What to Do?

[blau911]

Guys,
I am in the process of having a 2.4T motor rebuilt with all original 2.4S parts including Mahle 2.2S P&C's. It took some time and money to get all the parts together, and then to choose a mechanic. The mechanic I chose did a visual inspection of everything with me prior to the rebuild and machine work done (Crank was mic'd and polished, 2.4S heads got new valves/valve seats/springs, etc). I also had the oil bypass mod done to the 2.4 7R case.
I live in Munich and the mechanic I chose to do the rebuild is in Orlando.
I am normally not a big fan of leaving resto work with people over great distances and trusting them as I have learned this lesson twice before. However, the mechanic came under high recomendation from another member of this board who I am friends with.
Now for the fun part: After a few delays and time needed to have all of the machine work done and get the parts ready, I was told the motor would be done in a few weeks. I hadn't heard anything for 3 weeks so I sent an email to request a status update. The response was that he had just started putting the motor together and the following:
The crankshaft assembly went well with the ARP bolts & machine work. Once the case came together and torque sequence began the crankshaft got tight after 12 lbs of thru case bolt torque & locks up after 15-16 lb. ft. of torque. The torque spec. is 25 lb. ft. of torque.
The magnesium case is warped and requires one of the following:

a. machine process to lap the case back to standard bore & because cylinder head studs require coming out for the process they must now be inserted with thyne certs.
This process allows for std. sized bearings.

b. replacement although then there is the question of condition of followup case?

c. align bore (oversized bearings very $$$$$)


My first reaction was to question this mechanics honesty for numerous reasons.

First, the crank that came out of the same motor that the so called warped case came from was almost perfect and needed only polishing. So if the case were warped and the crank can not turn properly, how could the crank itself not have been damaged previously and not require serious machine work?

Second, when handing off the parts to the mechanic, he visually inspected them and said they were good. In addition, the case was sent out to a local machine shop for the oil bypass mod. Wouldn't a machine shop check the case as well before performing any costly work machine work such as the bypass upgrade?

One other thing has me questioning the mechanic's honesty as well. After choosing him to do the rebuild work, I had him install a 2.4 MFI a motor into a 73T roller that had a 3.0 CIS motor in it prior to my doing the transplant last Summer. What I expected was only a one or two day job turned into a $5000 3 week job. There was no engine work at all was needed. After supposedly hours and hours of trying to diagnose the problem, the problem turned out to be a bad MFI pump and a bad CD Box?!

I gave him the benefit of the doubt the first time, but now I suspect I may be getting set up for more of the same.

By the way, I asked him earlier today what the cost of going with Option A above would be. He quoted $1500. Does that sound like a reasonable price? Anyone know who I might be able to send it to for the same price or less and know for sure that the job is going to be done right?

Alternatively, would I be better off just looking for another 7R case? If so, anyone have one for sale?

Any feedback or ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks

[CRNT918]

I'm sure that there are reputable mechanics out there, but with all the horror stories and my own past experiences, I'll push my car around Blackhawk before I let any "mechanic" work on it again. With all the information and help from this forum, people like Souk and Chris Streit, there's nothing that I nor anybody else can't do by themselves!

[BURN-BROS]

"First, the crank that came out of the same motor that the so called warped case came from was almost perfect and needed only polishing. So if the case were warped and the crank can not turn properly, how could the crank itself not have been damaged previously and not require serious machine work?"

Not necessarily, the case moves slowly over a period of time unless it was a thermal reactor 2.7. So crank damage is not likely due to minimal stress. Bearings take the wear. Also after many heat cycles the case thru bolts and perimeter bolts have less clamping force as when new. All of these conditions contribute to the crank maintaining integrity.


"By the way, I asked him earlier today what the cost of going with Option A above would be. He quoted $1500. Does that sound like a reasonable price? Anyone know who I might be able to send it to for the same price or less and know for sure that the job is going to be done right?"

This is a very expensive process so unless you have a special case # I would look for another used case.


You can try a LINE HONE on the case to see if you can get by as it doesn't take much movement to prevent the crank from turning. If that doesn't allow the crank to turn then locate another case.


"One other thing has me questioning the mechanic's honesty as well. After choosing him to do the rebuild work, I had him install a 2.4 MFI a motor into a 73T roller that had a 3.0 CIS motor in it prior to my doing the transplant last Summer. What I expected was only a one or two day job turned into a $5000 3 week job. There was no engine work at all was needed. After supposedly hours and hours of trying to diagnose the problem, the problem turned out to be a bad MFI pump and a bad CD Box?! "

These are old cars with old motors. A bad injection pump,cd box and diagnose time add up quick so that doesn't surprise me.


I would have been nice if the builder could have checked for the deviation prior to the work but a 2.4 T usually doesn't see thermal stresses like the 2.7 cars do. Perhaps he thought that it would be O.K. I really can't comment on his honesty as nothing is jumping out as suspicious, just unfortunate.


So try a line hone then find another case.

[cgarr]

If you just installed a new set of bearings in that same case with the crank chances are it would bind in spots. I have yet to see a used mag case that was not 2 to 3 thou out of round on the mains.

The oil bypass is cheap, pulling all the studs and setting up the case to be checked is a lot of labor.

[blau911]

Aaron,
Thanks for the line hone suggestion. Is this something that any machine shop can do, or is best left to a few of the elite shops in our community. Also,m what would something like this normally cost`?

Craig,
I am not sure if you are making an observation or a suggestion. I am looking for suggestions on what to do (per my thread title). Plse clarify.

As for the 7R case, it is not a matching numbers case to a car I own. My plan was to build the motor and then find an early 911 roller or 911T in order to do a transplant. The case has no value to me other it is a 7R case and has had the oil bypass upgrade just done to it.

Any other persons with suggestions would also be appreciated.

[BURN-BROS]

A line hone should be done by a shop that is familiar with our motors. All bearing surfaces except #8 should be done. You can ask your builder or check around with othershops in Fla. that have this type of work done. A line hone should not be expensive.