A machine shop butcher job. Pics and video included.

[J. Fast]

Doesnt matter if the warranty is expired. If you can prove cause by negligence the cost for reconstruction is theirs. The only question you must ask yourself is how much time and money do you have to pursue a claim. You'll likely win and get it all back plus attny fees and some headache money but you'll have to front it and pay for expert witness failure analysis.

Id hate to admit that I make a very very good living as a reconstruction expert. If you meet me its because someone didnt build it right and a plaintiff wants to know why it failed and how much it costs to fix it. Some repairs cost thousands, some cost millions. Businesses try to skate around negligence or shotty work by using warranty period expiration all the time. In most states the negligence periods are many many years beyond. In Colorado its 5. It doesnt matter if its a car, plane, trailer, bus, building, house, accessory or fixture if you can show cause for negligence, warranty or no warranty, you have a case.

[Keyan]

Here is a post from my facebook.

So anyone who is interested about my car. This is how it sits. Last week I disassembled it and found that the machine shop had tightened down the rod cap improperly, damaging the rod and the crank. I also found grit in the cylinder bores causing an elevated wear of the Wisoco pistons on the skirt area. I also found micro cracks in the rod journals on the crank. And the #4 rod was making contact with the crankshaft causing the rod to heat up and turn blue, and the crank to develop a grind mark in it's lobe.

I went to the machine shop and presented this evidence to them, and although he didn't actually say "we broke it" he did agree that it was not assembled properly. He wanted to take the crank and machine it, and anaylze the rods that were damaged to see if he could fix them. I declined, refusing to have them touch my car parts again. We agreed upon a refund on the work they performed to the price of $400. I wanted to get him to pay for the rods as well -- but he was adamant that he could repair the rods and wouldn't pay for them. So this is where I stand.

I am sure the crank is toast, at this point. Like mentioned in the quoted text, I also found a blueing on the rod #4, from where the rod was making physical contact with the crank lobe, causing the rod to turn blue and the crank to grind a bit.

I am glad to hear the piston skirts may be re-useable. I am not mentally prepared to do the ENTIRE engine job over a second time. Any parts I can save without compromising quality, I will.

[DocWalt]

geez. I did better assembly work laying on my back under my car with primitive tools... morons.

[sergechronos]

It doesnt matter if its a...plane... if you can show cause for negligence, warranty or no warranty, you have a case.

If you survived the failure :P

That said, this does sound like you got boned big time and would definitely have to pursue it in court. J. Fast is right though, you'd have to pay for it all up front until you win and this could get dragged out for a while. Probably goes to small claims court and ends up being a pain in the ass.

[Streamln1]

I would go legal, they will probably wind up settling before it even goes to the court house. I got screwed by a machine shop too, unfortunately enough time passed by the time I figured out what they did I had no recourse.