Motor from Weber racing

[87GN 98GTP]

so I have been waiting to post this since the issue from them took awhile to get resolved. 1. I had them build the best stock block stroked setup with GN1 heads from weber racing, as they were highly recommended. Everything was great until it was installed by Eric Knapp from trannys plus who came also HIGHly recomended. He did it all and on start up it started leaking antifreeze from the head bolts(im thinking grrr cuz weber said go with cometic gaskets) anyways I call weber a few times they keep telling me to fix it myself trying things, so eric takes the motor back out(in mind its a stocker under the hood so no room to take the heads off) FIND out they did not silicone or any sealer on SOME of the head bolts, then he looks into it and sees the timing chain is too loose and the main bolts to the rods are almost a full turn loose as well. Now after he fixes it all the motor rans AMAZING but I call weber and they deny pretty much all of this saying my installer(who does own a 8 sec GN) is all wrong this stuff COULD NOT HAPPEN. After many conversations they go why didnt you send the motor back LOL im like really after I called numberous times. Now they are very professional but only refunded 200 bucks after spending 12,500 on the block. 2. the block would probably be in pieces if not for Eric, So beware after my long story. Eric Knapp is VERY HIGHLY recomended if you can get in

 

[87chrisss]

what a joke 12,500 would have been down the drain,

 

[EVIL]

Assuming this is all true, integrity has taken a blow.

D

 

[87chrisss]

again i dont know much but i rather swallow my own 12,500 do the crap myself or me be present while someone does it, no way i can go make a pass and at the end of the track my parts are in pieces and me be clueless, if i do it myself i would know who to blame, if a shop did it then comes the arguing and finger pointing game.. f, uck that.. there quick to take money but when something happens, sorry no warranty on racing engines..

 

[EVIL]

again i dont know much but i rather swallow my own 12,500 do the crap myself or me be present while someone does it, no way i can go make a pass and at the end of the track my parts are in pieces and me be clueless, if i do it myself i would know who to blame, if a shop did it then comes the arguing and finger pointing game.. f, uck that.. there quick to take money but when something happens, sorry no warranty on racing engines..

Going with a builder is a chance you take. I went through that myself so i decided to built my own engine with nothing but research on here. This site truly is amazing. It seems to be running good.

It looks like the OP lucked out and fixed the issues.

D

 

[forcefed3.8's]

Working in the automotive industry, there are alot of throat cutters. I have seen unhappy customers (people who are never happy, or expected to have their whole car painted when a fender got replaced, etc) take their cars to other shops, and the manager sells them a line of crap to make the other shop look bad. Now, leaking head studs is a common issue, nothing to do with Cometics. Did you see the loose timing chain bolts, or the head studs with no sealant on them? Not sticking up for Weber, but I have watched Dave Weber tripple check torque on everything he assembles. There are alot of people out there that may seem straight forward, but like to dog other people and praise themselves. It is an industry full of egos.
There are alot of local people with Weber engines, not just Buicks. Every tear down shows everything was done right. Their reputation is quality. Now they did start getting a bad name for charging too much $$$, nickel and diming the bill with extra cleaning time on unsed parts, high set up times, etc. They also had some bad apples working there. I know the guys working there now, and they are top notch. With my latest engine, they were more than fair. If they were that stupid and didn't tighten bolts or seal threads, it would be on alot of other engines, and there would be alot more failures. And the problems your guy described are the easy part of building an engine. If Weber couldn't do that, then how could the machine work be right? With just the people I hang around with, there are over 20 8 sec to 10 sec street cars that Weber either did the machine work or machined and assembled. None of which have had any problems. Some of these engines are over 10 years old. JMO.

 

[87chrisss]

i decided to pull my comment, rather not talk junk when who knows wth is really going on.. good luck on that motor brother,

 

[GNTIM]

Working in the automotive industry, there are alot of throat cutters. I have seen unhappy customers (people who are never happy, or expected to have their whole car painted when a fender got replaced, etc) take their cars to other shops, and the manager sells them a line of crap to make the other shop look bad. This is so true. Not taking sides here, as I have never done any business with Weber. But this installer guys stories seem a little questionable. Back under my rock now.

 

[GNTurboTommy]

"the main bolts to the rods are almost a full turn loose" IMO If this were true and the engine was run and warmed up enough for the antifreeze to seep around the head bolts, the bearings, rods and crankshaft likely would have been trashed with that amount play.

 

[EVIL]

If the main bolts to the rods are almost a full turn loose, that pretty much means you could turn them by hand.

I find that hard to believe!

There is something being left out here.

D

 

[87GN 98GTP]

im not sure all were loose but some were and he said not torqued to the right spec, and the main caps not to the connecting rods, and to the other I agree Weber was HIGHLY recomended but not my experience and from other people that know the guy who put it together...hes good

 

[buickruss]

For $12000 I would have the motor broken in by the builder, If they offer the service

 

[87chrisss]

for 12k i would buy a house in this current economy buick = bad investment house =good investment

 

[buickruss]

Buick = big smiles
House = big chores