Got the misfire figures out... Really need advice on how to proceed.
#18
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Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 i6
#19
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Year: 1998
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Gotta agree with Ken on the cam break-in...it's critical. I've never rebuilt a 4.0, but the principles are the same. Make sure everything's well-lubed during assembly, make sure the engine fires right away (no extended cranking before initial start-up, it will wipe the lube off the cam lobes), and then keep the rpms 2000-2500 for at least 20 mins.
#20
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Year: 1990
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Well, the news came down today... and it's not good news at all.
If you've been following my problems with my 2000 xj, then great.
I took it to the shop that rebuilt the motor, after the one that installed it misdiagnosed my misfire that started less than 3000 miles after paying a buttload of money for my motor rebuild. They had diagnosed it as the coil pack, which it wasn't, and when I asked them to take another look, they wanted to charge me another $85 in diagnostics, since I didn't want to pay them an outrageous amount of money to buy and bolt on a new coil pack.
Turns out that the shop that installed the motor did not get the timing right, and therefore since I've had it back (since october), it has been dumping fuel into the motor, destroying what I paid to have rebuilt and also destroying the camshaft.
Of course, they won't own up to such a thing.
The owner of the offending shop, swears up and down that if it were dumping enough fuel to do that in under 3000 miles, I would have known. Swears that I would have smelled gas, and that my engine light would have been on since the get-go, and my truck's cat would have been glowing red after a trip. Also swears that since it's a distributorless ignition that they weren't responsible for any sort of timing, and places the blame squarely back on the shop that actually rebuilt the motor. However, I happen to know that there is an adjustment on the passenger side of the motor for just such a thing (I believe that's where it is in an XJ), and upon installation that should have been something they double checked.
He also had the audacity to also tell me that it's partly my fault because I "took it to too many shops." And, after telling me that they would have rediagnosed it for free had they actually misdiagnosed the problem, and me telling him that his employee told me I would be recharged... He changed his story and says, "Well, yeah... In that case since we didn't purchase the part or install it, yeah, we'd have to recharge you."
At which point I mentioned that his employee offered to install the USED pack, that I picked up at no cost when we showed up and asked if it would be ok for us to just bolt it on the in parking lot, and that I had his employee clear the code after it was installed... Which prompted him to ask me if we had cleared the code with the vehicle on or off. When I told him I was unsure, and that I was in the building at the time because I was pregnant and it was freezing, he decided that didn't actually matter when the code was cleared.
He was also stuck on the coil pack being the source of the misfire, and "something must have been burning your coil pack up causing the misfire." Bull.
He also had the gull to accuse the shop that has it torn apart of damaging my camshaft on purpose just to blame them for the misfire, because he knew I was going to ask if I brought pictures of it to them if he'd believe me. Then he told me that since they tore it apart without calling me to authorize such measures (I authorized diagnostics!), that I should tell them I'll report them to the state if they don't either put it back together for no additional cost other than the initial $40 diag fee, or fix it for free. What an ***.
Now, the shop that rebuilt it, and currently has it torn apart (again), feels sorry for me and will do the repairs for the cost of parts and enough to pay the mechanic. $500. They are basically cleaning up another shop's mess.
However, he won't stand behind me with a written statement of what was found.. Because they send him motors to rebuild and he doesn't want to lose business.
I have contacted my boss, as her boyfriend is one of the very top defense attorneys in the state, and I'm going to see if he can assist me on this. I'm ready to take this to court.
I'm going to give them one more chance to make things right without involving a lawyer, but if the lawyer thinks I have a case, and they don't own up to their mistake... I will pursue legal action, as I now have a $500 repair bill as a direct result of their negligence.
This dude, in an attempt to prove whatever, even admitted to me that he once FORGOT TO PUT OIL IN A CUSTOMER'S CAR AND BLEW UP HIS ENGINE, which he fixed because he did it... OKAY, if you can forget friggin' OIL how much you wanna bet your guy forgot to FREAKING TIME THE MOTOR.
So, yeah, now I have a rebuilt motor that now needs another partial rebuild less than 3000 miles later, and a junked camshaft.
Wonderful.
How can I get this douche to own up and take responsibility?
I may be calling Fox 2 Problem Solvers on this one as well.
If you've been following my problems with my 2000 xj, then great.
I took it to the shop that rebuilt the motor, after the one that installed it misdiagnosed my misfire that started less than 3000 miles after paying a buttload of money for my motor rebuild. They had diagnosed it as the coil pack, which it wasn't, and when I asked them to take another look, they wanted to charge me another $85 in diagnostics, since I didn't want to pay them an outrageous amount of money to buy and bolt on a new coil pack.
Turns out that the shop that installed the motor did not get the timing right, and therefore since I've had it back (since october), it has been dumping fuel into the motor, destroying what I paid to have rebuilt and also destroying the camshaft.
Of course, they won't own up to such a thing.
The owner of the offending shop, swears up and down that if it were dumping enough fuel to do that in under 3000 miles, I would have known. Swears that I would have smelled gas, and that my engine light would have been on since the get-go, and my truck's cat would have been glowing red after a trip. Also swears that since it's a distributorless ignition that they weren't responsible for any sort of timing, and places the blame squarely back on the shop that actually rebuilt the motor. However, I happen to know that there is an adjustment on the passenger side of the motor for just such a thing (I believe that's where it is in an XJ), and upon installation that should have been something they double checked.
He also had the audacity to also tell me that it's partly my fault because I "took it to too many shops." And, after telling me that they would have rediagnosed it for free had they actually misdiagnosed the problem, and me telling him that his employee told me I would be recharged... He changed his story and says, "Well, yeah... In that case since we didn't purchase the part or install it, yeah, we'd have to recharge you."
At which point I mentioned that his employee offered to install the USED pack, that I picked up at no cost when we showed up and asked if it would be ok for us to just bolt it on the in parking lot, and that I had his employee clear the code after it was installed... Which prompted him to ask me if we had cleared the code with the vehicle on or off. When I told him I was unsure, and that I was in the building at the time because I was pregnant and it was freezing, he decided that didn't actually matter when the code was cleared.
He was also stuck on the coil pack being the source of the misfire, and "something must have been burning your coil pack up causing the misfire." Bull.
He also had the gull to accuse the shop that has it torn apart of damaging my camshaft on purpose just to blame them for the misfire, because he knew I was going to ask if I brought pictures of it to them if he'd believe me. Then he told me that since they tore it apart without calling me to authorize such measures (I authorized diagnostics!), that I should tell them I'll report them to the state if they don't either put it back together for no additional cost other than the initial $40 diag fee, or fix it for free. What an ***.
Now, the shop that rebuilt it, and currently has it torn apart (again), feels sorry for me and will do the repairs for the cost of parts and enough to pay the mechanic. $500. They are basically cleaning up another shop's mess.
However, he won't stand behind me with a written statement of what was found.. Because they send him motors to rebuild and he doesn't want to lose business.
I have contacted my boss, as her boyfriend is one of the very top defense attorneys in the state, and I'm going to see if he can assist me on this. I'm ready to take this to court.
I'm going to give them one more chance to make things right without involving a lawyer, but if the lawyer thinks I have a case, and they don't own up to their mistake... I will pursue legal action, as I now have a $500 repair bill as a direct result of their negligence.
This dude, in an attempt to prove whatever, even admitted to me that he once FORGOT TO PUT OIL IN A CUSTOMER'S CAR AND BLEW UP HIS ENGINE, which he fixed because he did it... OKAY, if you can forget friggin' OIL how much you wanna bet your guy forgot to FREAKING TIME THE MOTOR.
So, yeah, now I have a rebuilt motor that now needs another partial rebuild less than 3000 miles later, and a junked camshaft.
Wonderful.
How can I get this douche to own up and take responsibility?
I may be calling Fox 2 Problem Solvers on this one as well.
Call and go to your local BAR(bureau of auto repair) this is a federal agency to protect the consumer from shoddy mechanics. DO NOT do any more work to it till they see it. Take your receipts and all to them. They are free(your tax dollars at work) write down everything that they have said and done, and let them work their magic(if they can)
#22
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These two are going to point fingers at each other until you give up out of frustration. Since you've contacted an atty', I would do nothing further without his OK. I'm not certain he's going to want you to rely on the testimony of the engine rebuilder as he was involved in the first failed rebuild in some capacity. He may want the jeep brought to an uninvolved third party for evaluation. Ask. It'd be a shame to undermine your chances of recovery.
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