2002 D2, 180* stat, 149k.


Finished the HG replacement Wednesday afternoon in a downpour. Fired it up everything runs awesome... I'm happy. Engine creeps past 205*(ultraguage), at 212 I shut it down.

Thursday morning I bleed the cooling system as per RAVE manual. Start engine... purrs like a tiger, pisses like a racehorse. Creeps past the 210* mark again. The heads I had refinished at Headmasters Inc. In Saddleback NJ are leaking from the front freezeplugs.

Besides an inevitable phonecall, I plan to run it to get it to operating temperature then take the belt drive apart and take pictures to confirm the leaky freeze plugs, what kind of argument can or should I expect from them? I'm out a gasket kit, stretch bolts, and time (worthless in their eyes). I don't really even want to take it apart again. Part of me wants to tow the truck down to them and say fix your mistakes.

 

Dude.

I feel your pain.

In my experience, you'll get a lot further with a shop if you are cool, calm, collected and have evidence. I've had my share of shop problems, with many kinds of vehicles, and I can say for sure that hitting the front door like a thunderstorm will get you no help at all.

Machine shops tend to be really quick to point fingers at others, so arm yourself as best you can with photos, videos, etc, so you can go into this informed.

I usually act like its no big deal, use some humor (I was in sales for awhile too, so that helps) and act like you KNOW they will make it right, s**t happens, haha, etc, and how can I make this easier?

Then, if that doesn't work, you can ratchet up the pressure. I use the line "before I get on yelp and do my review, I wanted to see how we should handle this"....it does wonders.

Bottom line - people aren't perfect, give them a chance to correct it, we've all F'd up before. If they give you the runaround, laugh, call them out, and just ask them straight up - you gonna fix this or do we get out the swords? In my experience, if you're cool, people will help you a lot.

 

there shouldn't be an argument,
did you ask for the core plugs to be replaced?
did you ask for a complete valve job? valves & seats cut, new guides & seal head pressure tested and CC'ed.
or did you have them deck the heads?

 

That is basically my plan ALTDisco. I have no plans on going in there weapons drawn. That will just plain get me nowhere. Lol. Going in like it's no big deal is an excellent idea. In all honesty it isn't a big deal. I have a second car... I JUST MISS MY ROVER... LOL.

Drowssap, heads where checked, decked, new seals and freeze plugs installed. I was told the valves and guides where in good shape. I asked for the plugs to be replaced as they didn't exactly look... Healthy in the first olace. I can see that the plugs are new as well. I'll post the photos tonight after I take the belt drive off.

 

if you paid for them to be replaced and they are leaking then the least they should do is pony up $ for new gaskets and bolt set

 

Do you think the leaking plugs are the reason it's overheating?

 

I'm hoping they will do so. I don't trust anybody working on this thing for a reason.

Mark G, it's the only thing I can think of. The second it hits temp, it leaks. Temps continue to rise. I haven't let it overheat yet. Ultraguage is the best $80 I ever spent on a vehicle.

 

have you borrowed/rented a pressure test be be sure it the core plugs?

 

I'm with you on other people touching my rover.

Most of my tool purchases over the years were the results of fixing someone else's work.

Now, I pay for oil changes and that's about it.

My bikes - won't let anyone NEAR them with a wrench. too much at stake for sloppy work.

First rule of negotiation - he who mentions a number first, loses....most of the time.

good luck.

 

Yea I've seen that happen. I will be mentioning gasket and bolt replacement after(if) they agree to repair the heads. I'm just hoping they didn't manage to crank them.