so i went by the shop this morning to look at my engine, still hoping i may just need a top end rebuild ...

DENIED

now here's the *interesting* part.
at this point, i'd really, really like to get my dirty little hands on the actual engine builder!

consider this:
you're building a "high end" T4 racing engine for a customer. all nice, expensive components, big vales, yada yada.
you assemble the heads and 2 valves seem a bit "sticky". hmmm. upon closer inspection, you see that the valve stems are bend.
you could easily order two new valves, but that would cost time and money, and hey, it's a racing engine, that thing won't last long anyways, right?
so, you decide to do the "quick fix" and simply add two stronger valve springs to the bend valves and voila, they move again!

yepp, you guessed it, that's exactly what happend to my engine. oh, and btw. did i mention that the camshaft went flat on those two lobes within less than 4000 miles?

but wait, there's more! the piston rings had too much play (up/down) and they wore down the piston material and now move about 1mm up/down in each direction. left some nice marks on the cylinders as well.

and did i mention the cracked heads?

the case will be split today and i'm afraid they're going to find even more good stuff in there ...

man am i glad i have a bunch of booze leftover from this weekends party, i'm gonna need some ...
Andy

Bummer. Sorry to hear that.

It's times like these when those Doc Martins come in handy...

QUOTE (Headrage @ Oct 10 2005, 03:31 PM)

It's times like these when those Doc Martins come in handy...

ouch dude.....

so 6 valves had single springs and 2 had HD or doubles? wtf
sorry to hear of your screwing

QUOTE (Aaron Cox @ Oct 10 2005, 03:41 PM)

so 6 valves had single springs and 2 had HD or doubles? wtf

nope, all had double springs, otherwise we would have noticed at the first valve adjustment ...

but when they took the vales out of the heads, the springs on the 2 bend valves were much longer than the other ones !!!

Andy

QUOTE (SirAndy @ Oct 10 2005, 03:44 PM)

QUOTE (Aaron Cox @ Oct 10 2005, 03:41 PM) so 6 valves had single springs and 2 had HD or doubles? wtf nope, all had double springs, otherwise we would have noticed at the first valve adjustment ... but when they took the vales out of the heads, the springs on the 2 bend valves were much longer than the other ones !!! Andy

geez... that sucks man. any recourse with the builder?

Sorry andy, that sucks! Hope all inside the case is ok.

I had an engine built by a "well renown" VW engine builder named Steve Tims. I paid for the performance parts I wanted, and gave him explicits on how I wanted it built. It took me nearly three months to get it. After 2 years of running like crap and having multiple problems with it, it finally sized. When the case was split, found out NONE of the high-end performance parts I paid for were in there, and it was not built no where near what I had requested. As a matter of fact, it looked like one of his slap-together assembly line engines he builds for some manufacturer.

QUOTE (Aaron Cox @ Oct 10 2005, 03:45 PM)

geez... that sucks man. any recourse with the builder?

if only i knew his name, for some reason, the guy wanted to stay anonymous ...
Andy

QUOTE (Toast @ Oct 10 2005, 03:48 PM)

I had an engine built by a "well renown" VW engine builder named Steve Tims.

wouldn't surprise me if that was the same guy.

only zois knows ...
Andy

QUOTE (SirAndy @ Oct 10 2005, 02:48 PM)

QUOTE (Aaron Cox @ Oct 10 2005, 03:45 PM) geez... that sucks man. any recourse with the builder? if only i knew his name, for some reason, the guy wanted to stay anonymous ... Andy

I guess that's a bad sign...

Andy...

SHIT FUCK!

That needed to be said... delete if you must, but first... say it with me, won't you..

SHIT FUCK!




M

Man - sorry to hear that. Ouch!

Still have the old engine?

M

Why split the case, just put a six in it

QUOTE (jonwatts @ Oct 10 2005, 04:20 PM)

Why split the case

#5 needs more input

as for the /6, i'm keeping my fingers crossed that a certain individual decides to part with his engine.
we'll see if that works out ...
Andy

I feel bad for you, Andy.

makes me upset, too.
Have you contacted our favorite lurker?

You might want to change your signiture about now...
( good )

Everyone: read mine


KT

man... that sucks... big time

but I'd have to agree with Jon
have a ritual burning for this nasty POS and go for a six

A six is what you really want anyway...right?

Go 6 man, that car of yours deserves it after all this crap. It seems to be rejecting 4's, I'm sure a 6 would be a wonderful relationship . Money spent on that type 4 just sounds like more terds down the shoot towards the fan.
Eric

P.S.
This is the motor you bought from zois right? Wasn't their some from of warranty with it, it seems you have incriminating evidence that this motor was built WAY wrong.

Even if a certain person doesn't part with their way oversized Six, there was a 2.2 longblock on craigs for $1500 quite recently, and Rich Herzog is also selling a 2.2 longblock for about the same money. Rebuild one of them into a high-compression 2.5 with aftermarket EFI, and you're all set.

ahndy....

if you go six... i got dibs on your /4 rockers and swivel feet

Is this the one?

Bad Boy Engine

6 month, 6000 mile warranty. What was the purchase date?


Sorry to hear about the problems. Hopefully it will work out for the best.

"130hp....bad boy motor...make your 914 scream reliably."

Shouldn't have said that Mike. Then again there is a pic of a hairy ass in that thread too so I don't think the above statement could have been taken too seriously.

mike didnt build the motor.....

QUOTE (SirAndy @ Oct 10 2005, 02:44 PM)

QUOTE (Aaron Cox @ Oct 10 2005, 03:41 PM) so 6 valves had single springs and 2 had HD or doubles? wtf nope, all had double springs, otherwise we would have noticed at the first valve adjustment ... but when they took the vales out of the heads, the springs on the 2 bend valves were much longer than the other ones !!! Andy

That's to bad

The longer springs, wern't set with an installed heigth, so they were coil binding, and flatened the 2 lobes. Not to mention, the person, installing two different size springs.

As, for the rings, it seems to me that they were not the correct size rings for the lands, to start out with, not to mention if the end gaps were set correctly.

dooood, that fucking sucks big time.

and that's totally fucking inept, to install a couple "extra length" springs. what pistons and rings are they? the 'anonymous' engine builder should be outed, so we can all stay away.

be done with fours, friend.

n

That's crappy Andy. Sorry to hear about it. There's an 1.7 long block in my "stash". Need it for a driver? If you do, call me.

QUOTE

import auto parts 725 east gutierrez Santa Barbara CA 805 965 2303

these guys built the engine. Not mike. Mike payed to have the motor rebuilt and sold it before installing it, went to a small six instead.

call the builder sir andy

QUOTE (Part Pricer @ Oct 10 2005, 05:04 PM)

Is this the one?

yes, that's the motor. the one that had the dizzy shaft 180 deg. off, the oil temp sender was only hand tight, the carb linkage didn't work, the pilot bearing was in the wrong place, the alternator was dead, the dizzy had play, one of the plugwires was dead.

i'm sure there was more, just can't remember it all ...

this is hands down the worst engine experience i ever had in my 25 years of dealing with cars ...

"just add YOUR exhaust and GO GO GO" my hairy ass (excuse my english)
Andy

QUOTE (nebreitling @ Oct 10 2005, 05:44 PM)

what pistons and rings are they?

the pistons are actually really nice, leight-weight, racing style Keith Black pistons, no idea about the rings, but yes, it looks like they were too narrow to begin with ...

Andy

andy if you need parts from my 2.0 pm me,

yours just for shipping....



b

kinda reminds me of the onion thread

and like this just makes jake look like a saint. when he builds what he says he builds and then stands behind it no matter what. [like he did for dave "dnhunt"]

my mama always told me secondhand engines are like a box of chocolates...you never know what you're gonna get.

k

Take the engine and go to the place that built it and throw it through the front window.

An old saying comes back to me at times like these: "never go down into a well on another man's rope". Lot of truth to that.

Put a six into it and be done with it.

Man Andy I feel for you. It gets you right in the gut each time you find something else wrong. Tough to say what I do in your shoes right now but, I think I'd be leaning toward a six.

Dave

That really SUCKS Sor Ahndie.....

Rereading the posts a coupla times left me with a couple of impressions...

One... The builder is so incompetent that they need to be shot....

or... Two... The builder was skilled, pissed off at someone (PO?), and knew what they were doing when they did that crap. I've never seen a bent valve unless it was whacked by a piston. So that logic leads to: 1. Builder deliberately bent the valves just enough to surface as problems later and added longer springs to cover or...2. Builder installed valves and noticed they were bent and added longer springs to cover ... Let's face it, either scenario involves deceit and extra work on the builders parts in tracking down longer springs. Not sure if locating longer springs is easier than getting unbent valves. For me, valves is easier.

Per the piston/cylinder damage, builder either received wrong parts and went ahead with the build knowing what was goin to happen or deliberately added wrong rings knowing it would be awhile before the problem surfaced (out of warranty)...

Either way, It really sucks. I'd be contacting that builder face to face, describe how you got engine, the problems, and offer them a chance to make it right. Depending on the answer, they get a handshake and a chance to fix the issues, or a pretty noisy and graphic showing of my rage and frustration.

I would let the builder know that "do me right and all will know, do me wrong and all will know".

I wish you the best on this.....

Ken

QUOTE (kwales @ Oct 11 2005, 08:03 AM)

I would let the builder know that "do me right and all will know, do me wrong and all will know".

yeah, i thought about that last night over a few jack'n'coke ...

right now, i'm at a point where i'd rather just sell off the still useable parts, get my mind wrapped around a /6 conversion and just let it go ...

but in case i ever run into this guy, he'd better have a black belt in karate and 350lbs of bodyfat to swing around ...
Andy

What happened to the spark plug that was toast ?

you got; five lugs , GT flairs , 916 bumpers, whats missing?












answer; 2 more cylinders

the /6 is a no brainer in your car, of course -- i hope you go that way eventually andy.

meanwhile, i hope there are still some in-spec parts in there that you can get some decent cash out of...

Andy, what's left of your motor that is usable?

I'm needing some odds and ends... Possibly help you into that six by taking some parts off your desk...

QUOTE (Brando @ Oct 11 2005, 01:11 PM)

Andy, what's left of your motor that is usable?

i'll know more tomorrow, but here's a few things that will be for sale shortly:

- 2.0L crank & rods (will know soon if they're modified)
- 2.0L case
- 2 x 2.0L heads with BIG valves, i can have them fixed for 'ya
- 911 swivels, solid rocker spacers, dual valve springs
- lifters and pushrods might still be good
- 44 IDF weber carbs with linkage, freshly rebuilt. new raintrays.
- 1.7/1.8L SSI heat exchangers
- manta 4-tip exhaust
- tuna can
- sandwich plate for external cooler pickup
- tacco plate with temp sender
- dual pressure sensor
- like new CB performance rotary fuel pump
- like new alternator
- CB oil catcher
- MSD ignition set
- nice YELLOW (powdercoated) engine mount bar for sideshifter
- various bits and pieces from the engine. tin, fan, oilcooler, oilpump

the pistons might just need bigger rings,
will know for sure if they're toast or not tomorrow as well ...

cylinders can be honed out ...

there might be more, can't think of it right now ...

PM't.

Hey Andy,

Sorry to hear about the motor. That trully sucks. My closest to that was a used motor I bought many years ago and was told "it was running fine when it was pulled out of the car".... Yeah, right... Well, after sitting in my garage for a while, I decided I'd be better off freshening the motor anyway, so I tore it down. When I opened up the strainer, I fished out a large handfull of big chucnks of aluminum.

After tearing it down, I found a completely shattered piston skirt...

Anyway... Good luck on the project that awaits you. I say "SIX"! And I'd do the same if it were even remotely in my budget.

Oh, I'd be interested a couple of those pieces if you sell 'em off. Well, maybe just the CB oil catcher...

-Josh2