Hack Mechanic

[Laga]

I have to replace both header gaskets on my 05 with Edelbrock SC and E85.
3 years ago, I had motor rebuilt with forged rods and pistons.
One shop did engine work, another pulled and reinstalled engine. Engine works great.
I had many problems with the other shop. Mainly loose connections.
After breaking in engine, and trying to datalog so Lito could tune, I ran into 2 major problems. First was the car would drive around town beautifully, but as soon as I went WOT to datalog, it would misfire. It turned out that the positive battery cable was not tight on alternator. No problem for normal driving, but vibration of WOT caused wire to move. Took a while to figure that out.
Then, when I got my first good datalog, Lito said to check exhaust and accessories for something loose because he was getting high knock values that should not exist with E85. I checked everything and only found a loose wire on starter, and over tightened knock sensors. Torquing the KSs properly reduced the knock values, but they were still higher than normal. Car ran with no problems at track days.
Fast forward to this week and I’m taking things apart to replace gaskets. This is the top stud and nut for cylinder 8. Next to firewall on drivers side. It’s a real MFer to get off.
Stud was too long, and shop just tightened it up to the point it bent in header tube. I know this had no effect on performance of header, but I’m sure this is where the ghost knock was coming from. With everything in place, it was impossible to see. In the photo the nut is just started on thread to show dent. Header is not off yet, so I hope it didn’t wear a hole in tube. Find out next week.

 

[JC SSP]

Take a die grinder to that… simple solution. Any Shop that doesn’t pay attention to details is worthless. So hard to find a good mechanic.

 

[Laga]

That’s what makes them hacks.

 

[StockishS197]

Ditch the studs and go with grade 8 bolts

 

[Keshy]

I guess that’s why they’re hacks afterall

 

[whitmanink]

This is exactly why a long time ago I decided to invest in tools and everything I need to do my own work on everything...

You simply cannot trust people..

Not to mention I just saw a video on YouTube were a guy took his 40k , 04 cobra (I think)
To a mechanic shop to get work done and the mechanic pretty much thrashed it and ended up wrecking it .
Insurance wanted to give him what it's worth kelly blue book ( not even close to the 40k mods done)
So I think he is pretty much eating all the engine build work and all that fun stuff .. and got money for a rolling shell basically..

I'm even doing my own alignments ... But our cars are simple in the fact you just adjust toe in and out

 

[bambam 06]

To a mechanic your car is how he makes money, nothing else. He will do the repairs as quickly as possible without regards for the quality of the repairs. To you, your car is your pride&joy and will go beyond what is required to do the repairs rigth, even if it takes you twice as long to do it. Not every mechanic is like that, but the professional ones are hard to find.

 

[Laga]

I guess I’m angry and had to rant. The loose wire on the alternator cost me a couple of weeks of time, only being able to trying to find the problem in my free time.
Then, the knock problem cost over a month of time because it was when Lito was in Europe. As great as he is, it’s frustrating when he doesn’t respond for two weeks.
I originally installed the headers. So I know this didn’t happen when new. Now, once I get them loose enough to change gaskets, I have to check depth of hole. Did a stud break off inside of head?
Why did the install job I did last 5 years, and his less than three?

 

[StockishS197]

I guess I’m angry and had to rant. The loose wire on the alternator cost me a couple of weeks of time, only being able to trying to find the problem in my free time.
Then, the knock problem cost over a month of time because it was when Lito was in Europe. As great as he is, it’s frustrating when he doesn’t respond for two weeks.
I originally installed the headers. So I know this didn’t happen when new. Now, once I get them loose enough to change gaskets, I have to check depth of hole. Did a stud break off inside of head?
Why did the install job I did last 5 years, and his less than three?

This is why I do all the work I can myself. No one cares about your car as much as you do. And if I screw it up, I can only be mad at me.

As for Lito, dude is a team of one. He’s been tuning my cars for going on a decade and STILL answers my questions and sends revisions.

 

[Laga]

This is why I do all the work I can myself. No one cares about your car as much as you do. And if I screw it up, I can only be mad at me.

As for Lito, dude is a team of one. He’s been tuning my cars for going on a decade and STILL answers my questions and sends revisions.

After I brought a supercharger, headers, and camshafts from Brenspeed, and the tunes to go with them. I was left with a car that couldn’t back out of garage for over 10 minutes without dying. Even then, it would die at stoplights.
After multiple phone calls to Brenspeed’s “support”. I was told, “Hey, you have a supercharged engine with a performance cam. That’s how they run”. VERBATIM.
That’s when I found Lito. One week later, I had a beast that would shred tires.
He then tuned for E85, and the rebuild with forged internals. He eventually adjusted the shift points when I started doing track days. He’s also helped diagnose the random problems that pop up with a performance car. There is none better.

 

[3vv3]

Lito = 3v goat
He’s the reason people are still building 3Vs

 

[Kev555]

Still in the middle of revising my first ever tune with Lito but so far his attention to detail and knowledge is outstanding.