I saw the crack, it's above the gallery plug, I think that's what it's called. It starts on either side of it, runs up and around the edge of the raised part of the casting, then runs up from where they meet about 2". I really don't think they're a "crooked" shop, at least not the guy I talked to that did the work. The one that did the work, he said the crack probably happened from someone beating on the bolt to get it loose, as it was stripped when I tried to remove it, and I only tapped on it a little to get a Bolt-out on it, which didn't work. I couldn't get it to move. So, don't really think the guy would try to be like that, but he's got the fact of the block being painted when I brought it in "possibly" hiding the crack going for him, makes me hard-pressed to say he did it. I don't know.
As far as the parts thing goes, I know people bring parts in to machine shops all the time to have them balanced, checked, etc. If it was a regular engine-building shop, then no, I wouldn't dream of bringing my own parts in, but it's a machine shop, as far as I knew, you were supposed to bring them your parts.
The deal with the kit is that his kit he wants me to use is more expensive, and has less parts in it than the ones I can get elsewhere, and with the same brand-name parts. Heck, I'm even looking at stout short-blocks, and I can get them cheaper than he wants for what he's doing, and they're assembled!
Along those lines, I have a friend who works back home in his own diesel shop trying to find me budget-priced quality parts at his cost, and we're looking at just doing a short-block and building from there, he thinks the shop owner's trying to bugger me some, too.
I've dealt with a few other machine shops in other areas, and they never seemed to act like this guy, so I'm kinda feeling soured about using him, and unless someone can recommend a good machine shop in the Manhattan, KS area to me, I may just go with a short-block. I was really looking forward to my first "complete" engine build, but it may not work out this time, may just have to stick to the top end.
Thanks for all the replies, keep the thoughts coming if you have more, I'm interested to hear them.
Tony
Last edited by Tony's1964; 02/19/2009 2:45 AM.
