engine trouble

[AlaskaTy]

I recognize the fact that I don't know enough about engines to rebuild one, nor would I ever have that much time. So I bought an engine from a notable builder. I got the engine in May and had it installed, again, during my senior year in college I didn't have the time to install an engine.
Once in, it sounded mean, like a V8. But ran like a wounded VW rabbit. I thought all the problems could be associated with an improperly working ultimate chip because it acted like it was in Valet mode. It was just crawling around until it hit a shift point at 3800. So I got a new chip and the drivability got way better. But it still drove worse than my old beat up engine did in every aspect. So after breaking it in per the builder's request it took a sharp turn for the worse after a whopping 1100 miles. Right now it's broken.
Now I know that the engine does NOT have a warranty on it, but should I have to pay again to get my brand new engine fixed? I understand why a built engine wouldn't have a warranty, but I think if it breaks down during the break in, something was seriously wrong. To add 800 of the 1100 or so miles were highway miles getting to the west coast (kept it at about 65mph or so.)
My only part in this process was forking out money for the build, and then more money for the install. Do you guys think I'm gonna have to pay for the repair, however extensive it might be?

 

[jtz]

Did the engine builder actually install the engine? If not, the builder will blame the installer, and the installer will blame the builder.

Did the builder/installer listen to/tune the motor?

Do you have a list of the parts that went into the rebuild?
Are you sure the correct parts went into it?

Only tearing it down will give you the answers..i.e. what failed, and why.

 

[93ty475]

Re: engine trouble

I recognize the fact that I don't know enough about engines to rebuild one, nor would I ever have that much time. So I bought an engine from a notable builder. I got the engine in May and had it installed, again, during my senior year in college I didn't have the time to install an engine.
Once in, it sounded mean, like a V8. But ran like a wounded VW rabbit. I thought all the problems could be associated with an improperly working ultimate chip because it acted like it was in Valet mode. It was just crawling around until it hit a shift point at 3800. So I got a new chip and the drivability got way better. But it still drove worse than my old beat up engine did in every aspect. So after breaking it in per the builder's request it took a sharp turn for the worse after a whopping 1100 miles. Right now it's broken.
Now I know that the engine does NOT have a warranty on it, but should I have to pay again to get my brand new engine fixed? I understand why a built engine wouldn't have a warranty, but I think if it breaks down during the break in, something was seriously wrong. To add 800 of the 1100 or so miles were highway miles getting to the west coast (kept it at about 65mph or so.)
My only part in this process was forking out money for the build, and then more money for the install. Do you guys think I'm gonna have to pay for the repair, however extensive it might be?

sorry to hear (read) that man...run a compression test if you can...buy some tools, go to techweasle.com (<i think thats it) and check it out...borrow a shop and get some help and yank the motor outif its locked up...

servando

 

[E-Rue]

whos build?

e

 

[4C FED]

whos build?

e

Maybe he's not ready to let us know due to pending problem.

But, I could take a good STAB at it. :wink:

 

[AlaskaTy]

Yeah, I don't really want to say who's build it is, nice guy and he's got a great reputation. It has all the goodies, eagle rods, je pistons, L35s, etc. The weird thing is that I hooked it up to datamaster and dm said I was seeing 18 degrees of kr. BAD. But this was in no boost, at about 1500rpms. Before I made my trip over to the west my timing was set to zero degrees. With a new timing chain could it have slipped so far that I'm seeing true knock? I didn't think it possible, but needless to say I quit driving it (actually i was supposed to take my mom to the airport, but at the last minute I backed out, so she had to take a taxi...with my dog to the airport). My oil pressure was good, it went up when I revved it in neutral, so it could be worse.

Sorry about not replying to my own post, but for some reason on my parents computer (new HP) I can login, but once I try and reply or post a new topic, it acts as if I'm not, and then it won't let me. Once I go back out to the home page it says I'm logged in still....weird.

Thanks for the replys though, this has been a quite the saga.