The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Shafted by a machine shop

I built a 235 for my 52 in early 2000. The shop I wanted to use was closed for moving, so I went with a shop unknown to me. The engine now has 10,000 miles on it, half of them this year.

My 69 is dismantled in the garage, my 52 has been my daily driver since March.

About two months ago I started hearing an exhaust valve leak. Last week she backfired real bad, damaged the carb and I didn't know what all else, so I pulled the head, figuring I would lap in a new exhaust valve and fix the other problems.

When I pulled the head, first thing I noticed was oil seepage between the 4 center cylinders. Then I removed the leaky valve, and found a cracked seat, which the last shop had installed. So it was off to the preferred machine shop.

We couldn't figure out why the seat had cracked until he removed it. Two small cracks under the seat, visible to the naked eye. Machinist was pretty sure they were there when the seat was installed.

Also, the head was warped. He ended up removing .008 to get it flat. Asked if the engine had been hot at any time, answer was the temp gauge has never gone over 190*, usually runs at 180, even in the summer.

For starters, the first shop had the block, head and crank for machining, boiling and mag particle inspection. It took him 11 weeks to do what was to have been a two week job. Now I have decided that he didn't mag the head or plane it, which was part of the deal. He also assembled the head without a seal on the #6 exhaust valve, I guess he lost one, and that was the last one to do, and I was visiting him twice a week to check on the job.

Anyhow, I got the truck running this morning. The other problems were: the carb, which I swapped out and will rebuild later, a new coil which had a short inside, new points and condensor will be bought tomorrow, the plastic that rides on the cam is wearing almost as fast as I can drive. Thankfully she runs better than she has in quite some time.

Sorry to hear of your tough luck, but it sounds like you are getting the problems fixed right this time. Too bad there is not an easy way to recoup your money from the first shop.

I wonder if the same shop that did your head installed the engine in my Impala, previously owned by my uncle who lives just up the road from you. They set the timing with the vacuum advance line hooked up, which meant the actual static timimg was about 3 degrees ATDC. I set the timing to 8 degrees BTDC and really woke the engine up.

Gotta watch some of these shops and if you find a good one, stick with him.

It can be frustrating dealing with machine shops.

A few years we had a race car engine built, shop owner said he would test run engine, set timing, etc. All we had to do was put it in the car and fire it up.

Right, no way it would start, distributor was three teeth off, no oil in the filter, etc.

He never ran it but charged us for a test run and timing set.

I run my parts through the shop I work for rather than dealing with them personally. Most businesses cater better to other businesses than to an individual. To them, there's alot more business at stake than just one small private job so they usually perform higher quality work at a faster rate.
I called a salvage yard from around my area about a certain part and was told they didn't have it. I then had my parts guy from work call and found that they did have it and they even delivered it to my shop.
If you all can find a shop with some clout to send your machine work through, you'll have fewer problems. I know it's not right, but that's how I do it.
Scott

I've used DA Clem and smith on S. Broadway Years ago. Never been treated better than those good old boys. Don't know if they are the same today. Care to name names?

I went to Clem when I was looking for a shop, he came highly recommended, but the guy I talked to was an axhole. His way or the highway. The friend who recommended him said he forgot to warn me about that since it's the son running the place now.

Shop I had problems with was Hebb in Haysville. If anyone asks me for advice on a machine shop, the first thing I say is don't go there.

Shop that did my work this time is AAA Auto Machine. He was recommended by my parts store, and was who I wanted to use originally. He repaired the leak and ground the head. Did such a good job on getting the head surface parallel that my exhaust valve to piston clearance was the same on every cylinder. And he only charged $75 for the work. Took it in on Wed and got it back Thur afternoon.

Reason I didn't use AAA the first time was the shop was moving, and I would have had to wait a month to get the work done. Turned out I would have gotten the work back from him a month ahead of Hebb. Sometimes we have to learn the hard way. :o

A machinist friend just had a block reworked by Smith on south Broadway, said they did good work and treated him right