Upper Pan Gasket Replaced for Free!!!!

[TORTUS]

Did you ask him how'd we go from "I've been in the business 30 years, it's either this or this blah, blah, blah.." to... "don't come back, you're trucks a piece of sh!t"?

I did, I called him out a couple of times on his inconsistencies, his only response was to attack me or the truck, no real reasons. I had to calm him down a couple times too (very unprofessional) just to try and get more of an explanation out of him.

Odd, very odd.

I wonder the real reason he wanted it out of there so badly?

Agreed, one of my co-workers (Jeep/crawler guy) was next to me when I took the call, he couldn't believe what he heard and said I should ask if there was a snake or an alligator underneath my truck because he sounded so scared!

Going to inspect the truck in a minute, will update after.

 

[cruiserdan]

Maybe he found a dead body or something?

 

[re_guderian]

Don't get me wrong, I'm pissed and would like nothing more than to slam this shop, but I realize that won't fix anything.

Maybe nothings messed up, he fixed the PA gasket, and simply doesn't like to do rear mains. Although I doubt that's the case. Won' t know til I get more info.

Thanks and I hope it works out in my favor too, every time

Man, I admire you. I am more jaded. Many of my attempts to settle disputes taking the high road have ended poorly (read $) for me. Especially in the medical area, leaving me with the feeling that next time it happens, I'm just gonna get a lawyer. The other guy usually does anyway... I really hope this works out for you and there was no damage done, but it sounds very fishy, and the potential for literally thousands of dollars out of your pocket is very real here. 80's motors aren't cheap. I know there is no evidence yet, but you may want to put Cruiserdan on speed-dial, just in case.

 

[RavenTai]

I am learning quickly that DIY is the way to go, I am doing everything else, I just don't have the confidence to get into the motor yet. Look slike that will have to change!

DIY is the best way.

 

[TORTUS]

CDan -

LOL! Where do you think I should starting looking to confirm?

 

[Rookie2]

Wonder if it'd be worthwhile to have them pull the lower pan, to see it anything looks out of kilter.

Maybe the guy's just having a bad day, or he might of walked up on one of the technicians boffing his ole lady in the back of your 80, and that sent him off.

 

[TORTUS]

re-guderian - I hope so too, I can't afford a new engine right now! The high road doesn't normally work for me either, but I thought I'd give it a shot. (Rookie mistake?) I don't want to mess with lawyers either, and I knew that without some form of documentation that he had been in my engine I would have no case whatsoever. (hence me not letting him send me packing with a free ???? job)

Raven - you said it, I'm learning it!

 

[TORTUS]

Wonder if it'd be worthwhile to have them pull the lower pan, to see it anything looks out of kilter.

What should I look for?

Maybe the guy's just having a bad day, or he might of walked up on one of the technicians boffing his ole lady in the back of your 80, and that sent him off.

Hilarious, I wouldn't blame him then , just don't take it out on me!!

 

[Russ in California]

You might also give your state Bureau of Automotive Repair a call.

 

[Rookie2]

What should I look for?

Well C'Dan may have an opinion as to whether removing the lower oil pan makes much since, but to me it's pretty easy to do and will give a little more view of what's been covered up (captured upper pan bolts and oil pickup primarily) to see if anything looks fishy. Other than removing the upper oil pan, or just driving it around, I'm not sure there's much else you can do to try and check if he's torn something up.


Rookie2

 

[e9999]

smart that you made sure to get a piece of paper.

I wonder, though, if having paid him would make a big difference legally speaking if he messed something up. After all, he's the one telling you not to pay him. Curious. Any legal opinions worth their (free) price?

 

[TORTUS]

Thanks for the tip Russ, will check into it.

Here is the only thing I found so far underneath, it looks like a couple of the lower pan bolts may have been damaged and he fixed with these. Or is this how those two particular bolts are supposed to look? If this is not correct, I wonder what other band-aid work was done internally?

The last pic shows the new FIPG, and at the bottom you can see the motor mount bolt with clean threads, so the nut was in fact removed.

The messed up bolts are on the USDS, each time we crawled under the truck he would hurry to the DS so I had to go under the PS.

Did he strip the upper pan bolt holes??

 

[TORTUS]

smart that you made sure to get a piece of paper.

I wonder, though, if having paid him would make a big difference legally speaking if he messed something up. After all, he's the one telling you not to pay him. Curious. Any legal opinions worth their (free) price?

Perhaps he didn't want me to pay him so that there would be no record of him working on/messing up the truck. That was how I perceived it.

 

[inkpot]

Well C'Dan may have an opinion as to whether removing the lower oil pan makes much since, but to me it's pretty easy to do and will give a little more view of what's been covered up (captured upper pan bolts and oil pickup primarily) to see if anything looks fishy. Other than removing the upper oil pan, or just driving it around, I'm not sure there's much else you can do to try and check if he's torn something up.


Rookie2

Howdy! So what are the chances that your "ACE" mechanic saw something unrelated that is a major nightmare that he wants nothing to do with? Maybe a botched repair by someone else that is doomed to fail, and he wants no part of it. May need to ask around on the "80's list". I've only heard about the infamous heater hose. JOhn

 

[phxtlc]

Strange...Can you PM me with the shop so I can avoid it?

Playing Devil's Advocate here maybe he found something that he thought he'd be blamed for that was existing. You said that you only have had the truck for a little while, do you have service records? But if that's the case why not tell you?

Have you been doing runs over the border?

Even though they get slammed the one thing nice about a dealership over a one off is that there is a chain of responsibility that you can turn to. I personally know because I managed to get $1800 worth of work refunded directly from Toyo Sales NA. This isn't saying that the work is any better.

 

[Rookie2]

Here is the only thing I found so far underneath, it looks like a couple of the lower pan bolts may have been damaged and he fixed with these. Or is this how those two particular bolts are supposed to look? If this is not correct, I wonder what other band-aid work was done internally?

If you're talking about the one's with the two nuts on them, IIRC those are supposed to be that way. There are a few of those around the perimeter. They help you position the pan when re-installing.


Rookie2

 

[DTAYLOR]

Thanks for the tip Russ, will check into it.

Here is the only thing I found so far underneath, it looks like a couple of the lower pan bolts may have been damaged and he fixed with these. Or is this how those two particular bolts are supposed to look? If this is not correct, I wonder what other band-aid work was done internally?

The last pic shows the new FIPG, and at the bottom you can see the motor mount bolt with clean threads, so the nut was in fact removed.

The messed up bolts are on the USDS, each time we crawled under the truck he would hurry to the DS so I had to go under the PS.

Did he strip the upper pan bolt holes??

LC,

Those 2 studs are supposed to be there. That part looks OK to me.
Try to gently "back off" the bolts one at a time. If any are broken, that will reveal it.

I reject the notion that the guy saw something he didn't want to be involved in, and that is why he backed away.

In my experience, good mechanics will point that out to you, and not try to shuffle you out the door in a fit of anger. That theory does not hold water. IMHO

There is a hidden agenda on his part. Either he messed something up, and didn't want to take responsibility for it, or he missed his lithium that day.

I still say something is up, and it's only a matter of time before LC finds out what it is.

D

 

[TORTUS]

Howdy! So what are the chances that your "ACE" mechanic saw something unrelated that is a major nightmare that he wants nothing to do with? Maybe a botched repair by someone else that is doomed to fail, and he wants no part of it. May need to ask around on the "80's list". I've only heard about the infamous heater hose. JOhn

Strange...Can you PM me with the shop so I can avoid it?

Playing Devil's Advocate here maybe he found something that he thought he'd be blamed for that was existing. You said that you only have had the truck for a little while, do you have service records? But if that's the case why not tell you?

Have you been doing runs over the border?

Even though they get slammed the one thing nice about a dealership over a one off is that there is a chain of responsibility that you can turn to. I personally know because I managed to get $1800 worth of work refunded directly from Toyo Sales NA. This isn't saying that the work is any better.

Both make a good point, that is why I am not slamming this shop, I am playing devil's advocate to myself too.

Like phxtlc said, why not just tell me? Instead he chose to act evasive and shoo me out the door. That's what is so questionable.

Good job on getting your $$$$ back. Border runs??

 

[TORTUS]

If you're talking about the one's with the two nuts on them, IIRC those are supposed to be that way. There are a few of those around the perimeter. They help you position the pan when re-installing.


Rookie2

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[cruiserdan]

Does anybody you know possibly know the guy personally? Perhaps a third party to ask him why he wanted out so badly?