you wrote that : <<his (semi transient) help will do CLT and worse. That is another story >>
Unfortunately, this is widespread IMHO. The only reason they get away with it and stay in business is the public's lack of knowledge of mechanical things. They are uninformed enough to believe the following one or more excuses: + they all do that + must be chinese parts + can't get good help these days + things aren't made to last like they used to + I've never seen or heard or that before + it's gotta be that synthetic/dino crap you;re using + you;re not using this $40 additive we sell are you? + it's the way you are driving it +you're not bringing it in to us often enough and on and on. I have long ago decided to do all the work I possibly can. Luckily I was trained as a mechanic back in the late 60s which allows me to do everything from engine and transmission rebuilds to brake work. There's somethings I refuse to do - exhaust work is a PITA so I pay someone which is also true for much of the work that needs to be done while laying on my back in the garage. Plus, I;m getting older so more and more will probably be done by others. But I;ll resist as much as possible. The biggest problem I have with others working on my car is them not doing things that obviously need done while they;re in there. If I'm working on something and see missing pr loose fasteners, I fix them. If a mechanic sees missing stuff I wish they;d tell me and I;d probably tell them to fix it. If it were me, I'd always fix things needing it. My second biggest complaint is them doing things that don't need to be done but they keep defending what they did as necessary to an absurd extent. I think that there is hope - todays kids seem drawn to cars the way many of us were in the 50s and 60s. They do much of their own work and understand how their cars work. Although it seems a lot of kids are unwilling to choose this line of work. A local community college president related this story - a local Ford dealer told the Pres he would hire any students graduating from the CCs auto technology program at a starting salary of $50K /yr. This was 5 years ago so I suspect it has gone up. Sadly there were few takers. Oh well, life goes on -- Sadly, Larry T (67 MGB, 74 911, 78 240D, 91 300D) www.youroil.net for Oil Analysis and Weber Parts Test Results http://members.rennlist.com/oil PORSCHE POSTERS! youroil.net Weber Carb Info http://members.rennlist.com/webercarbs . ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Bigham" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Tom Hargrave" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <mercedes@okiebenz.com> Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2007 12:01 PM Subject: Re: [MBZ] Transmission toasted: jackleg mechanics > > OMG! And I thought I was the only one who knew! > > Once I had a worn out timing set on a 302 Ford engine replaced at > the local Ford dealer's shop. Chain had climbed the sprocket. $$$ > > Not many miles later, I pulled the oil drinking engine for rebuild. 302 > Ford timing sprockets slip on the crank and cam with chain on both > sprockets when slipped on. Kind of a Chinese puzzle. > > This one had been hammered on the cam, and some of the nylon teeth > on the cam sprocket were cracked, and others were broken off. It > had worked fine with teeth broken off. > > I took the set back to the dealer with my invoice for parts and labor, > and I got a new timing set free. > > One reason to do one's own work is to avoid crap like that. I am > fortunate to have an independent foreign car mechanic who I do not > believe would ever do CLT. > > The bad news is that some of his (semi transient) help will do CLT > and worse. That is another story for another time, titled "The great > water pump change fiasco." Soon to be in paperback in stores near > you. > >> [Original Message] >> From: Tom Hargrave <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; Mercedes Discussion List > <mercedes@okiebenz.com> >> Date: 9/15/2007 10:46:53 AM >> Subject: RE: [MBZ] Transmission toasted >> >> There are still lot of jackleg mechanics who often do bad work. >> >> Thanks, >> Tom Hargrave >> www.kegkits.com >> 256-656-1924 >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> On Behalf Of Robert Bigham >> Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2007 10:07 AM >> To: mercedes@okiebenz.com >> Subject: Re: [MBZ] Transmission toasted >> >> Fri, 14 Sep 2007 17:13:21 -0400 >> Peter T. Arnold <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote >> Subject: Re: [MBZ] Transmission toasted >> >> I love the term "Factory Rebuilt". >> >> In East Hartford, CT there was a dealer who rebuilt flathead fords in >> the 50's. They were advertised, stamped and invoiced as "Factory >> Rebuilt". Because Ford wanted the royalty! >> >> _________________________________________________ >> >> Ford has offered rebuilt major assemblies since at least Model A days. >> >> For a long time, Ford did something like franchise the rebuilding of, >> particularly, flathead engines. They required certain standards in the >> work. >> >> The rebuillt engines had a sticker saying "Authorized Ford Rebuilt" >> or "Ford Authorized Rebuilt", one of those, on the heads. >> >> There was no representation the rebuilt engines were sent back >> to Dearborn or wherever. They were rebuilt in a shop, just as >> they are rebuilt now. What Ford was offering was a set of >> standards and predictable quality of the finished engine. >> >> I hate to have to tell you, but there used to be a lot of jackleg >> mechanics who often did bad work. The Authorized Ford >> Rebuilt program offered a way to avoid that. >> >> Many Ford engines now are good for one rebuild - if the time >> arrives for a second rebuild, the castings may be too thin for >> resizing a second time. > > > > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ > For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.487 / Virus Database: 269.13.19/1008 - Release Date: > 9/14/2007 8:59 AM > > _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
