Fuck this car.

05xgt

Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
Posts
630
Reaction score
1
IMO it's NOT the car, but rather those involved with the build, parts supplier, and or tune. Does your "Bill" expressly state NO WARRANTY? If not you may be covered under your State's Laws, ie; mandatory warranty periods. Might be worth looking into. GL
 

Freaknazty

KEYBOARD NINJA
Joined
Jan 18, 2008
Posts
5,786
Reaction score
56
Location
SOUTH LOUISIANA
IMO it's NOT the car, but rather those involved with the build, parts supplier, and or tune. Does your "Bill" expressly state NO WARRANTY? If not you may be covered under your State's Laws, ie; mandatory warranty periods. Might be worth looking into. GL


Dunno if you have even done a dyno tune but it states in big bold letters sorry bout your luck if this fucker blows its right there on the dyno release you sign before it gets loaded on there , it's even harder to get anything accomplished if the build consisted of numerous companies because guess what they all know ways to blame it on the other part ....
 

05RedDevil

Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2009
Posts
177
Reaction score
0
Location
Baltimore, MD
What all would be rebuilt for $2500?
Would you let someone else take this headache off your hands for the cost or repair, , labor (removal from your car), shipping, and a case of beer?
 

V8SRGR8

Cunning Linguist
Joined
Feb 15, 2009
Posts
326
Reaction score
5
Location
Northern Virginia
The engine is currently at the builder. Per the terms of the "warranty", it was removed and shipped to them for inspection (at my expense, of course). So, yes, there is a "warranty", but they are choosing not to honor it. It seems my only reasonable option is to shell out another $1700 in labor and $800 for custom pistons to the builder to fix it.

As far as my tuner goes - he has many, many, many cars with lesser, stock engines making similar boost & power on pump gas. This very expensive engine should not have failed, but it did.

Despite this fact, the builder is still blaming the tuner, and choosing not to honor the warranty. It's so fucking typical.
 

tmcolegr

It's All About the Build
Joined
Aug 14, 2007
Posts
3,263
Reaction score
18
Location
Central, FL
Why are you being so vague and/or secretive about what failed? You don't need to throw your tuner or builder under the bus but everyone has asked you numerous times what failed. Why won't you answer the question? Some pics would be nice.
 
Last edited:

V8SRGR8

Cunning Linguist
Joined
Feb 15, 2009
Posts
326
Reaction score
5
Location
Northern Virginia
I'm trying not to throw anyone under the bus. I was trying to give everyone time to resolve it, but it seems I'm left holding the bag this time.

This engine is a Livernois 298 stroker. The ringlands failed, but only on one side of the motor. The story has changed multiple times. When one theory was disproved, it changed to something else. I don't know what or whom to believe at this point.

I don't have pics as of right now, because it's at their facility. They have promised me pics. As of yesterday, nobody can conclusively tell me why it failed, only speculate. Livernois tells me they did their part, and after interrogating my tuner, say it sounds like he did his. I have faith in the tuner. He does not melt or grenade engines. How two pieces of piston got into the oil pan remains a mystery. The pistons are being sent to Mahle to be inspected, but I can only imagine in about a months time, I will have yet another party denying any wrongdoing and pointing the finger at everybody else.

I had faith in the process, and believed them when they told me they've never had a failure like this, and "these engines don't come back". That story changed as well when we spoke to the builder two days ago.

I don't want this to turn into a bash thread. I'm trying to stick to the facts.
 

lostsoul

2014 vett or 2015 stang..
Joined
Apr 13, 2007
Posts
6,963
Reaction score
95
Location
Gay Area
I know how you feel. Thats why I had everything done at one shop. Even then they ended tuning a built car that should of has 550+rwhp into a 470 or less. Too many BS people in this type of work and I'm on my last straw.
 

firestang70

SW Ohio Ninja
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Posts
1,241
Reaction score
13
I hope they make it right. I hope they realize there are many people who haven't went forged like myself, it might make my decision alot easier down the road. Good luck man, hope it works out.
 

Miracle

"Shall not be infringed"
Joined
Nov 4, 2007
Posts
1,432
Reaction score
21
Location
Clarksville, TN
I'm with firestang... I haven't done forged internals, and have been looking VERY HEAVILY into Livernois for the parts to do so.

Subscribed.
 

V8SRGR8

Cunning Linguist
Joined
Feb 15, 2009
Posts
326
Reaction score
5
Location
Northern Virginia
Here are the photos of the pistons we took the day it was pulled. We cleaned the piston tops to check for any pitting that would show detonation. We did not see anything noteworthy. These are only the driver's side pistons, as the passenger side was perfect.

motorfailure001.jpg

motorfailure002.jpg

motorfailure003.jpg

motorfailure004.jpg

motorfailure005.jpg


Here are the two fragments found in the oil pan.

motorfailure006.jpg
 

Dan Millen

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2009
Posts
21
Reaction score
0
Here are the photos of the pistons we took the day it was pulled. We cleaned the piston tops to check for any pitting that would show detonation. We did not see anything noteworthy. These are only the driver's side pistons, as the passenger side was perfect.
Here are the two fragments found in the oil pan.

I have been monitoring this thread very closely, our staff will look over the parts and see the root cause of the problem, Livernois stands behind what we build.

Just my first look at the pistons out of the engine It looks to me that this is a tuning issue. I have been tuning cars and racing for several years, and when I see stuff like this, it thows a flag. Most experienced engine guys know that when pistons come apart that its usually a result of tuning.


Now this is not our final determination I just wanted to get on here and show that someone from our shop is on it.

Thanks

Dan Millen
 
Last edited:
Joined
Apr 9, 2007
Posts
369
Reaction score
2
I would like to see what you have when you get the pistons out..... It appears the upper ringland is good?
Are the parts from between the 1st and 2nd ring? That would be an unusual failure.
 

saleen07gt

Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2009
Posts
438
Reaction score
0
Location
St. Petersburg, Fl
Seems like if it was a tuning issue, both sides would be affected. Do tuners have the ability to adjust A/F ratio and timing on one bank only ?
 

Dan Millen

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2009
Posts
21
Reaction score
0
I would like to see what you have when you get the pistons out..... It appears the upper ringland is good?
Are the parts from between the 1st and 2nd ring? That would be an unusual failure.

The piston is out and the top ring lands are siezed, unless your local its gonna be hard to see the parts

Dan
 
Joined
Apr 9, 2007
Posts
369
Reaction score
2
Usually the upper ringland takes the beating, but it appears all of those are intact (at least by the photos), and the pieces held in hand look to be from between the rings.

I think that you run an outstanding business and have only heard raves about your customer service so I am by no means trying to put anyone on the spot, I am just trying to understand the failure.
 

Dan Millen

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2009
Posts
21
Reaction score
0
Usually the upper ringland takes the beating, but it appears all of those are intact (at least by the photos), and the pieces held in hand look to be from between the rings.

I think that you run an outstanding business and have only heard raves about your customer service so I am by no means trying to put anyone on the spot, I am just trying to understand the failure.

No problem, We try and do what right. If its our fault we will take care of it guaranteed!

Dan
 
Back
Top