What is this!!!!???

[Yellowb1rd]

Fellas,

I received my used replacement motor for my S4, and after uncrating it, I noticed this part on the pallet. Can someone please tell me where this could be located? I've been looking for new shiny breaks anywhere on the motor, and still have not located it. Any ideas????

[Yellowb1rd]

Found it. It's been snapped of on the driver's side cam tower.

Damaged during shipping or the vendor damaged it while loading on the pallet....

[MPDano]

Well, someone is going to have to pay for that. Did you contact the seller first?

[JK McDonald]

Hey Yellowb1rd - Looking at the photo it appears to me like there have been multiple blows to the cam tower assembly. If you check closely, the 1st impact struck the very edge of the ear and broke it off. The next blow landed on the exposed curve of the cam tower and cracked some additional aluminum. The next impact is seen farther along the remainder of the surface. You can see each separate dent or blow point. This shows a pretty substantial fall.

You should have the shipper check the hands of all their forklift operators for any super glue residue. Clearly their attempt at repairing the ear held just long enough to reach your location. This type of issue is readily covered by the company handling the transport.

Good Luck with your engine installation, Michael

[uBoat Commander]

Somebody owes you a chunk of change or a new engine.

[MPDano]

Originally Posted by JK McDonald

Hey Yellowb1rd - Looking at the photo it appears to me like there have been multiple blows to the cam tower assembly. If you check closely, the 1st impact struck the very edge of the ear and broke it off. The next blow landed on the exposed curve of the cam tower and cracked some additional aluminum. The next impact is seen farther along the remainder of the surface. You can see each separate dent or blow point. This shows a pretty substantial fall.

You should have the shipper check the hands of all their forklift operators for any super glue residue. Clearly their attempt at repairing the ear held just long enough to reach your location. This type of issue is readily covered by the company handling the transport.

Good Luck with your engine installation, Michael

Wouldn't it be apparent on the crate it was shipped in? I would think Yellowbird would have been alerted when receiving a crate with it cracked. Hence why I think it was the source, unless the Shipper is the one who crated it.

[gbgastowers]

If that is damage to a head I guess you could get another head and the rest of the engine is ok to use?

[Danglerb]

I hate shipping a motor. Last one for me was from SF down to OC, nice straight shot one day on a truck etc. I take my rental truck to the shipping terminal and off in a corner of the doc sits my Euro S motor with the pallet it was on totally crushed and remains sitting on another pallet.

Nobody knows what happened or when, my only option is accept or refuse and fight for refund of shipping cost AND cost of the motor.

Good luck, contact seller asap, but good idea to pull the heads and do the timing belt regardless, now not much choice.

[Yellowb1rd]

Hey guys,

The engine was shipped on a pallet and covered with sheets of thick cardboard and clear shipping plastic and tape, so upon inspection (while the shipper was there), I saw no gaping holes, or visual damage. BTW, this is actually the passenger side cam tower on the rear of the motor...

....Thinking about it, I wonder if it was damaged before the shippers even picked it up from the seller....

[MPDano]

Originally Posted by Yellowb1rd

Hey guys,

The engine was shipped on a pallet and covered with sheets of thick cardboard and clear shipping tape, so upon inspection (while the shipper was there), I saw no gaping holes, or visual damage. BTW, this is actually the passenger side cam tower on the rear of the motor...

Then there is your answer. The seller knew the damage was already there. Contact the seller, if that doesn't work. Hopefully you used a credit card.

Or I would first ask the seller how it was shipped (describe packaging), it is possible the shipper covered it "after" the fact.

[Danglerb]

Lesson I learned the hard way, take off the shipping stuff immediately and fully inspect.

[Fixer]

Sorry to read this Yellowb1rd, call your CC company or bank and stop payment before you contact the Seller.
Good luck

[JK McDonald]

Hey Yellowb1rd, I am in the process of helping a friend locate a solid 16 valve engine. He bought a crusty 84 928 US model with 2 zillion+ miles and has ordered a generic refit. How did you come out with the recovery of funds for the damaged engine you bought ? Were you able to receive compensation or were you offered another motor ?

Hope you didn't have to take the small claims legal route. Years ago on one deal I was involved in, the court awarded me a settlement but I could never get a dime out of the seller.

Michael

[MPDano]

Originally Posted by JK McDonald

Hope you didn't have to take the small claims legal route. Years ago on one deal I was involved in, the court awarded me a settlement but I could never get a dime out of the seller.

Michael

Not sure what the statute of limitations are on the small claims, but I normally can find out the Defendants Bank, Employment or Mortgage info using different methods and just have the local Sheriffs or Marshals get the monies directly. Money is money, you still have to work for it, even if you win. Dumb system for sure.

[JK McDonald]

Hey Dano, After winning in a 2002 small claims court and still not being able to collect anything, the lawyer I consulted felt that it would be cheaper to chalk this up as a life experience. It cost me $125 for a couple of investigative phone calls (probably) made by a paralegal at the law firm. It turned out that the Kansas City company that stiffed me and many others was clearing out it's warehouse of anything and everything that could be crated up and sold as they entered bankruptcy. The supposedly completely rebuilt Audi V6 engine I received not only had no oil pressure but smoked like a pile of burning leaves. They had evidently steamed off one of their core motors to make it look like new and shipped it out. All of their assets were being fought over by 34 different creditors so my claim would have been considered insignificant.

The final result was basically - the company was protected by the bankruptcy court, the judge signed off on the final deal, there was no jail time for anyone and they were put on the $hit list of the Kansas City Better Business Bureau - whatever good that does.

Sadder But Wiser Automotive Hobbyist - Michael