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Botched Mercedes Valve Job, Need Your Help!
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drsxwyf
New User
Mar 9, 2008, 12:57 PM
Post #1 of 3
(1781 views)
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Botched Mercedes Valve Job, Need Your Help!
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My fears are that I am further damaging my engine by driving the car in it's current state, and that the mechanic has damaged my engine so severely that the top will need to be replaced or rebuilt again. The mechanic says I'm not going to hurt the car driving it as is but I clearly cannot trust him; he's either dishonest or incompetent. Here's the story:
My mechanic did not replace the rocker arms from my '88 Mercedes 560SL in the same order they were removed when doing a valve job 15K miles ago. The car has been back in his shop 9 times in the following two years, 6 times in the past 12 months to have rockers replaced as they started hitting the cam. Having replaced all the left rockers by now, last week he replaced the left cam after I expressed concern that it was as damaged as the rockers banging into it. But apparently the new (used) left cam does not match the right so the car is running really rough, like never in the 15 years I've owned it. He says I'll have to bring the car back for the 10th time so he can replace the right camshaft as well.
He has not charged me for the additional repairs, nor has he ever copped to botching the valve job in the first place. He first blamed the shop he sent the engine to in very racist terms. Next he claimed never having heard of a MBZ cycling thru rockers one at a time following a valve job; this was his position for several months until I went online and got an education from you folks here. When I mentioned "rockers" and "cam shafts" he claimed it was not required to replace the rockers to the same positions, but that might be the problem. Now he says it was the oil being filthy and full of "silver bits" (god damn it) as the reason everything failed; the synthetic oil he just changed was less that 3,000 miles old but was as bad looking as he said, probably from the stress the poor engine was under and I'm sure not the cause of anything.
I have no intention of letting him touch my car ever again but I don't know how to proceed? I don't want to make things worse or throw good money after bad so, aside from contacting an attorney about my case, how do I proceed with my car?
Thanks!
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dave284
Enthusiast
/ Moderator
Mar 9, 2008, 8:56 PM
Post #2 of 3
(1774 views)
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Re: Botched Mercedes Valve Job, Need Your Help!
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Its always been a good practice to put everything in its origial place, some of the older vehicles it wouldn't hurt but it varies, head work.... cams / rockers all has to be measure for wear also starting the vehicle without any kind of lube on those parts can lead to some damage.I'm not saying thats what happen to your vehicle,but an idea...so to find out whats with or happen is to remove the head assemblies and take to a machine shop to have check out/repair
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Guest
Anonymous Poster
Mar 10, 2008, 6:50 PM
Post #3 of 3
(1765 views)
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Re: Botched Mercedes Valve Job, Need Your Help!
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And how long do you plan to let this Bozo coming back to fix things?
I would just get a competent shop to give you an estimate with the reason for the problems in writing.
If the problems are related to the Bozo's actions, give him a chance to pay for the competent shop to do the repairs (certified letter) and when he refuses, and he will, take him to Small Claims Court.
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