UWE LEHMANN
Stop Dreaming
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2001
- Messages
- 72
On 6/13/01 I brought in my 1985 T-Type hot air engine (long block) to Stage1 Automotive of Pompton Plains, NJ, to be rebuilt, bored 030" over, blue printed and balanced, the heads ported/polished and larger valves installed.
When I dropped it off I asked Rob Chilenski to call me when he got the engine apart. He called me and told me the engine was taken apart and sent to the machine shop, and I would be needing a crank shaft. Note: engine has 75,000 original miles. He said he had a crankshaft that needed to be reground and that he would charge me fifty-dollars ($50.00) for a used crankshaft that he had laying around, and bore the block .030" over. At that point, he came up with an estimate of $3,000.00 and some change to do a re-build. I agreed, and thought it was fair.
Now the result. The rebuilt engine has less than 500 miles and has a rod knock. After all proper procedures were met, i.e., cam break in, oil was immediately drained with massive amounts of metal. I was told by Rob Chilenski that this was normal. At about 120 miles my remanufactured turbo let go. I replaced that turbo with one I found on this board. At about 300 miles I noticed a knock at 2700 rpm. I called Rob Chilenski, he said bring it over for him to hear. I brought the car in and Rob agreed that the engine would have to come back out. I asked Rob if he wanted me to leave the car that day, he said that I would have to pull the engine. I told him that it would be quite some time before I could pull the engine, I had a shop of my own and work to be done, and bills to be paid. I drove the car back home, put a cover over it until I was able to pull the engine. Since that time I moved to Florida (the car was transported, not driven down, by Precious Metals). I pulled the engine and got hold of a GN expert. We disassembled the engine and discovered the following: A crank cut .020" under, all connecting rod bearings wiped out down to the brass, main bearings wiped out, we found a steaked rear main seal, which is a failure waiting to happen. An end gap of .011", which is supposed to be .018" - .022", was found on number six (6) cylinder, camshaft bearings wiped out, oil pump and front cover wiped out. The cylinder walls are scored. The connecting rods were over heated upon installation of the new pistons .030" (hyper). A cheap set of chrome molly rings were used. A cheap set of bearings were used (clevite CH-1228P-$22.00 set), Hyperuetectic pistons ($245.00). Also, piston rings were installed incorrectly! The top compression ring was installed in the middle and visa versa, with dot facing down. The heads, which I was told were ported, have major restrictions and the over-sized valves hit each other.
I called Rob Chilenski to let him know what I had discovered, and he said he would "resolve it", and it would take approximately four weeks. My options were to send him back the complete long block at my expense, for him to rebuild. I told Rob that I would get back to him. As per GN expert, "This engine rebuild is a timebomb". No blue printing and balancing were done, poor headwork, cheap, naturally asperated engine kit was used, head gasket: FEL-PRO 8723 PT1 ($13.00 gasket set).
Conclusion: Upon second phone call to Rob Chilenski (today), at 5:00pm, he changed his tune. He told me that the machine shop (North Haledon Machine Shop of New Jersey) would not make good for anything other than headwork and crankshaft. Rob Chilenski then expressed to me that he would not be able to do anything because I drove the car and I waited too long. The rebuillt "timebomb" engine has only 535 miles on it. Mind you, I am a 30 year experienced Mercedes Benz technician and have always stood behind my work and honored my work if there ever was a problem. I am sick and depressed over this. Will Rob Chilenski honor his work??? I hope so.
When I dropped it off I asked Rob Chilenski to call me when he got the engine apart. He called me and told me the engine was taken apart and sent to the machine shop, and I would be needing a crank shaft. Note: engine has 75,000 original miles. He said he had a crankshaft that needed to be reground and that he would charge me fifty-dollars ($50.00) for a used crankshaft that he had laying around, and bore the block .030" over. At that point, he came up with an estimate of $3,000.00 and some change to do a re-build. I agreed, and thought it was fair.
Now the result. The rebuilt engine has less than 500 miles and has a rod knock. After all proper procedures were met, i.e., cam break in, oil was immediately drained with massive amounts of metal. I was told by Rob Chilenski that this was normal. At about 120 miles my remanufactured turbo let go. I replaced that turbo with one I found on this board. At about 300 miles I noticed a knock at 2700 rpm. I called Rob Chilenski, he said bring it over for him to hear. I brought the car in and Rob agreed that the engine would have to come back out. I asked Rob if he wanted me to leave the car that day, he said that I would have to pull the engine. I told him that it would be quite some time before I could pull the engine, I had a shop of my own and work to be done, and bills to be paid. I drove the car back home, put a cover over it until I was able to pull the engine. Since that time I moved to Florida (the car was transported, not driven down, by Precious Metals). I pulled the engine and got hold of a GN expert. We disassembled the engine and discovered the following: A crank cut .020" under, all connecting rod bearings wiped out down to the brass, main bearings wiped out, we found a steaked rear main seal, which is a failure waiting to happen. An end gap of .011", which is supposed to be .018" - .022", was found on number six (6) cylinder, camshaft bearings wiped out, oil pump and front cover wiped out. The cylinder walls are scored. The connecting rods were over heated upon installation of the new pistons .030" (hyper). A cheap set of chrome molly rings were used. A cheap set of bearings were used (clevite CH-1228P-$22.00 set), Hyperuetectic pistons ($245.00). Also, piston rings were installed incorrectly! The top compression ring was installed in the middle and visa versa, with dot facing down. The heads, which I was told were ported, have major restrictions and the over-sized valves hit each other.
I called Rob Chilenski to let him know what I had discovered, and he said he would "resolve it", and it would take approximately four weeks. My options were to send him back the complete long block at my expense, for him to rebuild. I told Rob that I would get back to him. As per GN expert, "This engine rebuild is a timebomb". No blue printing and balancing were done, poor headwork, cheap, naturally asperated engine kit was used, head gasket: FEL-PRO 8723 PT1 ($13.00 gasket set).
Conclusion: Upon second phone call to Rob Chilenski (today), at 5:00pm, he changed his tune. He told me that the machine shop (North Haledon Machine Shop of New Jersey) would not make good for anything other than headwork and crankshaft. Rob Chilenski then expressed to me that he would not be able to do anything because I drove the car and I waited too long. The rebuillt "timebomb" engine has only 535 miles on it. Mind you, I am a 30 year experienced Mercedes Benz technician and have always stood behind my work and honored my work if there ever was a problem. I am sick and depressed over this. Will Rob Chilenski honor his work??? I hope so.
. Hope everything turns out good for you. I would be spending another $500 with my lawer to fire out some nastygrams to get his immediate attention. There's never a reason to sell junk without making certain someone understand what exactly they are getting for their money.
