Ripped off by machine shop part II

[cool 84]

This is getting great. First, the machine shop loses all my girdle hardware and doesn't offer to repace them. I cut my losses and take the motor to a different machine shop. Jason was nice enough to give me a great price on the new hardware. I thought that was the end of the story but no...

I get a call from the new machine shop. This guy builds stage motors and usually only high end stuff but he's doing my motor as a favor. I get a call today. The cyliders are out of round and vary by .004. The girdle is warped because the other shop torqued the main studs down without the oilpan studs installed and didn't have enough shims so the girdle was resting on the oilpan rails and not touching the mains. The alignbore was performed with it set up like this too so it's junk. He has a full CNC shop and about every machine imaginable in house but he said he's afraid to plane the girdle flat because where it's the most warped-in the rear, there's not enough metal there. For the first time in my life I think I'm going to small claims court. Does anyone else agree, should I pursue this? Everything I paid the old machine shop for has been junk and only lost or ruined my parts. I got laid off (I had a ride to and from work with friends that worked there) and I'm running out of money. I have to finish this car soon because it's kind of hard to get a job when you don't have a car.

 

[rob nolan]

Sorry to hear that. Do what you gotta do to at least get some of your $$$$$ back. I guess these people at the first machine shop are a bunch of morons.

Good Luck!!!

 

[Men in Black]

Take him to small claims court and get your money back.

 

[cool 84]

I picked up the girdle today because the guy who messed it up wants to see it. I can't believe how bad it is. I can see the bow without a flat edge. On the rear main part where the nuts go and the metal is thinner it's obvious from across the room. I paid $100 to set up the shims correctly and this guy's excuse was that I brought it in pretorqued to him. First, I brought the girdle separately from the block, and second even if I had it installed he obviously didn't do what he said he was going to do with my $100. I can't wait to see him in the morning.

 

[ChrisCairns]

If you're the plaintiff in court, YOU must prove your case. Especially with automotive stuff, you'll have to have expert witnesses to help with proof.

Can you pay your machinist to sit in small claims court all day perhaps, waiting to be called as a witness? Can you afford to pay another machinist to check all the poor work then sit in court all day also? You'll need these two witnesses to provide the "preponderance of evidence" necessary for the judge to disbelieve the machinist who screwed up. That guy will say all kinds of things...including lies. And you may still lose if the judge got up on the wrong side of the bed.

That said....you could send a demand letter to the machinist and demand so much money as damages, and that if he fails to pay you'll take him to small claims court. If he doesn't pay then take him to court. You'll lose without expert witness IF HE SHOWS UP.....but if he doesn't show up you'll win by default. If he does show up you'll at least have cost him a day's wages.

 

[cool 84]

The guy the motor is with now is willing to testify for free. You have to see this. It's obvious even to someone with no knowledge of cars it's messed up. I guess the hard part is going to be proving he did it.

 

[SuperSix]

Originally posted by cool 84
The guy the motor is with now is willing to testify for free. You have to see this. It's obvious even to someone with no knowledge of cars it's messed up. I guess the hard part is going to be proving he did it.

Get his testimony now, signed by a notary. He may change his tune later, and with the document you may be covered a bit more.


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