Disappointment
Posted by on 11th August , 2010Very disappointed I contacted the builder today and they offered to have a look at the car right away.
On trying to start the car in the morning first thing I notice is that it’s a pig to start cold, I’d asked if the cold start is ok / will be ok in the beginning – all yes’.
Once started and warm the idle was ok, it’s just a bit of a fight to get there something that previously was not a problem.
After arriving and replicating the smoke issue for them (which was to just start the car and let it idle) they agreed that the head would need some attention. It wasn’t inspected at all by the builder as the head was sold to me as a fully reconditioned unit from the UK (which is looking to be rubbish) which I had mentioned to him. While the car was running before the rebuild, comments had been made that the head sounded quiet and the motor strong.
My problem was that the rebuild was being done to fix the smokey motor, if there was an extremely high chance the head was at fault for the smoke, I think it’s reasonable as a mechanic to have a quick look at the head to see if it visually looks to be reconditioned in your opinion.
It was decided that when the car goes back in for final tune, the head will be inspected at a dicounted rate as we both accept some responsibility for the head not being inspected during rebuild. Stem seals are the likely cause and can be done without removing the head from the car again wich would be great for all concerned. I mentioned some of the other issues which are all happy to be looked at on return for the final tune.
So for the time being I am to put up with the smoke and it is suggested that it should improve after some more k’s are done, currently sitting at just ~35k’s.