JDM 302E Engine Owners - Check In!!

[Vinnie5.0]

Sorry. Lol.

 

[BruceH]

Through this whole conversation we has discussed 3 different possible ways the walls could have become washed. If anyone can show me proof on which reason caused the washing I would love to see it. The only reason I started posting was to try and get everyone to calm down. An entire forum putting hate of JDM out in the open is not going to help this guy get his motor fixed.

Hate? All he's doing is sharing his experience. Forum members are empathetic.

The ability to put it out in the open is what makes this forum so good. Any other forum and this would of been deleted by now.

 

[skwerl]

I've seen many similar situations and IMO sending the engine back to JDM would probably be the single worst decision Gerald could possibly make in this entire build. With as many excuses as JDM has thrown out about why this isn't their fault, I guarantee they will rebuild it and find all sorts of 'problems' not covered under their toilet paper warranty. Now Gerald would have to pay for a second built motor just to get his engine back.

Nope, that ship has sailed and at this point his safest course of action would be to simply fix it locally and write off all the money he wasted with JDM. They promised to deliver and failed, while making excuses the whole way. JimIII has already revealed his character and that is one of an excuse maker. He will NEVER accept blame or fault for any problem. This case will not be the exception.

 

[jcw427]

I'd get a local shop to do the machine work. Put it together myself. That way if it's not right the only one I can blame is me. Besides I am pretty fussy about my stuff and like to be super hands on. Looking at the valves I'd say it was ran pretty lean for a while but the set up had enough scavenging on the cylinders to pull it up the valve otherwise the piston tops will look very similar. Either way I think you got screwed around with it and now it's time to make it right.

 

[weather man]

I would think hard about different injectors when it goes back together, or have them flow checked.

 

[Vinnie5.0]

Hate was the wrong word. Finger pointing so enthusiastically would have been better. There are people straight out saying JDM is to blame. No one can verify that. I really hop the OP gets his car back on the road soon. He has done nothing but present us with facts. Some people are just a little passionate. I get that. But the best thing anyone here can do for the OP is give our opinion and not respond like it is their project when JDM posts their updates. I can agree with JCW. But I don't believe you can judge a man's character on the forum. Skwerl. I have gotten allot of good info from your posts throughout the year but I really think that was uncalled for.

 

[DiMora]

Vinnie! Use the edit button!

If the OP can't do the work himself, be silly not to see what JDM could do for the shortblock.

I am sure Gerald could to it himself. He's very smart and studious...and let's face it, building an engine is not that difficult. If you can file rings, use plastiguage, run a torque-wrench, check end-play, and do a few other things, you can build (assemble) an engine. It is the machining that requires real expertise.

The question would boil down to cost.

If it were me, I would at least look into shipping costs to send the block to JDM and have it shipped back. If they were good enough to agree to re-hone it and re-ring it to spec for round two on their dime and all I had to do was pay shipping, I *might* do that, but that same amount of (shipping) money might be enough to get a local builder to inspect / re-hone the block for me, and then I would re-ring and assemble it myself, or even let a local builder to that to of time is of the essence.

I've build three engines myself and had one done by someone else. The only one that has failed me was one I had someone else do.

 

[BruceH]

Gerald,

If you decide to do your own assembly I'd be happy to help. This could be less money than shipping would be to ship it back. I would like to csi the bearings too. Just to see how well they have done at your power level.

If you do put it together yourself have the machine shop measure your clearances. They have the tools to do it correctly.

Did you decide on a machine shop? As you know I like ATS. The only other shop I'd consider would be Action Auto in Edmonds. I'm not saying that I know all the shops because I don't. However, in my searching they were the only two who knew what I was asking them. In the end I went with my gut and it was the correct choice.

What point are you at right now? Is the motor at a machine shop and have you torn the short block completely down?

 

[sportinawoody]

I think its awful convenient that Vinnie5.0 has alot of his 22 posts in this thread . Did you come here just to post in this thread ? Guess I'm hating on a vendor in disguise or an inconvenient cheerleader.

 

[05stroker]

He was paying for the warranty as I did. Was the gap between tunes a little long. Yes. Did he void his warranty by having someone else tune it. Yes.

So, how long would you have waited for a tune that would start and run, much less drive down the road!

This is between Gerald and Jim.

Then who are you to question Litos tuning ?!?!?!

 

[msczesny1186]

What a find F*** this is when ur planning a build and shopping.

 

[weather man]

Still in TECH guys.

 

[05stroker]

Might be time to move it. Maybe one combined thread in Chat.

 

[o2sys]

What a find F*** this is when ur planning a build and shopping.

My thoughts exactly, seriously wtf, I read all 15 pages

I was just about to send my block to JDM, being local makes a little difference but now back to the drawing board....

 

[skwerl]

To be fair, I think JDM can assemble as good of a short block as anybody. I think their tuning and customer service sucks though. I own a JDM short block I purchased second hand (new in the crate) and so far it's been solid. But I have no warranty and wouldn't expect any. I was originally going to buy a Ford Racing Aluminator stroker (with FRPP warranty) but picked this one up at a substantial savings. I sold off my warranty for $1100.

Ford Racing has the best warranty service in the industry for shortblocks. If it fails, they will most likely just replace it with another new shortblock.

 

[05stroker]

To be fair, I think JDM can assemble as good of a short block as anybody. I think their tuning and customer service sucks though. I own a JDM short block I purchased second hand (new in the crate) and so far it's been solid. But I have no warranty and wouldn't expect any. I was originally going to buy a Ford Racing Aluminator stroker (with FRPP warranty) but picked this one up at a substantial savings. I sold off my warranty for $1100.

Ford Racing has the best warranty service in the industry for shortblocks. If it fails, they will most likely just replace it with another new shortblock.

I don't really believe in warranty's on performance parts either, but if you offer them, you should honor them. I am sure there is some fine print in all " we build it, we tune it, we stand behind it" warranty's there is some kind of an out. You know like, we can take up to but not limited to 1yr to tune your car.

 

[o2sys]

I wouldn't get a tune from them either, as Lito currently tuned my car and love how it made it feel like a stock car when I'm off boost.

Considered options to have modmax build the motor as well...

 

[BadPiggy]

i don't really believe in warranty's on performance parts either, but if you offer them, you should honor them.

here, fuckin here!!!

 

[Gray Ghost GT]

As for wanting to pass emissions. Really? You built a car that will outperform most any other car on the street. Buy a sticker. I want every ounce of power out of the car. I don't care about emissions.

What a nonsense statement... There is no "buying a sticker" in Maryland where you must go to a Vehicle Emissions Inspection Facility for an OBD-II check vs. a "garage" to get your emissions inspection and sticker. Funny how JDM couldn't figure out their own setup to create the right tune, but a tuner - that had nothing to do with their build - easily figured out the problems and then some. You also don't get "every ounce of power" when it has detonation because its pulling timing, which reduces power... pounds of it.

 

[Bingo]

What's the actual wording of the warranty?

Sent from a Galaxy S4 far, far away.