I agree. Anyone should stand behind there work for more than 200 miles!.
It's one thing for the re-builder to honestly want to determine the cause
and get it right the second time, but it's quite another to take a month to
do it. Push the issue, the squeaky wheel and all that.
Ken Gano
kengano@advant.com
TR3A TS57756 (in pieces)
(also practicing attorney - only not in Texas I tried a case a lot like
this to a jury one time. My client won't pay for the rebuild that lasted
30 miles. Jury agreed notwithstanding waiver of warranty. The argument is
that it's one thing not to get a warranty, and quite another not to get a
re-build)
----------
> From: Michael D. Porter <mdporter@rt66.com>
> To: Vince J. Pujalte <pujalte@stic.net>
> Cc: triumphs@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Fitting Cam Bearings to a 1500 spitfire engine
> Date: Sunday, December 15, 1996 3:23 PM
>
> Vince J. Pujalte wrote:
> >
> > Hello Fellow Enthusiasts,
> > I hope that you can help me.
> > I own a '78 Midget (I know, I know, SORRY) with a 1500 Spitfire
engine
> > in it. The cam welded itself to the block less than 200 miles after
> > rebuild. My rebuilder will not modify the engine to accept cam bearings
> > under warranty until he "knows what happened" and is assured that the
cam
> > bearings will fix it.
>
> Vince, given that the engine only went two hundred miles, your rebuilder
> is responsible, period--if he provided you with a written unlimited
> warranty for a certain length of time. If so, tell him he has a
> choice--buy a new engine, which he ought to do, anyway, or make suitable
> and efficacious repairs to the existing block in a reasonable amount of
> time. Chances are very great that this is related to improper cam
> installation or a very dirty and hasty rebuild, or a failure of the oil
> pump or pump drive, which should have been inspected during a rebuild.
>
> > Would you Please help me? I haven't seen my car in
> > a month.
>
> Your rebuilder has had the car for a month and has been unable to
> determine the cause of the failure??? That's a delaying tactic. Do two
> things--write Andy Mace directly and ask him if there is anyone in the
> San Antonio area in the VTR "road help" program who's willing to go with
> you to the rebuilder to help advise you about what the rebuilder tells
> you. His email address is:
>
> amace@unix2.nysed.gov
>
> If there's no one available, or no one is willing to because of the
> legal implications (and, yeah, that could be a problem), I'd file a
> formal complaint with the local Better Business Bureau. If they can't
> the rebuilder off the dime, I'd check on filing in small claims court.
>
> A month, just to determine the cause of failure, is absurd. This guy
> probably knows what went wrong, and knows that the damage is more severe
> than just the cam, and he's probably going to have to buy you a new
> engine--_if_ he provided you an unlimited short-term warranty.
>
> If his warranty doesn't cover failure due to parts he didn't replace,
> you may be stuck. If, for example, you broke an oil pump drive, and he
> didn't replace it, and it's not covered in the warranty, you're out of
> luck.
> Cheers, Vince--hope you get it resolved to your satisfaction.
>
> --
> My other Triumph doesn't run, either....
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