Len Freeman, is this how you treat your customers? long.

[Otto J]

There had to be an EXTREME pressure problem in order for even a set of stock clutches to burn that bad in such short time.

On the initial test drive how did the trans perform?

 

[Alky V6]

it was a figure of speech.... fine it looks like the directs went through some kinda torture test. Better? Yes ive rebuilt stock trannys that looked pristine with high miles as well. Ive also fixed other builders mistakes in a tranny that looked pretty bad.

OK. I see you answered that question for me.

Otto's statement X2.

 

[JDSfastGN]

How many plates in the direct. Was a cause for the direct clutch wear determined? Were they sunburst or solid?

It does appear as though the direct are altos or some other red lined friction. That kind of throws your 'stock all the way through' statement out.

OD plate count should have been upgraded.

Pic of the direct pressure plate, please. Snap ring side.

Also. Still waiting for those pictures of the parts that look like they have over 200,000 miles on them.

Ok thats the parts that were given back. Apparently the band was still ok, as was the direct drum. I don't have any other parts to take pics of. There were 6 clutches in the direct which is fine, i don't go for the extra clutches theory if the steels have to be thinned out. And stop with the BS 200,000 mile comments, if those clutches don't look like complete crap i dont know what else you want them to look like. They didn't hold up for more than a couple of passes bottom line. What would you think if one of your transmissions didn't make it past a few passes without looking like this. Im taking Centurys word. I do not know what the verdict was on the reason for the clutches failing. I didn't disassemble it. I assume it either had a leaky set of center support sealing rings or the pump had a low pressure problem, although the band would have probably looked pretty bad as well had that been the case.

 

[Alky V6]

I do from Mike Kurtz, with a detailed account in the additional info box. I guess I took the buddy way of business for granted with Len, because I got nothing like that form him.

I don't mind any questions, I've tried and have been here to present my case clearly. I can't see it as slander, because it is not false of malicious.
My argument has a leg to stand on. Can't say the same for the other side. Some of these arguments based on nothing but faith in Len are feeble at best. I don't care about his overhead, if he can't cover his costs (which I am not implying is the case) he does not need to take it out of my a$$.
JD's experience, well, he has a good idea of what he is looking at and I think any other person who has built one of these would say the same.

It's slander unless you can prove it. No invoice is not good for your cause here. Not a good start.

 

[JDSfastGN]

Well my memory stick is crapped out, and I can't get the last few pics. Basically it was a pic of a stock band anchor pin, and the steel that sat on top of the apply ring in the direct drum. The steel had a ring worn into it from the apply ring yet for some reason both sides were burnt and hot spotted.... hmmm. That tells me it was reused even though it was already hot spotted. The other pic was the receipt from Mike at Century stating his findings. It sucks they won't load so Disco is gonna have to scan it and post it if he wants to. Sorry John.

 

[Alky V6]

And stop with the BS 200,000 mile comments

Whoa there fella. You're side brought that up, and if I remember right, it was focused towards more than just the burnt frictions.

 

[scot w.]

Mybe Mike from centry could state his findings. That would seem to be more credible in this situation...

 

[JOHNDEEREGN]

Well it is Halloween, I am starting to smell a witch hunt unless proved otherwise.

 

[Alky V6]

Well my memory stick is crapped out, and I can't get the last few pics. Basically it was a pic of a stock band anchor pin, and the steel that sat on top of the apply ring in the direct drum. The steel had a ring worn into it from the apply ring yet for some reason both sides were burnt and hot spotted.... hmmm. That tells me it was reused even though it was already hot spotted. The other pic was the receipt from Mike at Century stating his findings. It sucks they won't load so Disco is gonna have to scan it and post it if he wants to. Sorry John.

Mike's invoice isn't going to help you in court. You'd better 'shoot' an invoice from Len. That is going to be the first item the judge asks for in court.

 

[Otto J]

Whoa there fella. You're side brought that up, and if I remember right, it was focused towards more than just the burnt frictions.

Thats how I read it also,I can't think that it had a good 2-3 shift at all if it burnt on 1 or 2 passes.
Im not making excuses for what you found,just curious how well it worked before he made full throttle runs with it.

 

[JDSfastGN]

Mike's invoice isn't going to help you in court. You'd better shoot an invoice from Len. That is going to be the first item the judge asks for in court.

I think you are misunderstanding.... I have nothing against Len. I was asked to look at the parts because I was hanging out with Disco since i just moved up here for the semester since my school is closed due to hurricane Ike. I have nothing to gain, and the court stuff is between Disco and his customer. All I did is look at the parts and give an assessment that nothing in that transmission tells me its a 9 sec build. Do I believe and trust Disco Stu? Absolutely, but again I am not in on that part of the argument.

 

[Alky V6]

See?!!! I knew all those CSI episodes would pay off.

 

[Alky V6]

Thats how I read it also,I can't think that it had a good 2-3 shift at all if it burnt on 1 or 2 passes.
Im not making excuses for what you found,just curious how well it worked before he made full throttle runs with it.

Good point. If there was a perceived problem, Len should have been called first off, instead of taking it to the track to finish it off.

 

[Black Power]

I hope to God none of you tranny (possibly meaning transvestites in this situation) "experts" never touch a transmission of mine. You are looking directly at pictures of this complete pile of **** that was given to them and yet you try to make all of this John and Whiplash's fault. I have never rebuilt a transmission before but even I can tell that those parts look like they have been through a couple of world wars. You can carry the water for your hero Len Freeman all you want, at the end of the day you and everybody else that reads this thread know he is a crook.

 

[JDSfastGN]

WTF about the CSI comment? Am i wrong? Show me anywhere that this looked like a 9 sec transmission much less something that could hold 11s. You guys are grasping at straws and anybody that looked at pictures of clutches and internals like that and can honestly say it was worth 2500 is flat out lying. This isn't even a cheezy hardened forward drum. Even if the clutches were alto, who cares, so he paid an extra few dollars per direct clutch. I don't believe they are altos though. BTW i don't know about you but i doubt he went balls out on a 2-3 shift before the track in a 9 sec capable car. According to disco it felt a little soft at part throttle but he thought it might have been the huge stall converter. I never went for a ride in the car so I have no say or idea. Regardless if it should have been sent back in, it should have been equipped with at least a billet forward drum for that price. And last but not least where is Len to give his side. Somebody on here knows him and has talked to him. He could have at least come on and saved face. Hell maybe one of the guys at Len's shop accidentally painted a core and it was mistaken for the one that was ordered for Disco. But him not telling his side is pretty telling.

 

[scot w.]

Here is a post from you (JDSfastGN) on page 2:

October 5th, 2008, 11:51 AM
JDSfastGN
Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Galveston TX
Trader Rating: (1)
Posts: 2,189


I went and took a look at the parts that came out of this transmission, and like Disco Stu said, they were the worst ive seen. The tranny had a just a few passes and a little street time, yet the clutches for the direct (im assuming direct, if they were forwards then there was even a bigger issue) were down to metal. I have only seen one tranny ever had any clutches that were down to metal and that was a very high mile tranny and it was the low reverse clutches that had the issue. Even the ODs were burnt beyond belief and it never even saw a WOT shift into OD. Ill take some pics of the parts this week when i get back to Johns shop. The stock forward drum was cracked down the splines as well.

Then on this last page with this picture you state:

here is a stock forward drum, nothing special here (Thought it was cracked?!!)

 

[Alky V6]

I fully expected to be cross examined, doubted, debased, and smack talked. I have not come here to outwardly bash Len in an unwarranted fashion. I have stated my piece as plainly as possible. I took every recourse to avoid this. I have no problem presenting the pics, work order, and two other transmission builders accounts of this. It is what it is, and I did expect more of the other story by now. Which, like I said, I have been here everyday presenting my side. Awaiting rebuttal.

Work order?

 

[JOHNDEEREGN]

Sorry for you guys troubles!!

Its a real shame how quick other Buick people are quick to throw one of our own under the bus when they get burnt after spending big $$$$

Heaven forbid a Buick vendor do somthing bad Weve had pedophiles(Terry H),people who smoke crack(Dave S),and im sure people who are alot worse than either of those.Whys it so hard to beleive that a trans builder would only put the good parts where it was visible??

File a lawsuit AND report him to the IRS.My bet is that he,along with alot of other vendors whos sale are word of mouth via the internet,dont pay taxes.Post his business info on every website you can find.If someone ends up vandalizing his shop/livelihood,maybe hell think 2x before screwing another customer.

Nice 3rd post,,,,,, now back on topic.

 

[JDSfastGN]

Here is a post from you (JDSfastGN) on page 2:

October 5th, 2008, 11:51 AM
JDSfastGN
Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Galveston TX
Trader Rating: (1)
Posts: 2,189


I went and took a look at the parts that came out of this transmission, and like Disco Stu said, they were the worst ive seen. The tranny had a just a few passes and a little street time, yet the clutches for the direct (im assuming direct, if they were forwards then there was even a bigger issue) were down to metal. I have only seen one tranny ever had any clutches that were down to metal and that was a very high mile tranny and it was the low reverse clutches that had the issue. Even the ODs were burnt beyond belief and it never even saw a WOT shift into OD. Ill take some pics of the parts this week when i get back to Johns shop. The stock forward drum was cracked down the splines as well.

Then on this last page with this picture you state:

here is a stock forward drum, nothing special here (Thought it was cracked?!!)

I looked at it late at night the first time i saw it. After examining it today in better light it appeared it was a trick of the light. The bushing is not a solid piece so that when its pressed in it compresses slightly. It was this cut in the bushing that made it look like the inside of the splined shaft had a hair line crack. I didn't see anything this time but if you want to i can pull the bushing and take a look at it. It only appeared to be a hairline crack in it when i initially looked at it the first time, i don't know if you were expecting it to be a huge gaping crack or what.

 

[Otto J]

Sorry for you guys troubles!!

File a lawsuit AND report him to the IRS.My bet is that he,along with alot of other vendors whos sale are word of mouth via the internet,dont pay taxes.Post his business info on every website you can find.If someone ends up vandalizing his shop/livelihood,maybe hell think 2x before screwing another customer.

Watch how you bring out IRS and reporting when you have people in this thread claiming to "make a little spending money",well unless they are claiming it on their taxes that is.