Rating Summary #115,855

Spent $10K on a drivetrain. Engine was bad. Seller will not take responsibility or compensate in any way.

Here is the Whole story.

Originally Posted by QwkTrip
The 12 bolt had bailing wire inside it. You did the work on it.

The turbo engine had a scuffed cylinder, coolant in the pan, a blown head gasket, rusted rod bolts, and the bearings were HAMMERED. You said you looked at it. Had to put $2500 into the short block to make it right.

The fuel pumps had disintegrated filters socks. Who knows what has been through it by now.

You never did give me the fuel pressure regulator.

Now I need you to be straight up honest with me: You said you looked inside the trans. Is there anything I need to know about it? The trans is the one thing I wanted for myself. I need you to tell me everything you know about it.

Jon

Originally Posted by Auto-Teacher
I changed the gears in the rear axle and didn't happen to put bailing wire in it though??? Unless a student tried to sabotage it or it was in an axle tube before I got it I have no idea how bailing wire could have gotten in there. There isn't any reason for bailing wire to be any where near a rear axle other than for maybe shipping. As for the engine The head gaskets were brand new mls never ran. If one was blown it was because it hadn't been retorqued after you ran the engine. The cylinders looked fine with slight mileage on them. I didn't check them with a bore gauge but they still had cross hatching in them. I never had the bearings out so I don't know what they looked like. All I can say about them is I heard the engine run when I bought it and there wasn't a rod knocking. The coolant might have gotten in there seeping around a head stud but I cannot say for sure. The engine sat in the garage and in the car for years as you know. What all did you have done to the short block for $2500? New rods, Pistons, Crank, rings, Bearings, bored? That is a lot of money for a scuffed cylinder wall, bearings and rusted rod bolts. Not calling you a liar just sounds expensive. I went through the trans and everything looked good.....again I didn't mike everything or drive the car other than a few miles but seemed great to me. The fuel pumps were never out of the car so I have no idea what was going on in the tank. Sorry you are having such a hard time with it.

Originally Posted by QwkTrip
Thanks for the reply.

I never ran the engine. It's been sitting on the pallet since I brought it home. I sold it to LS2foryou and we pulled the heads the day he came to get it. #2 cylinder had a very noticeable scuff. There was fine metal shavings in the oil. I knocked $1K off the price right away so he would take it home. I called a week later and learned about everything else. He took the engine to a high end shop because it is going to be another 1000 HP build. He didn't ask for a thing but I sent him another $1K to make sure he's in the right place on this deal. He shouldn't have to eat a bad deal so I can have fun with his money.

What do you think you should do?

Jon
Originally Posted by Auto-Teacher
I am still at a loss as to how you can blow a head gasket without running an engine? We had the pan off and it was clean but as I said we never pulled any caps or bearings because the engine ran fine. As for the cylinder usually a quick hone job will clean a scuff and won't cost $2500. Unless the block was cracked, pistons were shot and the crank looked like a toothpick I can't see spending $2500 on those repairs. You sold the turbo kit for good money. You sold the engine. You are sitting at $3000 or less for a badass transmission, clutch, shifter and 12 bolt rearend. I am sorry you didn't make ALL your money back but you are still in a very good deal. Those parts are easily worth more than DOUBLE that. As for the pressure regulator I will look around the shop and see if I have it. It was not left out on purpose and I will send it to you asap if it is here. Shoot me your address and I will ship you the regulator.

Originally Posted by QwkTrip
Sorry, I probably confused you the way I explained it. The speed shop said a head gasket had blown to get coolant in the bottom end. You put on a new head gasket, so it must have been prior to your head gasket because you didn't use the engine, I didn't use the engine, and Chris didn't use the engine.

I didn't ask for an itemized receipt of expenses. I thought it was costly too but didn't question it because Chris (LS2foryou) is an outstanding person. I sold him a high end HKE engine and if he had to put $2500 into it to make it equivalent to a high end HKE engine then so be it. He's already been through the ringer, I'm not going to make it worse by questioning his integrity when I already know he's full of integrity.

At the end of the day this is what it all boils down to....

You sold me a high end HKE engine that you thought was good. I resold that engine thinking it was good, but it turns out both you and I were wrong. When I turn out to be wrong then I set Chris in the right place so that he gets what I advertised. He shouldn't suffer for my mistake. Frankly, I'm really embarrassed. I just hope Chris knows I'm genuine by my actions.

Now when you turn out to be wrong, what do you do? Maybe you got scammed by the first guy. That's between you and him. But we both know that engine couldn't be sold knowing the full extent of issues. It doesn't matter who discovered the issues. All that matters is somebody is going to take a loss. It's not going to be Chris because I'm taking care of him. I suggest that you and I split that loss evenly since we are the ones who passed on the problems, even if by accident. I already gave Chris $1K. I'm sending him another $1K as soon as he e-mails me his address. You are welcome to contact Chris if you want to verify and ask any questions.

I'm not going to keep pursuing you or run you down on the forum. You just decide what you want to do. I'll live happily with my decision.

Jon
Originally Posted by Auto-Teacher
I understand where you are on the situation. However, I also took care of you by giving you a very good deal on ALOT of parts. Even with you deciding to give money away. I don't know what you sold the engine for, but I am sure you are still in a good place for the money you have in all the other parts. I cannot justify paying you for profit. When the guy was unhappy about the scuff in the cylinder he should not have bought the engine. You did good by knocking off a $1000 for him because that should have more than covered the machine work. He accepted the purchase. Therefore that deal should have been done. At that point he knew what he could be getting into. I wouldn't volunteer to give him another $1000 dollars because that is an astronomical Machining bill. If he paid that much for the work to be done it wasn't just a scuff fix, bearings and possible rod resizing. Even the original machine work from hke didn't cost $2500. I would put check on his integrity and rethink your extra $1000 you are throwing at him. Here is the part from the invoice for the original machine work. I have emailed you the invoice before so you know I am not making this up.

Bore and Hone W/ ... Bore and Hone W/ TQ Plates up to .030 over 225.00
Line Hone Line Hone Main Bores 125.00
Set Deck W/ Custo... Set Deck W/ Customer's Pistons 150.00
Clearance For LS1 ... Clearance For LS1 Front Timing Cover 50.00
Clearance LS1 Val... Clearance LS1 Valve Covers 50.00
Balance Rotating A... Balance Rotating Assembly 150.00
Assemble Engine L... Assemble Engine Long Block 500.00

That equals $1250. He should not have had to have all that redone. High end shop or not double the price of HKE, for much less work, is way too much. I sleep good at night knowing that I gave YOU a good deal. What you do with others is your business. I hope you understand and I am sorry things aren't going the way both of us would have liked. Thanks
Originally Posted by Auto-Teacher
I like both. As I said before you are making profit off these parts by selling them off and trying to get your parts for free. I have no problem with that ...That is what your plan was from the begining. OUR deal was good. That makes my reputation in good standing. Your deal was agreed upon when you offered to knock off $1000. That makes what YOU decided to do good. Him spending astroniomical money on the engine makes HIS decision bad. NOT MY DESCISION TO GIVE YOU A GOOD DEAL AND NOT YOUR DECISION TO SELL HIM THE MOTOR AT A DISCOUNTED RATE. HIS DECISION TO SPEND TOO MUCH MONEY ON THE MACHINE WORK WAS WRONG. I will not pay for anyone elses bad descisions. It didn't need new RODS, PISTONS or CRANK I can assure you of that. The machine work could not have cost the amount he is saying for the work it NEEDED. Can you spend $2500 on a block, sure, he could have bought a new aftermaket block for that. It wouldn't have cost that for repairing what you told me was wrong. Our deal was exactly 4 months ago. Go to a used car lot buy a car AS IS. 4 months later figure out it it needs $1000 worth of work. Sell it to someone telling them it needs $1000 worth of work and see if the car dealer or any business will give you $1000 restitution. All I can say is YOU got a GOOD DEAL on YOUR PARTS and I think it is wrong for you to ask me to make it a sweeter deal for YOU. You were not hurt on this deal and you know as well as I do even needing the repairs the parts were worth more than you gave for them. I understand that you won't make as much PROFIT as you think you should but I cannot in good concience take the food off my families table to help make up your Profit margin. You keep saying this guy has all kinds of intergrity and you question mine. I told you what I knew about the engine and all the parts. I didn't lie about anything. The parts were used and I told you that.
The parts sat for years and I told you that. The engine ran good and the transmission works and the clutch had some miles on it I told you all of that and I never lied because it was all true. My integrity and reputation are fine.

Qwktrip
Your whole defense hinges on my dealings with other people (which you know little to nothing about). All that needs to be considered is my transaction with you. I know you understand that. I don't know why you keep pointing in other directions. Put a box around our transaction and it really simplifies everything and brings it into clarity.

I was thinking about this all the way home tonight. I thought to myself, Rusty's not a scumbag. In fact I even have to admit that he's a nice guy. So I was trying to figure out why a nice guy won't step up to the plate? The only thing I could figure is that you just don't have the money so my request can't be fulfilled even if you wanted to. Then I get home and read your message tonight.

Look, if you don't have the money then that's fine. Just tell me though. It's not my intention to hurt you. It would make me feel a whole lot better knowing you had heart to help me out if you could. If you really do think you're rightfully off the hook then I don't know what else to say.

I know what you're saying about the machining costs. I think it's outrageous, too. But I am so embarrassed that I sold him a messed up engine that I'm willing to go above and beyond to make it good. I just had somebody do that for me and they didn't even have to. I don't know if you saw my post about 'burgers' and my 427 engine but that guy turned a horrible situation in a great situation. I appreciate it so much!!! My hope is that LS2foryou thinks the same about me.

If you do find the fuel regulator let me know and I'll give you my mailing address. It would be nice to get a few bucks for it.

Jon