case is complete douchebaggery by a bunch of shitheel shop workers who reground parts beyond serviceable limits. ARGH!!!!

Jose

[Brucey]

OK, I see what you mean.

What a cock-up.

I think I'd be ranting too...

Hope you manage to get it sorted out.

cheers

[Pod]

Obviously you need to widely publicise the identity of the shop

[Da_Hose]

I think I'll be good Brucey.

I have decompressed a bit and found a local machine shop (TEM Machine) that could have done a full rebuild with a 3 angle grind for $418. That would have been totally worth it. I should have looked harder for a local resource, before turning to an out of town "specialist". Since I have already ordered the new valves, I'll check my guides for wear, and go from there. From what I read, these guys have a great reputation locally and they do seem to know what they are talking about. If the guides are worn (which they said is uncommon with this engine), they could do that too.

They communicate well, and I could go speak directly with them if I have any issues after they complete their work too. They sent me a price list that shows they do SOHC BMW heads (like the M30) for $495. That's for a fully rebuilt, ready to install head. I think that is a pretty good deal. I'll post a new thread specific to head work once I am fully satisfied with this project.

Cheers.
Jose

[Da_Hose]

Dropped off the head today. Labor estimate is $381, with additional costs for any parts needed. Valve guides were all within spec., so I just asked them to install the new valves I purchased. I left a set of stem seals for installation as well. They are not the best parts available, so they will check length and grind them if necessary to ensure consistent length. THAT is the kind of attention to detail I like to see.

Jose