Local performance machine shops? (2 Viewers)

[Cdaniel]

Some follow up:
Maurer: No return of 2 calls.
Duffee: Talked with and sounds good, but his rates are a little high.
BMI: Still waiting for a return call from Mike after talking with Tom.
Greulich: Discussed a bit on the phone and still seem like a likely pick.

Got another recommendation from a friend. D&J machine in north Phx.
Any one heard good or bad on them?

And more wonderful news, I've discovered that my Basko supplied rotating assy has stock diameter pistons in .030 over bores And my friend that assembled it 22 years ago apparently didn't notice Could it be this is the reason Basko hasn't responded to my inquiry for info on the parts they sourced back then?

Glad I have the tools to do it myself now.

 

[Tools R Us]

...
And more wonderful news, I've discovered that my Basko supplied rotating assy has stock diameter pistons in .030 over bores And my friend that assembled it 22 years ago apparently didn't notice ...

Are you sure, you didn't notice the piston slap?

 

[Cdaniel]

Are you sure, you didn't notice the piston slap?

Yeah I've heard that question several times now. I swear this thing was quiet in spite of the obvious noise makers. In retrospect I have had an unsolveable "ping" or "clatter" under a heavy throttle that I attributed to a combo of timing and cheap gas. Since racing about in the 40 wasn't too often I just lived with it. No racket under normal driving.

Maybe a poor advance curve wasn't really the problem.

 

[Cdaniel]

Submitted as evidence, Cliff's exhibit A and B.

If my crappy eyes are lying here. I need to find a new job, before I cost the company some big money

 

[Tools R Us]

What does the shirt measure? Clean the top, should have a size stamp.

 

[Cdaniel]

What does the shirt measure? Clean the top, should have a size stamp.

If it's the skirt you mean , good call there Kevin, it measures 4.03.
Stamp on top is the same as well.

The intricacies of piston design is lost on me apparently. I assumed same diameter top to bottom.

At least now I can stop cursing my consultant from 2 decades ago

 

[Tools R Us]

If it's the skirt you mean , good call there Kevin, it measures 4.03.
Stamp on top is the same as well.

The intricacies of piston design is lost on me apparently. I assumed same diameter top to bottom.

At least now I can stop cursing my consultant from 2 decades ago

Yep, Skirt.:whoops:

The stamps is?

The ring groove area is always smaller than the skirt. The skirt measurement is what is used for bore fitting.

 

[Cdaniel]

Stamp is .030, all is well. At least this aspect of the situation.

 

[Cdaniel]

Decision made. BMI in Gilbert. Kevin seems competent on the phone (there is no Mike there by the way). And the east side is just more convenient for me. Gruelichs could have gotten the nod, but they haven't been to responsive in communication.

I hope I made the right call, we'll see. Dropping of the main parts for inspection left me a little uneasy. I hope the 2 characters running the forklift don't do any machine work. They were quite ready to drag a few hundred pounds of block and crank across my bed and tailgate to a skid before I stopped them. Rather than use the still attached chain that I used to lift it in there. A pristine 50 yr old tailgate by the way.

 

[murf]

Keep us posted and pics when done Cliff!

 

[Cdaniel]

So you BMI fans, is this place known to be extra slow? Right at a month now and still waiting for my block and crank..........

 

[Cdaniel]

The 383 is finally back in my hands.
So BMI gets an A in thoroughness (I think). They found and repaired a problem with a CAM bearing that Basko previously dealt with using Loctite.

Their prices were fair.

They get a D in timely communication. They finished the heads without me approving the go ahead. They painted my block and heads the original colors without approval. Thanks, but I was planning on cast gray.

My oil pan and timing cover never made it to the vat.

It's in a bag until the sand toy engines get out of the way........

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

The 383 is finally back in my hands.
So BMI gets an A in thoroughness (I think). They found and repaired a problem with a CAM bearing that Basko previously dealt with using Loctite.

Their prices were fair.

They get a D in timely communication. They finished the heads without me approving the go ahead. They painted my block and heads the original colors without approval. Thanks, but I was planning on cast gray.

My oil pan and timing cover never made it to the vat.

It's in a bag until the sand toy engines get out of the way........

Glad to hear its back. Sorry to hear they don't understand how to follow details....becoming more common unfortunately

 

[Cdaniel]

Another late breaking update: Finally chipping away at engine assy. Took a closer look at my heads and found no small amount of grunge still lurking in nooks and crannies. Under new paint no less. The cylinder gasket sides were pretty filthy too. Much black on a rag soaked in solvent.

Not happy

Gives one pause about the thoroughness aspect....

 

[dbleon]

Sucks dude, I know the feeling. Hopefully more attention to detail was paid to the internals.

In my experiences of being screwed.... I found that the only work that satisfies my standards is my own...