Blazer Rebuild ..... Disapointed/Questions

[Sen Sen]

Ok... just got my truck back from the shop.
Full rebuild with performance headers, cam, P & P Heads, and a few other upgrades.

The disapointment was in the cost, I was quoted $3800 which is pretty good for what i wanted done.
But after all was said and done the total cost was about $5300

Yeah it has more power/torque/response but now im about $1500 in the hole.

A couple questions i have:
1) How soon do i change the oil?
2) When would it be good to go on the highway?
3) Are there any other things I should check or watch for?

[BlazerLT]

Do this:

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

Trust me on this, it works wonders.

[Sen Sen]

Originally Posted by BlazerLT

Do this:

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

Trust me on this, it works wonders.

That's a very interesting link, i've put maybe 2km on it so far and now you've got me questioning which way to go......



Though he does not include the V6 in this statement?
"Although the examples shown here are motorcycle engines,
these principles apply to all 4 stroke engines"

[mike2004tct]

Originally Posted by Sen Sen

Ok... just got my truck back from the shop.

A couple questions i have:
1) How soon do i change the oil?
2) When would it be good to go on the highway?
3) Are there any other things I should check or watch for?

Didn't the shop that did this work reccommend any of these things?

[herkyhawki]

Originally Posted by Sen Sen

That's a very interesting link, i've put maybe 2km on it so far and now you've got me questioning which way to go......
Though he does not include the V6 in this statement?
"Although the examples shown here are motorcycle engines,
these principles apply to all 4 stroke engines"

Your v-6 engine IS a 4-stroke engine. ( 6-cylinder, 4-stroke)
To protect your warranty, you are better to follow your shops answers to these questions. In the event of a problem, and you have followed some annonymous internet advice over that of your shop, you may be forking out $$ again.

[BlazerLT]

You are best to go out and flog it a couple times and immediately come back to your home and change the oil.

This way of breaking in engines has been known in the racing industry for years and does work to get maximum compresson and ring seating.

Honestly, do it.

[blazee]

Did you approve any changes that made the price go up?

In Florida, shops have to notify you and get approval when the price changes more than 10% or $50 (which ever is less). If they don't notify you, the most you would have to pay would be the price quoted plus 10% or $50 which ever is less.

[BlazerLT]

Originally Posted by blazee

Did you approve any changes that made the price go up?

In Florida, shops have to notify you and get approval when the price changes more than 10% or $50 (which ever is less). If they don't notify you, the most you would have to pay would be the price quoted plus 10% or $50 which ever is less.

quoted for truth.

They can't jack the price up after giving you a quote.

It is illegal.

[Sen Sen]

Originally Posted by herkyhawki

Your v-6 engine IS a 4-stroke engine. ( 6-cylinder, 4-stroke)
To protect your warranty, you are better to follow your shops answers to these questions. In the event of a problem, and you have followed some annonymous internet advice over that of your shop, you may be forking out $$ again.

Believe me when I say, I read 4 cylinder when i wrote that..... It might also be cause i responded at 3:37 am

[blazes9395]

I generally agree to get out there and give it a good stomping a couple of times. What we did for rebuilts is generally the same, with a few exceptions. First never stomp on it off the line, your putting a lot of load on the new bearings, and you want them to wear in properly - this does not wear in bearings easily(especially mains). What we do is get to a open road, start of lightly, at about 25 - 40kms, stomp on it, get it up to about 100kms(don't over rev it), let it coast down, and repeat the process a couple of times. Like that website said, you do only have a limited time for properly seating the rings - but don't forget the bearings, they don't need high loads, so don't stomp on it off the line. Also, if you run synthetic oil, don't use it fo rthe first 500kms approx, as synthetic resists wear, which makes it hard for bearings and rings to wear in properly. After the initial oil change your o.k to use synthetic, but the second oil change should be done at about 1000 to 1500kms. After that consider it broken in. And another tid bit, get a fairly large magnet and put it on the outside of the oil filter. This helps catch the large amounts of metal a new engine puts out, and helps the oil filter from not getting overloaded with all the metal from the rebuilt.

[Sen Sen]

Originally Posted by blazee

Did you approve any changes that made the price go up?

In Florida, shops have to notify you and get approval when the price changes more than 10% or $50 (which ever is less). If they don't notify you, the most you would have to pay would be the price quoted plus 10% or $50 which ever is less.

I was only asked about replacing the Flywheel($68)
I fought with them over most of the add-ons:
-T sensors($45)....all of mine were checked in a tune up just before it broke down.
-block heater($60)... nothing was wrong with the old one,
-motor mounts($110).... these were probably needed, but I wasn't asked.
and several other small parts

There was also a lot of shady charges as well, ie: 7 bottles of coolant, 6 cans of high heat paint.... (to paint the block..BS)

I went straight to the owner and asked why these were not included in the quote, I towed the truck there specifically to get an exact total for the rebuild... they owner told me that "A quote is just that, and there will always be unexpected parts and replacements needed"

Once I got it home I did a full lookover.
My stereo was still disconnected.
My fog lamps were still disconnected.
The coolant wasn't even full..
I know these are all small things but when you throw $5000 at a shop, you think they would do a good job.

That is also why i posted the questions. I wasn't able to get answers from those F&^k's... they seemed to be the most honest shop out of my options, before I got my bill!

I've also heard mixed answers from the internet and friends, on the questions asked..

[Sen Sen]

Originally Posted by blazes9395

And another tid bit, get a fairly large magnet and put it on the outside of the oil filter. This helps catch the large amounts of metal a new engine puts out, and helps the oil filter from not getting overloaded with all the metal from the rebuilt.

that.. I never thought of..... Thanks for the great advice, I will definitly be trying that

[blazee]

If you didn't authorize the additional charges, you need to check in to your local laws. You may have a nice refund check coming your way. Make sure you get statements from the other people, to show the shops history of "shady" behavior.

[BlazerLT]

Talk to a local lawyer ad make sure you keep all your paperwork.

You are entitled to a refund.

And don't worry about the lawyer costs, you can recover them through the suit.

If you get a quote, they have to stick to it within a certain margin.

You never asked for them to paint the block but even that, 6 cans??!!!

7 bottles of coolant? You sure they didn't have you resupply their coolant supply in the back?

[Sen Sen]

Exactly my thoughts!